Content Switch to Kindle : Formats et Cloud questions

Almamida · 07-30-2015, 07:03 AM

Hi everybody.

I bought a Kindle Voyage and I'm actually waiting for it.
It will be my first Kindle as I only used and ePub ereader until now (Sony PRS 650).

I have to admit, despite the fact I've read a lot your forum that I'm finally lost as the transition seems to be not as simple as "Convert ePub to mobi".

Finally I have some questions and it would be kind of you if some can help me to understand what I really have to do to prepare my eBooks to use my future new Kindle.

1 - I use calibre to convert files. As far as I understand, there are 2 versions of .mobi files : The old one and the new one (KF8).
I've read that to be able to send it in the Kindle Cloud, files have to be converted in mobi using the "both" option to be able to send the KF8 to devices that support it.
I tested it, and I'm not sure it's working. To be sure, I sent the KF8 sample mobi file from amazon to my iPad. It seems that the file received doesn't respect the formatting. Is it an iPad known problem or will it be the same on my Kindle ?

2 - On the Mac Kindle App & Cloud Reader, it's impossible for me to find the files I sent to my iPad in the Cloud. The iPhone can find them. Do I miss something ?

3 - If I sideload a book in the Kindle using Calibre, will it be synced in the Cloud ? If not is it possible to do it ?

4 - Is there some Calibre Plugins that I must have to help me to manage my library ?

Thanks a lot for your answers and sorry if this seems "dumb" questions for some of you but I really need to clarify what I found while I was searching answers on you forum.

HarryT · 07-30-2015, 07:29 AM

The iPad Kindle app doesn't support KF8, only "old" Mobi.

The PC and Mac Kindle apps don't support personal documents (although you can use them to open Kindle books stored locally on your PC/Mac).

No, you don't need any Calibre plugins, although you may find Alf's tools useful (but you're presumable aware of those already).

Almamida · 07-30-2015, 08:39 AM

Thanks a lot for these precisions as it really was unclear for me.

By the way, you surprised me when you talked about Alf's Tools as I didn't know what was this tools. But, after a Google search I recalled that I was already using it (Only forgot its name)

I'm already converting some ePubs. Almost everything seems to be good, except that the mobi versions doesn't seem to have the same justification. Perhaps its impossible to have the exact same result, or the Built-in Calibre mobi viewer differs than the Kindle ?

HarryT · 07-30-2015, 09:11 AM

If you're going to sideload books (ie copy via USB) from Calibre to your Kindle Voyage, I'd suggest converting to AZW3 format, not Mobi. That will preserve a lot more of the formatting of the ePub originals. Only use Mobi if you intend to send them to Amazon's Cloud server.

Almamida · 08-02-2015, 12:45 PM

Thanks.

Weird to see that amazon is managing 2 different formats and allowing only one to be sent to its cloud server.

HarryT · 08-02-2015, 01:22 PM

No, not really. If you use Amazon's official tools (Kindlegen) you get a single file containing both "old" and "new" Kindle formats, and Amazon's server will automatically send the correct format to the device according to what it supports. The reason you can't send a "pure" KF8 file to the Cloud server is simply that it's not something it's designed to handle.

Almamida · 08-02-2015, 01:54 PM

So, the AZW3 and KF8 mobi are supposed to be the same ?

emmabee · 08-02-2015, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Almamida

So, the AZW3 and KF8 mobi are supposed to be the same ?

They are two names for the same thing is my understanding.

HarryT · 08-02-2015, 02:21 PM

Correct. Two different names for the same thing. KF8 ("Kindle Format 8") is the name of the format; "AZW3" is simply a file extension.

shalym · 08-02-2015, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

No, not really. If you use Amazon's official tools (Kindlegen) you get a single file containing both "old" and "new" Kindle formats, and Amazon's server will automatically send the correct format to the device according to what it supports. The reason you can't send a "pure" KF8 file to the Cloud server is simply that it's not something it's designed to handle.

You can achieve the same thing with Calibre by changing the output format to "both" for mobi conversions and sending that to your Kindle cloud using either the Send to Kindle app or the built-in email in Calibre (I use Calibre's built-in email and it works like a charm)

Shari

07-30-2015, 07:03 AM	#1
Almamida Guru Posts: 685 Karma: 11431990 Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Toronto, Canada Device: Kobo Sage - Kindle PW5 & Voyage - iPad Pro M1 12.9	Switch to Kindle : Formats et Cloud questions Hi everybody. I bought a Kindle Voyage and I'm actually waiting for it. It will be my first Kindle as I only used and ePub ereader until now (Sony PRS 650). I have to admit, despite the fact I've read a lot your forum that I'm finally lost as the transition seems to be not as simple as "Convert ePub to mobi". Finally I have some questions and it would be kind of you if some can help me to understand what I really have to do to prepare my eBooks to use my future new Kindle. 1 - I use calibre to convert files. As far as I understand, there are 2 versions of .mobi files : The old one and the new one (KF8). I've read that to be able to send it in the Kindle Cloud, files have to be converted in mobi using the "both" option to be able to send the KF8 to devices that support it. I tested it, and I'm not sure it's working. To be sure, I sent the KF8 sample mobi file from amazon to my iPad. It seems that the file received doesn't respect the formatting. Is it an iPad known problem or will it be the same on my Kindle ? 2 - On the Mac Kindle App & Cloud Reader, it's impossible for me to find the files I sent to my iPad in the Cloud. The iPhone can find them. Do I miss something ? 3 - If I sideload a book in the Kindle using Calibre, will it be synced in the Cloud ? If not is it possible to do it ? 4 - Is there some Calibre Plugins that I must have to help me to manage my library ? Thanks a lot for your answers and sorry if this seems "dumb" questions for some of you but I really need to clarify what I found while I was searching answers on you forum.

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07-30-2015, 07:29 AM	#2
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	The iPad Kindle app doesn't support KF8, only "old" Mobi. The PC and Mac Kindle apps don't support personal documents (although you can use them to open Kindle books stored locally on your PC/Mac). No, you don't need any Calibre plugins, although you may find Alf's tools useful (but you're presumable aware of those already).

07-30-2015, 08:39 AM	#3
Almamida Guru Posts: 685 Karma: 11431990 Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Toronto, Canada Device: Kobo Sage - Kindle PW5 & Voyage - iPad Pro M1 12.9	Thanks a lot for these precisions as it really was unclear for me. By the way, you surprised me when you talked about Alf's Tools as I didn't know what was this tools. But, after a Google search I recalled that I was already using it (Only forgot its name) I'm already converting some ePubs. Almost everything seems to be good, except that the mobi versions doesn't seem to have the same justification. Perhaps its impossible to have the exact same result, or the Built-in Calibre mobi viewer differs than the Kindle ?

07-30-2015, 09:11 AM	#4
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	If you're going to sideload books (ie copy via USB) from Calibre to your Kindle Voyage, I'd suggest converting to AZW3 format, not Mobi. That will preserve a lot more of the formatting of the ePub originals. Only use Mobi if you intend to send them to Amazon's Cloud server.

08-02-2015, 12:45 PM	#5
Almamida Guru Posts: 685 Karma: 11431990 Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Toronto, Canada Device: Kobo Sage - Kindle PW5 & Voyage - iPad Pro M1 12.9	Thanks. Weird to see that amazon is managing 2 different formats and allowing only one to be sent to its cloud server.

08-02-2015, 01:22 PM	#6
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	No, not really. If you use Amazon's official tools (Kindlegen) you get a single file containing both "old" and "new" Kindle formats, and Amazon's server will automatically send the correct format to the device according to what it supports. The reason you can't send a "pure" KF8 file to the Cloud server is simply that it's not something it's designed to handle.

08-02-2015, 01:54 PM	#7
Almamida Guru Posts: 685 Karma: 11431990 Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Toronto, Canada Device: Kobo Sage - Kindle PW5 & Voyage - iPad Pro M1 12.9	So, the AZW3 and KF8 mobi are supposed to be the same ?

08-02-2015, 02:21 PM	#9
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Correct. Two different names for the same thing. KF8 ("Kindle Format 8") is the name of the format; "AZW3" is simply a file extension.

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