Content Non-Amazon eBooks + Online Library

goonjm · 05-10-2011, 06:38 AM

Hi all,

Had a look through some posts to see if this had been answered, but I couldn't find anything, so apologies if this is an oft answered question.

I currently own a Sony eReader but am keen to move over to a Kindle, primarily as due to it's ability to sync books and their "last read" points between devices.

My question concerns content not bought from Amazon - in this instance, eBooks bought from O'Reilly (the tech publisher).

If I buy a Kindle compatible eBook from them, is it possible to upload it to my Amazon account so that it would be possible to sync it to my Kindle, the Kindle app on my Android phone etc? How would I go about this? I've read that you can e-mail books to a a unique account email address, is that right?

(EDIT: Just to be clear, not to fussed about syncing the last page read etc, just making it so I can upload the book to my Kindle account and then at any time download it to the Kindle app on my Phone, or windows etc - trying to remove the need to manage an offline library on my laptop)

thanks.

Simon

booklover6 · 05-10-2011, 06:42 AM

No, Amazon will automatically sync books bought from them, but the sync function will not work for books bought elsewhere.

goonjm · 05-10-2011, 06:54 AM

Wow, and to me that was the killer feature.

So I'd be able to have all of my amazon bought ebooks syncd and acessible from all devices automatically but anything I either converted from ePub (from the Sony Reader) or bought from O'Reilly I'd have to manually copy them on to each device?

Maybe swapping to a Kindle doesn't make as much sense as I thought.

Simon

booklover6 · 05-10-2011, 06:58 AM

Correct. Of course if you remember what page you are on, you can go directly to that page on the other device.

goonjm · 05-10-2011, 07:00 AM

Remembering the page I've read to is actually less important than making the book automatically available on each device. I hate syncing with cables, and just want to make each book available to each Kindle reading device "magically".

DMB · 05-10-2011, 07:03 AM

Even without syncing you can use the bookmark feature.

goonjm · 05-10-2011, 07:21 AM

Thanks for your answers. Seems that I'll still have to do an amount of manual management of the library. Might still just about be worth the upgrade though.

booklover6 · 05-10-2011, 08:20 AM

The Kindle is a wonderful device. And the nice thing is, if it doesn't suit your needs, you have 30 days to return it! Definitely worth a try.

abookreader · 05-10-2011, 08:25 AM

No, you can sync non-Amazon books using the conversion feature in Calibre that puts an ASIN number into the correct field in the Metadata. There are a couple of threads here on how to do it if you look around.

Now no, you can't upload the books to your Amazon account archives. What I, and many others do, is maintain our complete libraries in another online service (see Dropbox below). That way I can download my books to any device via WiFi/3G if that device can connect to the internet. I think you could also use the Calibre Content server for that if you wanted to set it up.

ProfCrash · 05-10-2011, 09:24 AM

There is also a way to sync books using Mobi2Mobi. Check at either one of those boards for help.

RainingLemur · 05-10-2011, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goonjm

I hate syncing with cables, and just want to make each book available to each Kindle reading device "magically".

Whoa whoa whoa whoa... Better watch your words. Apple may step in and file suit against you.

chas0039 · 05-11-2011, 09:50 PM

I just added a Kindle and went through the process of converting over 1600 books from epub over to mobi in order to make them accessible. It took over 24 hours but was less of a problem than I thought. I picked up a little utility here that allows adding to and creating collections over the PC so that problem is also solved. The big thing I will miss is the SD card. With the card, no matter what happened to the reader, my books were safe and could drop into a new reader in a second. With the Kindle, all is lost and the reload process starts all over. Oh well. It still is a good reader and has higher contrast than the Nook. And with user replaceable batteries it should work for quite a while.

If you real concern is all the work to transfer the files, it is worth it.

TenaciousBadger · 05-12-2011, 02:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chas0039

I just added a Kindle and went through the process of converting over 1600 books from epub over to mobi in order to make them accessible. It took over 24 hours

1600 books!!! Lord, you must have the patience of a saint!

alansplace · 05-12-2011, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chas0039

....The big thing I will miss is the SD card. With the card, no matter what happened to the reader, my books were safe and could drop into a new reader in a second. With the Kindle, all is lost and the reload process starts all over. Oh well. It still is a good reader and has higher contrast than the Nook. And with user replaceable batteries it should work for quite a while.

If you real concern is all the work to transfer the files, it is worth it.

keep your library in calibre on a computer and there would be nothing lost in your scenario.
--
Alan

CRussel · 05-12-2011, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alansplace

keep your library in calibre on a computer and there would be nothing lost in your scenario.
--
Alan

Absolutely. All my books get put in Calibre, with all DRM removed, and from there they are both backed up, and always available. I could move to a new reader with no loss of books or any particular time lost doing so.

Quote:

Originally Posted by chas0039

With the card, no matter what happened to the reader, my books were safe and could drop into a new reader in a second.

And what happens if your SD card decides to corrupt itself? (And yes, I have seen that happen!)

05-10-2011, 06:38 AM	#1
goonjm Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2009 Device: Sony PRS-505	Non-Amazon eBooks + Online Library Hi all, Had a look through some posts to see if this had been answered, but I couldn't find anything, so apologies if this is an oft answered question. I currently own a Sony eReader but am keen to move over to a Kindle, primarily as due to it's ability to sync books and their "last read" points between devices. My question concerns content not bought from Amazon - in this instance, eBooks bought from O'Reilly (the tech publisher). If I buy a Kindle compatible eBook from them, is it possible to upload it to my Amazon account so that it would be possible to sync it to my Kindle, the Kindle app on my Android phone etc? How would I go about this? I've read that you can e-mail books to a a unique account email address, is that right? (EDIT: Just to be clear, not to fussed about syncing the last page read etc, just making it so I can upload the book to my Kindle account and then at any time download it to the Kindle app on my Phone, or windows etc - trying to remove the need to manage an offline library on my laptop) thanks. Simon Last edited by goonjm; 05-10-2011 at 07:09 AM.

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05-10-2011, 06:42 AM	#2
booklover6 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,533 Karma: 14008730 Join Date: May 2008 Location: PA (USA) Device: Kobo Clara, 2E, Libre, PW4, PW5, 2022 Kindle	No, Amazon will automatically sync books bought from them, but the sync function will not work for books bought elsewhere.

05-10-2011, 06:54 AM	#3
goonjm Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2009 Device: Sony PRS-505	Wow, and to me that was the killer feature. So I'd be able to have all of my amazon bought ebooks syncd and acessible from all devices automatically but anything I either converted from ePub (from the Sony Reader) or bought from O'Reilly I'd have to manually copy them on to each device? Maybe swapping to a Kindle doesn't make as much sense as I thought. Simon

05-10-2011, 06:58 AM	#4
booklover6 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,533 Karma: 14008730 Join Date: May 2008 Location: PA (USA) Device: Kobo Clara, 2E, Libre, PW4, PW5, 2022 Kindle	Correct. Of course if you remember what page you are on, you can go directly to that page on the other device.

05-10-2011, 07:00 AM	#5
goonjm Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2009 Device: Sony PRS-505	Remembering the page I've read to is actually less important than making the book automatically available on each device. I hate syncing with cables, and just want to make each book available to each Kindle reading device "magically".

05-10-2011, 07:03 AM	#6
DMB Old Git Posts: 958 Karma: 1840790 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Switzerland (mostly) Device: Two kindle PWs wifi, kindle fire, iPad3 wifi	Even without syncing you can use the bookmark feature.

05-10-2011, 07:21 AM	#7
goonjm Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2009 Device: Sony PRS-505	Thanks for your answers. Seems that I'll still have to do an amount of manual management of the library. Might still just about be worth the upgrade though.

05-10-2011, 08:20 AM	#8
booklover6 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,533 Karma: 14008730 Join Date: May 2008 Location: PA (USA) Device: Kobo Clara, 2E, Libre, PW4, PW5, 2022 Kindle	The Kindle is a wonderful device. And the nice thing is, if it doesn't suit your needs, you have 30 days to return it! Definitely worth a try.

05-10-2011, 08:25 AM	#9
abookreader Wizard Posts: 1,516 Karma: 2567610 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Kindles - Keyboard, Fire, 2-US, iPhone, iPAD	No, you can sync non-Amazon books using the conversion feature in Calibre that puts an ASIN number into the correct field in the Metadata. There are a couple of threads here on how to do it if you look around. Now no, you can't upload the books to your Amazon account archives. What I, and many others do, is maintain our complete libraries in another online service (see Dropbox below). That way I can download my books to any device via WiFi/3G if that device can connect to the internet. I think you could also use the Calibre Content server for that if you wanted to set it up.

05-10-2011, 09:24 AM	#10
ProfCrash Tea Enthusiast Posts: 8,554 Karma: 75384937 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Somewhere in the USA Device: Kindle1, Kindle DX Graphite, K3 3G, IPad 3, PW2	There is also a way to sync books using Mobi2Mobi. Check at either one of those boards for help.

05-11-2011, 09:50 PM	#12
chas0039 Sceptic Posts: 573 Karma: 73436 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: The Lake Device: rooted Nooks, retired. JetBook Lite, Kindle 3, 4, Kobo Nia, Libra H2O.	I just added a Kindle and went through the process of converting over 1600 books from epub over to mobi in order to make them accessible. It took over 24 hours but was less of a problem than I thought. I picked up a little utility here that allows adding to and creating collections over the PC so that problem is also solved. The big thing I will miss is the SD card. With the card, no matter what happened to the reader, my books were safe and could drop into a new reader in a second. With the Kindle, all is lost and the reload process starts all over. Oh well. It still is a good reader and has higher contrast than the Nook. And with user replaceable batteries it should work for quite a while. If you real concern is all the work to transfer the files, it is worth it.