Kindle 3 vs. Ectaco jetBook

[mbovenka]

Originally Posted by Jack Tingle

.rant on

Whew! I feel better now. I was attempting to read two .rtf files of short fiction. For my jetBook:
1) Open cover & remove SD card.
2) Stick SD card into laptop and wait for beep.
3) Open SD card window.
4) Drag .rft file to card window.
6) Remove card and replace in jetBook.
7) Move files to long term storage folder.

For the stupid K3:
1) Fire up Calibre.
2) Add files.
3) Convert files to .mobi
4) Write files.
5) Hook up K3 with USB cable. Wait for beep.
6) Find Calibre's converted files.
7) Drag to Kindle document folder
8) Eject K3.
9) Unhook USB and restow.
10) Delete Calibre's crap.
11) Move files to long term storage folder.
Ridiculous.

For the Kindle + Calibre:

1) Connect K3
2) Start Calibre. It will recognize your K3.
3) Add books
4) 'Send to Device'

Done.

For mass conversions, Calibre's CLI tool 'ebook-convert' is your friend, if you don't want to use the GUI. I don't, myself; for 35K books, it needs a beefier box than I have.

[Jack Tingle]

Thantks, mbovenka.

I don't actually want Calibre to do anything but convert the files. I tried the CLI and it seems to work fine, without the mass of extraneous crap the GUI generates.

Have a hit of karma for the nice answer, though.

Regards,
Jack Tingle

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Originally Posted by GA Russell

Thanks for your candor, Jack! We are now seeing Kindle owners admit that their Kindles are less than perfect.

First the slow page-turning issue, which appears to be a product of overheating and may be a hardware design flaw (but maybe only a firmware flaw), and now your comments.

Newegg is currently out of stock of both the JB and the JBL. I sure hope that Ectaco isn't planning to discontinue those models.

Apparently, NewEgg is discontinuing the JBL and, maybe, the Jetbook. All they catalog now is a cover for the JBL and the JBL Burgandy.

All the hype about the JetBook Mini and that JBLs are so scarce right now leads me to believe the JBL will be replaced by the Mini which is a shame since the JBL supports PDF and the Mini doesn't, rendering the Mini useless to me.

[GhostHawk]

Jack I'm not sure what your converting, but personally I use Amber Lit converter and Zilla PDF converter rather than use Caliber. Both will do batch conversions without all the fuss and hassle that Calber will put you through.

[ChaseKR]

I highly suggest the Kindle for its wide book availability and ease of use. When you read, you want to focus on the content, not the device, and I think the kindke is great for that.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Originally Posted by ChaseKR

I highly suggest the Kindle for its wide book availability and ease of use. When you read, you want to focus on the content, not the device, and I think the kindke is great for that.

While you're reading, maybe, but when you have to lug it around when not reading, the device suddenly becomes more significant. My JBL easily fits in my purse; a K3 will not fit period. And please don't suggest a bigger purse unless you plan on lugging it around for me.

[Jack Tingle]

Originally Posted by Lady Fitzgerald

While you're reading, maybe, but when you have to lug it around when not reading, the device suddenly becomes more significant. My JBL easily fits in my purse; a K3 will not fit period. And please don't suggest a bigger purse unless you plan on lugging it around for me.

I agree. The K3 is at the upper edge of what I consider handleable. The jetBook (mine's the rechargeable one) is handy. I was taken aback by the Nook, the first time I picked one up. It was awkward. I still think it's to do with it's balance.

I'm keeping both the jetBook and the K3. They both have virtues and vices that complement one another.

Regards,
Jack Tingle

[Purge]

When you were converting the .RTFs, couldn't you have just emailed the files to your Kindle?

That way you wouldn't need to fiddle with any hardware at all, not even a SD Card!

[Jack Tingle]

Originally Posted by Purge

When you were converting the .RTFs, couldn't you have just emailed the files to your Kindle?

That way you wouldn't need to fiddle with any hardware at all, not even a SD Card!

Except that the SD card approach is faster than an email solution. If I was in East Timbuktu, and needed something on the K3 and all I had was an email program, I'd use that approach gladly. As it happens, Calibre's CLI doesn't muck up my computer with crap, so I've just been using that when forced into it. Otherwise, I put everything but .mobi/.prc on the jetBook.

Regards,
Jack Tingle

[bob1xxx]

Originally Posted by Flyingredgoat

I would think that would change over time, no?

K

Honestly no, unless the economy picks up super fast, in California most city's and counties are going broke due to shrinking property tax bases and library's are having there hours slashed or closed all together . E books are very very low on there priority list right now. Honestly I do not see any chance for the economy to improve until prez buzz kill out of out of office . So again free epub library book loans are no reason to buy one e book reader over another.

[bob1xxx]

Originally Posted by Jack Tingle

I agree. The K3 is at the upper edge of what I consider handleable. The jetBook (mine's the rechargeable one) is handy. I was taken aback by the Nook, the first time I picked one up. It was awkward. I still think it's to do with it's balance.

I'm keeping both the jetBook and the K3. They both have virtues and vices that complement one another.

Regards,
Jack Tingle

I almost kind of agree with you if you said the battery operated Jetbook mini so you use it camping or were ac power is fiffy , my experience with the maddening battery recharging issues with my alurtek libre (want to smash it it to Little pieces, bad build wonkieness) I could not recommend the libre or jetbook rechargeable version to anyone except a enemy. Also the k3 screen readability and power consumption is so far superior to libre/jetbooks lcd screen its not funny . If I had a friend who could only afford one e reader (reading books mostly) I recommend they save a little and get the k3 wifi for the price its clear one of the best (possible the best) e reader in the 6' screen size.

[SciFiGal777]

Originally Posted by Jack Tingle

.rant on

Aarrgh! How the heck^2 does anyone manipulate other content on the stupid Kindle? I hate this.

Calibre, Mobi Creator, emailing... WTF? Jeff Bezos (who I often speak kindly of) is an IDIOT! So is everyone else who puts up with this mess. Including the mothers of Calibre, which sucks!

.rant off

Whew! I feel better now. I was attempting to read two .rtf files of short fiction. For my jetBook:
1) Open cover & remove SD card.
2) Stick SD card into laptop and wait for beep.
3) Open SD card window.
4) Drag .rft file to card window.
6) Remove card and replace in jetBook.
7) Move files to long term storage folder.

For the stupid K3:
1) Fire up Calibre.
2) Add files.
3) Convert files to .mobi
4) Write files.
5) Hook up K3 with USB cable. Wait for beep.
6) Find Calibre's converted files.
7) Drag to Kindle document folder
8) Eject K3.
9) Unhook USB and restow.
10) Delete Calibre's crap.
11) Move files to long term storage folder.
Ridiculous.

The jetBook will be with me a very long time.

Regards,
Jack Tingle

Actually I've had the opposite experience:

Jetbook Lite:
Detach flap covering sd card slot
Take out SD card from Jetbook lite
Plug card into the computer
if it's a .doc file, I have to open up the file and save as a .rtf
transfer file to the card
replace sd card in the Jetbook
reattach flap & refresh

Kindle 3:
Open Thunderbird
type in the first few letters of my kindle email
attach file (.doc automatically converts, any public domain books are already .mobi)
send
turn K3 wireless on & refresh


Plus, changing AA batteries on the Lite was more of a pain then plugging K3 in every once in a while. And the K3 screen is MUCH better than the Jetbook Lite.

(This is mostly why I now have a K3 instead of a Jetbook Lite.)

[Quake1028]

Originally Posted by bob1xxx

Hmmm public library books a vastly over stated reason to buy a e pub reader. Here in So CAl PL's have convert so few books (except crap best sellers to epub) there no selection. And most books have waiting lists months long because the will only loan out the e pub books to only 2 to 5 readers depending on the library ....so sorry public library access is a straw man argument in my book.

At least here I have been able to acquire two books so far without much looking for the nook that I am interested in from the library. Read one and have the other one TBR. Already saved me $20 on those two alone.