How do you get content onto your device?

ficbot · 03-18-2009, 12:31 AM

In the days of my recently departed eBookwise, loading content was so much more fiddly than it is now. My own content had to be converted to PDB, uploaded to my personal content server using a buggy, unreliable web interface that required me to log in twice, with different passwords, in order to complete it and then plug in the device to my computer and download from there. Purchased content was just as bad: I would buy from Fictionwise (never from eBookwise.com as their DRM is very onerous), log onto eBookwise, download my Fictionwise purchases into my account there, then plug the device into the computer and download them onto the device. Whew! A lot of work.

Now, I am using Calibre with my new Sony Reader. I just download a file, either from my Fictionwise bookshelf or elsewhere, and add it in Calibre. Plug the reader in, press the 'send to reader' button, and done. This morning, I had five minutes before I had to be out the door and I still managed to buy 7 books on Fictionwise, download them to my computer, load them into Calibre and onto my device with time to spare.

The iPod Touch is even easier for Fictionwise buys. I can do it over wi-fi from within the program and never even go near my PC. For my own content, it is a little trickier, I have to convert it to PDB then upload it to the personal content server on my Fictionwise account first.

It is just so much easier than the old days of eBookwise (though the eBookwise was a good device for me at the time and I do not begrudge owning it, happy though I am with my new Sony and with my eBookwise off to a second life at a good home).

Anyway, just curious what the rest of you do. Is it easy? Hard? Fast? Slow? Are you a Kindle person who just buys off the device and never goes near the computer, or a fiddler like me who likes to have total control over the process?

pepak · 03-18-2009, 01:58 AM

I hate sending content to a device using a specialized application. It doesn't matter if it is eBook Library, Calibre or iTunes, I just hate it. Regular copy operations using my favorite file manager are the way for me.

basschick · 03-18-2009, 02:09 AM

mobipocket reader synchs up with my cybook and does it all for me. or once in a while, i drag and drop from my harddrive to the cybook as a mass storge device.

PhishStyx · 03-18-2009, 02:17 AM

I do the Kindle thing, and with the DR, I drag & drop files from the directory where I downloaded them to the DR, usually using the Companion Software.

In either case, it's an extremely easy operation.

Sweetpea · 03-18-2009, 03:14 AM

I just take my SD card, put it in my SD card reader, copy the files I want and return the card to the device.

Or, if I really want that book now, I'll connect to my wifi, go to my file server (or to the website where I can download the book, MR for example), and copy it onto my device directly.

rcuadro · 03-18-2009, 03:42 AM

Right now I use Calibre... with my Sony and K2... Once I get back to the states I bet I will just get the books sent straight to my Kindle

I wish that Calibre had the ability to sync

Shoppa · 03-18-2009, 06:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ficbot

In the days of my recently departed eBookwise, loading content was so much more fiddly than it is now. My own content had to be converted to PDB, uploaded to my personal content server using a buggy, unreliable web interface that required me to log in twice, with different passwords, in order to complete it and then plug in the device to my computer and download from there. Purchased content was just as bad: I would buy from Fictionwise (never from eBookwise.com as their DRM is very onerous), log onto eBookwise, download my Fictionwise purchases into my account there, then plug the device into the computer and download them onto the device. Whew! A lot of work.

Now, I am using Calibre with my new Sony Reader. I just download a file, either from my Fictionwise bookshelf or elsewhere, and add it in Calibre. Plug the reader in, press the 'send to reader' button, and done. This morning, I had five minutes before I had to be out the door and I still managed to buy 7 books on Fictionwise, download them to my computer, load them into Calibre and onto my device with time to spare.

The iPod Touch is even easier for Fictionwise buys. I can do it over wi-fi from within the program and never even go near my PC. For my own content, it is a little trickier, I have to convert it to PDB then upload it to the personal content server on my Fictionwise account first.

It is just so much easier than the old days of eBookwise (though the eBookwise was a good device for me at the time and I do not begrudge owning it, happy though I am with my new Sony and with my eBookwise off to a second life at a good home).

Anyway, just curious what the rest of you do. Is it easy? Hard? Fast? Slow? Are you a Kindle person who just buys off the device and never goes near the computer, or a fiddler like me who likes to have total control over the process?

Hi. I have inherited a kindle 1 and am having great trouble using it. I think from your post you may know what to do. I can open ebooks on my laptop but can't get them to my kindle. I have down loaded calibre which is recognising the kindle is there. I brought a book from fictionwise and downloaded it to microsoft reader. I opened it in reader no problem. I can't work out how to get it to either calibre or kindle . I am in Australia so buying direct from Amazon is not an option. Can you help. I am desperate to make this great toy work.

wayrad · 03-18-2009, 07:23 AM

I'm using a PalmOS device, which has a desktop app for transferring files with .pdb or .prc extensions via cable or Bluetooth. For copying .txt or .rtf files, I use an app called BlueFiles to manage my SD card via Bluetooth. It's easier and seems to cause less card corruption than moving the card back and forth to my laptop.

Laine · 03-18-2009, 09:14 AM

Both my laptops have sd card readers built in. I just put the sd card in the laptop and it shows up on screen. Then I can open my documents on the laptop and copy files across. Quick and simple.

wallcraft · 03-18-2009, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shoppa

I can't work out how to get it to either calibre or kindle . I am in Australia so buying direct from Amazon is not an option.

I assume this is a Secure MS Reader (LIT) ebook. You first need to strip the DRM (encryption) using "ConvertLIT GUI" (use its downconvert option). Calibre can import the DRM-free LIT and export DRM-free MOBI, and it will copy this to your Kindle for you if you want. Note that stripping DRM is illegal in some places, but it is hard to see who is hurt by doing so on ebooks you own for personal use.

shighfield · 03-18-2009, 10:14 AM

I use Calibre to store everything including books in the IMP format for the ebookwise. With the sony "Send to reader" with the ebookwise I use finder to move to the impserve directory and impserve to send to the reader.

Before Calibre I just used finder / memory card reader.

Liviu_5 · 03-18-2009, 10:39 AM

With the Ebookwise ages ago, I used the Librarian (it was 15$ but worth every penny) and there was no problem about converting or loading imp files on the card; took a little more than I liked since the imp files have to be split on the card but nothing too onerous.

With the 770, just close Fbreader and plug the device in the USB cable - same as for the PRS btw, so it's nice to have only one needed - drag and drop. I downloaded the occasional book from various sources (Baen, FW multi, Gutenberg) directly, usually in zipped prc or zipped html or directly in prc/html, and it's very easy too with a wi-fi connection, but I mostly use the USB cable.

With the 500 and now the 700 I mostly load the files (generally converted with Calibre plus unconverted pdf's that I just edit the meta-data with BeCy) in Sony Library software and then drag and drop when the PRS is plugged in and shows there. Sometimes I drop directly on it since it shows as an extra drive on my PC and it's easy to click through to get to the books directory.

Of course for DRM-pdf's from e-NYPL say, you need to use ADE software but the PRS shows there as it does on the Sony software so it's still drag and drop. Or at least it used to be...

I used the iTouch only a little for books, but the only way I put books on it is with USB and a file utility since I keep my iTouch jail-broken always. Never bothered with setting up a server for my books though I know it's easy, but I have not used it for books in a long, long time

dmaul1114 · 03-18-2009, 01:52 PM

I have a Kindle so I've just been using Whispernet--both for Amazon books I buy and free books from Feedbooks.

Also have calibre and could used that to put stuff on it, though it seems like it would be easier to just drag and drop stuff in windows explorer. RSS feeds aside of course, but I don't have much interest in that as I'd rather just read the news on the websites rather than the kindle.

daffy4u · 03-18-2009, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shoppa

Hi. I have inherited a kindle 1 and am having great trouble using it. I think from your post you may know what to do. I can open ebooks on my laptop but can't get them to my kindle. I have down loaded calibre which is recognising the kindle is there. I brought a book from fictionwise and downloaded it to microsoft reader. I opened it in reader no problem. I can't work out how to get it to either calibre or kindle . I am in Australia so buying direct from Amazon is not an option. Can you help. I am desperate to make this great toy work.

What format are the books and are you making sure they are added to the "documents" folder on the Kindle?

Neil · 03-18-2009, 05:04 PM

I use the Kindle Store and wireless delivery for any of the DRM'd books I buy there but I download many books from all the other places. For those I use Calibre and find it to extremely fast, easy and reliable.

03-18-2009, 12:31 AM	#1
ficbot Wizard Posts: 2,409 Karma: 4132096 Join Date: Sep 2008 Device: Kindle Paperwhite/iOS Kindle App	How do you get content onto your device? In the days of my recently departed eBookwise, loading content was so much more fiddly than it is now. My own content had to be converted to PDB, uploaded to my personal content server using a buggy, unreliable web interface that required me to log in twice, with different passwords, in order to complete it and then plug in the device to my computer and download from there. Purchased content was just as bad: I would buy from Fictionwise (never from eBookwise.com as their DRM is very onerous), log onto eBookwise, download my Fictionwise purchases into my account there, then plug the device into the computer and download them onto the device. Whew! A lot of work. Now, I am using Calibre with my new Sony Reader. I just download a file, either from my Fictionwise bookshelf or elsewhere, and add it in Calibre. Plug the reader in, press the 'send to reader' button, and done. This morning, I had five minutes before I had to be out the door and I still managed to buy 7 books on Fictionwise, download them to my computer, load them into Calibre and onto my device with time to spare. The iPod Touch is even easier for Fictionwise buys. I can do it over wi-fi from within the program and never even go near my PC. For my own content, it is a little trickier, I have to convert it to PDB then upload it to the personal content server on my Fictionwise account first. It is just so much easier than the old days of eBookwise (though the eBookwise was a good device for me at the time and I do not begrudge owning it, happy though I am with my new Sony and with my eBookwise off to a second life at a good home). Anyway, just curious what the rest of you do. Is it easy? Hard? Fast? Slow? Are you a Kindle person who just buys off the device and never goes near the computer, or a fiddler like me who likes to have total control over the process?

03-18-2009, 09:14 AM	#9
Laine Addict Posts: 341 Karma: 1162396 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Cabramatta, Sydney, Australia Device: Aura H2O, Voyage	Both my laptops have sd card readers built in. I just put the sd card in the laptop and it shows up on screen. Then I can open my documents on the laptop and copy files across. Quick and simple. Last edited by Laine; 03-18-2009 at 09:16 AM. Reason: typo

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03-18-2009, 01:58 AM	#2
pepak Guru Posts: 610 Karma: 4150 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: Sony Reader PRS-T3, Kobo Libra H2O	I hate sending content to a device using a specialized application. It doesn't matter if it is eBook Library, Calibre or iTunes, I just hate it. Regular copy operations using my favorite file manager are the way for me.

03-18-2009, 02:09 AM	#3
basschick Wizard Posts: 1,096 Karma: 4695691 Join Date: May 2008 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	mobipocket reader synchs up with my cybook and does it all for me. or once in a while, i drag and drop from my harddrive to the cybook as a mass storge device.

03-18-2009, 02:17 AM	#4
PhishStyx The me that I am Posts: 413 Karma: 1078 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: In my house! Duh! Device: Kindle 1 & DR 1000s	I do the Kindle thing, and with the DR, I drag & drop files from the directory where I downloaded them to the DR, usually using the Companion Software. In either case, it's an extremely easy operation.

03-18-2009, 03:14 AM	#5
Sweetpea Grand Sorcerer Posts: 9,707 Karma: 32763414 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Krewerd Device: Pocketbook Inkpad 4 Color; Samsung Galaxy Tab S6	I just take my SD card, put it in my SD card reader, copy the files I want and return the card to the device. Or, if I really want that book now, I'll connect to my wifi, go to my file server (or to the website where I can download the book, MR for example), and copy it onto my device directly.

03-18-2009, 03:42 AM	#6
rcuadro Wizard Posts: 1,686 Karma: 874275 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Device: Kindle DX	Right now I use Calibre... with my Sony and K2... Once I get back to the states I bet I will just get the books sent straight to my Kindle I wish that Calibre had the ability to sync

03-18-2009, 07:23 AM	#8
wayrad Fanatic Posts: 551 Karma: 1121392 Join Date: May 2008 Location: USA Device: HTC One M8	I'm using a PalmOS device, which has a desktop app for transferring files with .pdb or .prc extensions via cable or Bluetooth. For copying .txt or .rtf files, I use an app called BlueFiles to manage my SD card via Bluetooth. It's easier and seems to cause less card corruption than moving the card back and forth to my laptop.

03-18-2009, 10:14 AM	#11
shighfield Groupie!? GROUPIE!?!? Posts: 317 Karma: 649 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: The Dirty Shwa Device: EBW 1150, Kobo Touch	I use Calibre to store everything including books in the IMP format for the ebookwise. With the sony "Send to reader" with the ebookwise I use finder to move to the impserve directory and impserve to send to the reader. Before Calibre I just used finder / memory card reader.

03-18-2009, 10:39 AM	#12
Liviu_5 Books and more books Posts: 917 Karma: 69499 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: White Plains, NY, USA Device: Nook Color, Itouch, Nokia770, Sony 650, Sony 700(dead), Ebk(given)	With the Ebookwise ages ago, I used the Librarian (it was 15$ but worth every penny) and there was no problem about converting or loading imp files on the card; took a little more than I liked since the imp files have to be split on the card but nothing too onerous. With the 770, just close Fbreader and plug the device in the USB cable - same as for the PRS btw, so it's nice to have only one needed - drag and drop. I downloaded the occasional book from various sources (Baen, FW multi, Gutenberg) directly, usually in zipped prc or zipped html or directly in prc/html, and it's very easy too with a wi-fi connection, but I mostly use the USB cable. With the 500 and now the 700 I mostly load the files (generally converted with Calibre plus unconverted pdf's that I just edit the meta-data with BeCy) in Sony Library software and then drag and drop when the PRS is plugged in and shows there. Sometimes I drop directly on it since it shows as an extra drive on my PC and it's easy to click through to get to the books directory. Of course for DRM-pdf's from e-NYPL say, you need to use ADE software but the PRS shows there as it does on the Sony software so it's still drag and drop. Or at least it used to be... I used the iTouch only a little for books, but the only way I put books on it is with USB and a file utility since I keep my iTouch jail-broken always. Never bothered with setting up a server for my books though I know it's easy, but I have not used it for books in a long, long time

03-18-2009, 01:52 PM	#13
dmaul1114 Wizard Posts: 2,300 Karma: 1121709 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Amazon Kindle 1	I have a Kindle so I've just been using Whispernet--both for Amazon books I buy and free books from Feedbooks. Also have calibre and could used that to put stuff on it, though it seems like it would be easier to just drag and drop stuff in windows explorer. RSS feeds aside of course, but I don't have much interest in that as I'd rather just read the news on the websites rather than the kindle.

03-18-2009, 05:04 PM	#15
Neil Addict Posts: 226 Karma: 10932816 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: iPad Mini 6, iPad Air, Kindles HD 8, HD 10, Oasis 3, Scribe, PB Color	I use the Kindle Store and wireless delivery for any of the DRM'd books I buy there but I download many books from all the other places. For those I use Calibre and find it to extremely fast, easy and reliable.

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