Switching from Sony to Kindle

Skybch30 · 09-07-2011, 12:06 PM

Hello. I have a Sony Reader PRS-505 that has just died. RIP... Anyway, Sony's tech support has deemed it unfixable. My question is; Can I switch to Kindle/Ipad and take my 300 books with me? Or must I start from scratch?
Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

carld · 09-07-2011, 12:16 PM

If your books are in ePub format then it's just a matter of setting up Calibre, stripping the DRM, and copying them to your Kindle. If they're in Sony's LRF format I'm not sure.

elcreative · 09-07-2011, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carld

If your books are in ePub format then it's just a matter of setting up Calibre, stripping the DRM, and copying them to your Kindle. If they're in Sony's LRF format I'm not sure.

No difference unless they are DRM file in which case they would be lrx not lrf... the latter is just convert with calibre but if lrx then I think you may be stuck...

willanaya · 09-07-2011, 02:29 PM

could you wait for the new kindle tablet to be released or by a tablet that was android based?

the android based tablets have applications for both sony ebooks as well as kindle books.

i have never owned an ipad or iphone so i am unsure if they have apps for DRM'ed ePub books but android does

bibahbuzemann · 09-07-2011, 03:14 PM

This is seriously such a bad time to get a new ereader because of all the new hardware that's comming out in the next few weeks.

But if my ereader were totally fraged, I guess I wouldn't be able to wait a few weeks either.

I had another chance to play with a Kindle WiFi today at Karstadt(FRG department store). They told me it's a "brand new offering"(haha), which I guess it might be, at a German retailer.

It's really quite a nice device. I'm used to using a reader with a touchscreen, so the first thing I tried was quickly selecting a word somewere in the middle of the page for look-up or search. It was actually really fast! But maybe that's just 'cause your doing something and getting good feedback from the device.

Not any current touch-Eink device can even come close to the instantaneous reaction time of my old dinosaur Gemstar! But it does need replacing none the less.

It shouldn't be a problem to convert your current library of ebooks to use on any new Kindle you might buy.

=> Calibre, it's been mentioned before.

Bookworm_Girl · 09-07-2011, 03:23 PM

Sorry to hear about your 505. If you can wait a few weeks, then there is a new Sony model coming out called the PRS-T1. Your profile doesn't say where you are located. If you are in the US or Canada, other options that you could consider are the Nook or Kobo ereaders. They read Adobe EPUB's, and then you wouldn't have to deal with removing DRM and converting to MOBI. You can re-download any LRX files you purchased from the Sony bookstore as EPUB through your account page in the Sony Reader Library software (well, most have them have been converted).

EDIT: Nook and Kobo also have iPhone/iPad apps.

ScalyFreak · 09-08-2011, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bookworm_Girl

EDIT: Nook and Kobo also have iPhone/iPad apps.

They are available for Android as well, if you get a tablet running that.

krighton · 09-08-2011, 04:29 PM

i have the patience of a highly caffeinated gnat on speed. I need 2 readers in place at all times...just in case, while shopping for a 3rd.

AlexBell · 09-09-2011, 04:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skybch30

Hello. I have a Sony Reader PRS-505 that has just died. RIP... Anyway, Sony's tech support has deemed it unfixable. My question is; Can I switch to Kindle/Ipad and take my 300 books with me? Or must I start from scratch?
Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

For what it is worth I have a Sony and a Kindle, and rarely use the Kindle.

I also have an iPad, and have loaded some of my ePub books on to it, using their iBooks reading software. They can be read on the iPad, but quite often paragraphs which are centered on the Sony are flush left on the iPad. It's a known bug, and if you can edit ePub files can be fixed.

Pinecone · 09-09-2011, 11:42 AM

Hmm, several people have reported that they have been offered low price deals on a later Sony reader (650 in most cases). Maybe ask about that.

Heck, even if you don't want the 650, you can sell it. I will buy it from you.

Skybch30 · 09-10-2011, 04:26 PM

Great advice here. Thanks so very much everyone. I have heard about the new Sony coming out next month. It does sound quite nice, but price will determine whether I decide to purchase that or go for the kindle or ipad2. If I am paying $300 for a new reader, might as well go w/ Ipad2. It does everything and I wouldn't have to lug around my macbook pro as much. I did find a sony pocket ed for $100. May just pick that up and wait a while. You're so right Biba re: bad timing. The one problem I have had w/ Sony is that quite a few books I've searched for, are not available. Amazon has them all and w/ Sony it is limited. Has anyone else found that to be a problem?

NNolan · 09-10-2011, 05:04 PM

Quote:

The one problem I have had w/ Sony is that quite a few books I've searched for, are not available. Amazon has them all and w/ Sony it is limited. Has anyone else found that to be a problem?

No, because I can also buy books at Kobo and ebooks.com for my Sonys. It's rare that a book I want is only available at Amazon, and even rarer that Amazon is cheaper than any other ebook store since the Agency Model went live.

ScalyFreak · 09-10-2011, 05:29 PM

I get a lot of books from Smashwords.com and admittedly from countless other places. The thing with Sony eReaders is that as long as you get the books in ePub format, where you get them doesn't matter. And as long as you use Calibre so you can convert to ePub, it matters even less.

Bookworm_Girl · 09-10-2011, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skybch30

Great advice here. Thanks so very much everyone. I have heard about the new Sony coming out next month. It does sound quite nice, but price will determine whether I decide to purchase that or go for the kindle or ipad2. If I am paying $300 for a new reader, might as well go w/ Ipad2. It does everything and I wouldn't have to lug around my macbook pro as much. I did find a sony pocket ed for $100. May just pick that up and wait a while. You're so right Biba re: bad timing. The one problem I have had w/ Sony is that quite a few books I've searched for, are not available. Amazon has them all and w/ Sony it is limited. Has anyone else found that to be a problem?

The new Sony is supposed to be $149 in the US compared to $139 for the Kindle Wi-fi (without Special Offers).

Try the website inkmesh.com for some of the books that you want and can't find at the Sony store. It will tell you other sources. I find the majority of what I want at Sony. Kobo, ebooks.com and booksonboard are other popular stores. If the books that you want are only at Amazon, then maybe the Kindle is a better option for you.

anabolina · 09-11-2011, 11:33 PM

I love my 950, but also love trying out new electronics. Yes, it can be an expensive habit, lol. Anyway,if you aren't interested in any of the Sony reader offerings, you may want to look at the Nook Color. I got one from a guy off Craigslist last week. It's in perfect condition and came with a really nice case that could almost work with the 950 and was $150.

I think I left it with the plain Barnes and Noble user interface for 1 night and the delay was because I couldn't find an unused microsd card to install the Android 2.3.3 RM. Now it's basically a 7 inch android tablet with really good battery life and awesome viewing angles. If you go that route, you can install the reader apps for all the major stores and simply buy books from whichever tickles your fancy at the moment. I use Aldiko on it and it works really great. After listening to Pandora and reading a max brightness(I was in a sunlit living room) for 4 hours, I still had 48% of battery life left. It's a great device, but the only con is that it's a bit heavy. It's a lot heavier than the 950.

09-07-2011, 12:06 PM	#1
Skybch30 Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2011 Device: Sony PRS-505	Switching from Sony to Kindle Hello. I have a Sony Reader PRS-505 that has just died. RIP... Anyway, Sony's tech support has deemed it unfixable. My question is; Can I switch to Kindle/Ipad and take my 300 books with me? Or must I start from scratch? Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

09-07-2011, 02:29 PM	#4
willanaya Enthusiast Posts: 39 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2009 Device: Sony prs-350	could you wait for the new kindle tablet to be released or by a tablet that was android based? the android based tablets have applications for both sony ebooks as well as kindle books. i have never owned an ipad or iphone so i am unsure if they have apps for DRM'ed ePub books but android does Last edited by willanaya; 09-07-2011 at 02:31 PM. Reason: clarification

09-07-2011, 03:14 PM	#5
bibahbuzemann Addict Posts: 217 Karma: 28060 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: FRG Device: PRS-T1	kindle instead of sony This is seriously such a bad time to get a new ereader because of all the new hardware that's comming out in the next few weeks. But if my ereader were totally fraged, I guess I wouldn't be able to wait a few weeks either. I had another chance to play with a Kindle WiFi today at Karstadt(FRG department store). They told me it's a "brand new offering"(haha), which I guess it might be, at a German retailer. It's really quite a nice device. I'm used to using a reader with a touchscreen, so the first thing I tried was quickly selecting a word somewere in the middle of the page for look-up or search. It was actually really fast! But maybe that's just 'cause your doing something and getting good feedback from the device. Not any current touch-Eink device can even come close to the instantaneous reaction time of my old dinosaur Gemstar! But it does need replacing none the less. It shouldn't be a problem to convert your current library of ebooks to use on any new Kindle you might buy. => Calibre, it's been mentioned before.

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09-07-2011, 12:16 PM	#2
carld Wizard Posts: 2,698 Karma: 4748723 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	If your books are in ePub format then it's just a matter of setting up Calibre, stripping the DRM, and copying them to your Kindle. If they're in Sony's LRF format I'm not sure.

09-07-2011, 03:23 PM	#6
Bookworm_Girl E-reader Enthusiast Posts: 4,871 Karma: 36507503 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Southwest, USA Device: Kindle Oasis 3; Kobo Aura One; iPad Mini 5	Sorry to hear about your 505. If you can wait a few weeks, then there is a new Sony model coming out called the PRS-T1. Your profile doesn't say where you are located. If you are in the US or Canada, other options that you could consider are the Nook or Kobo ereaders. They read Adobe EPUB's, and then you wouldn't have to deal with removing DRM and converting to MOBI. You can re-download any LRX files you purchased from the Sony bookstore as EPUB through your account page in the Sony Reader Library software (well, most have them have been converted). EDIT: Nook and Kobo also have iPhone/iPad apps.

09-08-2011, 04:29 PM	#8
krighton Addict Posts: 213 Karma: 4726 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: sony reader	i have the patience of a highly caffeinated gnat on speed. I need 2 readers in place at all times...just in case, while shopping for a 3rd.

09-09-2011, 11:42 AM	#10
Pinecone Guru Posts: 902 Karma: 1660722 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Maryland Device: PRS-650, PRS-600, PRS-350	Hmm, several people have reported that they have been offered low price deals on a later Sony reader (650 in most cases). Maybe ask about that. Heck, even if you don't want the 650, you can sell it. I will buy it from you.

09-10-2011, 04:26 PM	#11
Skybch30 Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2011 Device: Sony PRS-505	Great advice here. Thanks so very much everyone. I have heard about the new Sony coming out next month. It does sound quite nice, but price will determine whether I decide to purchase that or go for the kindle or ipad2. If I am paying $300 for a new reader, might as well go w/ Ipad2. It does everything and I wouldn't have to lug around my macbook pro as much. I did find a sony pocket ed for $100. May just pick that up and wait a while. You're so right Biba re: bad timing. The one problem I have had w/ Sony is that quite a few books I've searched for, are not available. Amazon has them all and w/ Sony it is limited. Has anyone else found that to be a problem?

09-10-2011, 05:29 PM	#13
ScalyFreak Sith Wannabe Posts: 2,034 Karma: 8017430 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: I'm not sure... it's kind of dark. Device: Galaxy Note 4, Kobo Aura H2O, Kindle Fire HD, Aluratek Libre	I get a lot of books from Smashwords.com and admittedly from countless other places. The thing with Sony eReaders is that as long as you get the books in ePub format, where you get them doesn't matter. And as long as you use Calibre so you can convert to ePub, it matters even less.

09-11-2011, 11:33 PM	#15
anabolina Groupie Posts: 155 Karma: 429002 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Great State of Texas Device: Current: tablet, kindle paperwhite, onyx boox t68. Past: Sony, nook	I love my 950, but also love trying out new electronics. Yes, it can be an expensive habit, lol. Anyway,if you aren't interested in any of the Sony reader offerings, you may want to look at the Nook Color. I got one from a guy off Craigslist last week. It's in perfect condition and came with a really nice case that could almost work with the 950 and was $150. I think I left it with the plain Barnes and Noble user interface for 1 night and the delay was because I couldn't find an unused microsd card to install the Android 2.3.3 RM. Now it's basically a 7 inch android tablet with really good battery life and awesome viewing angles. If you go that route, you can install the reader apps for all the major stores and simply buy books from whichever tickles your fancy at the moment. I use Aldiko on it and it works really great. After listening to Pandora and reading a max brightness(I was in a sunlit living room) for 4 hours, I still had 48% of battery life left. It's a great device, but the only con is that it's a bit heavy. It's a lot heavier than the 950.

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