How do non-native books "look and feel" on Kobo/Kindle?

lupin23rd · 07-26-2014, 01:00 AM

Hey all,

Have been looking at picking up an e-reader once newer models are announced, but I am curious about how the different readers (in particular a Kobo or Kindle unit) handle books obtained through non-native services.

I started with ebooks on an iPad and ended up choosing the Kobo app over the Kindle app, and purchased 5 or 6 books there due to my preference in the interface. No longer have the iPad, so I suppose I can't try this out.

What I'm specifically interested in is if I continue with Kobo, and I want to occasionally purchase a Kindle book, once I get that Kindle book on the e-reader, will it "look and feel" just like a book I purchased from the Kobo store?

Vice versa, if I decided to go with Kindle, and wanted to move my existing Kobo books onto the unit, would they look and feel as if they had come from the Kindle store?

Are there any issues with working with such books on either unit I should be aware of?

Leaning towards the Kobo because I'm in Canada and already have access to a few books as mentioned, but I do see a bunch of books I want on the Kindle store that are not on Kobo, or have a proper cover instead of one that looks like it's public domain, but either way, am hoping that these books would be more or less indistinguishable from the books that one would normally purchase through the respective stores.

Looking forward to seeing some new model announcements so I can get reading again

Thanks in advance!

danicca · 07-26-2014, 03:52 AM

It's easy enough to have calibre convert formats or replace cover for one you want. I think there is a plugin which coverts books in kepub format, like it is on app.

HarryT · 07-26-2014, 04:16 AM

I have innumerable books on my Kindle that I bought in ePub stores like Waterstones, and innumerable Kindle books on my ePub devices. There is no difference in "look and feel".

The only difference in behaviour on the Kindle is that device synchronisation doesn't work with sideloaded books.

shalym · 07-26-2014, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

The only difference in behaviour on the Kindle is that device synchronisation doesn't work with sideloaded books.

...but it DOES work with books sent by email or "Send to Kindle", which is pretty much the way most people put non-Amazon books onto their Kindles, both because it is many many times easier, and so that they can use device sync. Some stores offer to email the book for you, so that you don't have to mess with downloading and doing it yourself.

Shari

jojoba · 07-26-2014, 11:08 AM

I can't speak for Kobo, but I have several non-native books on my Kindle paperwhite and as Harry says, they 'look and feel' the same.

ottdmk · 07-28-2014, 11:35 AM

There are a few differences between how Kobo handles books bought from their store and books that are sideloaded. Kobo has two different renderers: ACCESS for kepubs (Kobo's minor variant on epub format that they use for content bought from kobobooks.com) and Adobe for sideloaded. The differences are pretty minor: Adobe gives you the total pages in the book, for example, while ACCESS gives you pages per chapter. Minor stuff like that.

You can get a Kobo e-reader to treat all your sideloaded books as kepubs pretty easily. Calibre even has a plugin for it.

eschwartz · 07-28-2014, 07:24 PM

There are a few minor diffferences in how Amazon treats sideloaded books. As HarryT said, device sync doesn't work. But also, they will lack Real Page Numbers and X-Ray. Not really a big deal -- especially as calibre can generate both for you.

(This data comes in sidecar files, which usually get generated by Amazon and pushed from their server.)

susan_cassidy · 07-28-2014, 08:43 PM

The page number and x-ray files are generated by the publisher, not Amazon.

eschwartz · 07-28-2014, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by susan_cassidy

The page number and x-ray files are generated by the publisher, not Amazon.

Um, no?

Although the publisher does provide info which Amazon uses. If you want to get picky.

radius · 07-30-2014, 02:50 PM

One issue I have on Kindle when reading books converted from epub is that the character encoding is sometimes wrong, and therefore quotes and other punctuation shows as euro signs and accented letters. When this happens I open the epub in Sigil and save it again (to add a locale or encoding) and then run it through Amazon's kindlegen again. This usually happens with commercial epubs. I've never had a problem with one from the awesome volunteers of Mobileread.

Another one I have is sometimes the Kindle uses the wrong font throughout, and won't change the displayed font no matter which one you choose from the menu. This could also be fixed by editing the epub (IIRC it happens when a font is specified in the boy tag) but I usually just read such books on my Sony instead.

As far as Kobo goes, I don't remember running into problems converting in the other direction, except that maybe with some embedded fonts you couldn't use the advanced formatting options.

HarryT · 07-30-2014, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by radius

One issue I have on Kindle when reading books converted from epub is that the character encoding is sometimes wrong, and therefore quotes and other punctuation shows as euro signs and accented letters. When this happens I open the epub in Sigil and save it again (to add a locale or encoding) and then run it through Amazon's kindlegen again. This usually happens with commercial epubs. I've never had a problem with one from the awesome volunteers of Mobileread.

I convert all my books with Calibre, and have never had that happen.

eschwartz · 07-30-2014, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

I convert all my books with Calibre, and have never had that happen.

Chi Cygni · 07-31-2014, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

I convert all my books with Calibre, and have never had that happen.

Quote:

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Never happened to me either. Out of 115 items on my PW I have only 7 kindle books. The rest are from other bookstores and there is no difference.

radius · 08-01-2014, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

I convert all my books with Calibre, and have never had that happen.

It's great that Calibre patches this up for you when it converting from epub, but for people like me who don't like Calibre it is still an issue to be aware of.

BeeTee-Ess · 08-02-2014, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by radius

It's great that Calibre patches this up for you when it converting from epub, but for people like me who don't like Calibre it is still an issue to be aware of.

OT I know, but I have to ask...

What's not to like about Calibre?

07-26-2014, 01:00 AM	#1
lupin23rd Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2014 Device: None yet	How do non-native books "look and feel" on Kobo/Kindle? Hey all, Have been looking at picking up an e-reader once newer models are announced, but I am curious about how the different readers (in particular a Kobo or Kindle unit) handle books obtained through non-native services. I started with ebooks on an iPad and ended up choosing the Kobo app over the Kindle app, and purchased 5 or 6 books there due to my preference in the interface. No longer have the iPad, so I suppose I can't try this out. What I'm specifically interested in is if I continue with Kobo, and I want to occasionally purchase a Kindle book, once I get that Kindle book on the e-reader, will it "look and feel" just like a book I purchased from the Kobo store? Vice versa, if I decided to go with Kindle, and wanted to move my existing Kobo books onto the unit, would they look and feel as if they had come from the Kindle store? Are there any issues with working with such books on either unit I should be aware of? Leaning towards the Kobo because I'm in Canada and already have access to a few books as mentioned, but I do see a bunch of books I want on the Kindle store that are not on Kobo, or have a proper cover instead of one that looks like it's public domain, but either way, am hoping that these books would be more or less indistinguishable from the books that one would normally purchase through the respective stores. Looking forward to seeing some new model announcements so I can get reading again Thanks in advance!

07-30-2014, 02:50 PM	#10
radius Lector minore Posts: 660 Karma: 1738720 Join Date: Jan 2008 Device: Aura One, Paperwhite Signature	One issue I have on Kindle when reading books converted from epub is that the character encoding is sometimes wrong, and therefore quotes and other punctuation shows as euro signs and accented letters. When this happens I open the epub in Sigil and save it again (to add a locale or encoding) and then run it through Amazon's kindlegen again. This usually happens with commercial epubs. I've never had a problem with one from the awesome volunteers of Mobileread. Another one I have is sometimes the Kindle uses the wrong font throughout, and won't change the displayed font no matter which one you choose from the menu. This could also be fixed by editing the epub (IIRC it happens when a font is specified in the boy tag) but I usually just read such books on my Sony instead. As far as Kobo goes, I don't remember running into problems converting in the other direction, except that maybe with some embedded fonts you couldn't use the advanced formatting options. Last edited by radius; 07-30-2014 at 02:53 PM.

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07-26-2014, 03:52 AM	#2
danicca Addict Posts: 279 Karma: 517736 Join Date: Oct 2012 Device: kindle	It's easy enough to have calibre convert formats or replace cover for one you want. I think there is a plugin which coverts books in kepub format, like it is on app.

07-26-2014, 04:16 AM	#3
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I have innumerable books on my Kindle that I bought in ePub stores like Waterstones, and innumerable Kindle books on my ePub devices. There is no difference in "look and feel". The only difference in behaviour on the Kindle is that device synchronisation doesn't work with sideloaded books.

07-26-2014, 11:08 AM	#5
jojoba Addict Posts: 277 Karma: 1039638 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Europe Device: Kindle Paperwhite, iPad 3gen, Cybook Odyssey FL HD	I can't speak for Kobo, but I have several non-native books on my Kindle paperwhite and as Harry says, they 'look and feel' the same.

07-28-2014, 11:35 AM	#6
ottdmk Wizard Posts: 1,217 Karma: 3804496 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Device: Kobo Libra 2, Lenovo Tab M10 FHD Plus, Lenovo Tab M9	There are a few differences between how Kobo handles books bought from their store and books that are sideloaded. Kobo has two different renderers: ACCESS for kepubs (Kobo's minor variant on epub format that they use for content bought from kobobooks.com) and Adobe for sideloaded. The differences are pretty minor: Adobe gives you the total pages in the book, for example, while ACCESS gives you pages per chapter. Minor stuff like that. You can get a Kobo e-reader to treat all your sideloaded books as kepubs pretty easily. Calibre even has a plugin for it.

07-28-2014, 07:24 PM	#7
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	There are a few minor diffferences in how Amazon treats sideloaded books. As HarryT said, device sync doesn't work. But also, they will lack Real Page Numbers and X-Ray. Not really a big deal -- especially as calibre can generate both for you. (This data comes in sidecar files, which usually get generated by Amazon and pushed from their server.)

07-28-2014, 08:43 PM	#8
susan_cassidy Wizard Posts: 2,251 Karma: 3720310 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: USA Device: Kindle, iPad (not used much for reading)	The page number and x-ray files are generated by the publisher, not Amazon.

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