Newbie question, what formats can my Sony PRS 505 read?

[ShellShock]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Kieron,

This is why I always advise people who are considering buying an eBook reader to look first, not at the device, but the range of eBooks available where they live, and then, once they've done that, to look at devices which support the formats with the best availability.

This process led me to conclude that devices with MobiPocket support are the most useful, hence my choice of a CyBook Gen3.

I agree, but also would add you should not rule out devices that do not support your chosen format, as long as there exists a method to convert from that format to a format that is supported by the device, and you are willing to invest the time to do this conversion and feel sufficiently computer savvy to do it. This is one reason I chose the Sony PR505 - I know it does not support MobiPocket natively, but there is a method to convert from MobiPocket to the format that the PR505 does support. However, this conversion requires a fair amount of computer literacy, and is probably not for the mass market.

The multitude of competing formats is a serious brake on the mass acceptance of eBook devices. This usually is not a problem in computing, where the power and flexibility of the computer can be used to convert between formats. If it was not for DRM.

So as consumers we are being clobbered twice. Once because of incompatible formats, and again because of DRM which can prevent us from overcoming the first problem.

To put it another way - I would accept DRM if all devices could read all formats, or if there was only one format, which was future proof.

The current situation is a mess.

[winspiration]

Originally Posted by Patricia

Some forum member, Leaping Gnome in particular, will buy Sony Store Gift vouchers so that non-USA members can buy from the Sony Ebook Store. He takes PayPal.

Like you Kieron, I was less than impressed by the Waterstones offerings (and prices!). Leaping Gnome very kindly bought some vouchers for me for the Sony store, and I've been buying books from there, which is great. The only other thing that I needed to do was to uninstall the ebook library software that came with the reader (which takes you to Waterstones) and download and install the version from the Sony store instead.

I haven't got round to converting formats, but I've noted that there is plenty of info here on how to do that, so may give it a whirl in the future.

Don't forget also that there is a huge choice of books to download in LRF format here at MobileRead I've only read a couple so far, but intend to explore more in future - many thanks to all those who have made books available

[thfc2008]

Originally Posted by winspiration

The only other thing that I needed to do was to uninstall the ebook library software that came with the reader (which takes you to Waterstones) and download and install the version from the Sony store instead.

Only problem with this is that you then can't switch back to the UK Waterstones site I believe.

Totally sympathise with Kieron - its an absolute pain to download purchased files at the moment in the UK (and probably the same case elsewhere).

My PRS-505 is a stunning device but sadly I wouldn't recommend to anyone at the moment because of the hassle involved with all the various formats. Last night it took me the best part of an hour to download a purchased MS Reader book (had no other option) which involved:

a) downloading a Microsoft Reader program
b) signing in to Microsoft to authorise
c) Trying ABC Lit to convert the DRM which failed.
d) having to google another program to strip the DRM
e) Opening the PDF and formatting the title/name

And they wonder why people download files illegally......

Piece of cake if you know what you're doing but not something you'd recommend to a noob. A ebook reader is for book lovers not computer geeks.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by thfc2008

Only problem with this is that you then can't switch back to the UK Waterstones site I believe.

Totally sympathise with Kieron - its an absolute pain to download purchased files at the moment in the UK (and probably the same case elsewhere).

My PRS-505 is a stunning device but sadly I wouldn't recommend to anyone at the moment because of the hassle involved with all the various formats. Last night it took me the best part of an hour to download a purchased MS Reader book (had no other option) which involved:

a) downloading a Microsoft Reader program
b) signing in to Microsoft to authorise
c) Trying ABC Lit to convert the DRM which failed.
d) having to google another program to strip the DRM
e) Opening the PDF and formatting the title/name

And they wonder why people download files illegally......

Piece of cake if you know what you're doing but not something you'd recommend to a noob. A ebook reader is for book lovers not computer geeks.

But, with respect, all that is a "one time" process. Now you have Microsoft Reader and ConvertLIT, you can convert books that you subsequently buy in a matter of seconds.

I'm a little curious why you're creating a PDF file? PDF is a ghastly format for eBooks; I really would suggest that you create an LRF file instead using a tool such as Calibre. Calibre will directly convert the DRM-free LIT file you get from ConvertLIT.

[winspiration]

Originally Posted by thfc2008

Only problem with this is that you then can't switch back to the UK Waterstones site I believe.

I haven't tried purchasing from Waterstones since, but it looked to me as if you could purchase from there via a web browser and download the ebook to Adobe Digital Editions. I still have some points from buying the reader, so will try that at some stage.

I did consider that I wouldn't be able to switch back, but to be honest I'm not too fussed about it even if I can't buy from Waterstones. If it has to be a choice, I'd rather buy from the Sony store anyway.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by thfc2008

Only problem with this is that you then can't switch back to the UK Waterstones site I believe.

But, can't you buy from the Waterstones site just using a web browser? It looks to me as if you can.

BOb

[Patricia]

Originally Posted by winspiration

I did consider that I wouldn't be able to switch back, but to be honest I'm not too fussed about it even if I can't buy from Waterstones. If it has to be a choice, I'd rather buy from the Sony store anyway.

Just remember (if you're in Europe) that if you don't have a U.S. credit card then Sony won't sell any books to you unless you want to jump through hoops.
1. You must tick the box claiming to live in the U.S.A.
2. If you don't have a U.S. credit card then you can persuade an American friend to buy Sony Store vouchers for you. Some forum members have been doing this for European members.
Then they will deign to accept your order.

[tech_au]

I have a Sony Reader in Australia and I faced the same problem with not being able to purchase ebooks from the Sony store.
Having got rapidly sick of format converting everything, when the new firmware arrived a few months back I discovered that PDFs purchased from stores like BooksOnBoard were perfectly readable at medium or large size depending on the books where they were unreadable before. Sure you have to put up with funky page breaks but at least it save the pain of format conversion and you can drag them onto the reader straight from Adobe DE without going thru the Sony software(some should tell BooksOnBoard that fact ).

I am hoping 2009 becomes the year that EPUB shines as they read almost as good as a native LRF ebook on the Sony and I can abandon PDF.