Color: Original ereader books (from ereader.com)

[sangahm]

Having dozens of books purchased for my palm from ereader.com, I was hoping to have a compatible reader for my NC. The classic reads these files natively, but it looks like I'm out of luck with the NC.

I have a rooted nook and tried to install the old android app from the ereader.com website, but it doesn't look like it loaded (I'm a newbie so not sure if there is an extra step I need to do to load non-Market apps).

I don't want to have to take the time to remove the DRM from each and every book (yes I do know how to do that) and convert. I'd like to explore if there are other options first.

Any ideas to read these pdb files natively?

[jhitesma]

If you haven't installed a custom launcher yet on the rooted NC you may have to fully reboot the NC before apps you installed from the market show up under "Extras".

Don't just put it to sleep, hold the power button down until it prompts for confirmation that you really want to power down completely.

[sangahm]

Thanks, but I don't think thats the issue. I've downloaded a few apps from the Market and they appear fine. It's just the old ereader app (not available in the Market, at least that I could find).

So I clicked on the "download the ereader for Android app" link (eReader_android_1.0.39.apk) but that's as far as I get. It doesn't appear in my Extras.

So do I need something else to actually install that file?

[=X=]

Android by default does not allow apps to be installed outside the market, you have to change the default settings for apps to be installed outside of the market. It is very easy to do. The setting is located in the manage apps.

Also downloading the fiie is not enough, you will have to run an installer to install the app. This could be done with a file manager app like astro.

Also one last point folks have reported problems running the nook for android app on stock nook due to library conflicts. Nobody has reported a problem with this app but i aso think nobody has installed it.


I've installed it just to try t out and it works, but i am not running stock nook on my nook.

[sangahm]

Thanks for the response.

Here is what I did to get this working, hopefully it is correct, since I could not find an "install" option.

The file downloaded into /media/My Files/My Downloads/ folder when I used the link from the ereader.com website.

I then used Root Explorer to copy into the /system/app folder. I couldn't find an Install option in Root Explorer.

When I restarted my NC, the Ereader app appeared in the Extras area and I can now read my old ereader books. The app is not as good as current readers like the Nook, Kindle, Aldiko, but it has the advantage of natively reading my books.

Thanks for the assistance, and if you see anything wrong with how I installed the app, please let me know.

[=X=]

No that will work. Some apk are self contained some require you to install them as they setup various external settings.

As for an install option there is none. All you had to do was select the file in "Root Explorer" and it would try to install automatically.


As for the app yes I never much liked it, it only supports the most basic features. My preference is to convert the PDB to either MOBI or ePUB and use a much better eReading app.


=X=

[Lemurion]

I just downloaded the file from Ereader.com and it installed from the notification bar. Very easy.

It's not a great program - but it works on my rooted Nook Color well enough. Now I can read everything except maybe .lit.

[lfeuln]

Sorry to bump an older thread, but I'm also in the situation of having a library of old eReader.com books from Palm days. I just picked up the Nook Tablet and sideloaded the eReader.com Android app. It does work and opens the books, but it won't fill the screen as it appears to have been designed for phones. Very tiny on the Tablet and might as well stick to the iPhone.

Has anyone been able to solve this or is this something that must be lived with if I don't want to remove the drm?

[Thalia Helikon]

I think you are better off converting your PDB files. PDB is not versatile or easily readable by other programs. It's an old format [I think written for Palm Pilot native language.] Convert to epub, so you have the flexibility to go in any direction.

[lfeuln]

Thanks - I actually ended up doing that and the eReader books are in my Nook Tablet library now. I wish they could sync but you can't have everything.

I've since realized that the eReader.com app for the iPhone not only hasn't been updated for Retina display but has actually been removed from the App Store. Looks like it's going the way of Mobipocket. Sucks for early adopters, sigh. And I sure hope Nook survives longterm so I'm not in the same situation a few years from now!

[sangahm]

Originally Posted by lfeuln

Thanks - I actually ended up doing that and the eReader books are in my Nook Tablet library now. I wish they could sync but you can't have everything.

I've since realized that the eReader.com app for the iPhone not only hasn't been updated for Retina display but has actually been removed from the App Store. Looks like it's going the way of Mobipocket. Sucks for early adopters, sigh. And I sure hope Nook survives longterm so I'm not in the same situation a few years from now!

That's a big reason why I remove DRM from all my books, so that I can transfer from device to device without fear of losing my investment in the hundreds of books I've purchased.

[Thalia Helikon]

Originally Posted by sangahm

That's a big reason why I remove DRM from all my books, so that I can transfer from device to device without fear of losing my investment in the hundreds of books I've purchased.

^THIS
On Library Thing, I was keeping separate lists for each of my book formats. I would have 3 out of 5 of a series in one format, and the other books in a different format.

Device independence!!!

[clyman1]

I have read so many posts about the rooted nook color. I have just gotten my rooted. I have the kindle app, which is fine for Amazon books. I have the nook app and it only shows the books I've d/l'd from the B & N website. I have about 40 epub books that are on the NC right now - but they won't show up in my Nook Library (just the B&N books show up there).

How can I "find" my epub books that are already loaded on the device and be able to read them on the device? They are on the reader in the .docThumbs file, so I know they are there, but I can't access them.

Sorry if this has been covered - my mind is boggled and I'm having a hard time thinking straight! LOL

Any help will be appreciated - or point me in the right direction to other posts

[BruceMcF]

Originally Posted by clyman1

I have read so many posts about the rooted nook color. I have just gotten my rooted.

How is it rooted?

(1) Manual noot ~ stock kernal
(2) Install alternative kernel (eg, CM7) on flash in NC itself
(3) Install alternative kernel (eg, CM7) on bootable SD card

I have the kindle app, which is fine for Amazon books. I have the nook app and it only shows the books I've d/l'd from the B & N website. I have about 40 epub books that are on the NC right now - but they won't show up in my Nook Library (just the B&N books show up there).

Yes, that annoys me about the B&N PC book reader too.

How can I "find" my epub books that are already loaded on the device and be able to read them on the device? They are on the reader in the .docThumbs file, so I know they are there, but I can't access them.

That's where the type of rooting makes a difference:
(1) Just use the stock NC ebook app on a rooted stock kernel, the stock ebook app reads open ePub books just fine.

(2) If you have flashed a different kernel into the NC, install another ePub reader app from the Android market ~ Aldiko, Goodreader, etc., using the Nook ereader for Nook DRM ePubs and the other one for ADE and open ePubs.

(3) Either boot into stock and do (1), or install another ePub reader app and do (2). The confusing thing with an SD card install is keeping straight that the stock side and the SD card side can sometimes think of the same partition in different ways ~ from the stock side its "over there on the SD card", and from the card side its "part of my base file system". I no longer use an SD card install, and never got that deeply into it before deciding to go the route of rooting the stock kernel.