Limitations on Kindle Cloud services support when you upload your own books - Page 2

Sirtel · 02-08-2019, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ilovejedd

Note, no covers for sideloaded AZW3 either unless one uses Calibre to send to device (which puts the requisite thumbnail jpg in the correct folder). This is the same situation for KFX, I believe.

Ah, I stand corrected. I've used only Calibre for sideloading several years now and my memory has grown rather dim as to other methods of getting books to a Kindle.

jhowell · 02-08-2019, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ilovejedd

Note, no covers for sideloaded AZW3 either unless one uses Calibre to send to device (which puts the requisite thumbnail jpg in the correct folder). This is the same situation for KFX, I believe.

That is true. Also, for calibre produced cover thumbnails to work the book must be marked as an ebook, not a personal document, on newer Kindle devices.

So if personal documents from the cloud are to be used (the subject of this thread) only MOBI files without KF8 will produce cover thumbnails on Kindle devices.

Almamida · 02-09-2019, 01:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shalym

Only if you send it directly to a 3G enabled Kindle. If you have a doc that is stored in the cloud, there is no charge to download it to a 3G enabled Kindle.

Shari

Really?
That’s a surprisingly good thing in favor of the cellular models

HarryT · 02-09-2019, 04:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Almamida

Really?
That’s a surprisingly good thing in favor of the cellular models

There's no charge to download a personal document over WiFi. There is a charge to download it over 3G.

Almamida · 02-09-2019, 10:43 AM

Okay, it was too good to be true. Thanks for the clarification.

maximus83 · 02-09-2019, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

There's no charge to download a personal document over WiFi. There is a charge to download it over 3G.

Ah, that's why I'm not getting charged then when syncing over regular wifi to my android devices.

maximus83 · 02-09-2019, 01:04 PM

As for the multiple Azon proprietary formats, that sounds like a flipping mess, this is a perfect example of what's bad about a company using proprietary data formats. This used to plague Microsoft for years as well, until they opened up their data formats more recently, at least making it possible from all their major apps to easily export to open formats. For myself, I like to keep things simple, so if I'm going to upload books purchased elsewhere to the Azon cloud (for storage/syncing purposes), I'm going to stick with simple .MOBI. It sounds like converting to any other format nets you a lot of headaches with this or that feature not working.

ilovejedd · 02-09-2019, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maximus83

As for the multiple Azon proprietary formats, that sounds like a flipping mess, this is a perfect example of what's bad about a company using proprietary data formats. This used to plague Microsoft for years as well, until they opened up their data formats more recently, at least making it possible from all their major apps to easily export to open formats. For myself, I like to keep things simple, so if I'm going to upload books purchased elsewhere to the Azon cloud (for storage/syncing purposes), I'm going to stick with simple .MOBI. It sounds like converting to any other format nets you a lot of headaches with this or that feature not working.

Caveat with MOBI, no custom fonts, font weight or enhanced typsetting. Which is fine if the available defaults are acceptable to you. Others prefer greater customization.

It really is just weighing which features are important to you. I use plain MOBI myself. I value covers and syncing more than custom fonts or enhanced typesetting.

HarryT · 02-09-2019, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maximus83

As for the multiple Azon proprietary formats, that sounds like a flipping mess, this is a perfect example of what's bad about a company using proprietary data formats.

Not at all. It's something that "normal" people who buy books from Amazon and read them on their Amazon device or app are completely unaware of. Are you suggesting that it's somehow wrong of Amazon to introduce more capable file formats as time goes on?

maximus83 · 02-09-2019, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Not at all. It's something that "normal" people who buy books from Amazon and read them on their Amazon device or app are completely unaware of. Are you suggesting that it's somehow wrong of Amazon to introduce more capable file formats as time goes on?

Yes I am. Exactly. Improving functionality of course is great. But proprietary data formats are almost always a bad thing, especially when the artifacts in question (ebooks) are designed to be a way to share knowledge with others. To quote somebody who thought about this a lot: "Information wants to be free." That doesn't mean that companies like Azon cannot develop their own features, DRM their books, and make a profit from all the value-add things they do. Open source software developers do variations of this all the time. But it means they should stay aligned with the world community and use open file formats, enabling interoperability and driving greater innovation. I am 100% against what they do with their proprietary data formats, even though I love the functionality of their ereaders, and their vast library of ebooks.

HarryT · 02-09-2019, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maximus83

Yes I am. Exactly. Improving functionality of course is great. But proprietary data formats are almost always a bad thing, especially when the artifacts in question (ebooks) are designed to be a way to share knowledge with others.

Amazon devices and apps are sold primarily as content-consumption platforms for content which Amazon sell. Compatibility with other producers' content is very, very low on their list of priorities, I suspect.

maximus83 · 02-09-2019, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Compatibility with other producers' content is very, very low on their list of priorities, I suspect.

Completely agree. And that is a big problem, IMHO.

HarryT · 02-09-2019, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maximus83

Completely agree. And that is a big problem, IMHO.

We must agree to differ. It's not something which concerns me in the slightest.

Sirtel · 02-09-2019, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maximus83

For myself, I like to keep things simple, so if I'm going to upload books purchased elsewhere to the Azon cloud (for storage/syncing purposes), I'm going to stick with simple .MOBI. It sounds like converting to any other format nets you a lot of headaches with this or that feature not working.

I would stick with .MOBI only if covers are really important for you and font customization isn't. Most people here use MOBI/both for syncing purposes.

Syncing is not important for me personally, so I use AZW3.

HarryT · 02-09-2019, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Syncing is not important for me personally, so I use AZW3.

Likewise. I sideload all my content from Calibre and use AZW3.

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02-09-2019, 10:43 AM	#20
Almamida Guru Posts: 685 Karma: 11431990 Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Toronto, Canada Device: Kobo Sage - Kindle PW5 & Voyage - iPad Pro M1 12.9	Okay, it was too good to be true. Thanks for the clarification.

02-09-2019, 01:04 PM	#22
maximus83 Nameless Being	As for the multiple Azon proprietary formats, that sounds like a flipping mess, this is a perfect example of what's bad about a company using proprietary data formats. This used to plague Microsoft for years as well, until they opened up their data formats more recently, at least making it possible from all their major apps to easily export to open formats. For myself, I like to keep things simple, so if I'm going to upload books purchased elsewhere to the Azon cloud (for storage/syncing purposes), I'm going to stick with simple .MOBI. It sounds like converting to any other format nets you a lot of headaches with this or that feature not working.