Changing Libraries.. US to UK

M0zza · 04-14-2009, 05:02 AM

Hello All,

First off a bit of background... I bought both my wife and I a 505 back when they first came out in the US. We were living in Bermuda at the time and so could get hold of gift cards for my wife. We are now in the UK and my wife wants to make use of the Waterstones website.

Questions...

We obviously need the UK library software. Where can we download that from?

Will installing the UK library wipe the US library?

Will using the UK Library invalidate the books bought in the US?

Is there any firmware required for the 505 beforehand, and will this invalidate the books bought?

Installing the UK library on a separate laptop will get around a few of these. But before we go ahead with it, I'd like to know my wife hasn't spent a small fortune on US books which she'll never be able to read again.

Curly · 04-14-2009, 05:11 AM

You don't need to install the UK software to buy books from Waterstones. I have never installed the UK software and can buy ebooks with no problems. I have the US software installed so I can access the free books at the US ebook store.

I don't think you can have both versions installed on the same computer. But someone may come along who knows more.

You can also buy ebooks from WH Smith. I also like Books on Board and Fictionwise.

Satans Puppet · 04-14-2009, 05:13 AM

WHsmith seems to be cheaper than waterstones and no need for the software.

Course I got the lovely Leaping Gnome to get me some US Vouchers

so I should be a download fiend tonight

M0zza · 04-14-2009, 05:19 AM

I prefer to get my books from Fictionwise myself. But my wife, who doesn't want to be messing with conversions and suchlike, prefers to download the books she wants and read them as is. Is there a setting within the library which will 'point' it at Waterstones instead of sony US? If so, what hoops would we have to jump through to do it?

colonel · 04-14-2009, 05:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Curly

You don't need to install the UK software to buy books from Waterstones. I have never installed the UK software and can buy ebooks with no problems. I have the US software installed so I can access the free books at the US ebook store.

I don't think you can have both versions installed on the same computer. But someone may come along who knows more.

You can also buy ebooks from WH Smith. I also like Books on Board and Fictionwise.

I also wanted to use the US version (I live in UK), but noticed on installation that you can only pick US or Canada as the country. Does this mean you can't buy books through the US software.

Curly · 04-14-2009, 05:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M0zza

I prefer to get my books from Fictionwise myself. But my wife, who doesn't want to be messing with conversions and suchlike, prefers to download the books she wants and read them as is. Is there a setting within the library which will 'point' it at Waterstones instead of sony US? If so, what hoops would we have to jump through to do it?

It is fairly straight forward to buy from Waterstones or WH Smith, no conversion required.

1. Choose the books you want, put them in the basket and check out.
2. Click the download button and the books will get saved (I created a folder where I put all my books so I can find them easily).
3. Open the sony software and click on 'import file' go to the folder where the book was saved and highlight and click 'open'. It will appear in the sony book list.

Waterstones only sells epubs for the 505 so she doesn't need to worry about getting the right format.

I did that from memory... I hope I got all the steps right.

Curly · 04-14-2009, 05:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by colonel

I also wanted to use the US version (I live in UK), but noticed on installation that you can only pick US or Canada as the country. Does this mean you can't buy books through the US software.

Umm, you kinda have to tell a wee white lie...

You can't buy books without a US address and credit card, but you can download the free books and the google books.

As Statans Puppets says, if you can get someone in the US to buy you gift vouchers, you can use those to buy books.

gwynevans · 04-14-2009, 05:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M0zza

Is there a setting within the library which will 'point' it at Waterstones instead of sony US? If so, what hoops would we have to jump through to do it?

The information that you're missing is that in the UK software, all the 'store' does is to launch the Waterstones site in your standard browser - it's only the US store that is tied into the Sony software.

So you should just browse to the store and purchase normally. If you associate the ePub files with the Sony software in your browser or Windows, it should launch itself when you open them and you can just copy them as at present.

colonel · 04-14-2009, 06:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Curly

Umm, you kinda have to tell a wee white lie...

You can't buy books without a US address and credit card, but you can download the free books and the google books.

As Statans Puppets says, if you can get someone in the US to buy you gift vouchers, you can use those to buy books.

n1. like my zune subscription ....
so basically if you download free books or buy from whsmith or waterstones direct you don't really need the sony software to buy books (sorry about the newbie qu.)

Curly · 04-14-2009, 07:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by colonel

n1. like my zune subscription ....
so basically if you download free books or buy from whsmith or waterstones direct you don't really need the sony software to buy books (sorry about the newbie qu.)

No, you don't really need the Sony software to buy books (you will need Adobe Digital Editions though).

The Sony software is useful for putting your books into collections and putting them on your 505. I have recently switched to using calibre which I much prefer. There is information on calibre in the wiki --

https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/Calibre

Also check out this poll -- some people use the software exclusively and some have never taken it out of the packaging.

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=44542

M0zza · 04-14-2009, 09:42 AM

I've never used the Sony Library myself. I've always bought my books from other sources and use Calibre. But my wife uses it. I have no idea how and what it does, which annoys my wife when she wants help.

Curly · 04-14-2009, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M0zza

I've never used the Sony Library myself. I've always bought my books from other sources and use Calibre. But my wife uses it. I have no idea how and what it does, which annoys my wife when she wants help.

Ahh, right. I'm so sorry, I went back up and re-read your post.

Unless you still have a US address and credit card which would let her continue using the US Sony ebook store, she will have to buy from other sources as you do.

04-14-2009, 05:02 AM	#1
M0zza Geek... Apparently Posts: 211 Karma: 51260 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Herts, UK Device: Sony PRS-505 (Silver), ASUS Transformer TF300T, IPAD Air 2	Changing Libraries.. US to UK Hello All, First off a bit of background... I bought both my wife and I a 505 back when they first came out in the US. We were living in Bermuda at the time and so could get hold of gift cards for my wife. We are now in the UK and my wife wants to make use of the Waterstones website. Questions... We obviously need the UK library software. Where can we download that from? Will installing the UK library wipe the US library? Will using the UK Library invalidate the books bought in the US? Is there any firmware required for the 505 beforehand, and will this invalidate the books bought? Installing the UK library on a separate laptop will get around a few of these. But before we go ahead with it, I'd like to know my wife hasn't spent a small fortune on US books which she'll never be able to read again.

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04-14-2009, 05:11 AM	#2
Curly I need a holiday! Posts: 1,227 Karma: 4622 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Scotland Device: PRS-505, ipod touch	You don't need to install the UK software to buy books from Waterstones. I have never installed the UK software and can buy ebooks with no problems. I have the US software installed so I can access the free books at the US ebook store. I don't think you can have both versions installed on the same computer. But someone may come along who knows more. You can also buy ebooks from WH Smith. I also like Books on Board and Fictionwise.

04-14-2009, 05:13 AM	#3
Satans Puppet Enthusiast Posts: 45 Karma: 100 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Sony Reader PR(whusit)505	WHsmith seems to be cheaper than waterstones and no need for the software. Course I got the lovely Leaping Gnome to get me some US Vouchers so I should be a download fiend tonight

04-14-2009, 05:19 AM	#4
M0zza Geek... Apparently Posts: 211 Karma: 51260 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Herts, UK Device: Sony PRS-505 (Silver), ASUS Transformer TF300T, IPAD Air 2	I prefer to get my books from Fictionwise myself. But my wife, who doesn't want to be messing with conversions and suchlike, prefers to download the books she wants and read them as is. Is there a setting within the library which will 'point' it at Waterstones instead of sony US? If so, what hoops would we have to jump through to do it?

04-14-2009, 09:42 AM	#11
M0zza Geek... Apparently Posts: 211 Karma: 51260 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Herts, UK Device: Sony PRS-505 (Silver), ASUS Transformer TF300T, IPAD Air 2	I've never used the Sony Library myself. I've always bought my books from other sources and use Calibre. But my wife uses it. I have no idea how and what it does, which annoys my wife when she wants help.

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