[Johnbee]

I wonder if anyone knows whether the Kobo colour ereader will work at Waterstones web site?

I have lots of Waterstones gift cards and can not read books comfortably because of poor eyesight but can read an ereader with largish font. I have an Ipad but that won't work at Waterstones. I asked at the shop, but they didn't know.

[Mr. Cool]

Of course you can.

Calibre can also convert books to different formats (so they are compatible with the Kindle etc...)

[Johnbee]

Thanks very much for the reply. I think I will risk buying one as I think it will work, and you know more than me about it.

[Mr. Cool]

Glad to help

[noise747]

Waterstones uses Epub, so their books will certainly work with the Kobo.

[neo_wales]

Your better off with a Kindle to be honest, its a better reader and let calibre do any conversions needed.

[Mr. Cool]

Originally Posted by neo_wales

Your better off with a Kindle to be honest, its a better reader and let calibre do any conversions needed.

Maybe, but it's a nightmare having to convert them.

[Johnbee]

Waterstones' web site says that it won't work with Kindle, and Calibre web site says it can not convert DRM protected ebooks.
On the other hand, Waterstones' web site strongly implies, by giving manuals and update instructions, that it will work with Soney ereaders, while the Sony Wiki and web site says it only works (since 2011) on its own web site.

Those reasons, and more, were why I needed to see whether anyone had actually done it, so I don't waste £145.

[IvanIV]

Conversion between epub and mobi works, but one has to remove drm first. Calibre does not do this part, because it's basically illegal. Use google if you insist. But I'd say look around in both amazon and epub world, compare prices, availability and decide based on that. You can do the conversiom of drm content if absolutely necessary. I did this one time when switching from Sony to Kindle as I did not want to buy the books I already had for Sony in format for Kindle. I have not needed it since, I get all books from Amazon now.

[Johnbee]

<< Of course you can.

Calibre can also convert books to different formats (so they are compatible with the Kindle etc...) >>

This was very bad advice indeed. People like to just guess as it makes them think they look knowledgeable. It is wrong that Kobo can read Waterstone's ebooks, it can not.

It is also completely wrong that Calibre can convert Waterstone ebooks. Calibre specifically says it can not do DRM protected ebooks.


< Waterstones uses Epub, so their books will certainly work with the Kobo. >

Their books certainly do not work on Kobo. More wrong advice.

Note to anyone interested in the rubbish advice I was given. The best way to find out is to find a product manual on the web. I needed both Kobo guide and Calibre manual to find out the answer.

[Nasalhair]

I don't think anyone has mentioned one big thing: Waterstones will be selling the Kindle soon, so if they're selling Kindle devices I'd be surprised if their own store continued to sell books in a format that didn't work on the Kindle.

[InsideSoap]

OP did you try asking any other members of staff at Waterstone's or emailing them? Obviously if anyone could have given you a definitive answer it'd be someone from there and not here.

Originally Posted by Nasalhair

I don't think anyone has mentioned one big thing: Waterstones will be selling the Kindle soon, so if they're selling Kindle devices I'd be surprised if their own store continued to sell books in a format that didn't work on the Kindle.

Waterstone's are giving customers free wifi so they can download books in-store, assuming from Amazon so where do Waterstone's make their money from the deal? How much % do retailers make for selling the Kindle?

[paulsalter]

Kobo WiFi & Touch can read DRM'd ePub files which are ones sold by Waterstones, you will need to authorise ADE and the Kobo with the same adobe ID to get it working

If by Kobo Colour, you are refering to the Vox, then no this does not read them as default in the Kobo app, but using Adobe software or other 3rd party software like Aldiko it will work