[1saintly]

Right, as a pair of complete newbies to E.readers, and wife wants one for her birthday.
We have spent the day on the internet doing some research, and like the
http://www.sony.co.uk/product/rd-rea...k/tab/overview

and are after clarification that
http://calibre-ebook.com/
will allow us to buy e books off amazon and transfer them onto the sony?

[psionic]

It's been a while since I had a play with a Sony book reader. But Sony have their own bookstore.

http://ebookstore.sony.com/reader/

You can of course transfer any books from your computer directly on to it via USB. But they need to be unprotected versions of books (either pdf or epub format). I believe, the books bought from Amazon have DRM and are in a different format so cannot be used on the Sony directly (without a lot of messing about !).

[1saintly]

Sony store, it says you can download from Whsmith and Waterstones etc, So should be ample to choose from.
But was just curious, as i was under the impression that Calibre could remove drm and convert it to format for Sony reader.
Just after confirmation, its not a deal breaker but it may be handy sometime
Already downloaded Calibre but bit stuck without e reader.

Demo
http://calibre-ebook.com/

[psionic]

Originally Posted by 1saintly

Sony store, it says you can download from Whsmith and Waterstones etc, So should be ample to choose from.
But was just curious, as i was under the impression that Calibre could remove drm and convert it to format for Sony reader.
Just after confirmation, its not a deal breaker but it may be handy sometime
Already downloaded Calibre but bit stuck without e reader.

Demo
http://calibre-ebook.com/

You can convert books to different format using calibre. Also it's great to maintain your library. However to remove DRM you need plug ins. I don't use these plug-ins personally so cannot comment on how well they work.

[1saintly]

Found this great site.

http://blog.the-ebook-reader.com/

They say the new Sony is due out very soon, so will hang on a few weeks to see what its like, and how much

[IvanIV]

Calibre can convert documents once DRM is removed. But Sony readers that run Android can be jailbroken and one can install Kindle app on them. I would not recommend the procedure for a beginner. Alternative would be to get a Kindle. Purchasing of books is more comfortable, though you have just one shop, Amazon.

[ironjade]

Kindle is way ahead of other eReaders. Get the 3G keyboard version and forget about Sony.

[1saintly]

Originally Posted by IvanIV

Calibre can convert documents once DRM is removed. But Sony readers that run Android can be jailbroken and one can install Kindle app on them. I would not recommend the procedure for a beginner. Alternative would be to get a Kindle. Purchasing of books is more comfortable, though you have just one shop, Amazon.

Thats why i wanted one, wife gets to read her books, then i get to have a play

Originally Posted by ironjade

Kindle is way ahead of other eReaders. Get the 3G keyboard version and forget about Sony.

The term ...'way ahead' ...is a bit of a exageration from what i researched.

[IvanIV]

Originally Posted by 1saintly

Thats why i wanted one, wife gets to read her books, then i get to have a play

If you do this you do not need Calibre or to play with DRM. You'll have your Amazon books in Kindle app and epub books in the 'native' reader. Both ebook worlds available on one reader.

Originally Posted by 1saintly

The term ...'way ahead' ...is a bit of a exageration from what i researched.

2 years ago it was 'way ahead', how much it changed since, no idea. But from what I heard the Sony software for managing the books is as shit now as it had been when I was using it. That's where Calibre helps. Amazon Kindle was always seamless as for purchasing books. Turn on wireless, one-click to purchase a book from Amazon catalogue, you read it within a minute. Purchasing and downloading a book to Sony required more work than that. Maybe that changed in the meantime. But in the dark ages of epub shops I even had to email the shop twice, because I had problems downloading the book I purchased. That never happened with Kindle. And their support is excellent, too. That's something I value quite a lot. When something goes wrong I want to get a good service.

[1saintly]

Originally Posted by IvanIV

If you do this you do not need Calibre or to play with DRM. You'll have your Amazon books in Kindle app and epub books in the 'native' reader. Both ebook worlds available on one reader.



2 years ago it was 'way ahead', how much it changed since, no idea. But from what I heard the Sony software for managing the books is as shit now as it had been when I was using it. That's where Calibre helps. Amazon Kindle was always seamless as for purchasing books. Turn on wireless, one-click to purchase a book from Amazon catalogue, you read it within a minute. Purchasing and downloading a book to Sony required more work than that. Maybe that changed in the meantime. But in the dark ages of epub shops I even had to email the shop twice, because I had problems downloading the book I purchased. That never happened with Kindle. And their support is excellent, too. That's something I value quite a lot. When something goes wrong I want to get a good service.

Thanks for the info.
forgot to mention i will only be messing with software when its out of warranty

have heard about the sony and downloading stuff.

Just another question, can you play sudoku, crosswords etc on a kindle or even a sony? without messing about and voiding warranty.
EDIT forget it, im going ereader stir crazy
http://www.amazon.com/EA-Sudoku/dp/B003P2T61Y
That may swing it to the kindle for the wife if they are dead easy to download?

[ironjade]

Originally Posted by 1saintly

Thanks for the info.
forgot to mention i will only be messing with software when its out of warranty

have heard about the sony and downloading stuff.

Just another question, can you play sudoku, crosswords etc on a kindle or even a sony? without messing about and voiding warranty.
EDIT forget it, im going ereader stir crazy
http://www.amazon.com/EA-Sudoku/dp/B003P2T61Y
That may swing it to the kindle for the wife if they are dead easy to download?

You can access the cryptic crossword archive via the Guardian website. Kindle's fiddly keyboard isn't ideal for typing in the answers but it's better than nothing.
Kindle may still be the only eReader which doesn't require a computer to obtain books although things may have changed.
Still way ahead.

[psionic]

Originally Posted by ironjade

You can access the cryptic crossword archive via the Guardian website. Kindle's fiddly keyboard isn't ideal for typing in the answers but it's better than nothing.
Kindle may still be the only eReader which doesn't require a computer to obtain books although things may have changed.
Still way ahead.

These days, any of them with WiFi can obtain books without a computer. The Kindle 3G model has the advantage of international 3G access though without a contract though.

[ironjade]

Originally Posted by psionic

These days, any of them with WiFi can obtain books without a computer. The Kindle 3G model has the advantage of international 3G access though without a contract though.

Good to see everyone catching up.
The free 3G is very handy, albeit glacially slow at times.

[Anika Hanson]

I think the Kobo can be used without a computer. I guess it'd link directly into the kobo store. Of course there is the nook but it's not sold here and even if you get one you won't get access to the Barnes and Noble store. I think in the UK the kindle is still the best device in terms of ease of use and availability of content. ePubs can be bought from whsmiths, kobo, waterstones etc, but they are overpriced and it's a faff on to get them onto your reader.

[1saintly]

Wife couldn't wait any longer
Kindle touch is registered, charging it up and already downloaded a book,
Opted for Kindle touch for ease of buying books and amount of books they have,

Sony is a nice bit of kit, but too much faffing for wife when shopping\downloading books.
Bit for such a large company.

We've got a universal usb charger,
http://www.play.com/Mobiles/Mobile/4...-/Product.html
presume it will be ok to use on Kindle?

Does anyone bother with screen protector?
http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/logik-k...lqilm&istBid=t
if not is it just cleaned like my LCD computer monitor?

Also need a cover for it.

[ironjade]

Like I said, way ahead. Runs on Linux too.
Bear in mind,before you run amok paying Amazon's prices, there are shedloads of legally available free books from Project Gutenberg, Feedbooks etc.

[1saintly]

Originally Posted by ironjade

Like I said, way ahead. Runs on Linux too.
Bear in mind,before you run amok paying Amazon's prices, there are shedloads of legally available free books from Project Gutenberg, Feedbooks etc.

Nice one, thanks.
But i haven't got a look in yet, wife is still on it.
Result

Edit.. its not so much the hardware v Sony, its the stuff behind the scene\background that lets Sony down v Kindle, that is way ahead.
Bit naff for a company the size of Sony.

[ironjade]

Originally Posted by 1saintly

Nice one, thanks.
But i haven't got a look in yet, wife is still on it.
Result

Edit.. its not so much the hardware v Sony, its the stuff behind the scene\background that lets Sony down v Kindle, that is way ahead.
Bit naff for a company the size of Sony.

In the interests of domestic harmony I recommend you buy another one. You'll thank me for it later.

[nathanbrazil]

Originally Posted by 1saintly

http://calibre-ebook.com/
will allow us to buy e books off amazon and transfer them onto the sony?

Not any more. Amazon, in their wisdom, are now individually encoding all e-books. In other words, while you could download to Kindle for PC, and then find the relevant files, you cannot get Calibre to strip out the DRM.

Happily, there are other tools which will allow you to do that, then you can covert them to another format. It's a slightly involved process, but one that you can easily research on-line and soon you'll be up and running.