Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Retirement of Amazon MOBI eBook file format

microsoftpressstore.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

41–50 of 433 posts

Re: Retirement of Amazon MOBI eBook file format

#41

Post by innocenat »

wyldfire wrote: post #37

Aside: what's the best e-reader device (ignoring cost)? I'd like to invest in one soon, something robust and durable, good contrast. I kinda like the idea of running open source software on an ereader but I'd probably consider it merely nice-to-have.

Kindle Paperwhite (2021) is one of the fastest E-reader available right now (in term of responsive ness). Kindle device have excellent dictionary too, especially for non-latin language. (Japanese dictionary implementation on Kobo is not very good).

Kobo is more open and is price competitively with Kindle. It's also much more customizable if you are into that.

There are also a lot of Android e-ink tablet like BOOX. These are more expensive but a much, much more customizable as it's basically an Android reader.

Contrast shouldn't be a problem with any recent device. But anything release in past 1-2 years are excellent.

Re: Retirement of Amazon MOBI eBook file format

#42

Post by pantojax45 »

paranoidrobot wrote: post #40
Thorentis wrote: post #25

I very consciously did not buy a Kindle when choosing an Ereader about a year ago. The Kobo H2O is incredible and has served me very well. The format support is wonderful, and the stock OS does more than I need (though there is a whole community of custom OSes that also look cool). Combined with Calibre, I don't even see what the Kindle value prop is.

It's trading customisation/flexibility for ease of use, at a (potentially) higher cost. The older kindles with 2G/3G "Whispersync" functionality had another major drawcard of working just about anywhere, even if you didn't have wifi coverage or a phone with data services. I have in the past used this to load several more books while in an airport in a foreign country between flights. Many people if you hand them a Ki…

The Kobo Store is really easy to use - plus Overdrive (library ebook software) is natively integrated into Kobo as well.

It’s basically equivalent to Amazon and when you purchase from Kobo (or check out from local library) it shows up automatically when you sync via wifi.

They’ll even price match Amazon (credit for difference in cost +10% bonus) just by filling out a form.

Re: Retirement of Amazon MOBI eBook file format

#43

Post by pantojax45 »

wyldfire wrote: post #37

Aside: what's the best e-reader device (ignoring cost)? I'd like to invest in one soon, something robust and durable, good contrast. I kinda like the idea of running open source software on an ereader but I'd probably consider it merely nice-to-have.

Kobo has some fantastic ereaders (and the premium kobo is cheaper than equivalent on Amazon). They also natively support Pocket and checking out books from your library via Overdrive.

Re: Retirement of Amazon MOBI eBook file format

#44

Post by adgjlsfhk1 »

Thorentis wrote: post #25

I very consciously did not buy a Kindle when choosing an Ereader about a year ago. The Kobo H2O is incredible and has served me very well. The format support is wonderful, and the stock OS does more than I need (though there is a whole community of custom OSes that also look cool). Combined with Calibre, I don't even see what the Kindle value prop is.

The lack of 5 ghz wifi and micro usb are slightly annoying, but overall, I love it.

Re: Retirement of Amazon MOBI eBook file format

#45

Post by janpieterz »

Thorentis wrote: post #25

I very consciously did not buy a Kindle when choosing an Ereader about a year ago. The Kobo H2O is incredible and has served me very well. The format support is wonderful, and the stock OS does more than I need (though there is a whole community of custom OSes that also look cool). Combined with Calibre, I don't even see what the Kindle value prop is.

I switched from a Kindle to a Kobo, and now back to a Kindle.

My experience was that the Kindle's responsiveness to changes (next/previous/moving around in the OS) was better, just significant enough to be bothering me when I was using the Kobo.

Re: Retirement of Amazon MOBI eBook file format

#46

Post by thih9 »

Thorentis wrote: post #25

I very consciously did not buy a Kindle when choosing an Ereader about a year ago. The Kobo H2O is incredible and has served me very well. The format support is wonderful, and the stock OS does more than I need (though there is a whole community of custom OSes that also look cool). Combined with Calibre, I don't even see what the Kindle value prop is.

Kindle can be significantly cheaper and easier to obtain. You can still use Calibre with Kindle, that’s what I do.

Re: Retirement of Amazon MOBI eBook file format

#47

Post by DanAtC »

twerh34fasdfa wrote: post #21

On a side-note: I'm surprised devices like Kindle survive where superior ones like those from Sony perish simply because of the software walled garden. Not a good outlook for humanity.

Sony's love affair with propriety formats (Betamax, MiniDisc (and ATRAC), Media Stick, UMD) doesn't do them any favors.

Re: Retirement of Amazon MOBI eBook file format

#48

Post by alexott »

paxys wrote: post #3

I'm very confused about what file format(s) Kindle actually supports. * They are dropping support for MOBI from their Send to Kindle website and apps. * They are adding support for ePub in their Send to Kindle website and apps, but apparently they will be converted to Kindle format (MOBI? AZW?) under the hood. * Several sites mention AZW3 as the official Kindle format. Is that the same as MOBI? * It is unclear whethe…

I downloaded send to kindle this weekend trying to upload file bigger than 25mb tgat I can’t send by gmail. It didn’t accept ePub. I ended by using calibre to send it as email

Re: Retirement of Amazon MOBI eBook file format

#49

Post by lizzard »

Barrin92 wrote: post #18

I'm extremely confused about this. I have an older Kindle Paperwhite (PW 3/ 7th gen I think?) and when I used the 'email sent' feature I got that mail about dropping mobi support in favor of epub, but when sending an actual epub I got an error for sending a wrong file, ostensibly because the Kindle only supports mobi. Are they going to ship a software update? Would be a shame if that service doesn't work any more in…

I had this happen as well and ran the epub through Calibre, converting epub to epub. That actually fixed it and the Kindle accepted the new file.

Re: Retirement of Amazon MOBI eBook file format

#50

Post by alexott »

Rebelgecko wrote: post #8
iou wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I thought the response was a bad thing, but if it just means we’re finally accepting epub as a common default that’s pretty great, right?

Does Amazon still strip metadata and cover art from user-provided epubs? If they're still intentionally gimping the implementation, IMO it's a step backwards

At least author title and cover is kept - I’ve sent few books few days ago. There was a period when it didn’t handle them well when sent via email, but they fixed it few months ago
Post reply on HN