Google ebooks question

sleepy6553 · 12-06-2010, 12:56 PM

Now that Google ebooks has been announced, I see that the Kindle is not one of the supported devices. I tried downloading a sample free ebook through Adobe Digital Editions. However, when I open up Calibre and try to add the book, it doesn't show up. Is there another step necessary or will the Google ebooks simply not work on the "modified" Kindle.

TenaciousBadger · 12-06-2010, 01:38 PM

the google ebooks page shows it works with the sony software, which as far as i know means epub. and the kindle doesn't support epub (yet, "they" say).
i would suggest you try your hand at converting but i'm not sure whether the google ebooks have DRM on them.

you can try the gutenberg project for free public domain books that are in a format accepted by kindle. http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page

TheKindleWorm · 12-06-2010, 01:39 PM

Kindle is not a supported device.

However, I see that you can download an epub version so if it is DRM-free, that could easily be converted using Calibre into a .mobi file for the Kindle.

Unfortunately I cannot purchase any books (I really just wanted to test the whole system out) I suspect as I'm not a US citizen and I live in the UK:

"The latest Google eBooks are not available for sale in your location, yet...
Google is working with publishers around the world to let you buy the latest ebooks from top authors. In the meantime, you can still browse millions of free and public domain Google eBooks and read them effortlessly across your devices."

TheKindleWorm · 12-06-2010, 01:44 PM

OK just been reading some gumpf on it all and I believe the files do have DRM on unfortunately. The help files say:

"Note: The encrypted file is known as an .acsm file. This file can only be opened with Adobe Digital Editions or compatible client software."

So they don't support buying books that I can read on my Kindle, they don't support my country and they have encrypted files for offline reading. Massive fail as far as I'm concerned so far

sadievan · 12-06-2010, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sleepy6553

Now that Google ebooks has been announced, I see that the Kindle is not one of the supported devices. I tried downloading a sample free ebook through Adobe Digital Editions. However, when I open up Calibre and try to add the book, it doesn't show up. Is there another step necessary or will the Google ebooks simply not work on the "modified" Kindle.

You have to have the Adobe Digital Editions on your PC. The file itself is an .asm file. When you download and open with Digital Editions, it will be converted to ePub and put in c:\user name\my documents\my digital editions. From there you will be able to import to Calibre and all should work fine.

Carol

abookreader · 12-06-2010, 02:23 PM

I've been trying to find a cheap-ish or free DRM'd book to test it out and I can't come up with one. I don't want to throw a bunch of money at it but I'd like to see how it works.

And that "some books are not downloadable at all" thing doesn't please me.

Does anybody know at what point and where do we look for that warning?

sleepy6553 · 12-06-2010, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sadievan

You have to have the Adobe Digital Editions on your PC. The file itself is an .asm file. When you download and open with Digital Editions, it will be converted to ePub and put in c:\user name\my documents\my digital editions. From there you will be able to import to Calibre and all should work fine.

Carol

Thanks, Carol. But when I open the .asm file in Digital Editions and then go into Calibre, I don't find the book listed. I have done this successfully with other books, so I'm not sure why this book (I got the free Silas Marner book to test) isn't showing up in Calibre for me to convert from ePUB to Mobi for reading on my Kindle. Any suggestions as to what I'm doing wrong?

Edit: I did find the file with the .annot extension in my annotation folder in My Documents/My Digital Editions/Annotation. If that is any help in solving this. I don't understand why the file went into that folder this time.

abookreader · 12-06-2010, 02:41 PM

If it is the same Silas Marner book I just tried Sleepy I just got an ePub file (non-DRM'd) ... not the acsm file. It was saved in my Downloads folder, not in the Adobe Digital Editions folder.

sleepy6553 · 12-06-2010, 02:48 PM

I'm doing something wrong, but I don't know what. When I close out of Digital Editions and reopen it, Silas Marner doesn't show up. Shouldn't it be in Digital Editions until I delete it? I'll keep trying. Persistence usually pays off!

sadievan · 12-06-2010, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sleepy6553

Thanks, Carol. But when I open the .asm file in Digital Editions and then go into Calibre, I don't find the book listed. I have done this successfully with other books, so I'm not sure why this book (I got the free Silas Marner book to test) isn't showing up in Calibre for me to convert from ePUB to Mobi for reading on my Kindle. Any suggestions as to what I'm doing wrong?

Edit: I did find the file with the .annot extension in my annotation folder in My Documents/My Digital Editions/Annotation. If that is any help in solving this. I don't understand why the file went into that folder this time.

Are you saying you don't have an .ePub file in the My Digital Editions folder? If you do find it, you can add it to Calibre with the 'Add File' button.

I have not downloaded anything from Google Books, so not familiar with how that site works. Just going by other books I have gotten with the Adobe ADE DRM on it.

Carol

abookreader · 12-06-2010, 02:55 PM

nope. Mine ended up in the Downloads folder where files that I save from the internet go. I never got the ascm file ... just the ePub.

Just do a search for Silas in Windows Explorer and see if the ePub book pops up somewhere.

sleepy6553 · 12-06-2010, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sadievan

Are you saying you don't have an .ePub file in the My Digital Editions folder? If you do find it, you can add it to Calibre with the 'Add File' button.

I have not downloaded anything from Google Books, so not familiar with how that site works. Just going by other books I have gotten with the Adobe ADE DRM on it.

Carol

Yes, that's what I'm saying. For some reason when I open the book in Digital Editions and then go into Calibre, the book is not showing up when I go to Add File. I don't understand why because I've done this with other protected books with no problem. Must be some little thing I'm doing wrong this time.

sadievan · 12-06-2010, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by abookreader

nope. Mine ended up in the Downloads folder where files that I save from the internet go. I never got the ascm file ... just the ePub.

Just do a search for Silas in Windows Explorer and see if the ePub book pops up somewhere.

Then I'm thinking that the ebook you downloaded was DRM free.

Carol

sleepy6553 · 12-06-2010, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by abookreader

nope. Mine ended up in the Downloads folder where files that I save from the internet go. I never got the ascm file ... just the ePub.

Just do a search for Silas in Windows Explorer and see if the ePub book pops up somewhere.

I did a search on Windows Explorer. The only Silas Marner showing up (3x now!) has the .annot extension. Maybe I'll try a different book and see what happens.

sadievan · 12-06-2010, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sleepy6553

Yes, that's what I'm saying. For some reason when I open the book in Digital Editions and then go into Calibre, the book is not showing up when I go to Add File. I don't understand why because I've done this with other protected books with no problem. Must be some little thing I'm doing wrong this time.

Maybe do a file search from your computer start menu. When it finds the file, it should tell you where it is located.

Carol

12-06-2010, 12:56 PM	#1
sleepy6553 Connoisseur Posts: 52 Karma: 12 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Central Florida Device: Kindle 3, Kindle Voyage	Google ebooks question Now that Google ebooks has been announced, I see that the Kindle is not one of the supported devices. I tried downloading a sample free ebook through Adobe Digital Editions. However, when I open up Calibre and try to add the book, it doesn't show up. Is there another step necessary or will the Google ebooks simply not work on the "modified" Kindle.

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12-06-2010, 01:38 PM	#2
TenaciousBadger Mrawr? Posts: 1,109 Karma: 15039064 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: kindle 3 wifi	the google ebooks page shows it works with the sony software, which as far as i know means epub. and the kindle doesn't support epub (yet, "they" say). i would suggest you try your hand at converting but i'm not sure whether the google ebooks have DRM on them. you can try the gutenberg project for free public domain books that are in a format accepted by kindle. http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page

12-06-2010, 01:39 PM	#3
TheKindleWorm Guru Posts: 860 Karma: 177868 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: East Anglia UK Device: Kindle 3G, iPhone 3G, iPod 4G, PB 360, Sony 600 sold, Kindle 2i sold	Kindle is not a supported device. However, I see that you can download an epub version so if it is DRM-free, that could easily be converted using Calibre into a .mobi file for the Kindle. Unfortunately I cannot purchase any books (I really just wanted to test the whole system out) I suspect as I'm not a US citizen and I live in the UK: "The latest Google eBooks are not available for sale in your location, yet... Google is working with publishers around the world to let you buy the latest ebooks from top authors. In the meantime, you can still browse millions of free and public domain Google eBooks and read them effortlessly across your devices."

12-06-2010, 01:44 PM	#4
TheKindleWorm Guru Posts: 860 Karma: 177868 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: East Anglia UK Device: Kindle 3G, iPhone 3G, iPod 4G, PB 360, Sony 600 sold, Kindle 2i sold	OK just been reading some gumpf on it all and I believe the files do have DRM on unfortunately. The help files say: "Note: The encrypted file is known as an .acsm file. This file can only be opened with Adobe Digital Editions or compatible client software." So they don't support buying books that I can read on my Kindle, they don't support my country and they have encrypted files for offline reading. Massive fail as far as I'm concerned so far

12-06-2010, 02:23 PM	#6
abookreader Wizard Posts: 1,516 Karma: 2567610 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Kindles - Keyboard, Fire, 2-US, iPhone, iPAD	I've been trying to find a cheap-ish or free DRM'd book to test it out and I can't come up with one. I don't want to throw a bunch of money at it but I'd like to see how it works. And that "some books are not downloadable at all" thing doesn't please me. Does anybody know at what point and where do we look for that warning?

12-06-2010, 02:41 PM	#8
abookreader Wizard Posts: 1,516 Karma: 2567610 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Kindles - Keyboard, Fire, 2-US, iPhone, iPAD	If it is the same Silas Marner book I just tried Sleepy I just got an ePub file (non-DRM'd) ... not the acsm file. It was saved in my Downloads folder, not in the Adobe Digital Editions folder.

12-06-2010, 02:48 PM	#9
sleepy6553 Connoisseur Posts: 52 Karma: 12 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Central Florida Device: Kindle 3, Kindle Voyage	I'm doing something wrong, but I don't know what. When I close out of Digital Editions and reopen it, Silas Marner doesn't show up. Shouldn't it be in Digital Editions until I delete it? I'll keep trying. Persistence usually pays off!

12-06-2010, 02:55 PM	#11
abookreader Wizard Posts: 1,516 Karma: 2567610 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Kindles - Keyboard, Fire, 2-US, iPhone, iPAD	nope. Mine ended up in the Downloads folder where files that I save from the internet go. I never got the ascm file ... just the ePub. Just do a search for Silas in Windows Explorer and see if the ePub book pops up somewhere.

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