SONY pocket edition: "Device locked" + "charge battery" obstacles?

[hermes]

Firstly, let us all thank Mr. Goyal for creating Calibre. And after paying our obesciences, enquiring - where can one send donations from our treasuries? Not shiny silver Maple Leaf coins necessarily but not cheques either. I mean banknotes, moola, Dead Presidents such as Grants and Franklins (or Queen Elizabeths).

I have downloaded the current edition of Calibre. There is no other device attached to this borrowed Mac (OSX - 10.5.8). The Calibre software is showing up. But I am at a loss as to how to get started (even after listening to and viewing you instructive video, sorry.)

The first try, days ago, my ereader device showed up as a mounted volume I think is the technical language. What I mean is I saw a white rectangle on my desktop. I was able to select the sample ebooks that come loaded. And that is where they stayed for I do not know how to get them to move. I expected to have to press 'return' on the keyboard or use my mouse to press some button on the software. I do not see one.

Now, another try, after I have set up the PRS-350 to have a password I see the message on it 'device locked'. This is strange because I just unlocked it. All I see is the message on the device - 'battery charging'. Another difference I notice is that at the first try there were two buttons greyed out ('show cover browser' and 'hide tag browser') and now they are there in their glory. How odd. Last time also, there was a beating heart. Only cardiac arrest now. I do not know if t makes any difference, but I am using the guest account and as i understand things, every time the account is closed previous data not saved to a folder is deleted, something like that.

I certainly do not expect Mr. Goyal to spend his time answering this enquiry. But perhaps readers can suggest threads that answer this question since he has no doubt moved on from badminton to mastering the art of the nouveau cuisine and is busy in his kitchen.

[hermes]

Ah, allow this digital ignoramus to share his first finding. Unless this is a not completely functional device, the Sony PRS-350 apparently has to have 'device lock' unlocked not just for the moment but switched to 'off' period. Having done that (a little hard to find on the device actually, as one has to first enter one's password, if one has set it up, and *then* go switch lock to 'off'). Yes, now it shows up.

Now, of course, 'device' shows up among the top row of symbols. Clicking on this I get two choices: 'show books in the main memory of the device' and 'eject device'. Choosing show books, I see the sample books that come with the device. Pressing the command key on my keyboard I select the files I want. Uh, give me a minute, I will watch video again to see what is next step...

Ah, so according to the grand tour video one can indeed over not just from one's Calibre library To the device but also visa-versa. First step after selecting right click. Uh, not such function on a Mac mouse so I must knock my skull to think how to do that... some left-side button as I recall vaguely. Let me try that... After three random tries I get it right 'control' button is the one. It is immediately obvious that it is working. I verify by clicking on library and double-clicking on the title.

The book is there, but none of my highlights and scribblings that I did on the device.

I like the many features of the ebook reader, including full page viewer, 14 different zoom levels (I find that on this large monitor 3 are practical), the option to have two identical windows open of the same ebook, a zillion times more fonts that the book in the reader has, and more. These functions are accessed by clicking on the left-side menu of symbols All in all, user friendly even for this person with very little innate computer talent and a moderate amount of experience.

[hermes]

Learning curve, or is that boomarang, continues...

'Get Books' function is straightforward looking. But while they are fast and easy to download from sites, and I am able to find where I have designated to put them, it is not possible to click and drag them into my device. It does work the second time (to list instead of icon) when I attempt to do same to Calibre library though. And the Sony software keeps trying to get involved. It even opened my copy of Dostoyevsky's Crime & Punishment (from a non-Sony site) as the default on my computer. How intrusive when I am trying to learn Calibre!

Hmm, it appears, based on my experience that one must do it in two steps (no big deal) move from offering site to Calibre, then from Calibre to device. One required a conversion which it did quickly. I 'dismount' (no horses involved, just click and drag to trash) the 'volume' (ugh, white box symbol for the device) and let' see if I can read my brand-new-to-me ebooks for zero dollars and zero cents!

Book can be read. Everything looks normal, can turn pages. Can double-click to use dictionary function. Can highlight, can scribble. The only difference I notice is that one of the books is a wee bit problematic highlighting. It just won't do one letter close to edge. No big deal.

99% Wonderful. Free and relatively easy so far.

[Manichean]

It seems like you've found the answers to your questions already, so I'll just answer this one:

Originally Posted by hermes

Firstly, let us all thank Mr. Goyal for creating Calibre. And after paying our obesciences, enquiring - where can one send donations from our treasuries? Not shiny silver Maple Leaf coins necessarily but not cheques either. I mean banknotes, moola, Dead Presidents such as Grants and Franklins (or Queen Elizabeths).

There's a 'donate' button on the top right of the official site. You could also click the heart-button in Calibre's toolbar, that will also take you to the donation page.