Sony app on Vox, other reading apps on Vox

49Kat · 11-19-2011, 10:47 AM

Is anyone using this? I would like the option to be able to shop from the Sony Reader store. Sometimes they have a book that Kobo doesn't carry.

I'm still trying to find an easy way to transfer non-kobo books from my laptop to my Vox. I physically connected the vox to my laptop yesterday and transferred a couple of books purchased from Sony to the memory card. (The vox froze and I had to do a hard shutdown or whatever it's called.) The Kobo app was unable to import them, although it did import a couple of other books from the Aldiko and Overdrive apps.

I don't really care for Aldiko and Overdrive as readers, as they don't show page numbers at all and the pages don't turn as nicely as the Kobo app pages do. (Page numbers are an issue with me. I want to see what page I'm on and how many are left.) I was able to borrow a library book. The Kobo app wasn't able to import that one either.

I guess I would like to have my sony downloaded books on my Vox.

LauraPony · 11-19-2011, 11:52 AM

Do you use Dropbox? That is the best way I have found so far to transfer books onto the Vox. I just pop them onto the Dropbox folder from my computer and then access Dropbox from my Vox to import them.

I'm pretty sure the Kobo app won't read DRMed books (this is why you can't read library books on it).

49Kat · 11-19-2011, 12:13 PM

I guess the books are purchased from Sony are DRMed.

I'm still hesitating to use Dropbox, but I am more and more seeing the benefits of it.

I had wondered if a Sony app with access to the Sony reader store could peacefully co-exist with a Kobo app with access to the Kobo store, but I just installed the Kindle app and it seems to be doing OK. (Interesting to notice that a book I am interested in is $5 more at the Kindle store than it is at the Kobo store.)

Sony books are usually a little more expensive than Kobo books, but, as I've said, sometimes Sony has titles that Kobo doesn't carry. It's much easier to navigate through Sony's free selection as well.

Suzanna · 11-19-2011, 12:53 PM

Goodereader posted an article called "Essential Kobo Vox Apps and Tools", which you can find here. They include a link to the Sony app, which you can install on your Vox.

My sister has a Sony eReader and I know she installed the app for her Sony books. I haven't checked with her if she's used it to access the store. Since she didn't complain afterwards (I'm usually her go-to person if she has tech problems) I assumed it works fine.

peterhondak · 11-19-2011, 12:54 PM

I've only been able to put Sony books into Aldiko, and library books I've been reading right from overdrive. not the bestest, but having my library books in a different spot is actually helpful.

So the Kindle app works? I've been thinking of doing that one, had no luck with Sony app.

49Kat · 11-19-2011, 03:35 PM

I can't seem to get myself an apk file to install the sony reader on the vox. Maybe I'll just bite the bullet and use dropbox and manually transfer over whatever books I want to read on aldiko.

Thanks for the input.

Edited to add that I've got the apk inside an .rar file. I would have to install a program on my laptop to open the .rar file (which I have already scanned at virustotal.com to see what actually is inside the .rar). Might give that a try later.

taming · 11-19-2011, 06:16 PM

49kat: If you have Aldiko installed on your Vox, you can attach the Vox by USB cable to your computer and then authorize Aldkio on your Vox as a device to your desktop Adobe ADE. Then you just drag and drop the book onto the Aldiko icon. You can import books from the Sony "My Reader" file into ADE in the usual way.

Suzanna · 11-19-2011, 06:41 PM

49kat, that's right, I'd forgotten that the file was RAR'ed. It's a form of compression, like zipping a file. I use winrar, which is nagware (free to use, but puts up a nag screen asking for a donation after the trial period is over), to unrar files.

49Kat · 11-19-2011, 09:48 PM

Thanks, Taming.

I used the USB to connect while ADE was open, and ADE detected the Aldiko app, which I had already authorized with an Adobe. I dragged a few books to the Aldiko icon, both pdf's and an epub.

I must be doing something wrong when disconnecting the Vox from the laptop, because I've had problems a couple of times now.

I've connected the Vox to the laptop before with no problem. Then today the Vox froze after I disconnected. This is a Windows XP laptop. I used the 'safely remove hardware' to disconnect the Vox. Before I could press the button on the Vox to stop the USB storage, that screen disappeared on the Vox, but then the Vox froze.

I ended up installing Dropbox because I figured if the Vox was going to be ornery each time I physically tethered it, Dropbox would just be easier. (I had been concerned about security with Dropbox, but my firewall isn't letting Dropbox do ANYTHING without copious amounts of complaining, and I'm fine with that because I want to know what's talking to the internet, and unless I'm actually moving files, Dropbox doesn't need to be doing this.

)

Once I found out about ADE being able to detect the Vox, I tried that, as I said. This time I used the 'safely remove hardware' on the laptop, and then pressed the 'stop USB storage' on the Vox and then unplugged the USB. I pushed the app icon on the Vox. The Aldiko icon was gone. I checked my installed list. Aldiko was still there. I tried to open Astro, and instead the last .pdf file I had been viewing (using the trial Office Suite app) opened. This happened each time I tried the Astro icon. So I ended up shutting down the Vox and restarting anyway. The icons were restored and working correctly after that. However, Aldiko didn't have the books I dragged over. I found them in the Digital Editions when I used Astro to look for them. Using Aldiko's interface, I imported each book individually.

I am pleased to see that Aldiko manages pdf's, but there was one pdf that had given me a hard time with the sony reader and it would stick on any page that had a chart. It was only problematic with this one e-book, and the publisher and I tried several different things, but this is the way it was. Aldiko had the same issues with that one pdf book, but the Office Suite trial seems to manage OK with it.

I am also pleased to see that Aldiko does see the total pages in a book and that one can skip forward with a slider bar that appears when you tap in the middle of the page. I was thus able to get to the pages I had left off at with my sony reader, so I can pick up with the Vox.

If I can get the Vox and the laptop to disconnect gracefully from one another, I would be fine using ADE and Aldiko. I don't have a lot of titles in ADE, most of them are in my Sony library on the laptop, but I can move the books individually. If I can't, I guess I can drop the epubs into dropbox and import them into Aldiko that way, which might end up being simpler. All I have to do is power up Dropbox and make sure my firewall allows it.

Lots to learn with this thing.

49Kat · 11-19-2011, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sao

49kat, that's right, I'd forgotten that the file was RAR'ed. It's a form of compression, like zipping a file. I use winrar, which is nagware (free to use, but puts up a nag screen asking for a donation after the trial period is over), to unrar files.

Odd that after all these years I've never had an rar file before.

flatlander · 02-03-2012, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LauraPony

Do you use Dropbox? That is the best way I have found so far to transfer books onto the Vox. I just pop them onto the Dropbox folder from my computer and then access Dropbox from my Vox to import them.

I'm pretty sure the Kobo app won't read DRMed books (this is why you can't read library books on it).

Can't read library books on the Vox!? All you need is Overdrive.

mr_nobody · 02-03-2012, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flatlander

Can't read library books on the Vox!? All you need is Overdrive.

Read what Laura said again...she was talking about the kobo app.

AnemicOak · 02-03-2012, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 49Kat

I don't really care for Aldiko and Overdrive as readers.

You could use Mantano instead (it's my choice for reading apps on Android) it will show page numbers like you want. There's also BlueFire, but it doesn't show page number IIRC. Both support DRM'd content (both Adobe ID and B&N style).

11-19-2011, 10:47 AM	#1
49Kat Fanatic Posts: 580 Karma: 1309104 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: BC,Canada/NV, USA Device: iPad 9th Gen, iPhone 11, Paperwhite 10th Gen.	Sony app on Vox, other reading apps on Vox Is anyone using this? I would like the option to be able to shop from the Sony Reader store. Sometimes they have a book that Kobo doesn't carry. I'm still trying to find an easy way to transfer non-kobo books from my laptop to my Vox. I physically connected the vox to my laptop yesterday and transferred a couple of books purchased from Sony to the memory card. (The vox froze and I had to do a hard shutdown or whatever it's called.) The Kobo app was unable to import them, although it did import a couple of other books from the Aldiko and Overdrive apps. I don't really care for Aldiko and Overdrive as readers, as they don't show page numbers at all and the pages don't turn as nicely as the Kobo app pages do. (Page numbers are an issue with me. I want to see what page I'm on and how many are left.) I was able to borrow a library book. The Kobo app wasn't able to import that one either. I guess I would like to have my sony downloaded books on my Vox.

11-19-2011, 12:53 PM	#4
Suzanna Living in the past Posts: 432 Karma: 6011289 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Toronto Device: Kobo Aura HD, Kobo Arc	Goodereader posted an article called "Essential Kobo Vox Apps and Tools", which you can find here. They include a link to the Sony app, which you can install on your Vox. My sister has a Sony eReader and I know she installed the app for her Sony books. I haven't checked with her if she's used it to access the store. Since she didn't complain afterwards (I'm usually her go-to person if she has tech problems) I assumed it works fine. Last edited by Suzanna; 11-19-2011 at 12:56 PM.

11-19-2011, 03:35 PM	#6
49Kat Fanatic Posts: 580 Karma: 1309104 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: BC,Canada/NV, USA Device: iPad 9th Gen, iPhone 11, Paperwhite 10th Gen.	I can't seem to get myself an apk file to install the sony reader on the vox. Maybe I'll just bite the bullet and use dropbox and manually transfer over whatever books I want to read on aldiko. Thanks for the input. Edited to add that I've got the apk inside an .rar file. I would have to install a program on my laptop to open the .rar file (which I have already scanned at virustotal.com to see what actually is inside the .rar). Might give that a try later. Last edited by 49Kat; 11-19-2011 at 04:00 PM.

11-19-2011, 09:48 PM	#9
49Kat Fanatic Posts: 580 Karma: 1309104 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: BC,Canada/NV, USA Device: iPad 9th Gen, iPhone 11, Paperwhite 10th Gen.	USB, disconnecting Vox from computer Thanks, Taming. I used the USB to connect while ADE was open, and ADE detected the Aldiko app, which I had already authorized with an Adobe. I dragged a few books to the Aldiko icon, both pdf's and an epub. I must be doing something wrong when disconnecting the Vox from the laptop, because I've had problems a couple of times now. I've connected the Vox to the laptop before with no problem. Then today the Vox froze after I disconnected. This is a Windows XP laptop. I used the 'safely remove hardware' to disconnect the Vox. Before I could press the button on the Vox to stop the USB storage, that screen disappeared on the Vox, but then the Vox froze. I ended up installing Dropbox because I figured if the Vox was going to be ornery each time I physically tethered it, Dropbox would just be easier. (I had been concerned about security with Dropbox, but my firewall isn't letting Dropbox do ANYTHING without copious amounts of complaining, and I'm fine with that because I want to know what's talking to the internet, and unless I'm actually moving files, Dropbox doesn't need to be doing this. ) Once I found out about ADE being able to detect the Vox, I tried that, as I said. This time I used the 'safely remove hardware' on the laptop, and then pressed the 'stop USB storage' on the Vox and then unplugged the USB. I pushed the app icon on the Vox. The Aldiko icon was gone. I checked my installed list. Aldiko was still there. I tried to open Astro, and instead the last .pdf file I had been viewing (using the trial Office Suite app) opened. This happened each time I tried the Astro icon. So I ended up shutting down the Vox and restarting anyway. The icons were restored and working correctly after that. However, Aldiko didn't have the books I dragged over. I found them in the Digital Editions when I used Astro to look for them. Using Aldiko's interface, I imported each book individually. I am pleased to see that Aldiko manages pdf's, but there was one pdf that had given me a hard time with the sony reader and it would stick on any page that had a chart. It was only problematic with this one e-book, and the publisher and I tried several different things, but this is the way it was. Aldiko had the same issues with that one pdf book, but the Office Suite trial seems to manage OK with it. I am also pleased to see that Aldiko does see the total pages in a book and that one can skip forward with a slider bar that appears when you tap in the middle of the page. I was thus able to get to the pages I had left off at with my sony reader, so I can pick up with the Vox. If I can get the Vox and the laptop to disconnect gracefully from one another, I would be fine using ADE and Aldiko. I don't have a lot of titles in ADE, most of them are in my Sony library on the laptop, but I can move the books individually. If I can't, I guess I can drop the epubs into dropbox and import them into Aldiko that way, which might end up being simpler. All I have to do is power up Dropbox and make sure my firewall allows it. Lots to learn with this thing.

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11-19-2011, 11:52 AM	#2
LauraPony Zealot Posts: 134 Karma: 249287 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Nova Scotia, Canada Device: Nook, Kobo Vox	Do you use Dropbox? That is the best way I have found so far to transfer books onto the Vox. I just pop them onto the Dropbox folder from my computer and then access Dropbox from my Vox to import them. I'm pretty sure the Kobo app won't read DRMed books (this is why you can't read library books on it).

11-19-2011, 12:13 PM	#3
49Kat Fanatic Posts: 580 Karma: 1309104 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: BC,Canada/NV, USA Device: iPad 9th Gen, iPhone 11, Paperwhite 10th Gen.	I guess the books are purchased from Sony are DRMed. I'm still hesitating to use Dropbox, but I am more and more seeing the benefits of it. I had wondered if a Sony app with access to the Sony reader store could peacefully co-exist with a Kobo app with access to the Kobo store, but I just installed the Kindle app and it seems to be doing OK. (Interesting to notice that a book I am interested in is $5 more at the Kindle store than it is at the Kobo store.) Sony books are usually a little more expensive than Kobo books, but, as I've said, sometimes Sony has titles that Kobo doesn't carry. It's much easier to navigate through Sony's free selection as well.

11-19-2011, 12:54 PM	#5
peterhondak Zealot Posts: 108 Karma: 60 Join Date: Nov 2011 Device: KoboMini (mine and MIL) KoboVox(returned), sonytouch(mom's),samsung7"	I've only been able to put Sony books into Aldiko, and library books I've been reading right from overdrive. not the bestest, but having my library books in a different spot is actually helpful. So the Kindle app works? I've been thinking of doing that one, had no luck with Sony app.

11-19-2011, 06:16 PM	#7
taming Trying for calm & polite Posts: 4,012 Karma: 9455193 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mostly in Canada Device: kobo original, WiFI, Touch, Glo, and Aura	49kat: If you have Aldiko installed on your Vox, you can attach the Vox by USB cable to your computer and then authorize Aldkio on your Vox as a device to your desktop Adobe ADE. Then you just drag and drop the book onto the Aldiko icon. You can import books from the Sony "My Reader" file into ADE in the usual way.

11-19-2011, 06:41 PM	#8
Suzanna Living in the past Posts: 432 Karma: 6011289 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Toronto Device: Kobo Aura HD, Kobo Arc	49kat, that's right, I'd forgotten that the file was RAR'ed. It's a form of compression, like zipping a file. I use winrar, which is nagware (free to use, but puts up a nag screen asking for a donation after the trial period is over), to unrar files.

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