Need Kindle Paperwhite 3rd party collection manager!

[alchemist1]

I like the Paperwhite, but just had a "tense" conversation with an Amazon rep, who tried to rationally explain that I must send my personal files to Amazon, and they will then "decide" if I can add them to collections! If Microsoft tried to spy on every personal file before deciding whether to allow adding it to a windows folder, I'm pretty sure there would be instant lawsuits...

Although I'm not happy about Amazon's desire to spy on people's personal files, I still like the device. However, I want to be able to get the full use out of it with a 3rd party collection manager.

So far I've heard about Ixtab's jailbreak + collection manager + calibre, and also Kindlean.

Does anyone know what the simplest solution is for this now?

[Katdragon]

Good grief! What exactly do you want to do with your collections? I've had the same problem but I'm not happy about jailbreaking my device so I'm using calibre to label my files and then put them in a collection. For example, I used calibre to change the book titles in my 'Song of Ice and Fire' collection as "Song 1 - Game of Thrones" "Song 2 - A Clash of Kings" etc.
I then manually created the Song of Ice and Fire collection folder and put the books into it using the paperwhite collection function.

It's a bit tedious but it does work.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by alchemist1

Does anyone know what the simplest solution is for this now?

I may be missing something here, but can't you just get Calibre and convert your documents to mobi (or AZW3) format and side-load the documents?

[booklover6]

Originally Posted by alchemist1

Although I'm not happy about Amazon's desire to spy on people's personal files, I still like the device. However, I want to be able to get the full use out of it with a 3rd party collection manager.

So far I've heard about Ixtab's jailbreak + collection manager + calibre, and also Kindlean.

Does anyone know what the simplest solution is for this now?

I've heard tin foil hats, when used properly, can work well at preventing amazon from spying.

[NiLuJe]

Please don't mention Kindlean anywhere near any of the people involved in Kindle hacking, or we will (possibly) loose our cool (or is that just me? ).

Anyway, last I heard they had scammed^Wnope, sorry, can't find a better verb, enough people, and it's now kaput.

[BookCat]

Originally Posted by NiLuJe

Please don't mention Kindlean anywhere near any of the people involved in Kindle hacking, or we will (possibly) loose our cool (or is that just me? ).

Anyway, last I heard they had scammed^Wnope, sorry, can't find a better verb, enough people, and it's now kaput.

Intrigued, please explain.

Could someone also please tell me how to create collections on my pc (or Calibre) then transport these to the PW via usb? I don't have wifi (by choice).

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by BookCat

Intrigued, please explain.

Could someone also please tell me how to create collections on my pc (or Calibre) then transport these to the PW via usb? I don't have wifi (by choice).

KIndlean is a ripoff of ixtab's Collections Manager hack for the Kindle. Only it doesn't get updated until (way?) after ixtab NiLuJe and the gang has released the CM updates, and then it shamelessly takes their work and sells it.

I think NiLuJe is right that they are gone now, so they will never say get updated with a brand-new patch submitted yesterday that should add FW 5.4.3.2 support. Although it reportedly has some PW support. Still, why pay for freely contributed software?

On the CM link, there are instructions for installing a plugin into calibre for managing collections from calibre (based on metadata and stuff ) and importing to CM.

Side note: Using the WTFPL is kind of asking to get your work ripped off. The GPL or similar allows anyone to do whatever they want -- assuming attribution is used, and forbidding resale of your work. The license chosen is kinda meant specifically to allow ripoffs.

Sorry! *runs for cover*

[Doitsu]

Originally Posted by alchemist1

I like the Paperwhite, but just had a "tense" conversation with an Amazon rep, who tried to rationally explain that I must send my personal files to Amazon, and they will then "decide" if I can add them to collections!

If your Paperwhite is registered, you don't need to be logged into your Amazon account to set up local collections on your Paperwhite. Simply put the Paperwhite in Airplane mode and select Create New Collection from the Home screen menu and add books to them. (You'll get an Unable to Sync warning that you can ignore.)

If you want to add lots of books to an empty collection, select Collections from the Home screen, open a collection and select Add/Remove Items from the menu.

[NiLuJe]

I'm also personally quite fond of the utter lack of transparency it demonstrated .

(I remember a comment from a Kindlean user mentioning that he was happy he didn't have to jailbreak his device, and how he got utterly dazed when I mentioned that, nope, sorry, Kindlean actually used a jailbreak vector (and did god knows what else to your device once in). That was fun.).

[alchemist1]

@booklover6 - feel free to send all your personal diaries & writings to Amazon if you please. The issue is also not only about privacy, they won't even allow certain items to be added to their collections, it is solely at their discretion with no stated guidelines.

@Doitsu - my pw is not registered, OK maybe I am being a bit paranoid about it, but I've read several horror stories of Kindles calling home, and people losing hours of work they put into organizing collections. I don't want/trust Amazon/Bezos to manage/control my library.

@NiLuJe - Thanks for clarifying the situation, I'll stick with the original jail-break, appreciate the efforts of the developers for creating this! I'll try to figure out how to install it now...

[booklover6]

Originally Posted by alchemist1

they won't even allow certain items to be added to their collections, it is solely at their discretion with no stated guidelines.

Where did you come up with that theory? AFAIK the only thing you can't add to "their" collections (which are actually not theirs, but yours) are dictionaries. Unless things have changed.

Your best bet if you ever plan to turn wifi on, is to install the backdoorlock hack so that The Evil Amazon can't update your device, which can indeed screw up hours worth of work regarding collections.

Did you say whether you have a PW1 or a PW2? The cloud collections update is the one that will screw you up. If your device is a PW1 with pre-cloud collections, this is a good time to jailbreak, and backdoorlock, and then you can register and add collections without having to use third party collections. In addition, to ward off further spirals of paranoia, once you have registered, you can then turn the wifi off and never turn it back on, and then manage your collections quite cheerfully, with or without tinfoil.

ETA the best way to completely escape the watchful eye of any big brother corporation is to buy a Sony T1, T2 or T3, which can be used without ever registering, and collections can be created and managed quite well using Calibre tags. It is not lighted, however.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by alchemist1

@booklover6 - feel free to send all your personal diaries & writings to Amazon if you please. The issue is also not only about privacy, they won't even allow certain items to be added to their collections, it is solely at their discretion with no stated guidelines.

This is utter nonsense. You can add anything you want to a collection.

[jersysman]

This is rubbish. So, you didn't even register your Kindle and then went to CS for support?

[soulfuldog]

If the device isn't registered, you can't use collections, not without fooling the Kindle into thinking it is registered, and even if you do that, you can't send personal docs to your Kindle via the Amazon servers since you can't connect an unregistered Kindle? Isn't that correct?

Therefore, what is this thread about?!

[booklover6]

Originally Posted by soulfuldog

Therefore, what is this thread about?!

Tin foil hats!