So is Mobipocket Desktop finally importing .epub in style? If so, Kindle owners will be among those benefiting
So can Mobipocket finally import .epub-format documents in decent style? If my quick test is representative, the answer might be, “Yes.” The new Mobipocket Desktop 6.1 worked just fine with an .epub file of Davy Crockett from Jedisabler.com. A 6.2 beta, which includes Wikipedia/Wiktionary search from the “Dictionary Search View,” also seemed promising on the .epub front. The old table of content problem appeared to be gone. Am I missing something? I hope not; let me know (update, 2:30 p.m.: Mobi’s getting closer to reliable imports, according to readers, but still isn’t quite there). Just select the OCF file import option, and if you want a wide variety .epub titles, just go to the leading .epub source on the Net right now, Feedbooks.
Guess what? As an e-book booster, it’s a lot more fun to praise Mobi—and Amazon—than to bash them. Now I’m hoping that Mobi and Amazon’s Kindle can do .epub in time, directly without an import, and that Amazon will unequivocally commit to all e-reading products working with the planned interoperable DRM from the IDPF. How about it, Amazon?
Bottom line for the moment: If Mobi finally has its importation act together, you can now bring nonDRMed .epub files into Mobi format via the Desktop software, read them that way, or send them to a Mobi-equipped PDA or other device, including the Kindle. Laurent Picard of Bookeen, a big supporter of open standards, can tell his customers that there’s a way for the Mobi-capable Cybook Gen3 to read .epub decently via the Mobi Desk route—at least if my quick impressions are on the mark. The Crockett book imported seamlessly into the Gen3. My friends at iRex, whose iLiad can also read Mobi files, should likewise be happy.
Detail: Beta 6.2’s Palm version freezes the Palm TX’s library. I know first hand. One workaround might be to delete the content.prc file and try again. At any rate, keep in mind that this is a beta. Let’s see how the final version performs.
Technorati Tags: Mobipocket,Mobi,Amazon,Feedbooks,Bookeen,Cybook Gen3,Cybook,iRex,iRex Technologies,iLiad
December 17th, 2007 at 10:14 am
Just tried it with some of our epub files on Feedbooks and it worked fine. But now that Feedbooks also generate Mobipocket files, it’s easier for those using this format to directly download the Mobipocket version.
What I’d like to see on the Mobipocket front is a mobigen for Unix systems, and Mobipocket Reader and Creator for Linux/Mac.
December 17th, 2007 at 10:38 am
I’m still having problems importing .epub books into Mobipocket 6.1.
My experience is as such:
The very first import works perfectly.
At the second import, one of two things will happen.
1. The progress bar will go, no errors, but the book will not open and will not import.
2. It will look like the import is successful, the book will open, and you can read it, but the title will not show up in the library.
If the first error happens, closing and re-opening Mobipocket then re-importing will open the book, but the title will not show in the library.
I tried to open a good dozen .epub files, and I managed to get one other title to import “A Christmas Carol” from Feedbooks. I then tried other .epub files from various sources, and none of them would import. (Including David Crockett from my site as mentioned above as one that others were able to import)
I’ve un-installed and re-installed several times, and it seem the very first .epub book from any source will import, then the above problems happen on .epub files from any source.
December 17th, 2007 at 10:54 am
Tried Adobe’s Digital Editions of “Alice in Wonderland” which internally looks fine as an epub.
Did not do so well in 6.1. Entities did not come through, nor did any illustrations.
The Entities were for quote marks &O; (open double) etc.,.
December 17th, 2007 at 11:27 am
Same thing with 6.2, and a couple of crashes (it is only Beta).
December 26th, 2007 at 8:23 pm
[...] for reflowable digital books that theoretically should let users read books on any ebook reader. David tells us that mobipocket (which Kindles can read) is finally importing .epub, so Kindle owners can [...]