Can Kindle Devices Support Reading Djvu Files?

One area Amazon doesn’t fully serve yet is in offline access to manage between devices. While a book that one downloads to their Kindle will automatically appear on their iPad or Touch, for example, a book one downloads to their Kindle does not automatically appear on their phone. This would use too much storage space on mobile devices, but Amazon could add an option to download to other devices as well, and have it apply offline as well. For now, users can manually download the same book on each of their devices (with or without wi-fi) as needed. For most people who are systematic in their reading and load up the next few titles on one device before switching to another, this works fine. But for spontaneous readers who switch between devices frequently and often lack reliable data access, there’s a need here for some way to enable downloading of titles to read offline on additional devices with a bit of up-front thought or planning.

Reading is supposed to be convenient. My Kindle books give me that. All the reading applications for my phone, tablet or computer for Kindle books are all synced so I always have the latest version of the book I’m reading. This is especially great for me because I tend to forget my Kindle at home but can continue to read during downtime. While I prefer to read Kindle books on Amazon Kindle devices, there are alternatives for reading Kindle books on non-Amazon devices. These include Calibre, which can convert Kindle books to just about any format once you have set up your computer to do so. There are also apps such as PocketBook that can read Kindle books once you have tweaked them to read on that device. Kindle books can be read on just about any device once you have downloaded the app or converted the book to an alternative format.

I read my Kindle books on my iPad using the free Kindle app from the App Store. The app supports all of the standard Kindle book file types, including AZW and MOBI as well as PDFs which can be emailled to your Kindle “address” (ie username@kindle.com). It’s all pretty easy to set up and use, and I found that the app made a great little standalone library that I could keep separate from the rest of my e-books. Recently for example I read “Heated Tales: A compilation of steamy stories” and I was able to keep that collection of rather titillating titles separate from the main body of my library.

What is your goal for your digital files? Are you looking to create a long-term archive of books to read later, or are you just looking to read a book that you've already purchased? If you're trying to build a long-term archive of books, then you'll need to consider how to make them last in the long-term. Saving your original book files (such as CBZ or PDF) to a backup system (such as an external hard drive or cloud storage) is a good starting point. The Kindle format files you create will likely be disposable, but you can always recreate them from the original book files as needed. Treat the conversion process as if you're creating a derivative work optimized for your current e-reader. The original book file is the master copy. Saving the original book files saves you from having to re-rip your books or re-download them in 5 years when your new e-reader doesn't support the format that you converted to. Sure, it's a little more work upfront, but it'll save you a ton of hassle in the long run.

The Fire is basically a portable comics reader for me first, followed by ebook reader. I chose to go with the Fire and the Kindle app because it natively supports the comic book formats CBZ and CBR. I import my comics by dragging and dropping them into the “Books” folder. For Amazon-purchased ebooks, I read AZW3 format. Occasionally, I’ll purchase an eBook from elsewhere or download one from a Humble Bundle sale. In those cases, I’ll import them as EPUB and use the Send-to-Kindle web interface to add them to my library. While Send-to-Kindle can be a little slow at times, having all of my books – purchased and added via sideload – in one app, syncing across all of my devices is worth the wait. The list of supported file formats is very suitable for my style of reading. If I read more academic PDFs, then perhaps this would not be as good of a choice, but for the most part, I read a lot of fiction and comics, and the Kindle app is great at reading both of those formats.

After I read this thread I tested it with my Kindle Voyage. As already described, you press the top corner of the screen to bring up the black ribbon. Interestingly enough, when you have set your Kindle to ‘every page’ (instead of ‘less often’), the black screen even flashes for a brief moment when setting a bookmark. However, if you have set your Kindle to ‘less often’, the black ribbon just appears – no full screen refresh involved. This seems to be a very minor detail but it could be important for people who are sensitive to screen flicker.Bookmarking a PDF now feels even more seamless when I have set my Kindle to ‘less often’ for page refreshes.

Nope. You're talking about competing services, each with their own form of Digital Rights Management (DRM) to protect the same content that you buy. As an example, you can't watch a Netflix Original on Disney+ for the very same reasons. The book you bought from Google Books is locked to Google's services. Your Kindle is not Google services. Any work-around would involve breaking the DRM for the book which would violate the terms of service which you signed up to (potentially illegal in some jurisdictions too).

First, consider your source. Comics purchased through ComiXology these days are often simply Amazon storefronts for Kindle comics, while subscription comics such as Shonen Jump are typically consumed through their own dedicated apps rather than on your Kindle. Free and legal manga such as provided by Manga Plus is read through their own app as well. So once again, the ‘best format for Kindle’ is really a question for people who are either reading comics outside of Amazon-licensed channels, sideloading their own files for reading on their Kindle, or perhaps are a part of the comics-archiving community – i.e. the DIY crowd, the archivists, and those looking to read comic books that are not currently available through digital channels.

As an avid reader who juggles multiple e-readers, I’ve explored the compatibility between Kindle and Kobo extensively. Unfortunately, Kobo devices don’t natively support the Kindle app due to the differing ecosystems. Amazon’s Kindle books are designed to work within their ecosystem, which includes Kindle e-readers, the Kindle app for mobile devices, and Kindle Cloud Reader for web browsers. Kobo, on the other hand, operates on its own platform, with books primarily purchased through the Kobo store or loaded via EPUB files. The lack of a dedicated Kindle app for Kobo devices means you can’t directly access your Kindle library on a Kobo e-reader. However, there are workarounds if you’re determined to read Kindle books on a Kobo device. One method involves removing DRM protection from your Kindle books and converting them to EPUB format, which Kobo supports. Tools like Calibre, a free and open-source e-book management software, can assist with this process. It’s important to note that DRM removal is a legal gray area and may violate Amazon’s terms of service, so proceed with caution. Once converted, you can sideload the EPUB files onto your Kobo device via USB or use Kobo’s Dropbox integration for wireless transfers. This method requires some technical know-how but is a viable solution for tech-savvy readers. Another approach is to use Amazon’s Kindle Cloud Reader in the experimental browser on your Kobo device. While Kobo’s browser isn’t optimized for this purpose, it can sometimes load the web version of Kindle, allowing you to read your books online. This method is far from ideal, as the experience may be sluggish and lack features like offline reading or seamless page turns. For a smoother experience, consider using a tablet or smartphone with the Kindle app alongside your Kobo e-reader. This way, you can enjoy the best of both worlds without compromising on functionality. Ultimately, while there’s no straightforward app to read Kindle books on Kobo devices, the workarounds available can bridge the gap for determined readers. The decision to explore these methods depends on your comfort level with technology and your willingness to navigate the limitations. If you’re deeply invested in the Kindle ecosystem but love your Kobo device’s hardware, it might be worth the effort. Otherwise, sticking to Kobo’s native offerings or using a secondary device for Kindle books might be the more practical choice.

I wanted to be able to read on my phone, but I didn’t want to be tied to my Kindle hardware. The Kindle app for your iOS or Android phone or tablet works really well. You need to have an Amazon account to log in to the app and download books that you have previously purchased. For new books, you can download them to read on your phone as well. I have even added borrowed books (from friends and from the library) to my phone. I use Calibre to convert the book to a MOBI file and then I email it to my Kindle address. One minor obstacle I faced was with books that had DRM. To get around this I occasionally use the ‘Unlock Ebook’ functionality within Epubor Ultimate (I’m very aware this is usually classed as copyright infringement, and thus use it sparingly). Otherwise it’s very easy to organize your books with tags. The ‘Send to Kindle’ functionality from desktop applications works very well for me with my academic PDFs, just check the supported file types on Amazon first.