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Finally! Amazon should have done this long ago. ePub v3 supports everything MOBI does and it has really extensive support across platforms. This is HUGE for peo

Finally! Amazon should have done this long ago. ePub v3 supports everything MOBI does and it has really extensive support across platforms. This is HUGE for people with a big eBook collection.

teraflop 4y ago
Note that the Kindle devices themselves still do not support ePub files. (EDIT: as of the last time I checked a month or two ago, but maybe this has changed?) Previously, you could send a MOBI file to your Kindle email address, and it would be delivered to your Kindle. Now, you have to send them an ePub file, and Amazon will convert it to an AZW3 file (which is structurally very similar to MOBI) and send that to your Kindle. If you have an ePub file and you want to read it on your Kindle without going through Amazon's servers, you have to convert it to AZW3 (or MOBI) yourself, either using Amazon's Kindle Previewer GUI software (only available for Windows/Mac) or by using a third-party tool like Calibre.
- captn3m0 4y ago
  Hasn't changed. Amazon has demonstrated some intent to do this in the future though, by deprecating MOBI and enabling the EPUB-over-email thing. The Pearson post mentions: > Amazon has announced the retirement of its proprietary MOBI file format for eBooks, and a transition to the EPUB format for use on Kindle devices and apps. which makes me wonder if they know more than we do?
- qumpis 4y ago
  Does this mean that the formatting due to conversation might change? Aren't the features of azw3 lacking compared to mobi: can this also result in unwanted changes?
Markoff 4y ago
Yup, less options is win for users! Why not just add more supported formats instead doing mess with removing and ading formats?
moffkalast 4y ago
I mean, given that Calibre can convert from anything to the reader's native format I couldn't care less what kind of format any eBook I get is in, as long as it's not PDF. Still it's a good thing to move to a common standard to simplify things.
- swyx 4y ago
  as a self published book author, i have to worry about formats that my readers use to give them the least hassle. unfortunately kindle is 1/3 of my readership.
  - moffkalast 4y ago
    Well if you're selling you really ought to provide it in all available formats, especially with how easy it is to convert between them. Should take you a total of what, 10 mins? Kind of like us devs that have to deploy code for various platforms, which is arguably an order of magnitude more complex in some cases. You're lucky that the Kindle doesn't support 3 OSes with each its own proprietary formats lol.
    - swyx 4y ago
      the devil is in the details. try getting formatting/images/code displays right on all 3 platforms when the test/iteration cycle is minutes. not saying this is the biggest problem in the world, just explaining why even if amazon discontinues mobi i still have to support mobi.

Finally! Amazon should have done this long ago. ePub v3 supports everything MOBI does and it has really extensive support across platforms. This is HUGE for people with a big eBook collection.

teraflop 4y ago

Note that the Kindle devices themselves still do not support ePub files. (EDIT: as of the last time I checked a month or two ago, but maybe this has changed?) Previously, you could send a MOBI file to your Kindle email address, and it would be delivered to your Kindle. Now, you have to send them an ePub file, and Amazon will convert it to an AZW3 file (which is structurally very similar to MOBI) and send that to your Kindle. If you have an ePub file and you want to read it on your Kindle without going through Amazon's servers, you have to convert it to AZW3 (or MOBI) yourself, either using Amazon's Kindle Previewer GUI software (only available for Windows/Mac) or by using a third-party tool like Calibre.

captn3m0 4y ago
Hasn't changed. Amazon has demonstrated some intent to do this in the future though, by deprecating MOBI and enabling the EPUB-over-email thing. The Pearson post mentions: > Amazon has announced the retirement of its proprietary MOBI file format for eBooks, and a transition to the EPUB format for use on Kindle devices and apps. which makes me wonder if they know more than we do?
qumpis 4y ago
Does this mean that the formatting due to conversation might change? Aren't the features of azw3 lacking compared to mobi: can this also result in unwanted changes?

Markoff 4y ago

Yup, less options is win for users! Why not just add more supported formats instead doing mess with removing and ading formats?

moffkalast 4y ago

I mean, given that Calibre can convert from anything to the reader's native format I couldn't care less what kind of format any eBook I get is in, as long as it's not PDF. Still it's a good thing to move to a common standard to simplify things.

swyx 4y ago
as a self published book author, i have to worry about formats that my readers use to give them the least hassle. unfortunately kindle is 1/3 of my readership.
- moffkalast 4y ago
  Well if you're selling you really ought to provide it in all available formats, especially with how easy it is to convert between them. Should take you a total of what, 10 mins? Kind of like us devs that have to deploy code for various platforms, which is arguably an order of magnitude more complex in some cases. You're lucky that the Kindle doesn't support 3 OSes with each its own proprietary formats lol.
  - swyx 4y ago
    the devil is in the details. try getting formatting/images/code displays right on all 3 platforms when the test/iteration cycle is minutes. not saying this is the biggest problem in the world, just explaining why even if amazon discontinues mobi i still have to support mobi.