Online Mobile eBook Reading
Speaking of online eBook reading, first you should have a proper connection settings. Options to have a proper configurations:
- Go to your phone’s manufacturer’s website
- Call your network provider and request for “over the air” configuration
- Install an application that automatically configures your settings
I’m using Settings Wizard for my configurations. In my country, GPRS connection is common to prepaid and postpaid subcribers but not the internet connection to prepaid subscribers. It depends if you’re using an old sim card, this is a gossip from my mobile blog friends that new simcards available now are not internet capable. I guess its true, its really hard to find one nowadays. It doesn’t matter if you have the right configurations, its with your network provider’s simcard. I am among the lucky ones, I still prefer to used a prepaid simcard to control my connection cost. Anyway, why am I talking about mobile internet connections here?
I’ve tried wattpad mobile application last week on my 6630. The application doesn’t work on my 6630, I always have the “Error, Invalid GZIP format” or sometimes “error” prompt. I’ve tried it on GPRS and inet connection, both with same results. I’ve used Opera browser instead using internet connection and access their website, it works fine except for the connection charges. I do not prefer to read my ebooks online whether on mobile or on the net.
Wattpad do have a list of eBooks submitted by members. There are 3 ways to read their eBooks:
- Go to their site using the wattpad reader on your phone and read it online (If their application is Ok with your phone’s connection) or download it for offline reading.
- Go to their website using a computer, register and download jar or jad file, then install it to your mobile phone.
- Go to their website, copy the text file, paste it to notepad (its in txt format, convert it to whatever format you want), then transfer it to your phone.
Note: The wattpad application is for online mobile ebook reading. You don’t need it anymore if you prefer to download their java eBook files.
Tools For Mobile eBook Reading
Mobile eBook reading is not as simple as it seems if you don’t have the required applications. Maximizing symbian phone is my rule of thumb, I don’t think that’s possible without these two applications.
FExplorer 1.17 – is a third party file manager such as creating extra folder for eBook storage, transferring files from one folder to another, distinguishing file formats with their real icon, opening file with the right application and transfering files via bluetooth. Some of these tasks cannot be accomplished by built-in file manager of many symbian phone. Some eBook application’s library folders are situated inside the system folder, this folder is not accessible by a built-in file manager.
WinRAR – is a decompressing and compressing mobile tool. I’ve tried many applications with same purpose, this one is the best based on my experience. You’ll never know that you need this application not until you encounter some hindrance without it. For instance, if you don’t have a computer and you just had downloaded an eBook not knowing that its compressed as zip or rar. What if you’re searching for that file for a long time. See? Without an extracting mobile tool is a hindrance already. It is simple but you’ll never know until you experience that and I did. One more thing with this application is you can compress already read eBooks to save space on your memory.
We have the liberty to choose the mobile applications that suits our needs. As long as it serves the same purpose, it would be fine. Familiarize yourselves with these two applications, you can use them not for eBook files but to other files such as audios, videos, games and many more mobile files.
Have you downloaded an eBook with jar extension name?
I’ve downloaded a java eBook ages ago and managed to install it on my phone. If I didn’t browsed on my folders this morning, I almost forgot that it’s installed on my phone. Java ebooks are executable files on symbian phones, the exact counterpart of exe eBook files on computer. These files doesn’t need any application or software to read them. Java or jar files are converted primarily for java enabled mobile phones. The “Harry Po” icon at the screenshot below is a java eBook, it doesn’t looked appealing compared to other eBook icons. Let’s face it, the icon is also a plus factor to mobiles phones. Have you imagined what would it looked like if you’ve installed several java eBooks with these icons?
Screenshot of the book itself is on the right side. I admit, it took me a while to figure it out on how to use it. It did open on full screen, it tooked me a while to search for the settings. Just click the zero “0″ key for the settings. At the settings page (shown below), use your cursor and move from left to right to change your settings. I’ve closed the eBook many times when I navigate to “Info” or 6 key. The only thing I like is the “Goto” – “Go Chapters“… the only page that’s not hard on my eyes and for easy chapter scan. It depends on the theme you’re using.
For java eBooks, if you’re not desperate to read that eBook, I guess you won’t download it. First of all, I find it isn’t “user-friendly”. You can change the font size but not the font color and background. Did you notice the first screenshot above, the eBook itself? The lines are broken at a certain level then continue on the next line, we should also reconsider the quality of the original file format before it was converted. Well, I hope I have spare time for java conversion and find it myself if there’s a way to adjust the things I don’t like. What’s the use of mobile reading if you’re frowning while reading? At the moment, java eBook is a No-No for me.
How To Open Different eBook Formats
I assumed that you have a symbian phone and FExplorer installed. I always count on FExplorer when it comes to eBook manipulation. For the record, FExplorer v1.17 is a free third party file manager.
I always do this, checking the eBook file and to which application it suits best. It is as simple as assigning an application to a certain eBook format or file extension. The process is almost the same with the “right click” – “open with” on computer. What makes it different on FExplorer is that you are assigning a certain file extension the application it should open permanently not unless you change it or you’ve reformated your symbian phone.
How to do it? (take a look at the screenhots)
- open FExplorer
- go to the file, example “Inday.prc”
- click Option > File > Open with
- choose the application you want for that format
- click Option > Save
Check it if you followed it right, on the FExplorer, go to the file that you’ve previously assigned then click. If the assigned application opens with that file, you’re doing great. You can do this to other eBook formats or other file extension name, just make sure to close opened application when not needed otherwise you will encounter memory full (depends on symbian phone you’re using).
MobiReader, A Free Powerful eBook Reader
Mobipocket Reader for Symbian smartphone is another powerful eBook reader, the best thing of being powerful is its free. LOL! Who doesn’t want a free mobile application nowadays?
Why is it powerful? Take a look at the left part of my screenshots, it is the default introduction of MobiReader. It’s in prc format but it looked like a html format, it seems that you’re browsing from a third party browser of your symbian phone because of the link function. The introduction is way ahead better from other eBook reader introduction, you can’t believe that the application is free. Would you believe that you can open your eBook 1.03, prc format with MobiReader. I’ve tried that, take a look at the right side of the screenshot, it did worked. The trick here is if you have eBook 1.03 files, just transfer them to e:\eBooks — this is the default location of MobiReader and presto! You can read them with MobiReader, it is in the library already.
I’ve tried opening a txt format file with MobiReader, it worked as well. But even if you moved the txt file to designated folder, you cannot see it at the library. Just open the txt file via FExplorer.
I’ve mention from my earlier entries that eBook reader compatibility is one of my criteria on choosing a new symbian phone. No problem about the requirement anymore, MobiReader will surely handle my old collection of prc format eBooks.
Symbian60.1 – Nokia 3600, Nokia 3620, Nokia 3650, Nokia 3660, Nokia 6600, Nokia 7650, Nokia N-Gage, Nokia N-Gage QD, Siemens SX1, Sendo X.
Symbian60.2 – Nokia 3230, Nokia 6260, Nokia 6620, Nokia 6630, Nokia 6670, Nokia 6680, Nokia 6681, Nokia 6682, Nokia 7610, Nokia N70, Nokia N72, Nokia N90, Panasonic X700, Panasonic X800, Samsung SGH-Z600, Samsung SGH-Z720, Samsung SGH-Z730
Series60.3 – Nokia 3250, 5500, E50, E60, E61, E62, E70, N71, N72, N73, N75, N80, N91, N92, N93, N93i, N95
To download other mobipocket version for other symbian phones, click here. I’ll just stick to this great aspects of MobiReader for now, I’ll explore the other great things soon.
