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.
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.
Adobe PDF on mobile?
Some people would choose this mobile application as a necessity to their symbian phone especially those who are always on the go. They need to access their email and download attachments such as pdf file on their phone. There are some that reading their pdf eBook on their symbian phone. Note that I emphasized the symbian phone here. PDF files is still the best format for me but not on symbian phone. I guess, if I already have a PPC this application should be also my necessity.
Screenshots above gives you the idea of how would it look like on a symbian phone, mine is 6630 at the moment. The first screenshot from left is the zoom feature – to fit screen. It fits alright but I supposed you cannot read at that view, it is best for analyzing the image content of the pdf file. The next one is the view option, normal screen. You cannot read it either but much larger that the first image. The third and fourth image is the best view that you can read the content, I’ve used 90% there.
See the difference? The 3rd and 4th image using 90% view option, scrolling from downward and upward is normal to mobile eBook reading but scrolling from left to right on every line is another thing. The good thing with pdf format is the format itself, the quality never change whether you read it on computer or on handheld devices. Nobody can question that. But we are talking about mobile eBook application for PDF files. I seldom use this application, because I didn’t made any email configuration on my phone.
Reading txt file on Notes of your symbian phone?
Someone asked me what mobile ebook application can he used for txt format. According to him he’s lucky enough finding and downloading an eBook on his phone but got confused on how to read the file on his phone. He said, he read the file using “notes” on his phone.
Notes is the default viewer for txt files, I salute him for his eagerness to read that eBook. Imagine, if you use “notes”, special characters can’t be read and you have to search for last page you’ve read if you’ve stop. Big deal indeed especially if the file is an eBook.
I suggested him to use HandyBook by epocware, it supports palm doc (pdb) and txt format files. Upon installation, the application will asked you what language you will be using between Greek, Spanish, Slovenian, French, Polish, Swedish, Hungarian, Norwegian, Czech, Finnish, Portuguese, Dutch, Russian, Italian, German or English.
In Handybook application, you can choose the font size from small to large. There’s no need to make a folder for txt files because it will detect all your txt and pdb files on your phone. In fact, this is another alternative if you don’t want to convert your txt files that are previously SMS. And just for the record, txt files is the smallest in size of all eBook formats. Although you cannot change the font color and background color, its nice to have this application to read your txt files easily.
Related Topic:
Look Ma, My SMS is now an eBook!
Look Ma, I have eBook on my phone!
eBook 1.03 is the first mobile ebooks application I’ve tried and tested. It is first supported by symbianware. It comes with a free eBook maker application. eBook allows reading books in eBook Aportis (.prc) or Palm Database (.pdb) format. You can change the font, font size, font color, background color, etc. You can also change the view layout. Compatible devices: Nokia 7650, 3650/3600, N-Gage/N-Gage QD, 6600, 3660/3620, 7610, 6620, 6670, 6260, 6630, 3230, 6680/6681, Panasonic x700/x701, Samsung SGH-D730, Siemens SX1, Sendo X.
Let’s get started…
- I assumed that this application is compatible with your phone model, install the eBook 1.03 application to the phone’s memory card.
- Use third party file manager application. In my case, I use FExplorer 1.17, my favorite freeware and the updated version. This application is necessity to manipulate your ebooks on your phone. Other versions: German French Italian Dutch Spanish Swedish Finnish Portuguese
- If this is the first time you installed the eBook application, open FExplorer, go to E:\System\Apps\SW_Book and create a folder “Library”. This is the location you should store all your prc and pdb eBoook files.
- From the mobile phone’s main menu, open eBook 1.03. If you’ve already saved an ebook, you should see the file there.
Why do I like eBook 1.03?
I’ve mentioned earlier that eBook 1.03 reads PRC and PDB files, these files are smaller compared to other eBook formats. It is important if you have limited memory on your mmc. Eye strain? I usually spent 2-4 hours reading ebook on my phone. The first time I’ve used this application, I haven’t adjusted the application settings. The adjustments consists of font size and color, background color… this ebook application is “eye friendly”. It also has page scrolling feature for easy reading, no more clicking. Just make sure you haven’t fall asleep. hehehe.. You can also change the screen layout, the default is portrait or change it to landscape. How about the bookmark? If you exit the application, when opening it again… the eBook and the last page you previously close will be there. For additonal bookmark, you could also bookmark the page or if you remember the percent (%) or page you want, just simply navigate it.
