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).
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!
.RGO?!
I could say that the best format for mobile phones is definitely repligo, no contest to that. Repligo viewers for different devices are totally free to download with no expiration unlike other eBook readers. Repligo file has extension name of rgo, some got confused when they encountered this kind of file type.
The new generation of bookworms will definitely agree with me, rgo indeed is the “almost” perfect format for handheld devices. Almost perfect because with the repligo viewer, its impossible to change the font color (unless the unconverted original file has colored font), font style, background color and the application is compatible to limited handheld devices.
Repligo files are converted from Adobe Acrobat (pdf), Microsoft Word (doc), Rich Text Format (rtf), powerpoint, web page (html) etc. This is the reason why the application cannot change its font color, font style and background color… because it depends on the original format. Whatever the original format it was, when converted into repligo format the quality is still the same and optimized for small screen viewing. Isn’t that great?
If its an eBook, book cover image is sometimes at the first page if you download it somewhere.
How to use it? Install repligo viewer on your MMC or memory card, then restart your handheld device or mobile phone. Open FExplorer, create a folder on your MMC or drive E:\ and name it as “Documents”. Save your rgo files to this folder. The default folder of repligo is folder Documents, you can change it to settings if you want. I prefer to use this folder to organize different formats of eBooks on my mobile phone.
Mobile Settings:
- Flowed - For font size settings
- Zoom – For image viewing
- Go to page – For instant page turning. You can also see the current page and how many pages it have
- Rotation – For landscape or default viewing
- Find – Search a keyword just in case you lose your page. e.g. chapter 12
- Send- You can send your file via bluetooth
When you exit the application, don’t worry. You don’t have to scroll down to the last page where you left off like other ebook application. And when you open the application, it will automatically direct you to the last page you’ve stopped. I became loyal to this mobile ebook application especially when I discovered a forum wherein you can download as many files as you want provided that you’re a member of that forum. Its a sad thing though because the site was gone already…
You can download a free repligo viewer, please do check the compatible handheld devices.
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.
