I end up with PDF's instead of EPUB's on ereader

[Peter]

Hi Everyone

I'm all new to NetGalley. Just joined this weekend. I have really been looking forward to it, but I have a major problem already:

I've bought a Kobo Aura e-reader so that I can read books from NetGalley. But also because I have an old concussion, so I can't read a whole book on a phone or on a normal LCD/LED computerscreen.

Now, I've downloaded two books from Netgalley. One, everyone could read, that downloaded automatically as a PDF. And one I was invited to. The last one was a .ACSM file, which I could open in Adobe Digital Edition, and then it downloaded the book also as a PDF file.

The first book came down as a PDF right away (without .ACSM), and I guess that was intended from the publisher. It had a lot of illustrations, so maybe the publisher couldn't make it a normal e-reader file? IDK.

But the last book, that I was invited to, I really hoped I could read on my Kobo Aura as an e-book; you know with word wrap, the possibility to change font size and so on. But it's "only" a PDF, and it's pretty hard to read a normal book page downsized to my 6" Kobo Aura screen (the letters are microscopic), and it's even worse to zoom in on the pages, because a PDF takes several seconds for an e-reader to render with e-ink. And you would get really dizzy, if you had to zoom in and out six times on each page in a book with 350 pages, right.

What I had hoped for, was reading the Netgalley books with word wrap, like when I buy books at the Kobo book store.

I am new, both to my Kobo Aura and to Adobe Digital Editions and NetGalley, so am I missing something important here?

Or do you as well struggle with NetGalley books that only download as PDF's on you e-readers (I mean e-ink e-readers)?

I know there's a different download button (Send to Kindle) at Netgalley for Kindle e-readers, so mayby you Kindle guys can't help me? Because I use the other download button at NetGalley, the one that just says 'Download', for folks with e-readers that are not Kindle (Kobo, Nook, Sony etc.)

Thanks so much for reading this. :)

Best wishes Peter

[Susan]

Peter, I download the books directly to my kindle and they arrive as documents. They are like any other books on my kindle, although they sometimes have a blank cover and are lacking the Contents page. However, often they just have a disclaimer on the cover. In other words, I suppose, it has never been an issue; except on the one occasion when I downloaded a photography book and found I had to download it to my laptop. In other words, I know that it can be irritating not to get the book in the format you want.

I would say that NetGalley are SO helpful and so I would contact the customer support and ask them which is the best way to download to your Kobo. I am sure they will advise you. I've only emailed them once or twice, but both times they answered me really quickly and were really supportive and helpful and sorted out my issues. NetGalley is a great resource and it makes sense that you get the best out of it.

[Susan]

Ah, well, Peter - look at it this way - the Kindle is the best e-reader on the market! Seriously, enjoy your reading - now you have sorted out the problem, think of all the free books you can read and review :)

[Jane]

Dear Peter,

write to the stuff on NetGalley, I'm sure they can help you. Or ask them directly if you can convert the PDF-Files to epub-files with Calibre (or a similar programm).

Greetings
Jane

PS: Dear Susan, please keep your kindle-advertising to yourself, for it isn't helping here, because Peter doesn't have a Kindle, didn't say he would want one and this problem isn't linked to the kindle because as far as I know, the kindle can work only with mobi-files, the kobo can work with epub, txt and pdf (at least).

[Susan]

How on Earth can you suggest I was advertising a kindle?! I was just saying what I used and also suggested he contact NetGalley. Don't be ridiculous.

[Jane]

Susan wrote: "Ah, well, Peter - look at it this way - the Kindle is the best e-reader on the market! [...]"
Dear Susan,
this part of your second posting gave me the idea. If is wasn't your intention to promote I'm sorry :-)

[Jackie - Fire & Ice Book Reviews]

The publishers upload the files as PDF, and sometimes Epub, You won't know until you download it.

And, just a FYI... We can send just about any format to our Kindles, and Amazon will convert it to Mobi/PRC. We also can send PDF and Doc files and read them without them being Mobi.

just had to defend my e-reader.

[Jane]

Jackie wrote: "The publishers upload the files as PDF, and sometimes Epub, You won't know until you download it.

And, just a FYI... We can send just about any format to our Kindles, and Amazon will convert it to..."
That's good to know! Thank you Jackie :-)

[Penmouse]

I use the Kindle app to read books using my iPad. I like the Kindle as I'm used to it and I like how easy it is to bookmark "pages".

[Marilee]

Peter wrote: "Hi Everyone

I'm all new to NetGalley. Just joined this weekend. I have really been looking forward to it, but I have a major problem already:

I've bought a Kobo Aura e-reader so that I can read b..."

I'm a little late to the discussion, but I wonder if you've looked into the Calibre app? It's free and it converts most formats to fit most eReaders. I have and use a Kindle, but some eBooks I get from other sources need to be converted, and I find Calibre easy to use once you get the hang of it. There's a long list of formats and eReaders that are compatible for conversion between formats.

[CD {Boulder Blvd}]

I use Calibre but there are a number of books that are blocked and I wasn't able to convert due to DRM. Sometimes I just use Adobe Digital Editions on a small laptop.

[Jennifer]

I only have a kindle and can always click on that "send to kindle" button with no problem. That sucks that it is not the same regardless of your e-reader. Netgalley is super simple if you have a kindle.