I just spent a frustrating 30 minutes on the line with customer support, and they said it couldn't be done.
I'm hoping someone on here might know the answer.
I want to set up freetime for my son on the Fire HD. I have a lot of books for him that are not bought from Amazon. So, Amazon classifies them as "personal documents". I have no trouble getting the onto the Fire. I can read them on the Fire. When I go to manage his freetime, there are only three tabs to pick content from - books, video, and apps. I can only choose books that have been bought from Amazon. I can't choose files from personal documents. Amazon says there is no way for them to show up under the "books" tab.
So I sideloaded an epub reader app - I figured I'd just convert them to epub and allow him access to that app. Well, apparently sideloaded apps are also not available to be used in freetime. They don't show up under the "app" tab at all.
Can anyone think of a way to make this work?
(the only thing I can think of is if there is a epub reader for the fire that can be bought from the amazon appstore that I don't know about)
But that is frustrating - totally.... I am "saving" my eBook fun for the kids Nabi's i bought for after the 15th. I anticipate it being... not so much fun.
The reading time should be limited/controlled by everything in the kindle app in my mind. Since it is their first go at it I will give them the benefit of the doubt to "fix it" in the future... which doesn't help you NOW either.
It doesn't really surprise me that it's only designed to work with 'stuff' you get from Amazon. . . . they make no secret that they consider the device a means to an end -- namely: to get you to buy Amazon content.
But if you need it to do more, definitely provide feedback; they do listen. . . . .
Well, the version available at Amazon shows as not compatible. But folks have loaded the app from other places -- like 1Mobile -- and it has worked. (Of course, you'd have the same problem with Free Time not really recognizing it.)
Again, it's not hugely surprising that they don't let you load a different ereader app on the Fire from their store. I find it more suprising that they offer it at all!
Whoops - sorry, I only have non-Fire tablets and got it at Amazon.
Hopefully they sort it out, they have a huge potential for grabbing a market segment - and need to step beyond the "content consumption" part of the equation a bit. I have the same suggestions to most manufactures of things aimed at kids. THe point being, what you start them on is what they will likely stick with - Nabi is about to start shipping a rugged android tablet device for the young toddler set. Tell me those kids aren't going to now grow up in the Android world... are you listening Apple?!?!
Overdrive's "about" page in the app says "DRM-Free EPUB ebooks from various online resources can be downloaded directly to this app."
The question is, can you sideload already-purchased ebooks into Overdrive; and, if so, can you see them if Free Time is active. I don't have any epub books to test with... But it's worth a try, puglover.
Ok. I did a little playing with the Overdrive app. It does show up under the "app" list as selectable when choosing content for freetime. It keeps all data available when in freetime. I downloaded a file into Overdrive from project gutenberg (using the silk browser directly on the fire). It was available in both normal fire mode and freetime.
When I hook my fire to the computer to try to sideload, and I can't figure out where to drop the file so it shows up on overdrive.
Directly downloading works, but I can't figure out how to sideload.
Ok. I did a little playing with the Overdrive app. It does show up under the "app" list as selectable when choosing content for freetime. It keeps all data available when in freetime. I downloaded a file into Overdrive from project gutenberg (using the silk browser directly on the fire). It was available in both normal fire mode and freetime.
When I hook my fire to the computer to try to sideload, and I can't figure out where to drop the file so it shows up on overdrive.
Directly downloading works, but I can't figure out how to sideload.
OK, puglover, I just tested moving an epub book into my Dropbox folder. I then opened Dropbox on my Fire, clicked on the epub to open it and got Overdrive as an option. So that should work.
Or any online location for the book that you can access through the browser should work. If you have Calibre, it has a way to access files through a network.
OK, puglover, I just tested moving an epub book into my Dropbox folder. I then opened Dropbox on my Fire, clicked on the epub to open it and got Overdrive as an option. So that should work.
Or any online location for the book that you can access through the browser should work. If you have Calibre, it has a way to access files through a network.
I think they become personal documents at that point, don't they? Per the OP, personal documents are not available when "Free Time" is turned on. (I don't do much with emailed docs or personal docs.)
Here I sit going to do this.... which cracks me up!
But I have some ePubs that i'd like to let the Fire HD recipient read - and this should be the easiest way. I'd like to go ahead and get her set up for library books too, but need her Dad to sign for her card!
Use calibre to convert your books to .mobi format and send them to the fire. They show up on the books tab them. I've done it with tons and tons of material.
Use calibre to convert your books to .mobi format and send them to the fire. They show up on the books tab them. I've done it with tons and tons of material.
The OP implies that she had tried that but they were "personal documents" and didn't work in the free time app - because she then states she loaded and ePub reader and converted them.
For me, I just needed the ePub reader to get my DRM-free Harry Potter ePubs on there, dropbox worked great and I didn't have to fight with Calibre anymore today (because i'm doing stuff with it for MY kids).
The OP implies that she had tried that but they were "personal documents" and didn't work in the free time app - because she then states she loaded and ePub reader and converted them.
For me, I just needed the ePub reader to get my DRM-free Harry Potter ePubs on there, dropbox worked great and I didn't have to fight with Calibre anymore today (because i'm doing stuff with it for MY kids).
Exactly. Converting to .mobi in calibre made my books show up in books instead of docs. That means they could be included in the free time function. Most of the stuff I convert starts as epub.
Exactly. Converting to .mobi in calibre made my books show up in books instead of docs. That means they could be included in the free time function. Most of the stuff I convert starts as epub.
I do use Calibre. If I email my kindle the book, it goes to documents. If I sideload it, I can make it show up under "books".
However, just like with sideloaded apps, they don't show up on the list when you are choosing content for freetime. Only the things purchased from amazon are available.
I do use Calibre. If I email my kindle the book, it goes to documents. If I sideload it, I can make it show up under "books".
However, just like with sideloaded apps, they don't show up on the list when you are choosing content for freetime. Only the things purchased from amazon are available.
It happens with movies too - you can only "free time" the ones that you bought from Amazon. I can say that you can add the "Movie Gallery" app and any movies loaded into it will show up in free time.
After fiddling with free time, i can say that it seems like a decent first cut, but very limited due to the content consumption aspect of the Fire. Amazon still can't seem to wrap their head around the fact if they flex more NOW, the kids will consume more as they get older.
I'm hoping the Nabi time controls end up doing what I need more specifically - i'm part of the beta test group for it so at least I get a chance to be vocal about it!
I do use Calibre. If I email my kindle the book, it goes to documents. If I sideload it, I can make it show up under "books".
However, just like with sideloaded apps, they don't show up on the list when you are choosing content for freetime. Only the things purchased from amazon are available.
Wow... that is a strange distinction. Almost like they are using the cloud to run freetime. I wonder what happens with freetime if wifi is off?
You'd think that it would be a metadata tag that it is looking for, or maybe its looking for .AZW I forget if calibre can convert to that format.
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