# Syncing non-amazon bought books between devices.



## naman919 (Dec 14, 2011)

I tried to the search feature on this forum but i couldn't find exactly what i was looking for in the results. Let me know if there is a thread about this already. thanks. 

I have a collection of epub files that were obtained legally and i used calibre to convert them to mobi format so i could read them on my iPad and Droid X via the kindle app. This is probably a simple answer, but if I load my iPad and my DX with the same file and read them on the respective kindle apps they will not sync position. My suspicion is that it is because they are not native amazon books and that the feature is tied to only amazon purchases. Am i correct in this assumption? 

Alternatively, is there a way to adjust the file in calibre or some other tool to "trick" (in the nicest sense of the word) the kindle apps into syncing the files? I love the kindle app and i do buy amazon books, i would just like to keep all my reading on my devices in a single environment. 

If this is taboo let me know, but i would assume it's a fair question. Thanks in advance.


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## meglet (Feb 14, 2009)

Calibre added an option in the last 6 months or so (I don't remember exactly) that would add a fake ASIN to the book when it was imported, which would then sync between devices. I found that it worked pretty well between multiple e-ink devices, but was somewhat unpredictable between an e-ink device and a Kindle app. 

I think I had to import the book to Calibre, use Calibre to put it on the e-ink Kindle, then use iTunes to put the file onto my iPhone from my Calibre library folder on my hard drive. Set both to the beginning, then read for a while on one device, and exit the book to the home screen. Then it would USUALLY sync to the other device.

I haven't tried in a while so it may not be this complicated anymore.


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## naman919 (Dec 14, 2011)

terrific! thanks. that is one method i will look into this evening when i get home. I will report back with what i find! thanks again for the timely response and great advice.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

If you send the non-amazon content to the Kindle via your 'send-to' address, it will be stored for you at Amazon in the personal documents area.  You can then send it to any of your 'real' Kindle devices, though not to Kindle 'app' devices.  Not sure if it syncs or not as I've never had occasion to try.


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## Morf (Nov 18, 2010)

There's a discussion on syncing in general in the FAQ here http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,73465.msg1183688.html#msg1183688, and a discussion on using the Calibre ASIN facility to "spoof" it for non-Amazon books here http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,68023.0.html.

Things have changed a little since those threads were written, though, with the arrival of the facility to store personal documents in the "cloud". When this facility arrived, some customers got this email in late October:



> Dear Kindle Customer,
> 
> As a past user of the Kindle Personal Documents Service, we are pleased to let you know about some improvements:
> 
> ...


The interesting line is *"We expect to extend these features to Kindle apps (such as Kindle for Android, Kindle for iPhone, Kindle for PC and Kindle for Mac) in the coming months." 
*

There's no sign of this happening yet, but we're all hoping it will happen sometime soon. Once this happens there shouldn't be anything to do: until then, you'll have to use the Calibre fix.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

As usual, Morf is quite thorough!


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## naman919 (Dec 14, 2011)

thanks for all your replies!


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## gdae23 (Apr 30, 2009)

> "We expect to extend these features to Kindle apps (such as Kindle for Android, Kindle for iPhone, Kindle for PC and Kindle for Mac) in the coming months."


There's a new update for the Kindle app for iPad that's just out within the last few days, and after I updated, I was able to send a personal document to that app. (Actually I did it unintentionally.... I was trying to test out my newly set up WiFI, not the app update, and suddenly the document showed up in the iPad Kindle app!)


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## Morf (Nov 18, 2010)

Interesting...

What version is this? Kindle for PC hasn't updated since November, and is v1.8.1 (though I don't know if they use the same version numbering across platforms).

Have you had a chance to test whether sync works yet?


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