Kindle PDF Conversion: How to Convert PDFs for the Amazon Kindle
The ability to natively read PDF files is one of the more important and useful features that the Kindles 1 and 2 lacked. In the Kindle DX, Amazon finally addressed this issue. But what of the 1st and 2nd generations of the Kindle? The problem of course, remains. Load a PDF file into your device and nothing turns up. There are two solutions for this. The first involves sending an email to Amazon with the file as an attachment and asking them to convert the PDF into a file readable by the Kindle. The second is a do-it-yourself Kindle PDF conversion.
One thing you should know about the Kindle is that while it does not recognize PDF files, it can read PRC files. So what we’re essentially doing here is to convert the original documents into files that are recognized by the device. If you’re using a PC, the Mobipocket Creator is one of the programs that you can use for the conversion process, while if you’re Mac user, you can use Stanza. The end result is the same.
The PC program Mobipocker Creator is a fairly simple process. You just open the program and find the Import File option. Pick the PDF that you want to convert from the list. The program will create an HTML file for you and all that is left is to click the Build option. Depending upon the size of the file, the conversion time may vary, but you will eventually end up with a PRC file. If you get errors along the way, you can just ignore them since there is no good way to fix them. The file will be legible, but it isn’t perfect as you lose a few features of the PDF file.
The procedure is even simpler in Stanza. You simply pick the file, then choose export book as option. Amazon Kindle is one of the options listed.
You should note that these file conversions are not always flawless. As stated earlier, you will not get a table of contents standard with the conversion. The program comes with the option to create one, however. If your PDF is large or you need it to be properly organized, it might be worth your time to build a table of contents yourself. You may also experience some clunky conversion sectors, but they shouldn’t make the document illegible. If everything goes smoothly, you should end up with a readable Kindle PDF document.
Of course, you could always take that option of having your files converted by Amazon, but if you have numerous files, this could cost some, and there’s also the waiting time to consider. If you want to just go ahead and do the conversion yourself, Mobipocket and Stanza are just two of the programs you can use. There may be other conversion tools that you can find if you take the time to find them. The important thing is that you will be able to do your Kindle PDF conversion to make the most of your device.
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Tags: Amazon kindle, computers, ebook reading device, electronic book reader, how to convert pdf for kindle, kindle pdf, kindle pdf conversion, portable ebook reader, technology