How do I get ebooks not from Amazon onto my kindle?

[Polgara2]

That is can I do it without plugging it into my pc? I went onto Smashwords on the iPad and downloaded a book into the kindle app there easily enough but... Can I not sync my kindle with it? Or I did try going through the browser on the actual kindle but it isn't responsive enough to do anything when I get on the smashwords website.

So am I missing something glaringly obvious here?

Tia

If its a pdf you can email it to your kindle?

I've emailed documents via the kindle email address (make sure you use the free one, not the one that charges to convert files) but never anything of novel length. Using the Kindle to access internet sites directly can work (I've MN'd via my Kindle before) but it is mindnumbingly slow, and very very frustrating.

Looking at the FAQ on Smashwords they says to use a cable or to use the Kindle email option - so it should work

So I would have to go onto the pc to do it either way then?
I mean if I am on my iPad I can't choose whether to download it to that or send it to my kindle?

I just use my kindle e-mail address. I have bought several e-books from Baen that way.

Just to add if you are emailing a book to your kindle put the word convert as the subject in the email and amazon automatically convert it to fit the kindle's formatting.

Without actually using the site I can't say exactly how it works, but the impression I get is that you can have it sent to a specific email address. Sending it to the Kindle email address that Amazon give you will automatically download it to your Kindle, so no, you don't have to use your PC. You can access Smashwords via your iPad and have them email it directly to your Kindle account. It explains it better in their FAQs tbh, and also gives a link to the relevant Amazon pages so it might help to have a read of that

You need certain software called Cali re... Just Google it.

Sorry, that was meant to say Calibre!

Mrsdimitri - Yes I have read the support pages on smashwords and the amazon pages, but am obviously being a bit thick sorry! I cannot find the option to email a book to my actual kindle if I am using my iPad - it only lets me send it to my ipad kindle app.

I will investigate calibre on my pc also thanks

No, not thick! It's confusing tbh.

Okay, so I've gone back onto Amazon to have a look. To send documents (under 50MB and 'of the supported file type') you need to have done the following (copy & paste from Amazon)

"You have approved the sender's e-mail address. Learn More.
You gave the sender your Send-to-Kindle e-mail address. Learn More.
Your personal document is a supported file type. Learn More."

I know on mine I have my personal email addresses approved plus one for Archive of Our Own so I could download stories onto my Kindle (the reason I know you can do it).

I think without actually trying to do it though I'm probably not being very helpful, sorry

Okay. Just tried to do it with a free book. It really is a pita isn't it?!

Right, from what I can gather. You need to download it in the correct format and it'll go to your library, which in your case is the Kindle app on your iPad. From there you should be able to email it to your Kindle - it doesn't do it directly from the Smashwords site. I haven't got the Kindle reading thingy on this laptop unfortunately, but can you just archive the book (to Amazon) from the app on your iPad? If you do that then you can access it with your Kindle directly.

Thanks for looking mrsdimitri! Yes it is a pain. By archive do you mean get it onto my amazon cloud thingy? If yes I cannot for the life of me work out how to do that. I may have to admit defeat and just go onto the flippin pc!
Gah technology!

Hmph! I give up! I cannot get the book onto my kindle via email from the pc either. I will have to resort to USB (when I remember where it is!)

Fgs why is the ability to do this eluding me? Maybe I am just tired

Ok I realise I am talking to myself now but... Just for continuity I managed to email my kindle from my pc ok in the end.

I still haven't worked out the iPad route though if anyone has any bright ideas?

Glad you managed to sort it out