O'Reilly ebooks now optimized for Kindle Fire

O'Reilly Mobi files have been upgraded to meet the specs of Amazon's KF8 format.

Earlier this week, we at O’Reilly regenerated all of our ebook-bundle Mobi files, upgrading them to meet the specifications for Amazon’s latest ebook format, KF8.

These files are now available for download in your account on oreilly.com. If your ebook bundle includes a Mobi file (and more than 90% of bundles do), you can download the updated, KF8-compliant Mobi file now. (Note: All O’Reilly Media files are now available in KF8. Partner publishers will come soon.)

As always, our ebook bundles are DRM-free. See this page for instructions on loading O’Reilly Mobi files to your Kindle.

We’ve optimized our Mobi files for Kindle Fire by taking advantage of KF8’s support of @media queries. While @media queries have been commonplace on the web for some time, they are just now making their way to ebook ecosystems. KF8’s support of @media queries allows you to create an ebook that looks and potentially behaves differently based on your reading device.

For an example of @media queries in action, see the image below, which shows how the same Mobi file appears on a traditional Kindle (left) versus the new Kindle Fire (right):

Comparison of a Mobi file on a traditional Kindle and the Kindle fire
Click to enlarge.

Amazon’s support for @media queries makes this possible, and O’Reilly is among the first publishers to employ this feature across all of its Kindle content. Here are some of the new features that you can expect to see on your Kindle Fire (enhancements vary by book):

  • Color images
  • Syntax-highlighted code
  • Improved layout and design with CSS3
  • Embedded code font for better legibility and glyph support

Here are some screenshots from our newly optimized Mobis:

Optimized Mobi file from Make Electronics
Click to enlarge.

Optimized Mobi file from JavaScript: The Definitive Guide
Click to enlarge.

Starting this week, our books will begin to be available in KF8 format through Amazon’s Kindle Store, too. Download the updated files via the “Manage Your Kindle” page. Remember that buying direct from O’Reilly gives you access to lifetime, DRM-free updates in all standard ebook formats.

Related:

tags: , , , , , ,