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flag_green        Key Information

Keep your eBook projects simple. Avoid complex layouts and formatting, only use simple tables and don't use invisible topics. Only a..z, A..Z, 0..9 and _ are permitted in topic IDs in eBooks!

The Amazon Kindle/Mobi format

The Kindle/Mobi format is closed and proprietary and used only for Amazon Kindle eBooks. You can view the source files generated before the creation of a Kindle eBook, but once the book has been created it can generally be regarded as closed and only viewable on an Amazon Kindle device or with an Amazon Kindle app.

Features and pros and cons of Kindle eBooks:

File extension:

.mobi

Format:

A proprietary compressed binary file containing the XHTML and XML files and other Kindle eBook components.

Platforms:

Kindle eBooks distributed via the Amazon Kindle store are only viewable on Amazon Kindle devices and apps. Unprotected Kindle eBook files can also be viewed with other compatible reader apps like Calibre.

Typical use:

Can only be used for Kindle eBooks.

Distribution:

Unprotected Kindle eBooks can be distributed directly. Users can install them on their devices themselves. The only exception is the Windows Phone platform, which can only accept Kindle eBooks directly from the Amazon Kindle store for the Kindle app.

Easiest distribution method:
Put the eBook file online and post the URL to the file as a QR code, which can be generated by Help+Manual. Users then scan the QR code with their device camera and the book is downloaded and loaded automatically by the Kindle app (except on Windows Phone).

Table of contents:

Yes

Keyword index:

No

Full text search:

Yes

Context-sensitive help:

No support for context-sensitive help, you cannot make direct calls to specific topics in the help

Popups:

No

Multimedia:

No

Printable by user:

No

Pros:

Only way to distribute eBooks for the Amazon Kindle. You can distribute them directly to the user or submit them to Amazon for distribution via the official Kindle store.

Cons:

 

See also:

Kindle/Mobi and ePUB 3.0 (Configuring for Publishing)