[Nook Touch Android Development] nmyshkin:
OverDrive (and Aldiko)

I was originally thinking about making another video but I am still recovering from the drama/trauma of making and posting my first YouTube video...so maybe later. Or not.

One of the things that first made me look at the CM 11 ROM was the potential promise of OverDrive. I've always thought the abandonment of the NST was one of the unkindest cuts. Unfortunately this is not a story with a totally happy ending. You can use the CM 11 ROM to run a version of OverDrive and you can checkout books from your library, but you have to go about it just right or it will drive you into hurling your device across the room. And then there is the issue with the actual book loading time, as seen in the infamous video in the first post. I can't do anything about the latter, but I have developed a method for checking out books that is actually pretty painless. Here is a step-by-step description of the process. YMMV.

0. You need to authorize the OverDrive app with your Adobe ID. If you're doing a lot of experimentation, be careful with this. I eventually used up my account allotment by carelessly uninstalling versions that did not work properly without first de-authorizing them. When I appealed to Adobe to reset my count (as I had read I should) I got a string of people who had no idea what I was talking about and apparently had no comprehension of the English language. I eventually just gave up on my old account and opened a new one.

1. Navigate to your library OverDrive website using Opera Mini. Sign in with whatever information you normally use (library card number, OverDrive account, etc.). DO NOT attempt to use the OverDrive app to search for your library and browse it. That way madness lies.

2. Find a book you want and go through the usual steps to check it out, eventually ending with the "Download EPUB". Some sites use pop-ups or overlays for the checkout process. Occasionally these end up "off the screen", i.e., you need to scroll back to the top to see them. After the first time you'll know better what to expect.

3. The download of the .acsm file is very quick and you'll see the notification appear briefly. DO NOT EXIT OPERA MINI AT THIS POINT! This will cause the notification to disappear. Although the activity picker *should* open OverDrive when the .acsm file is selected in the File Manager, it does

NOT

. Instead, pull down the notification window and tap on the "Download Complete".

4. OverDrive opens and the book is downloaded.

The process is similar if you select a Kindle (.mobi) format book, except there is no download. Instead you need to head over to Amazon.com and arrange for delivery of the book to your device (the stock NST). This is totally doable with Opera Mini. On my device I have added both my local library OverDrive site and the device and content management section of Amazon.com to the Speed Dial and also as shortcuts on my home screen. ADW Launcher allows you to edit both the text and icon for a shortcut (double tap on the icon to edit) or any other icon, for that matter, so you can dress things up how you like.

Aldiko

As I was wrapping up the materials for the first post a few of my little grey cells whispered "aldiko" to me. Duh! I had forgotten about that particular reader app with the ability to download Adobe DRM books. The old version that "runs" on the stock NST can't do that anymore, but could a new one...?

Here's what I have found out so far. I downloaded and installed the final version of what is now called "Aldiko Classic" from the Yalp Store. First run is a little cranky (true of many apps) but it settles down. After authorizing it with my Adobe ID I tried the actual in-app library browser. This was actually almost bearable, certainly much faster than OverDrive which is hopeless. I eventually completed a checkout completely inside the app and fulfilled the book. It would probably be easier starting with Opera Mini, although I'm not sure how the .acsm file would be handled. I still need to test that. The good news is that the book opened and displayed in a timely manner, just about like any of the other non-OverDrive readers I had tried before.

The bad news is that there was a mysterious notation on the library OverDrive site which I had never seen before. Something about my device no longer being able to access digital content after 10/30/2020. There was a link but the in-app browser refused to follow it.

Edit: here is a sequence that works for me with Aldiko using Opera Mini

1. Navigate to your library OverDrive site using Opera Mini and sign in.

2. Select a book to download.

3. When the .acsm file has downloaded you can exit Opera Mini.

4. Using the File Manager, go to the Download folder and tap on the .acsm file. The activity picker will show Aldiko as one option. Tick the "always" (or whatever) option and select "Open".

5. Aldiko begins downloading the book and places it on the bookshelf. It may have trouble opening it the first time, but that could just have been a hiccup on mine. Otherwise, a very smooth and satisfactory process.

This might be a better option than OverDrive. It certainly opens the books quickly.

Edit-Edit: I tracked down the mysterious message. It's not good. Basically people with custom ROMs (or even just ROMs that for some reason do not receive updates) are being shafted unless they have some way to do a TLS 1.2 update. Remember that? Thought it was done? Apparently the folks at OverDrive disagree. I'm guessing you don't see the message in Opera Mini because it is actually Opera's up-to-date servers that are accessing the website. So it may remain possible to download the .acsm file but it's a guess whether Aldiko will be able to fulfill the book. The rather fussy and technical message suggests that OverDrive apps on devices not updated will not be able to fulfill books. Time will tell.

An update on DRM books with Aldiko.

As of mid-November 2020, I have still been able to fulfill Adobe DRM books from the library using Aldiko as described in post #2. So either Adobe is a little behind the curve (not hard to believe...) or else the security chops of this ROM are sufficient for them--for now.