this post was submitted on 03 Aug 2026
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Ebook Readers and Book Machines
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Out of curiosity what would you think to charge for one that was refurbished and already installed with the custom firmware/side loaded stuff?
Cuz uhh.. I'm exactly your target market, and I have 80k ebooks with zero need or desire for internet connection. My very old tablet is a shitty solution for ebooks cuz it’s laaaaaaaaagggggggyyyyyyyy and too bright and the battery lasts like no time at this point, but its not worth fixing because I rarely use it anyway.
Could I do it myself? Sure, I've repaired phones and laptops, and used to flash custom OS on my phones and stuff. But I don’t want to learn something new if I don't have to, I’m tired and there are other projects that I have to do myself that require learning. I’d much rather pay someone who DOES want to.
You can find working ones pretty easily on eBay. Search for “Kindle Keyboard 3rd generation,” make sure the listing says “tested and working,” and check the seller’s feedback. They’re often listed for around $40 to $50, though you can sometimes find a good working one cheaper.
The Kindle 3 by default supports USB sideloading, so you don’t need to register it or connect it to Amazon.
First, download Calibre, a free, open-source program (highly regarded!) for organizing and converting ebooks. Charge the Kindle, connect it to your computer with a USB cable, and Calibre will detect it automatically.
Add your DRM-free ebooks to Calibre and convert them to MOBI, which the Kindle 3 reads well. Then select the books and click “Send to device.” That’s really all there is to it. It probably took me longer to explain than the process actually takes.
There are plenty of other e-readers, of course. Newer models support EPUB and offer more control over fonts, layouts, and other settings. I stick with the Kindle 3 because it’s easy to repair, and converting books to MOBI is simple. EPUB is the standard these days, but Calibre can convert your DRM-free books into whatever format your reader needs.
The hooha around Amazon is that they don't allow you to buy an ebook from the, then download and transfer manually like they used to. But since you already have your ebooks, you don't have to worry about that. I never get my books from Amazon, so never an issue for me either.
I can still send you a kindle 3 for roughly my cost if ya want, which would also be around $50 since screens are and batteries are around $25 each.
Honestly, though, you can find an equally good Kindle on eBay and sometimes for for less, especially when someone is just selling an old reader after upgrading.
I'm like you, I just want to get a book, put it on my kindle, and read it. That's it. All the newer models have so many bells and whistles. I don't need any of that crap.