RB to SNB Converter

Convert Rocket eBook to SNB format — free, online

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Format Transition

Bridge the gap from obsolete RB to SNB — give your Rocket eBook collection a usable format for Bambook readers.

Server-Side Engine

Your device stays idle while Convertio servers handle the full RB to SNB conversion in the cloud.

Privacy First

Uploaded RB files are removed immediately after processing. SNB output files are purged within 24 hours automatically.

How to convert RB to SNB

1

Select files from Computer, Google Drive, Dropbox, URL or by dragging it on the page.

2

Choose snb or any other format you need as a result (more than 200 formats supported)

3

Let the file convert and you can download your snb file right afterwards

About formats

RB is the native ebook format of the Rocket eBook, one of the first commercially available dedicated e-reading devices, developed by NuvoMedia and released in October 1998. Founded by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning — who later co-founded Tesla Motors — NuvoMedia designed the Rocket eBook as a handheld device with a reflective LCD screen, capable of storing approximately ten books in its internal memory. The RB format packages HTML-based content along with embedded images, metadata, and a table of contents into a single binary container optimized for the device's limited hardware. Content was purchased and downloaded through NuvoMedia's RocketLibrarian desktop software. A notable advantage of the format was its early support for bookmarking, annotation, dictionary lookups, and adjustable font sizing — features now standard on modern e-readers but revolutionary in the late 1990s. The Rocket eBook demonstrated viable commercial demand for dedicated reading devices, paving the way for subsequent platforms from Sony, Amazon, and others. NuvoMedia was acquired by Gemstar-TV Guide International in 2000, which discontinued the device line in 2003. While RB files are largely a historical curiosity today, they can be converted to modern formats using ebook management tools, and the format remains significant as a pioneering chapter in the evolution of digital reading.
Developer: NuvoMedia
Initial release: 1998
SNB is a proprietary ebook format developed by Shanghai Nutshell Electronics, a subsidiary of Shanda Interactive Entertainment, for the Bambook e-reader launched in August 2010. The format is structurally based on EPUB principles, packaging HTML content, CSS styling, images, and metadata within a compressed archive, but uses a proprietary container that restricts native playback to Bambook devices and associated software. Shanda designed the Bambook and its SNB ecosystem as an integrated reading platform tied to the Cloudary literature portal (later rebranded as China Literature), one of China's largest online publishing networks hosting millions of web novels and serialized fiction. The format supported reflowable text, chapter navigation, bookmarks, and basic typographic controls suited to Chinese-language content display. One advantage was tight integration with Shanda's massive content catalog, providing readers instant access to an enormous library of Chinese-language literature directly through the device. The Bambook was initially offered at a heavily subsidized price point, using the content ecosystem to drive revenue — a model that preceded similar strategies by other e-reader manufacturers. While the Bambook hardware line was eventually discontinued as the Chinese market shifted toward tablet-based reading apps, SNB files from that era can be converted to standard formats using tools like Calibre with appropriate plugins. The format represents an interesting case study in platform-specific ebook ecosystems within the Chinese digital publishing landscape.
Initial release: August 2010

Frequently Asked Questions

Why convert RB to SNB?

RB is an obsolete 1998 ebook format. SNB works on Shanda Bambook devices, giving your old library a new home on that hardware.

What devices support SNB files?

Shanda Bambook e-readers are the primary SNB-compatible devices. Calibre can also import and manage SNB files on desktop.

Does text quality hold up in conversion?

Yes, the text content and paragraph structure from the RB source file are faithfully reproduced in the SNB output.

Is the conversion process fast?

Very fast — most RB to SNB conversions wrap up in seconds. Everything runs on Convertio servers, not on your machine.

Is there any charge for this?

No, Convertio converts RB to SNB for free. Premium plans are available if you need more capacity or priority processing.