PDB vs SNB
A detailed comparison of PalmDOC eBook and S-Note eBook — file size, quality, compatibility, and which format to choose for your workflow.
PalmDOC eBook
eBooksPDB (Palm Database) is a generic database format from the Palm OS era that was widely used for ebooks on Palm handheld devices. PalmDOC and Mobipocket both use PDB as their underlying container for storing text-based ebook content.
About PDB filesS-Note eBook
eBooksSNB (Shanda Bambook) is a proprietary ebook format developed by Shanda Interactive for their Bambook e-reader. It uses a ZIP-based container with XML content and was primarily used in the Chinese ebook market.
About SNB filesStrengths Comparison
PDB Strengths
- Compact record-based structure for low-RAM devices.
- Basis of PalmDOC, Mobipocket, eReader, and Kindle AZW formats.
- Well-documented.
- Simple to parse — stable for 30 years.
SNB Strengths
- Chinese typography support.
- Calibre-compatible.
Limitations
PDB Limitations
- Ecosystem collapsed with Palm's hardware business.
- Name collides with biochemistry's Protein Data Bank PDB.
- Modern ebook tooling prefers EPUB, AZW3, or direct formats.
- Very little new content written as PDB in 2026.
SNB Limitations
- Deprecated.
- Tiny ecosystem.
- No new content.
Technical Specifications
| Specification | PDB | SNB |
|---|---|---|
| MIME types | application/vnd.palm (Palm), chemical/x-pdb (biochemistry) | — |
| Extension | .pdb | .snb |
| Palm structure | Header + record list + record data | — |
| Related formats | PalmDOC, Mobipocket MOBI, AZW | — |
| Namespace clash | Biochemistry Protein Data Bank is a different format entirely | — |
| MIME type | — | application/x-snb |
| Origin | — | Shanda Bambook (China) |
Typical File Sizes
PDB
- PalmDOC ebook (text novel) 200 KB - 2 MB
- PalmOS app data store 10 KB - 500 KB
- Protein Data Bank file (biochemistry) 50 KB - 5 MB
SNB
- Chinese novel 500 KB - 3 MB
Ready to convert?
Convert between PDB and SNB online, free, and without installing anything. Encrypted upload, automatic deletion after 2 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
PDB (PalmDOC eBook) is an ebook format designed for reading long-form text on dedicated e-readers, tablets, and ebook apps. It is part of the ebooks family and typically supports reflowable text, embedded images, chapter navigation, cover art, and metadata (title, author, ISBN) in a portable package.
SNB (S-Note eBook) is an ebook format designed for reading long-form text on dedicated e-readers, tablets, and ebook apps. It is part of the ebooks family and typically supports reflowable text, embedded images, chapter navigation, cover art, and metadata (title, author, ISBN) in a portable package.
Dedicated e-readers — Kindle, Kobo, Nook, Pocketbook — support the most common ebook formats. On phones, Apple Books, Google Play Books, Moon+ Reader and KOReader all handle PDB. For desktop reading, Calibre is the universal ebook viewer and library manager. Convert to EPUB or PDF for maximum compatibility.
Dedicated e-readers — Kindle, Kobo, Nook, Pocketbook — support the most common ebook formats. On phones, Apple Books, Google Play Books, Moon+ Reader and KOReader all handle SNB. For desktop reading, Calibre is the universal ebook viewer and library manager. Convert to EPUB or PDF for maximum compatibility.
Upload your PDB to KaijuConverter and pick EPUB, MOBI, PDF, AZW3, or similar targets. Our Calibre-powered pipeline preserves chapter structure, embedded images, cover art, and metadata. Conversion takes seconds for typical novels; long technical books with many images may take a little longer.
EPUB is the open ebook standard — it plays on every e-reader except older Kindles and in every major ebook app. PDF is better for fixed-layout content (textbooks, coffee-table books) and printing. Pick EPUB when the ebook is reflowable text, PDF when the layout matters more than the reading experience.