12-15-2009, 06:54 PM | #1 |
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The New ePub DRM
I'm hoping RobertB can answer this because if he can't, no one can!
Barnes and Noble is about to start publishing ePub books using a new (old?) DRM system previously used with eReader format. It uses your name and credit card number to unlock the DRM on a secure eBook on the assumption that no one will want to share those two pieces of information in order to give away a book. I think that's a reasonable assumption. Question: Will Astak update their line so they can read both Adept and B&N DRMed ePub books? I like having the choice of formats and sources that the Pocket Pro gives me but I especially like the eReader DRM scheme because it's the least intrusive. Hoping for an answer, even if it's in the form of "too soon to know." |
12-15-2009, 07:00 PM | #2 | |
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I have been stripping the DRM and reading with Allreader+, but I am hoping still that one day the Astak will be eReader compatible. |
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12-15-2009, 07:09 PM | #3 | |
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A very old question still valid!
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If I had a nickle for each time I have answered this I could buy my own island. (HA) We have been trying to get Fictionwise to allow us to carry their eReader DRM format on our device for a year. It was simple until Barnes& Noble purchased Fictionwise. Since then it has been all legaleeze. Getting a contract took months and getting clarification takes more months. There is talk in the contract of "exclusivity" and that means we cannot do it. IF they remove this demand we are good to go. But... nothing is simple with B&N. There is word that the B&N library WILL be available to Adobe Digital Editions users in the summer of 2010. But, getting clarification of this seems to take months. In short, negotiations are continuing!! The problem is not that we do not want it or have a problem in paying. The problem is that they cannot seem to understand their own contract in order to amend it. We LOVE Fictionwise but dealing now is very complex. Last edited by Robertb; 12-15-2009 at 07:12 PM. |
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12-15-2009, 07:15 PM | #4 |
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One good thing I can say about them, though. After the book (to the left under my name) appeared on Oprah, it reached #3 on the B&N best seller list. It was the third best seller they had for a few days.
As far as Amazon, my understanding is that it reached #73, which, for Amazon, is still not too shabby! |
12-15-2009, 07:19 PM | #5 |
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Thanks Robert, that really helps.
I understood that B&N is already selling books in ePub format, but the books they're selling don't use Adept DRM. They are exclusively using their own proprietary DRM scheme. Only B&N's own nook book reader can render both Adept and B&N DRM, so only nook owners can buy from B&N, Sony, Kobo, BoB, etc. I also heard that Adobe's own DE software is unable to render the new DRM yet, so I'm not surprised by your answer. What is puzzling is that the B&N eBookstore doesn't clarify this issue for their customers. I guess "fair warning" to potential B&N customers is in order. |
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12-15-2009, 07:38 PM | #6 | ||
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I don't think there is much concern about password-DRM for new device types, this seems almost automatic, so what 6charlong is asking about is existing devices. Note that B&N is already providing password-protected ePubs for the Nook and for its Reader apps (Windows PCs, Macs, iPhone). These ePubs are already guaranteed to work on any mobile ADE device that support password-DRM. We just need the capability implemented. However, when the FAQ said "later in 2009" I assume Adobe now means early on 2010, i.e. like most software it is probably running late. Last edited by wallcraft; 12-15-2009 at 07:41 PM. |
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12-15-2009, 07:50 PM | #7 | |
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BoB and Sony
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Books On Board is our partner and most of their library is in Adobe Digital Editions, which the Astak devices all take in DRM. Sony is converting from their own format to where their entire library will soon be Adobe Digital Editions DRM. Plus there is Powell's Books which is almost all Adobe Digital Editions. The NOOk is painting itself into a corner with only their own eReader format. The rest of the world is going to Adobe Digital Editions. That is why B&N is going to accept ADE (Adobe Digital Editions) next Summer! Plus... let us only say that reviews on the "NOOK" have been mixed at best. And... Astak may have some news too at CES. No hints but stay tuned! |
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12-15-2009, 07:57 PM | #8 | |
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Yes... but
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You cannot port (implement the new features) until you get an SDK for Linux devices. This has been 1 year in the making so far and no sign it is ready to ship. You also need to sign a contract and that contract is about 45 pages of legal language that even Fictionwise cannot interpret or translate. Plus, if it is "exclusive" we would have to dump ADE (which we will not do). It is not as simple as you say, my friend, with all respect to you! |
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12-15-2009, 07:59 PM | #9 |
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Thanks to you both.
I'll wait to buy anything from Barnes and Noble until I see (on this forum?) that their books will be readable on my Pocket Pro. Thanks again for your assistance. |
12-15-2009, 09:28 PM | #10 | |
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I know 6charlong said this was a B&N issue, but Adobe is now responsible for ePub with eReader-like (passworded) DRM. In order to use this all Astak needs is your existing license with Adobe and the latest (probably not out yet) version of the mobile ADE SDK. Since B&N is going with Adobe ePub, the long term viability of the eReader format seems questionable to me. On the other hand there are now two dedicated readers that support eReader (the Ectaco Jetbook Lite and the Foxit eSlick). Both only support eReader DRM, which goes to your "exclusive" point. These are presumably using the eReader Linux SDK from FictionWise. Again, to support the passworded ePubs sold by B&N you need a license from Adobe, not from B&N, and the Adobe SDK. The same mobile ADE SDK will support both the existing AdobeID DRM and the passworded DRM. Last edited by wallcraft; 12-15-2009 at 09:31 PM. |
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12-15-2009, 10:06 PM | #11 | ||
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RobertB appears to be talking about an SDK from Fictionwise for rendering the eReader format with (and most likely without) DRM. Wallcraft was talking about the Adobe Reader Mobile SDK 9.1 which is shipping Real Soon Now ( I do mean that - I'll edit to put in the exact 2009 date after marketing announces ), and is already preported to Linux. Edit: RMSDK 9.1 shipped to customers Dec. 15 2009 For reading the ePubs from B&N ( that B&N is current serving and shifting to using instead of the eReader format ) you'll need the Adobe Reader Mobile SDK version 9.1 or above (and not any SDK from Fictionwise). Note however this is not a complete panacea, since Adobe needs to get our act together as well. For devices with no keyboard support, such as the Astak devices (Robert, please correct me if I'm wrong about the keyboard support), Adobe Digital Editions needs to be updated to not only support the new password DRM but also to send the key information to the device while tethered to the desktop computer, where you have entered in the password. Until this is done it's fairly academic if the device supports the Password flavor of DRM, since there is no way to enter the password on those device While we will do this with the release of Digital Editions that includes the updated RMSDK, I strongly doubt it will make it out by summer of 2010. -- Jim Lester Adobe Systems Last edited by Jim Lester; 12-16-2009 at 05:59 PM. |
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12-15-2009, 10:26 PM | #12 | |
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My point about the 2009 release of Adobe Reader Mobile SDK 9.1 was that it isn't available yet, so it isn't surprising that Robertb did not know about it. Licensees are no doubt going to want to judge the effort involved before committing to back porting the new version to existing devices. |
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12-15-2009, 10:32 PM | #13 |
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The problem with B&N is they are switching to ePub without telling anyone. Some of the new eBooks are ePub and you don't know this by looking at the eBook entry. So if you are looking for eReader, you may end up with ePub. And you'll end up with ePub that would only work on a nook (as far as eink readers go). So the problem is B&N is being sneaky here. Sleezy is probably a better word. Not telling anyone about the switch to ePub and then also not telling anyone about the DRM mess they are causing big time.
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12-15-2009, 10:34 PM | #14 | ||
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12-15-2009, 10:58 PM | #15 | |||
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Last edited by Jim Lester; 12-15-2009 at 11:03 PM. |
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