09-29-2011, 10:34 AM | #1 |
Wizard
Posts: 1,101
Karma: 4388403
Join Date: Oct 2007
Device: Palm>Ebookman>IPaq>Axim>Cybook>Kndl2>IPAD>Kndl3SO>Voyager>Oasis
|
Amazon Xray improves value of DRM?
I find it interesting to see the ways that Amazon is slowly enhancing ebooks that you purchase.
One minor existing feature was the ability to see shared highlights. It wasn't overwhelming, but there were a few times I found it interesting to see what others had highlighted. Now we have Amazon Xray. When you buy a book it also downloads an associated data file with various Wikipedia entries. This allows you to look up background information in the book. So, back to DRM. I assume that breaking the DRM would also break the link to both shared highlighting and Xray??? As Amazon adds more ancillary features to it's books there may be an increasing penalty to disassociating your copy of the book from it's common identity. OTOH, some of you might argue that more privacy is an interesting feature of it's wn. Last edited by emellaich; 09-30-2011 at 09:55 AM. Reason: Fixed a few typos |
09-29-2011, 05:12 PM | #2 |
eBook Enthusiast
Posts: 85,544
Karma: 93383043
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: UK
Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6
|
Removing the DRM does NOT remove access to shared highlights. I can vouch for that from personal experience. I think that's triggered from the ASIN number (the Amazon "part number" for the book) and DRM removal doesn't touch that.
|
Advert | |
|
09-29-2011, 05:56 PM | #3 |
Connoisseur
Posts: 62
Karma: 2687880
Join Date: Aug 2010
Device: Kindle
|
Maybe I'm in the minority - but when I read a book, I just want to read the book. No searching, no social stuff, no sharing - just reading.
Even if I did use these features, they would not offset what DRM does to you. Rich |
09-29-2011, 06:11 PM | #4 |
Spork Connoisseur
Posts: 2,355
Karma: 16780603
Join Date: Mar 2011
Device: Nook Color
|
You're not alone, there. I don't care for the other fluff much, either.
|
09-29-2011, 06:48 PM | #5 |
Guru
Posts: 973
Karma: 2458402
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: St. Louis
Device: Kindle Keyboard, Nook HD+
|
On the other hand, will pirates include the extra info for X-ray in their pirated copies of books?
So this might be a way of adding more value to the book from Amazon, if they don't. (But again, if this only works on Kindle Touch and Fire, then the impact is going to be limited until that userbase surpasses the non-Xrayable kindles) |
Advert | |
|
09-29-2011, 07:11 PM | #6 |
Guru
Posts: 992
Karma: 12000001
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Seattle Wahington U.S.
Device: kindle
|
Just because you remove the DRM from your backup doesn't mean you can't keep the origional download on your kindle.
|
09-29-2011, 09:42 PM | #7 | |
Grand Sorcerer
Posts: 11,732
Karma: 128354696
Join Date: May 2009
Location: 26 kly from Sgr A*
Device: T100TA,PW2,PRS-T1,KT,FireHD 8.9,K2, PB360,BeBook One,Axim51v,TC1000
|
Uh, Xray is supposed to work with books Amazon sells.
Well, Amazon sells DRM-free books. So, until somebody verifies that it *doesn't* work without DRM there is no reason to try to tie the two together. As to its value, well: Quote:
That may or not be useful for recreational fiction but it sure sounds useful for non-fiction... |
|
09-29-2011, 09:59 PM | #8 | |
Layback feline
Posts: 3,034
Karma: 6980745
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: USA
Device: Oasis 2nd gen, Sony DPTS1, iPad Pro 10.5"
|
Quote:
However, if that X ray stuff can improve the book comprehension without being another social network stuff, is a nice thing, in my opinion. I prefer to keep the control about what I share when I'm reading, or if I will post what book I'm reading on Facebook, doing it old fashion way, just posting a link. But be able to see what others have underlined have helped me several times while studying or reading a computer book. |
|
09-30-2011, 03:53 AM | #9 |
eBook Enthusiast
Posts: 85,544
Karma: 93383043
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: UK
Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6
|
Most pirated books these days are commercially-sold eBooks with the DRM removed, so yes, if the "X-Ray" data is in the original book, it will be in the pirated version.
|
09-30-2011, 05:53 AM | #10 |
The Grand Mouse 高貴的老鼠
Posts: 71,492
Karma: 306214458
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Norfolk, England
Device: Kindle Voyage
|
As I understand things, the extra data isn't in the actual ebook file, but in an additional file that Amazon downloads at the same time. Rather like the page number data file.
|
09-30-2011, 06:26 AM | #11 |
eBook Enthusiast
Posts: 85,544
Karma: 93383043
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: UK
Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6
|
Oh, OK - thanks. I hadn't appreciated that. In that case you're right; they probably wouldn't be there.
|
09-30-2011, 08:23 AM | #12 |
Wizard
Posts: 2,549
Karma: 3799999
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: O'Fallon, Missouri, USA
Device: Nokia N800, PRS-505, Nook STR Glowlight, Kindle 3
|
Although, I wouldn't be surprised if they start including it. I mean, we've all heard reports about how pirates have gone in and done things like fixed problems the publisher wouldn't, etc. I wouldn't expect the pirates to roll over and be like "we can't include this!"
|
09-30-2011, 09:54 AM | #13 |
Wizard
Posts: 1,101
Karma: 4388403
Join Date: Oct 2007
Device: Palm>Ebookman>IPaq>Axim>Cybook>Kndl2>IPAD>Kndl3SO>Voyager>Oasis
|
Actually, I don't think either shared highlighting or Xray are that interesting to me personally. My observation was more along the lines that Amazon could/might continue to enhance official DRM copies to make them more useful than backed up copies.
I say backed up copies because I specifically was not thinking of pirating. Personally, I think pirated ebooks and personal archives are two completely different phenomena. |
09-30-2011, 11:32 AM | #14 | |
Wizard
Posts: 1,931
Karma: 5456284
Join Date: Nov 2010
Device: Kindle Paperwhite 2, iPhone, Kindle Fire HD 6
|
Quote:
Carol |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Kindle Books From Amazon Without DRM | catsittingstill | Amazon Kindle | 23 | 11-26-2014 12:00 PM |
Amazon Improves Conditions for eBook Publishers | vadimled | News | 20 | 12-19-2010 09:16 AM |
Amazon DRM limits downloads | Angst | News | 1 | 06-24-2009 11:17 AM |
Apt improves your Reader app... | Gorod | Reading and Management | 0 | 05-07-2008 12:00 PM |
Samsung Electronics improves 14.3-inch electronic paper | grimo1re | News | 3 | 09-06-2007 05:13 AM |