A former Kindle user's manifesto... (or something like that..)

coolbreeze · 12-08-2010, 11:50 PM

Ok, so I have a troll title. Fair enough.

Fact is, I was a Kindle fanboi ever since the initial launch of the K1. I loved that device and paid a s*it ton of cash without blinking an eye. Then the K2 and KDX, and oh, the KDXG came out. Got them all. Then the K3. Well, I've bought and used many Kindle devices. They have all been great.

My long-term concern has always been the nature of Amazon's locked ecosystem. Yes, B&N is locked as well - not denying that...but at least the nook and nook color allow the ePub format.

This format is great for many reasons - one being the fact that I can borrow books from my local library for free. Plus, I can purchase from multiple web sources, including the newly launched Google Books. Now, I know what you are thinking - whatever man, Amazon has it figured out...

Well, that's what I thought as well. But since getting a nook and realizing my eBook world extends past Amazon.com, I have a renewed interest and excitement about eBooks and the future.

I guess my point of this post is to say this: be careful locking yourself into Amazon. I have roughly 34 purchased books (~340) in Amazon, but felt it was time to cut my losses and move to a more open format (ePub) for the future.

After all, both Google and Amazon know what they are doing, but if I were a betting man....then...well.......

YMMV, as always.

daffy4u · 12-09-2010, 12:04 AM

Though I don't feel locked, I can appreciate where you are coming from. Kindles are still my preferred readers but I also invested in a new Sony 650 which I'm getting to know and am enjoying. I feel I have the best of both worlds.

Enjoy your nooks!

coolbreeze · 12-09-2010, 12:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daffy4u

Though I don't feel locked, I can appreciate where you are coming from. Kindles are still my preferred readers but I also invested in a new Sony 650 which I'm getting to know and am enjoying. I feel I have the best of both worlds.

Enjoy your nooks!

I appreciate you not blasting me....as I thought my post would provoke (not intentionally).

Kindle books are great....after all, I will continue reading them for a long time (via my mac, PC, and iPhone).

I'm simply looking towards the future. IMO, ePub wins.

daffy4u · 12-09-2010, 12:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coolbreeze

I appreciate you not blasting me....as I thought my post would provoke (not intentionally).

Kindle books are great....after all, I will continue reading them for a long time (via my mac, PC, and iPhone).

I'm simply looking towards the future. IMO, ePub wins.

How I can blast a "coolbreeze"? :P

I have a different view of the future of Amazon than you do. I believe the Kindle family of dedicated ebook readers will grow beyond the 3 currently available (3G, Wi-Fi and DX). There will be a Kindle to fit almost anyone's need (touch, color, bare bones, whatever). Maybe even a device where you can add features a la carte via software download (can you say vivid imagination).

I am very sure that Amazon is going to make sure there is a way for anyone to read Kindle books. After all their goal is to sell books, paper and electronic).

There is no reason why there can't be two dominant formats.

coolbreeze · 12-09-2010, 12:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daffy4u

How I can blast a "coolbreeze"? :P

I have a different view of the future of Amazon than you do. .

There is no reason why there can't be two dominant formats.

Oh, believe you me...I spend over $700 per month on Amazon stuff...in fact, I'm even buying groceries from them

They know what they are doing, no doubt. My concern is the way they are locking their users into formats. This was never a concern when I had my Kindles. In fact the Amazon experience was a joy. I just chugged along, buying books...

My trouble came when I bought a nook (color, to be exact). Fearing an LCD for reading, I looked around and decided I may as well get a cheap original nook for eInk.

So, there I sat with a nook, Kindle 3, and nook color. Common sense said to stick with one company...and I decided on B&N and the Nook (ePub too).

A wave of panic hit me as I realized I had bought hundreds of dollars worth of books for my Kindle(s). I had made my mind up, however,and being able to borrow books from my local library helped me with this decision.

Bottom line is, I like the freedom of being less-restricted with the nook. Amazon is playing hardball and when I look into the long-term of my eBook ownership, I get scared, hence why I went to the nook.

If Amazon decided to support ePub, these posts wouldn't exist.

Maybe I'm an alarmist, but Amazon's control scared me away.

:

daffy4u · 12-09-2010, 12:43 AM

All I can say is, if ePub works for you and you're more comfortable, that's all that matters.

jocampo · 12-09-2010, 01:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coolbreeze

Ok, so I have a troll title. Fair enough.

Fact is, I was a Kindle fanboi ever since the initial launch of the K1. I loved that device and paid a s*it ton of cash without blinking an eye. Then the K2 and KDX, and oh, the KDXG came out. Got them all. Then the K3. Well, I've bought and used many Kindle devices. They have all been great.

My long-term concern has always been the nature of Amazon's locked ecosystem. Yes, B&N is locked as well - not denying that...but at least the nook and nook color allow the ePub format.

This format is great for many reasons - one being the fact that I can borrow books from my local library for free. Plus, I can purchase from multiple web sources, including the newly launched Google Books. Now, I know what you are thinking - whatever man, Amazon has it figured out...

Well, that's what I thought as well. But since getting a nook and realizing my eBook world extends past Amazon.com, I have a renewed interest and excitement about eBooks and the future.

I guess my point of this post is to say this: be careful locking yourself into Amazon. I have roughly 34 purchased books (~340) in Amazon, but felt it was time to cut my losses and move to a more open format (ePub) for the future.

After all, both Google and Amazon know what they are doing, but if I were a betting man....then...well.......

YMMV, as always.

Buy DRM free epub, convert via Calibre to MOBI, use it with Kindle! Simple :-) ...

Most of pure text books or novels, can be bought in any other store that is not Amazon or B&N. What's the point of keeping a Nook, if whatever you buy from that store or similar, is still DRM protected ?

My bubble exploded when I bought a Kindle DXG for my technical books and wanted to convert/use an epub book from Nook/B&N on my Kindle... I was not able to, it was DRM protected.

You have a false sense of freedom if you think that because your Nook uses epub, you are out of any store's dependency. Again, remember those books are DRM protected.

If your favorites books are in B&N and not in Amazon (or cheaper), I would say it makes sense stick to B&N stores.

kindlekitten · 12-09-2010, 02:06 AM

there are quite a few other places than Amazon to secure material for your kindle

hybridfiat · 12-09-2010, 02:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kindlekitten

there are quite a few other places than Amazon to secure material for your kindle

As a new Kindle owner in Australia, where can I access the books not allowed me as a resident of the 'lucky country'?

TheKindleWorm · 12-09-2010, 02:29 AM

I can appreciate where you're coming from OP.

Maybe I just see things a bit differently but I don't feel locked in to anything. To be honest the ebook prices in Amazon for me in the UK are generally way less-expensive than using the other UK alternatives - ie Waterstones and WHSmiths - unless the books belong to the agency-model, in which case they are the same price all over.

There are also plenty of free sites where you can get good books too - manybooks.net, feedbooks.com, baen free library and some of the Smashwords content.

If I wanted to stop using a Kindle and use a different e-ink device then I'm aware that there are ways and means of converting those books - and I'm sure I wouldn't feel bad about it as those books are just for my personal use.

When Kindle for the Web comes along then anyone with a web browser will be able to read Kindle books - so I'm also looking forward to that addition.

My only small niggle with the Kindle is that it would be nice to read epub library books on it

But instead I use audiobooks from the library which is an enjoyable experience.

charonme · 12-09-2010, 03:28 AM

have you tried reading epub with fbKindle or duokan? I'm aware that it's not a universal effortless solution for everybody, just asking

SpiderMatt · 12-09-2010, 03:33 AM

It seems to me that people on this board are generally concerned about DRM because the ignorant masses don't know they'll be locked in. I think consumers can generally look after themselves but when I see people get more passionate over DRM policies than I have ever been, it really makes me wonder why these people don't just learn to strip off the DRM. Doesn't that make more sense than buying another device? I think the Kindle is better than the Nook hardware and I think Amazon has the best ebook store. I will not leave the Kindle platform until I see something I like more, but Amazon is doing a pretty damn good job at keeping consumers happy. However, I have all my ebooks backed up sans DRM. Stripping DRM is the only way I ever justify buying digital content. I just don't understand how changing platforms is more rational than just getting rid of the DRM, then you can buy whatever you want, borrow books from the library, and use it all on the Kindle. What about the books you purchased on Amazon? Are you resigned to leaving them behind for the Nook?

hybridfiat · 12-09-2010, 03:52 AM

Can books sold elsewhere in PDF format be used on Kindle?

PS thanks for the help

enkov · 12-09-2010, 03:56 AM

Just because 'stripping down the DRM' is barely illegal. Buying a book with a DRM you are signing a contract. Then you violate this contract. DRM is a way to keep sure you are the only owner of the item you have purchased (ebook, music or movie). But currently it is made by wrong way. I think DRM must be linked to somewhat like an your personal ID, not the ID of the only one device from one manufacturer and you must have a way to assign that ID to every device you own.

I am not a laywer. I am also bored of these DRM issues. I hate the DRM too!

SpiderMatt · 12-09-2010, 04:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hybridfiat

Can books sold elsewhere in PDF format be used on Kindle?

PS thanks for the help

Only if it does not have DRM.

12-08-2010, 11:50 PM	#1
coolbreeze Addict Posts: 214 Karma: 2600 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Nook Color, White 3G K3	A former Kindle user's manifesto... (or something like that..) Ok, so I have a troll title. Fair enough. Fact is, I was a Kindle fanboi ever since the initial launch of the K1. I loved that device and paid a s*it ton of cash without blinking an eye. Then the K2 and KDX, and oh, the KDXG came out. Got them all. Then the K3. Well, I've bought and used many Kindle devices. They have all been great. My long-term concern has always been the nature of Amazon's locked ecosystem. Yes, B&N is locked as well - not denying that...but at least the nook and nook color allow the ePub format. This format is great for many reasons - one being the fact that I can borrow books from my local library for free. Plus, I can purchase from multiple web sources, including the newly launched Google Books. Now, I know what you are thinking - whatever man, Amazon has it figured out... Well, that's what I thought as well. But since getting a nook and realizing my eBook world extends past Amazon.com, I have a renewed interest and excitement about eBooks and the future. I guess my point of this post is to say this: be careful locking yourself into Amazon. I have roughly 34 purchased books (~340) in Amazon, but felt it was time to cut my losses and move to a more open format (ePub) for the future. After all, both Google and Amazon know what they are doing, but if I were a betting man....then...well....... YMMV, as always.

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12-09-2010, 12:04 AM	#2
daffy4u I'm Super Kindle-icious Posts: 6,734 Karma: 2434103 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Long Drive, Calinadia Candafornia Device: KDXG, KT, Oasis	Though I don't feel locked, I can appreciate where you are coming from. Kindles are still my preferred readers but I also invested in a new Sony 650 which I'm getting to know and am enjoying. I feel I have the best of both worlds. Enjoy your nooks!

12-09-2010, 12:43 AM	#6
daffy4u I'm Super Kindle-icious Posts: 6,734 Karma: 2434103 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Long Drive, Calinadia Candafornia Device: KDXG, KT, Oasis	All I can say is, if ePub works for you and you're more comfortable, that's all that matters.

12-09-2010, 02:06 AM	#8
kindlekitten Professional Adventuress Posts: 13,368 Karma: 50260224 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: The Olympic Peninsula on the OTHER Washington! (the big green clean one on the west coast!) Device: Kindle, the original! Times Two! and gifting an International Kindle	there are quite a few other places than Amazon to secure material for your kindle

12-09-2010, 02:29 AM	#10
TheKindleWorm Guru Posts: 860 Karma: 177868 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: East Anglia UK Device: Kindle 3G, iPhone 3G, iPod 4G, PB 360, Sony 600 sold, Kindle 2i sold	I can appreciate where you're coming from OP. Maybe I just see things a bit differently but I don't feel locked in to anything. To be honest the ebook prices in Amazon for me in the UK are generally way less-expensive than using the other UK alternatives - ie Waterstones and WHSmiths - unless the books belong to the agency-model, in which case they are the same price all over. There are also plenty of free sites where you can get good books too - manybooks.net, feedbooks.com, baen free library and some of the Smashwords content. If I wanted to stop using a Kindle and use a different e-ink device then I'm aware that there are ways and means of converting those books - and I'm sure I wouldn't feel bad about it as those books are just for my personal use. When Kindle for the Web comes along then anyone with a web browser will be able to read Kindle books - so I'm also looking forward to that addition. My only small niggle with the Kindle is that it would be nice to read epub library books on it But instead I use audiobooks from the library which is an enjoyable experience.

12-09-2010, 03:28 AM	#11
charonme Zealot Posts: 103 Karma: 11904 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: K3	have you tried reading epub with fbKindle or duokan? I'm aware that it's not a universal effortless solution for everybody, just asking

12-09-2010, 03:33 AM	#12
SpiderMatt Grand Arbiter Posts: 447 Karma: 1574837 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Arizona Device: iPod Touch, Amazon Kindle, Motorola Droid	It seems to me that people on this board are generally concerned about DRM because the ignorant masses don't know they'll be locked in. I think consumers can generally look after themselves but when I see people get more passionate over DRM policies than I have ever been, it really makes me wonder why these people don't just learn to strip off the DRM. Doesn't that make more sense than buying another device? I think the Kindle is better than the Nook hardware and I think Amazon has the best ebook store. I will not leave the Kindle platform until I see something I like more, but Amazon is doing a pretty damn good job at keeping consumers happy. However, I have all my ebooks backed up sans DRM. Stripping DRM is the only way I ever justify buying digital content. I just don't understand how changing platforms is more rational than just getting rid of the DRM, then you can buy whatever you want, borrow books from the library, and use it all on the Kindle. What about the books you purchased on Amazon? Are you resigned to leaving them behind for the Nook?

12-09-2010, 03:52 AM	#13
hybridfiat Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 686 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Perth Western Australia Device: Kindle	Can books sold elsewhere in PDF format be used on Kindle? PS thanks for the help

12-09-2010, 03:56 AM	#14
enkov Advanced Dunno Posts: 80 Karma: 27094 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Plovdiv, Bulgaria Device: Kindle Fire HDX 7 + Paperwhite 2013	Just because 'stripping down the DRM' is barely illegal. Buying a book with a DRM you are signing a contract. Then you violate this contract. DRM is a way to keep sure you are the only owner of the item you have purchased (ebook, music or movie). But currently it is made by wrong way. I think DRM must be linked to somewhat like an your personal ID, not the ID of the only one device from one manufacturer and you must have a way to assign that ID to every device you own. I am not a laywer. I am also bored of these DRM issues. I hate the DRM too!

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