azw -> any other format : possible?

[Dave Berk]

Recently I'm seeing more and more books that I want which are available exclusively for the kindle.

For example:
The Tyranny of the Night: Book One of the Instrumentalities of the Night
Chronicles of the Black Company
Hawkwood's Voyage
As for the last book, I don't understand the logic of it. It's the first book in the series of four, but Fictionwise and BoB are only stocking the last one...

My question is twofold:
1. Is there a way to buy kindle books without having a kindle (some hack)?
2. If there is, is there a way to format shift it into mobi or htm? (mobidedrm perhaps? or some other way)

I'm not talking about the legallities of it all. I do not consider format shifting a moral crime. Once I have paid for it, it's mine. (Please do not start a discussion about this, there are too many around as it is )

[igorsk]

1. You have to have a Kindle registered to your account, regardless whether you have one or not
2. Mobidedrm works on AZW files (which are actually Mobi). It doesn't work on AZW1 and TPZ (Topaz) files.

[Dave Berk]

Thanks, Igor.

Since I don't have a kindle, is it possible to register the same kindle on more than one account? That way I can get a friend to register his kindle on my account as well.

Also, is there a way to find, before buying, if the book I want to buy is azw, aw1, or tpz? What's the difference between these formats?

[desertgrandma]

Originally Posted by Dave Berk

Thanks, Igor.

Since I don't have a kindle, is it possible to register the same kindle on more than one account? That way I can get a friend to register his kindle on my account as well.

Also, is there a way to find, before buying, if the book I want to buy is azw, aw1, or tpz? What's the difference between these formats?

Per your first question, No, you can't register one Kindle on two accounts. You can register two Kindles on one account, using the same credit card.

One question two, I"m not sure, but maybe downloading a free sample would tell you?

[daffy4u]

Originally Posted by Dave Berk

Recently I'm seeing more and more books that I want which are available exclusively for the kindle.

If that's true, maybe you should consider adding a Kindle to your arsenal of ebook readers. Just a thought

[slayda]

But an expensive thought!

[daffy4u]

I'm a high priced thinker.

[Dave Berk]

daffy4u: Sadly I can't. I don't live in the states.

Anyway, there goes my dream of outsmarting Amazon and getting their books on my reader......

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Dave Berk

Recently I'm seeing more and more books that I want which are available exclusively for the kindle.

If that's true, maybe you should consider adding a Kindle to your arsenal of ebook readers. Just a thought

I have to disagree. The more Amazon makes exclusive deals, the better off we are NOT purchasing such. It's bad for eBooks to have any eBooks be exclusive to any one format. And if we allow this to continue, you'll have Amazon thinking it's ok. It's not ok. It's bad. And has to be stopped. If you want to help eBooks, do not purchase any eBooks from Amazon that are not also available elsewhere in other formats. of course, not purchasing a Kindle would help as well.

[desertgrandma]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I have to disagree. The more Amazon makes exclusive deals, the better off we are NOT purchasing such. It's bad for eBooks to have any eBooks be exclusive to any one format. And if we allow this to continue, you'll have Amazon thinking it's ok. It's not ok. It's bad. And has to be stopped. If you want to help eBooks, do not purchase any eBooks from Amazon that are not also available elsewhere in other formats. of course, not purchasing a Kindle would help as well.

HUH?? The Kindle has everything I want in an E-book reader, and I'm not supposed to buy it because EVERYONE can't access Amazon's books? BS!

[daffy4u]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I have to disagree. The more Amazon makes exclusive deals, the better off we are NOT purchasing such. It's bad for eBooks to have any eBooks be exclusive to any one format. And if we allow this to continue, you'll have Amazon thinking it's ok. It's not ok. It's bad. And has to be stopped. If you want to help eBooks, do not purchase any eBooks from Amazon that are not also available elsewhere in other formats. of course, not purchasing a Kindle would help as well.

We don't know that it's an exclusive deal. The first 2 books on Dave Berk's list are from Tor and will probably be available through their new site or the deal they have with Baen in the future.

The last book is from a publisher names ACE. i don't know enough about them to comment.

As much as I agree that ebooks should be open to everyone I will not stop purchasing books from Amazon.

[bwaldron]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I have to disagree. The more Amazon makes exclusive deals, the better off we are NOT purchasing such. It's bad for eBooks to have any eBooks be exclusive to any one format.

I agree. It's especially egregious with books in .azw format, which Amazon could obviously make available through Mobipocket.

I like Amazon. I have spent much money there on other things (like DRM-free music). I don't like some of the things they are doing in the print-on-demand and ebook markets.

These things do have a way of working themselves out, though, and it's still early days for ebooks (even though some of us have been reading that way for many years).

[desertgrandma]

Isn't this a little like when Microsoft first started out? No one could copy their programs, right? They kinda had the software locked up.

But what happened? People became so incensed, they figured out programs that got around the microsoft lockdown. You used to not be able to get Word, or the microsoft office tools without buying a licensed copy from the. Now, there is "open office" almost an exact duplicate. You don't need to use Internet Explorer. you can use Firefox. You don't even need Windows. You can use Linux. (Or Mac)

My point is this. Eventually, someone, somewhere will come out with ways around Amazon's "exclusive" deals, and product. Legally. And cheaper.

Already, thanks to people on this forum, there are ways to change titles, authors, etc., and God knows what.

Trying to get Amazon to change its policies will not work. They don't care. When you rake in the money hand over fist, you really don't have time to care.

Someone, somewhere, will solve this issue.

[Leep]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I have to disagree. The more Amazon makes exclusive deals, the better off we are NOT purchasing such. It's bad for eBooks to have any eBooks be exclusive to any one format. And if we allow this to continue, you'll have Amazon thinking it's ok. It's not ok. It's bad. And has to be stopped. If you want to help eBooks, do not purchase any eBooks from Amazon that are not also available elsewhere in other formats. of course, not purchasing a Kindle would help as well.

I respectfully disagree with JS. A business should have options on who they serve and what they sell - Through history, businesses are sucessful because they serve a market niche, instead of trying to be all things to all people. Proprietary products and services are part of maintaining a business model.

Why should Amazon be expected to operate any differently? Not every book is available in paperback, not every gas station has diesel, not every airline serves St. Louis. Should we ask our friends to boycott them?

[rsdavis9]

1. You have to have a Kindle registered to your account, regardless whether you have one or not

So to summarize. To purchase ebooks from amazon.

You have to have a kindle pid which you get from a kindle serial number which you have to buy a kindle to get?
There isn't anyway around this? Like faking the serial number? Finding kindle serial number's someplace on the web?

I have a prs-505 and would like the option of purchasing ebooks from amazon without paying $350 dollars for a kindle which I probably won't use.

bob