Quote:
Originally Posted by B.Tackitt
Wallcraft, this is incorrect. Per Amazon Kindle CS Phone call (Amazon Kindle customer service: 1-866-321-8851)this morning over this EXACT issue:
Simultaneous usage refers to the number of devices on your account (blackberry, ipad, iphone, itouch, pc, mac, K1, K2us, k2i, Kdx, Kdxg) and how many of those devices can read the same book at the same time-hence simulataneous device usage.
Independent authors have the choice when using amazon digital publishing to set DRM or not. Major publishing houses choose for their own authors, unless the author convinces them otherwise.
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It is the case that "Simultaneous device usage: unlimited" means DRM-free. The limit is 1-6 devices for DRMed ebooks, with 6 being the default (i.e. if there is no "Simultaneous device usage:" line then there is DRM with a device limit of 6, if the ebook's page says "Simultaneous device usage: 5" then there is DRM with a 5 device limit). I have seen "Simultaneous device usage: 1" but it is very rare.
Smashwords authors could use DRM in the Kindle store, but they almost never do because it isn't usually applied at the smashwords site. I mentioned searching for smashwords because it isn't possible to search for DRM free explicitly. If you look at any of the results of this search, it is very likely you will see "Simultaneous device usage: unlimited" which indicates DRM-free (if not then the ebook has DRM).