Kindle Lending is now enabled

koland · 12-30-2010, 12:39 PM

It's Official!

Amazon just posted an Official Announcement that Kindle book lending is now available. Detailed instructions are on the Kindle Help pages and the recipient does not have to own a Kindle (but does need email and access to the web (on a device that lets the Kindle for Web app run) or a device with a Kindle app. In general, the terms are the same as the heralded lending on the nook:

Eligible Kindle books can be loaned once for a period of 14 days. The borrower does not need to own a Kindle -- Kindle books can also be read using our free Kindle reading applications for PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone, BlackBerry, and Android devices. Not all books are lendable -- it is up to the publisher or rights holder to determine which titles are eligible for lending. The lender will not be able to read the book during the loan period.

I just checked thru my own library (the Manage My Kindle page is where you set up the loan) and most of the ones I've picked up lately are apparently non-loanable (shock! the same publishers that raised prices also don't like lending!). Out of the first page of titles, only five are lendable (and all but one were free books).

dgabler · 12-30-2010, 12:56 PM

This is a great feature. How unfortunate that it is publisher controlled

DiapDealer · 12-30-2010, 01:17 PM

Quote:

This is a great feature. How unfortunate that it is publisher controlled

Agreed.
It's actually a good tactic on Amazon's part, though. They look like they're at least trying to make ebooks share more of the benefits of pbooks, but the big, bad publishers are putting the kybosh to it.

I think they should put a notice (like the one that says "this price is set by the publisher") beside the ebooks that can't be lent:

"You could lend this ebook once... IF the publisher weren't so anal-retentive.
Click HERE to let the publisher know you'd like to lend this ebook."

OtterBooks · 12-30-2010, 01:28 PM

I don't see using that feature any time soon, but I'm glad they did it. I also think the restrictions are reasonable, with the exception of the time limit. 21 days would be fair imo. (obviously Amazon has no real say in that limitation)

shrik · 12-30-2010, 01:59 PM

Quote:

The lender will not be able to read the book during the loan period.

Well that sucks. But if you turn off the wireless on the Kindle, and lend the book using Kindle for PC, you could lend and read at the same time?

I don't know any other Kindle user nearby (also haven't purchased anything from Amazon just yet) - can someone help me confirm this?

Bookworm_Girl · 12-30-2010, 03:29 PM

I just went through my list of purchases. I'd say about 15% of my library is lendable. Maybe publishers will expand their offerings in the future. I know a few people that I could share books with. However, my current list that is lendable would probably not appeal to any of them. Maybe their selections are better...

Little.Egret · 12-30-2010, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bookworm_Girl

I just went through my list of purchases. I'd say about 15% of my library is lendable. Maybe publishers will expand their offerings in the future. I know a few people that I could share books with. However, my current list that is lendable would probably not appeal to any of them. Maybe their selections are better...

I assume all that have

Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited

are lendable ?

Mike D

Bookworm_Girl · 12-30-2010, 03:49 PM

I think that Simultaneous Device Usage refers to the number of devices registered to a single account that has purchased the books. For example, you want to have the book on your Kindle, your spouse's Kindle, your iPhone, your Kindle for PC, etc all at the same time. The Loan Me feature is for loaning a book registered to one user's account to someone with a different Amazon account. If you go to the Manage Your Kindle account page and click the arrow next to the book title in your orders list, then you will see a button that says "Loan this book" if it is lendable.

bhartman36 · 12-30-2010, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shrik

Well that sucks. But if you turn off the wireless on the Kindle, and lend the book using Kindle for PC, you could lend and read at the same time?

I don't know any other Kindle user nearby (also haven't purchased anything from Amazon just yet) - can someone help me confirm this?

As far as I know, you can't lend through the Kindle software. You have to lend through the website.

I lent out a book, so I'll let you know when the person accepts it. My suspicion would be that you're right concerning wifi being off preventing it from being removed from your Kindle. (I can't imagine there'd be another way to take it off of there.) On the other hand, It might be that it won't loan the book until you sync up. I'll let you know, either way.

ProfCrash · 12-30-2010, 04:31 PM

I will be happy to lend books to family and friends with Kindles. The best part of this is that it removes another item from the list of differences between Nook's and Kindle's. Not that it is an important item but there you have it.

bhartman36 · 12-30-2010, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shrik

Well that sucks. But if you turn off the wireless on the Kindle, and lend the book using Kindle for PC, you could lend and read at the same time?

I don't know any other Kindle user nearby (also haven't purchased anything from Amazon just yet) - can someone help me confirm this?

Well, I checked. Apparently, when you lend out a book, it disappears from your Kindle, even if your wifi is off.

So I guess the Kindle 3 Wifi periodically turns on and "phones home". What I still don't know is, what would happen if you weren't in Wifi range? I assume the lending wouldn't go through unless you were.

rcuadro · 12-30-2010, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bhartman36

Well, I checked. Apparently, when you lend out a book, it disappears from your Kindle, even if your wifi is off.

So I guess the Kindle 3 Wifi periodically turns on and "phones home". What I still don't know is, what would happen if you weren't in Wifi range? I assume the lending wouldn't go through unless you were.

Could you not simply remove the wifi password from the kindle so it could not phone home

CarlBullock · 12-30-2010, 05:46 PM

I think this will really take off on the web with specific websites set-up where you can loan certain books in your library to members and in return you get credits to borrow books from other members

bhartman36 · 12-30-2010, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rcuadro

Could you not simply remove the wifi password from the kindle so it could not phone home

I think any time you enter your password, the Kindle saves it. And anyway, the second I connected my Kindle via wifi again, it would do the syncing.

It's not a horrendous blow. I was just very surprised that turning off the wifi via the menu didn't actually prevent the wifi from coming back on again. Does the wifi come on and off periodically just for that purpose? Does anyone know?

GoblinWriter · 12-30-2010, 06:33 PM

The only books in my library that have lending enabled are from indie authors, most of whom have their books listed for under $3 anyway. I'd much prefer to lend/borrow the $10 books. :P

That said, if anyone wants to try either of mine, I'm happy to lend copies.

The Emperor's Edge -- fantasy adventure
Goblin Brothers Adventures -- middle grade fantasy

12-30-2010, 12:39 PM	#1
koland Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,560 Karma: 8033155 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: TN, USA Device: kindle(all), nook, nookcolor, Sony, Kobo, epic, iphone, iPad, pc	Kindle Lending is now enabled It's Official! Amazon just posted an Official Announcement that Kindle book lending is now available. Detailed instructions are on the Kindle Help pages and the recipient does not have to own a Kindle (but does need email and access to the web (on a device that lets the Kindle for Web app run) or a device with a Kindle app. In general, the terms are the same as the heralded lending on the nook: Eligible Kindle books can be loaned once for a period of 14 days. The borrower does not need to own a Kindle -- Kindle books can also be read using our free Kindle reading applications for PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone, BlackBerry, and Android devices. Not all books are lendable -- it is up to the publisher or rights holder to determine which titles are eligible for lending. The lender will not be able to read the book during the loan period. I just checked thru my own library (the Manage My Kindle page is where you set up the loan) and most of the ones I've picked up lately are apparently non-loanable (shock! the same publishers that raised prices also don't like lending!). Out of the first page of titles, only five are lendable (and all but one were free books).

12-30-2010, 01:28 PM	#4
OtterBooks Wizard Posts: 1,262 Karma: 2979086 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: Kindle 4, iPad Mini/Retina	I don't see using that feature any time soon, but I'm glad they did it. I also think the restrictions are reasonable, with the exception of the time limit. 21 days would be fair imo. (obviously Amazon has no real say in that limitation) Last edited by OtterBooks; 12-30-2010 at 03:03 PM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Kindle 3 - full Whispernet in Brazil enabled!	ricsmania	Amazon Kindle	2	03-30-2011 07:33 PM
Coming Soon for Kindle - lending & more	TomF	Amazon Kindle	70	12-26-2010 09:02 AM
lending books for kindle	monkeypants	Amazon Kindle	9	12-10-2010 10:05 AM
Converting print-enabled-but-otherwise-DRMed PDFs for Kindle 1	clanmackay	Amazon Kindle	1	12-15-2009 12:52 AM
Lending Library ebooks on the Kindle?	wallcraft	News	2	08-25-2009 12:42 PM

12-30-2010, 12:56 PM	#2
dgabler Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: kindle	This is a great feature. How unfortunate that it is publisher controlled

12-30-2010, 03:29 PM	#6
Bookworm_Girl E-reader Enthusiast Posts: 4,873 Karma: 36536965 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Southwest, USA Device: Kindle Oasis 3; Kobo Aura One; iPad Mini 5	I just went through my list of purchases. I'd say about 15% of my library is lendable. Maybe publishers will expand their offerings in the future. I know a few people that I could share books with. However, my current list that is lendable would probably not appeal to any of them. Maybe their selections are better...

12-30-2010, 03:49 PM	#8
Bookworm_Girl E-reader Enthusiast Posts: 4,873 Karma: 36536965 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Southwest, USA Device: Kindle Oasis 3; Kobo Aura One; iPad Mini 5	I think that Simultaneous Device Usage refers to the number of devices registered to a single account that has purchased the books. For example, you want to have the book on your Kindle, your spouse's Kindle, your iPhone, your Kindle for PC, etc all at the same time. The Loan Me feature is for loaning a book registered to one user's account to someone with a different Amazon account. If you go to the Manage Your Kindle account page and click the arrow next to the book title in your orders list, then you will see a button that says "Loan this book" if it is lendable.

12-30-2010, 04:31 PM	#10
ProfCrash Tea Enthusiast Posts: 8,554 Karma: 75384937 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Somewhere in the USA Device: Kindle1, Kindle DX Graphite, K3 3G, IPad 3, PW2	I will be happy to lend books to family and friends with Kindles. The best part of this is that it removes another item from the list of differences between Nook's and Kindle's. Not that it is an important item but there you have it.

12-30-2010, 05:46 PM	#13
CarlBullock Member Posts: 18 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: Kindle	I think this will really take off on the web with specific websites set-up where you can loan certain books in your library to members and in return you get credits to borrow books from other members

12-30-2010, 06:33 PM	#15
GoblinWriter vizsla wrangler Posts: 73 Karma: 120000 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Seattle Device: Kindle 3G	The only books in my library that have lending enabled are from indie authors, most of whom have their books listed for under $3 anyway. I'd much prefer to lend/borrow the $10 books. :P That said, if anyone wants to try either of mine, I'm happy to lend copies. The Emperor's Edge -- fantasy adventure Goblin Brothers Adventures -- middle grade fantasy

Advert

Advert