Beta webpage for Kindle Library

[odamizu]

I'm not sure if this has been mentioned before (I kind of think it has, but I can't find it).

I purchased a Kindle ebook today and was directed to a new beta Library page called "Your Books": https://www.amazon.com/your-books

I'm wondering if this will eventually replace the Content & Devices page.

I am hoping not as this Beta page lacks a lot of functionality, including Download & Transfer via USB.

But this may be how Amazon gets rid of Download & Transfer via USB.

[colinsky]

This is definitely new--looks like you have to be specifically included/nominated to see this.

[BionicGecko]

Originally Posted by odamizu

But this may be how Amazon gets rid of Download & Transfer via USB.

That would make a lot of sense. Removing the functionality outright from the existing interface is sure to be met quite negatively; creating a new app without support for direct downloads, touting it as the “next generation” book management app, and then silently dropping support for the “outdated” one, seems like a safer path (for Amazon). That doesn’t bode well for people using Download and Transfer via USB.

[jhowell]

odamizu, could you post some screenshots for those of us without access to the new page?

[tomsem]

Yes, what is this for? there's already read.amazon.com (for reading in browser) as well as Manage Your Content & Devices. Where does this fit in?

What I wish they had was an export (to .csv or .json) with basic metadata. I have the beginnings of a web scraper to do this, but always seem to have more salient or interesting projects to work on.

[odamizu]

Wow, am I really the only one who can see this beta page? I really thought this had been mentioned a while back, but maybe that was something else. I'll try to do some screenshots when I get back to my computer later.

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by tomsem

Yes, what is this for? there's already read.amazon.com (for reading in browser) as well as Manage Your Content & Devices. Where does this fit in?

Amazon has a history of reducing the cost of customer service by simplifying user interfaces even when it means eliminating functionality. The changes to the Kindle UI in recent years to make it function more like the iOS/Android apps are an example of this.

Since the Content & Devices pages are fairly technical it would not surprise me to see Amazon come up with a simplified version that eliminates Download & Transfer. It would be a win/win from their point of view.

[tomsem]

Originally Posted by jhowell

Since the Content & Devices pages are fairly technical it would not surprise me to see Amazon come up with a simplified version that eliminates Download & Transfer. It would be a win/win from their point of view.

It's not clear how Amazon wins by eliminating downloads. It will cost them at least some sales.

But we don't know much yet.

[odamizu]

The new Your Books page actually reminds me of the iOS app. You see your books, yes, but there's A LOT of focus on recommendations for more books to buy.

[Badcatalex]

The moment they kill Manage Your Content (or at least the download and transfer thru USB part)...
...It'd be the end of the line when it comes to grandfathered in support for any remaining legacy cellular-only Kindles in parts of the world without 2G and/or 3G data services that still are registered to Amazon accounts.

[jhowell]

Post in The eBook Reader on this.

https://blog.the-ebook-reader.com/20...nd-audiobooks/

[tomsem]

So it is just to promote more books and audiobooks, clearly not a replacement of Content and Devices or of read.amazon.com.

Not a big deal, they already do such promotions (for books) when you purchase on the web site. And maybe they decide it doesn't goose sales enough to turn it on for everyone.

[odamizu]

Originally Posted by tomsem

So it is just to promote more books and audiobooks, clearly not a replacement of Content and Devices or of read.amazon.com ...

Why do you think it is "clearly not a replacement of Content and Devices"?

Especially since jhowell has pointed out:

Originally Posted by jhowell

Amazon has a history of reducing the cost of customer service by simplifying user interfaces even when it means eliminating functionality.

Note: I'm not saying that it is a replacement for Content & Devices, it's just not clear to me that it isn't.

[odamizu]

Here's the top of the main page. It will show ebooks, audiobooks and paper books.


If you click on a book, you get this Overview page. Clicking on Read Now button takes you to read.amazon.com. Clicking on Listen Now will open a streaming audiobook player. (This is assuming you own the ebook and/or audiobook, not just the paper book.)


Note: From the Overview page, if you click on the book cover, it will take you to the regular Amazon webpage for the book. If you've purchased the book, you'll see the same notice we're all familiar with that you purchased the book on such-and-such date, and also provide a link to "View this order", a link back to the Your Books page, as well as a link to the Manage Your Content and Devices page.

From the Overview page, click on the Similar Titles tab and you get this. Clicking on the "bookmark" icon adds it to your Default List.


Turn Discovery mode ON and you get something like this:


Here are the Discovery mode preferences:


Things you cannot do from the beta Your Books page at this time that you can do from Content & Devices page:

• Deliver or Remove from Device
• Delete
• Mark as Read
• Download & transfer via USB
• Clear Furthest Page Read
• Add or Remove from Collection
• Order Details
• Gift Now
• Manage Family Library

However, you CAN do the following from the beta Your Books page:

• Read Now (via read.amazon.com)
• Listen to Audiobook

What I'm wondering is if Amazon plans to gradually add more options to Your Books and phase out Content & Devices. If so, will Download & transfer via USB be part of the phase out?

[Badcatalex]

Given the photos from Odamizu, I bet they're gonna merge the Cloud Reader into the main Amazon site more or less, with all this added functionality.
Content & Devices MIGHT MIGHT be rolled in too, but I suspect the main thing here is that they wanna make it easier for people to read their books on things like, well, a PC (without downloading and installing the Kindle for PC app).