Dealing with Kindle for PC/Mac 1.19 and KFX in calibre

[darryl]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

The downloading option is there probably not only for old devices, but also for people who don't have wifi. If Amazon decides to take the option away, what about those people?

What about them? If Amazon is concerned about this they will perhaps keep the option but make the download kfx with new drm rather than azw3 or azw. kfx of course consists of multiple files, but I doubt a solution is beyond Amazon. I would think an archive or even a monolithic kfx file would do the job without too much trouble.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by darryl

What about them? If Amazon is concerned about this they will perhaps keep the option but make the download kfx with new drm rather than azw3 or azw. kfx of course consists of multiple files, but I doubt a solution is beyond Amazon. I would think an archive or even a monolithic kfx file would do the job without too much trouble.

Hmmm I'd guess breaking the DRM should not be awfully hard, then. The downloader must be able to read the book on their Kindle, after all. So the file must contain the key.

The current situation with kfx probably exists because few people have really tried to fiddle with it. There are other options available.

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

The downloading option is there probably not only for old devices, but also for people who don't have wifi. If Amazon decides to take the option away, what about those people?

Force users to update to firmware that supports the new DRM.

I had wondered if the reason for the 25% off discount on new Kindles with trade-in was because they wanted to get rid of old Kindles but then, I keep seeing old Kindles on Woot. Then again, I think the ones on Woot now are K5 or newer.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by ilovejedd

Force users to update to firmware that supports the new DRM.

What is the use of that? People who don't have wifi must get a downloadable and transferable file from Amazon and the current KFX format is not really either of those things.

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

What is the use of that?

Mandatory switch to hardened DRM?

Originally Posted by Sirtel

People who don't have wifi must get a downloadable and transferable file from Amazon and the current KFX format is not really either of those things.

Is there anything technical preventing Amazon from replacing AZW3/MOBI in Download & Transfer via USB with KFX files (or whatever new package they might cook up)? AZW3/MOBI are tied to the device by serial number so the encryption of AZW3/MOBI is obviously done on the fly. Afaik, that's the same thing KFX uses for its encryption (pre-K4PC/Mac1.25 and FW5.10.2 at least) and I'm guessing the newest version is likely based on SN as well. I don't believe it'll be difficult at all for Amazon to generate self-contained KFX-based packages on the fly with the updated DRM.

I expect the biggest consideration for Amazon in making such a switch is how many old devices are still in use that cannot be updated to support the new DRM (or format)?

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

The downloading option is there probably not only for old devices, but also for people who don't have wifi. If Amazon decides to take the option away, what about those people?

The multi bazillion dollar tech companies don't give a tinkers damn about minorities. They assume everyone is already on the end of 1 gig link when they're walking down the street

BR

[lkmiller]

Originally Posted by jhowell

The change from .kinf2011 to .kinf2018 and the new DRM for KFX format were both likely done specifically to prevent DRM removal, in my opinion.

I notice that the last time the key file changed was when KF8 started taking over from MOBI.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by ilovejedd

Force users to update to firmware that supports the new DRM.

I had wondered if the reason for the 25% off discount on new Kindles with trade-in was because they wanted to get rid of old Kindles but then, I keep seeing old Kindles on Woot. Then again, I think the ones on Woot now are K5 or newer.

That is what the Trade in program is trying to KILL.
Used, older Kindles, being kept in the market place instead of being returned to the big "A", be destroyed.
(or stop people like me,who fitted a new battery, to keep it running years longer)

[odamizu]

Originally Posted by lkmiller

I notice that the last time the key file changed was when KF8 started taking over from MOBI.

It does seem clear that Amazon wants to replace KF8 with KFX, just as KF8 was the replacement for MOBI. However, Amazon hasn't abandoned MOBI (yet?), so I'm hoping the same will happen with KF8.

I'm curious: I understand that disabling renderer-test in K4PC 1.25.2 does nothing, and so far no one has figured out how to block KFX for K4PC. But what happens when you try to download/read an older book that's only available in MOBI or KF8? Can K4PC 1.25.2 handle it? Do you get a MOBI or KF8 file? And if so, will Alf work on it?

ETA: I enabled renderer-test on K4Mac 1.25.2 and ran the following tests:

1) Downloaded recent book and got KFX.

2) Downloaded really old book, got Topaz and Alf successfully liberated it.

3) Downloaded semi-old book, got MOBI and Alf successfully liberated it.

So it does seem the new .kinf2018 key file uses the same key as .kinf2011 for older formats and only KFX is affected — at least on Macs.

[apprenticeharper]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

If I had to guess, I'd say it was a side effect of moving to a 64-bit Mac application.

Originally Posted by jhowell

The change from .kinf2011 to .kinf2018 […] likely done specifically to prevent DRM removal, in my opinion.

A quick look suggests that you're both wrong. A quick test on my machine seems to show that the .kinf2018 file is the same format as the .kinf2011 file. At least for upgraded installations. (I haven't had time to test further.)

[lkmiller]

Apprentice Harper has just released an update to DeDRM which is suppose to include "the first support for Kindle for PC 2.25.1's new key file, .kinf2018."

Of course, that should be 1.25. Odamizu (or another Mac user), could you check if that should also say Kindle for Mac?

This is just at Harper's GitHub... Alf's blog hasn't been updated yet.

ETA: Ninja'd by Harper themself! Is this Kindle for PC only?

[apprenticeharper]

I haven't checked Kindle for Mac yet. My guess would be it works, but until someone's tested it....

You're right, that should be 1.25.1.

So the latest Kindle for PC download is 1.25.52064. Given the listed support is for 1.25.1, is it a bad idea to install the current version?

I've been running 1.24 and not sure where you'd get 1.25.1 at this point.

[odamizu]

Originally Posted by apprenticeharper

I haven't checked Kindle for Mac yet. My guess would be it works, but until someone's tested it...

Hello ApprenticeHarper! So good to see you here.

I just tested the Mac standalone app & Calibre plug-in. Sadly, both are still looking for kinf2011 rather than kinf2018.

I sent you PM with more specifics. Let me know how I can help!

[pdurrant]

It didn't work for me either. Looks like it's Kindle for PC only so far.