Kindle in Motion ebook format

[tomsem]

Originally Posted by crossi

I can't really figure why anyone would want it. I don't want moving pictures in my books. I just want to read. Really, for what I read I'd just as soon have Mobi format. It gives me everything I need in a book. What's with this constant changing of formats anyway?

It's an experiment or proof of concept by Amazon. I can imagine that they were looking to demonstrate that their platform had some of the capabilities of Apple's iBooks Author format, which among other things, gave us Harry Potter with animated illustrations, somewhat as the magical books and portraits at Hogwarts were. It is only a modest extension of what KF8 was capable of since its inception.

I've tried several of the titles (as a KU subscriber, they can be borrowed for free) and while there is some novelty to it (I would recommend 'The Secret Garden'), it does not seem to expand creative possibilities all that much.

The formatting turns to crap on Kindles (drop caps break, too wide line spacing etc.). I just tried the updated Wool Omnibus on my Voyage: yep, still an issue. They need to fix that. And on tablets, I'd like to see support for landscape: as it is, it only uses half the screen.

To get it out of the 'experiment' phase, Amazon need to release authoring tools (or a specification that would allow building using existing tools).

[JSWolf]

Are there any Kindle in Motion disasters that were formerly books that are still available as a book?

[jhowell]

I received an email from Amazon about the change of "Wool" to support Kindle in Motion:

Dear customer,

An updated version of your past Kindle purchase or borrow of Wool by Hugh Howey is now available. The updated version contains new art and animation that can be viewed on the free Kindle app for iOS and Android and recent Fire tablets. You can turn this content on or off at any time on your device. Please note, if you update there will be no change to the book on Kindle E-reader devices as E-readers will not display the new art and animation.

You can get the updated version of this book by going to "Manage Your Content and Devices" at Amazon.com. Find the book under “Your Content” tab, click on the "Update Available" button next to the book's title—then follow the update prompts. Due to the large file size, the book may take longer to download.

All of your devices that have the eBook currently downloaded will be updated automatically the next time they are connected to wifi.

We thank you for reading with Amazon.

Sincerely,

Customer Service Department
Amazon.com

[tomsem]

Originally Posted by jhowell

I received an email from Amazon about the change of "Wool" to support Kindle in Motion:

Yes, I got the email, even though I'd already updated it. Looks nice on my iPad.

[jhowell]

Amazon has been gradually increasing the Kindle in Motion catalog to about two dozen available and upcoming books. All of the ones currently available are part of Kindle Unlimited.

Coming in September will be Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone: Illustrated (Kindle in Motion). I wonder how this will compare with the iBooks enhanced edition released almost two years ago.

[jhowell]

I noticed that a new Kindle in Motion book was published today: Spin (Captain Chase Book 2) by Patricia Cornwell.

There haven't been any other new Kindle in Motion books released for quite a while. I assumed that the format was dead.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by jhowell

I noticed that a new Kindle in Motion book was published today: Spin (Captain Chase Book 2) by Patricia Cornwell.

There haven't been any other new Kindle in Motion books released for quite a while. I assumed that the format was dead.

Are they reviving it? I saw an actual, official announcement that it was deader'n Julius Caesar. ? Curious and curiouser.

Hitch

[Paperbackstash]

I like it as a special perk for some favorites, such as when I re-read Dracula (some nice artwork). I have The Secret Garden, Grimm's Fairy Tales, etc., all I've read before but not in Kindle in Motion format. I agree the size is large and the limits a pain (cannot use on my old Fire, as example) and I wouldn't want to take up the space and read on my phone.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Paperbackstash

I like it as a special perk for some favorites, such as when I re-read Dracula (some nice artwork). I have The Secret Garden, Grimm's Fairy Tales, etc., all I've read before but not in Kindle in Motion format. I agree the size is large and the limits a pain (cannot use on my old Fire, as example) and I wouldn't want to take up the space and read on my phone.

I like it. I do. I think it's perfectly fine for SOME books. I even bought the first Potter book, just to check it out. (n.b., my auto-correct on my desktop Text Expander will *not* allow me to type the first word of the first HP book, US version, without changing it to "Source," lol. I have to go nuke that but for now, I mean, the book that was The Philsopher's Stone in the UK. Sheeesh!)

Nonetheless, I know I'm not hallucinating this. KIM was nuked. D/C'ed or the like. I wonder if Zon had a contractual agreement, for the Cornwell book (and honestly, what adult would read a regular old novel, a crime novel, today, with KIM?) I mean, Fairy Tale-type classics are one thing, but a Cornwell novel? Am I the only one that finds that downright peculiar?)

Hitch

[Quoth]

IMO an App is a better idea. Stick a stake into Kindle in Motion. IMO as useful as Dracula, Lilith, a baobhan sith, a leanan sidhe, the droch-fhuil, the Vampyre or Carmilla as a house guest.

It's an evil hybrid between a real ebook and proper multimedia.

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by Hitch

I wonder if Zon had a contractual agreement, for the Cornwell book...

That is probably it. The new book is the sequel to a prior Kindle in Motion book.

[Paperbackstash]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Nonetheless, I know I'm not hallucinating this. KIM was nuked. D/C'ed or the like. I wonder if Zon had a contractual agreement, for the Cornwell book (and honestly, what adult would read a regular old novel, a crime novel, today, with KIM?) I mean, Fairy Tale-type classics are one thing, but a Cornwell novel? Am I the only one that finds that downright peculiar?)

Hitch

No, you are correct on it being odd for that kind of book. Since I follow updates on the most random of book things, I have been paying attention to the KIM for awhile, and notice that it mainly seems non-updated. Children's classics and something like Harry Potter make sense. An adult thriller doesn't much - with exception of something like Dracula, of course.

They also have Mermaid by Jodi Picoult, but it's only 40 pages. Short story special features would work well for this format.

Hey, I see they added Fantastic Beasts now, free for KU, will read that one because I did not have a current edition. I didn't think it was there before, but I havent checked for awhile

[Paperbackstash]

They added Devoted by Dean Koontz in 2020 as new. I believe that was an Amazon Original Story he did with them, so they must be adding some still.

[tomsem]

Originally Posted by Paperbackstash

They added Devoted by Dean Koontz in 2020 as new. I believe that was an Amazon Original Story he did with them, so they must be adding some still.

IIRC, there was almost no ‘in motion’ in that book, maybe just an animation of Koontz’s signature and cover animation.

Note that if you turn off Show Media then you can at least set Background Color, which is otherwise locked to White. KIM does not support Scrolling mode for some reason.

[Paperbackstash]

Originally Posted by tomsem

IIRC, there was almost no ‘in motion’ in that book, maybe just an animation of Koontz’s signature and cover animation.

Note that if you turn off Show Media then you can at least set Background Color, which is otherwise locked to White. KIM does not support Scrolling mode for some reason.

Ah, okay. Interesting they even bothered then