Building An Open Hardware EBook Reader

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by DNSB

A fake email address (you mean someone@somewhere.xxx isn't a real address?) and using gift cards instead of a credit card for those who are a step or so shy of the tin foil hat crowd.

someone@somewhere.xxx might be real.
I have loads of domains, some are double anonymised. So I can easily make an email address that doesn't work on a domain I control, but isn't easily traced. There are some reserved domains that are not routeable, but if I was writing the SW, I'd block them

Someone might not have a card at all, could be too young or bad credit rating etc. Or already have their only card on a different Amazon account in a different country.

It's not just about tin foil hats (maybe they are really aluminium).

Also the context was "Open Hardware" so the ereader can't be spied on. More of an issue with phones and tablets, Chrome Browser or Chrome OS.

As I and others have pointed out, there is no problem at all using a Kobo without being monitored (other than your public IP if you do turn on WiFi) and with a gift voucher and anonymous email only used for Amazon, the Kindle is the same as the Kobo. Both can be used USB only. If you are really paranoid, then you never enter a WiFi password and it can't silently connect. Certainly the Kindle App on Android silently connects even if you haven't opened it since power cycling!

I'm just posting verified information. No-one has to do any of these things, so really I think there are more worth while things than an open HW ereader to spend time and money on.

I'd rather read (and write) books!

[Apache]

I use the same Am Ex on both my US and UK Amazon account and have never had a problem.
Apache

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by FrustratedReader

I do sometimes buy ebooks from Amazon, download to PC for USB transfer and use my kindle's serial number to read them on my Kobo or Sony ereaders via Calibre. Publishers can decide to be DRM free on Amazon, though Amazon "breaks" that with KFX.

I just buy books from Amazon using K4PC 1.17 and download straight to my PC

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by Apache

I use the same Am Ex on both my US and UK Amazon account and have never had a problem.
Apache

A number of years ago, Amazon used the address on the credit card as a check for people who were bypassing Geo-restrictions. That was the reason that I started using my friend in Wales to buy ebooks that I wanted from the UK store. That's not the case anymore. My guess is that, like DRM, Amazon decided not to keep fighting but just put up enough of a check to catch the average user. I would guess that like DRM, it's not as important to the publishers as it once was.

[Apache]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

A number of years ago, Amazon used the address on the credit card as a check for people who were bypassing Geo-restrictions. That was the reason that I started using my friend in Wales to buy ebooks that I wanted from the UK store. That's not the case anymore. My guess is that, like DRM, Amazon decided not to keep fighting but just put up enough of a check to catch the average user. I would guess that like DRM, it's not as important to the publishers as it once was.

I have had this account since 2012 and have never had a problem ordering using the same Am Ex card that I use with my Amazon US account.
Apache

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by FrustratedReader

someone@somewhere.xxx might be real.
I have loads of domains, some are double anonymised. So I can easily make an email address that doesn't work on a domain I control, but isn't easily traced. There are some reserved domains that are not routeable, but if I was writing the SW, I'd block them

Someone might not have a card at all, could be too young or bad credit rating etc. Or already have their only card on a different Amazon account in a different country.

My response to Mglitch's post was specific to Kobo where they don't seem to care if your email address has any relationship to reality as long as it looks like an email address. As cards, Kobo does not require a credit card -- you can purchase a gift card and add it to your account. This may expose your IP address unless you anonymize that which is going a bit beyond what I consider necessary for security.

[Quoth]

Yes. So buy a Kobo and no Open HW reader needed
Amazon is only slightly trickier.
Kobo does get your IP even if you never buy books and fake email. Though it's only a rough guide as to where you might live.

It's not unreasonable that they should know someone in Birmingham (Alabama) or London (Canada) or Dublin (Ireland) bought a Kobo. Or New Delhi.

My ISP has changed something, so the last few weeks geolocation via IP shows me in the wrong Irish city. One ISP in Ireland was giving people UK IPs for ages. People were able to use BBC geolocked streaming and news web site, but OTH couldn't access some Irish services.
Geolocation to deliver services is more evil than region locked BD/DVD/Games and DRM. Either don't do it or use account login, which works no matter IP and VPNs.
VPNs are not just people bypassing geolocation. In some countries it's life & death. Also the ONLY sensible way to use any email or logged in service at public WiFi point is VPN, HTTPS doesn't protect against MITM attacks by wifi point operator or supplier of router.

[Dav_25]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

Read this article about a guy building an open hardware ebook reader. I wouldn't be likely to build one myself, but I like the ambition.

There's already work being done on open source software.

I like that idea too. Open hardware and open source software is the way to go.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by FrustratedReader

My ISP has changed something, so the last few weeks geolocation via IP shows me in the wrong Irish city. One ISP in Ireland was giving people UK IPs for ages. People were able to use BBC geolocked streaming and news web site, but OTH couldn't access some Irish services.

I have fond memories of a 4 week period a few years back where geolocation showed that I was located in Texas. From what I learned, someone had made a typo which had a block of addresses belonging to Telus showing as now belonging to xFinity (I think that was the name). From Vancouver to Houston in the blink of a typo.

[Quoth]

Canadian Bacon!
A great John Candy. The bit where the cops make them translate the graffiti on the truck!

[whispergirl]

I built an e-reader on a raspberry pi with a touchscreen. I installed Calibre and put my thousands of epub books on a thumb drive, and I can read them directly with the Calibre viewer.

I built on a 7 inch screen to see if it would work, and since it does, I'll make one on a 10 inch screen, which will be more fun to use.

My biggest problem was always getting the books to the device, and this way, all the books are always on the device.