The Free Kindle Meme Goes Mainstream - Page 3

Andrew H. · 03-06-2011, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aagstn

There are a few places, but most people are going to want books from major publishers and those do have DRM so Amazon is your only option. The fact the kindle does not support epub and Adobe's DRM like its major competitors is not a myth and its the reason I will never own a kindle.

There's nothing the matter with backing the publisher's format-of-choice as a matter of principle, even if it's an "industry standard" with about 20% of the US market and one that is divided between three different DRM standards.

snipenekkid · 03-06-2011, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJHARKAVY

Many e-bookstores do not sell mobi.

You need to convert, removing DRM to load books from most of the e-bookstores to a Kindle.

But beyond that, you can order Kindle books from your Kindle directly.

You cannot (without hacking the system) order other books from your Kindle directly.

The average user does not know the incantations and gestures to change formats. They know the incantations and gestures to download Kindle books to their Kindle.

absolutely untrue. I download books directly all the freaking time. I use Webscriptions and many other sites. Just locate the download link, activate it and *poof* the book is downloaded.

Now if you wanna talk about the browser navigation being a total PITA then yeah, absolutely. but that comment above is just mis-information.

kindlekitten · 03-07-2011, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aagstn

I certainly do and I can do it at whatever book store I want without having to jump through a bunch of hoops to get a book on my device. Well, unless I buy from Amazon so I do that rarely. Sorry it upsets you so that some of us don't want to be locked into one bookstore for our DRM books or that some of us don't want to have to convert every epub we buy into a dated ebook format.

once again, I don't give a damn about what you do. I DO however care about mis-information being disbursed

Giggleton · 03-08-2011, 03:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lemurion

Personally, I don't care for those devices. The screens are okay - I'm not fond of them myself - but they have their own set of advantages and disadvantages that make them preferable for some readers. They do average lower resolution than EInk devices, and that may be a problem for some.

What I don't like about them is that the devices feel cheaply made. They remind me of a Kobo in that fashion - they feel lower quality than the Sony, Nook, or Kindle and that's something that puts me off.

I like how cheaply made my Kindle3 feels, When I first got my Kindle3 I treated it with the utmost respect, but now I'll stick it in my jacket pocket with no compunctions concerning possible scratches. I also toss it around a bit more than I did at first, I'm treating it more like I would a paper book which is good.

I would pay a subscription fee, perhaps 50 dollars for a new Kindle every year, especially if it came with some books. Also I could donate old Kindles.

karunaji · 03-09-2011, 08:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aagstn

...some of us don't want to be locked into one bookstore for our DRM books or that some of us don't want to have to convert every epub we buy into a dated ebook format.

Some of us even don't even have a choice. Amazon mainly sells books in English whereas most e-books in Europe in local languages are sold as epub (with DRM of course). Nevertheless Kindle is popular device due to lower price and high quality e-ink screen. Unfortunately there is no legal way how to put those books on Kindle.

Amazon's approach is not helping global e-book popularity and it may also cost them a lot of lost sales. I predict that in a few years they will call their proprietary format a big mistake.

DJHARKAVY · 03-12-2011, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snipenekkid

absolutely untrue. I download books directly all the freaking time. I use Webscriptions and many other sites. Just locate the download link, activate it and *poof* the book is downloaded.

Now if you wanna talk about the browser navigation being a total PITA then yeah, absolutely. but that comment above is just mis-information.

My apologies? When did that change?

kindlekitten · 03-12-2011, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJHARKAVY

My apologies? When did that change?

it never changed. all you have to do is run a book through calibre. no hacking involved

crich70 · 03-12-2011, 06:07 PM

I don't know about many sources of ebooks but (though they aren't new bestsellers) there are more than enough ebooks in mobi format right here on Mobileread to keep anyone busy for years. No DRM, no need to convert, and not a penny out of pocket for the reader. I do think the Kindle may go down in price yet. There is plenty of precedent for that happening. Look at VCR's and DVD players. When they 1st came out they were a rich person's luxury then slowly the price went down til now the DVD player (which replaced the VCR) is about $30.00 last time I bought one (if I remember correctly). It's a handy thing to have around too. Don't have room for pbooks, you don't need to have a bookcase now, just a couple CD or DVD cases to hold your collection and a computer to access them so that you can send them to your Kindle.

DJHARKAVY · 03-12-2011, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kindlekitten

it never changed. all you have to do is run a book through calibre. no hacking involved

I meant the web browser. My friend can't access the web on his (admittedly old) Kindle.

snipenekkid · 03-13-2011, 01:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJHARKAVY

My apologies? When did that change?

oh, goodness you have nothing to apologize for at all. So, I'm sorry if my comment came across as needing one.

Just refuting the comment is all. Thanks though.

But it's always been the case that if the page will render in the browser then the book can be downloaded directly to the Kindle. Of course it needs to be a format, .mobi or .awz or .tpz plus pdf and whatever else is on the brag sheet, the Kindle can handle natively.

Still as I mentioned it's not a very good browser and navigation is really awful so it's often the best option to simply use a computer if shopping outside the Kindle books site.

Oh, make sure your friend has read the manual, most everything is in it. Best to keep it handy on the reader for easier reference.

astra · 03-13-2011, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crich70

there are more than enough ebooks in mobi format right here on Mobileread to keep anyone busy for years

None of them are on my TBR list. Thus their value for me is less than zero.
If you do want to buy contemporary books that are mostly DRM protected, you can buy them in Kindle shop only.
If you want to use any other ebook online shop for DRM protected ebooks you must learn to hack the DRM protection.

There is absolutely no other way around it.

All that said, I don't think there are DRM protected ebooks that you cannot buy in Kindle shop and are available in others places. Kindle shop rocks in my not so humble opinion.

kindlekitten · 03-13-2011, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJHARKAVY

I meant the web browser. My friend can't access the web on his (admittedly old) Kindle.

that also is incorrect. I was able to send out an emergency email when I was stranded in Mexico last summer on my K1

Lemurion · 03-13-2011, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kindlekitten

that also is incorrect. I was able to send out an emergency email when I was stranded in Mexico last summer on my K1

While the K1 does support web browsing, that doesn't necessarily mean that his friend's K1 is currently capable of it. It should be able to, but just possibly that one isn't.

Sydney's Mom · 03-13-2011, 02:36 PM

Off topic. Did anyone find this quote:

As a matter of fact, I'm writing this article sitting in the former card catalog room of Doheny Library on the campus of the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. It's a gorgeous space, all four walls lined with built-in wooden card catalog drawers, stacked six feet high. Every one of those drawers is empty.

sad? I sat in the stacks of the Harvard Law School Library to write my third year paper, and it was dusty, and full of books. That is a wonderful memory, and the currect students writing their papers in their dormrooms on theirs Macs isn't quite the same.

kindlekitten · 03-13-2011, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lemurion

While the K1 does support web browsing, that doesn't necessarily mean that his friend's K1 is currently capable of it. It should be able to, but just possibly that one isn't.

all the K1's were the same. there weren't the different choices that the K2 had and the K3 now has. it was very difficult to navigate, but doable

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03-12-2011, 06:07 PM	#38
crich70 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,310 Karma: 43993832 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Monroe Wisconsin Device: K3, Kindle Paperwhite, Calibre, and Mobipocket for Pc (netbook)	I don't know about many sources of ebooks but (though they aren't new bestsellers) there are more than enough ebooks in mobi format right here on Mobileread to keep anyone busy for years. No DRM, no need to convert, and not a penny out of pocket for the reader. I do think the Kindle may go down in price yet. There is plenty of precedent for that happening. Look at VCR's and DVD players. When they 1st came out they were a rich person's luxury then slowly the price went down til now the DVD player (which replaced the VCR) is about $30.00 last time I bought one (if I remember correctly). It's a handy thing to have around too. Don't have room for pbooks, you don't need to have a bookcase now, just a couple CD or DVD cases to hold your collection and a computer to access them so that you can send them to your Kindle.

03-13-2011, 02:36 PM	#44
Sydney's Mom Wizard Posts: 2,899 Karma: 6995721 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Idaho, on the side of a mountain Device: Kindle Oasis, Fire 3d Gen and 5th Gen and Samsung Tab S	Off topic. Did anyone find this quote: As a matter of fact, I'm writing this article sitting in the former card catalog room of Doheny Library on the campus of the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. It's a gorgeous space, all four walls lined with built-in wooden card catalog drawers, stacked six feet high. Every one of those drawers is empty. sad? I sat in the stacks of the Harvard Law School Library to write my third year paper, and it was dusty, and full of books. That is a wonderful memory, and the currect students writing their papers in their dormrooms on theirs Macs isn't quite the same.