Amazon offers indie authors reward for going exclusive

[ProfCrash]

There are some small e-readers that support ADE and BN DRM. I don't know them off the top of my head. As I understand it, Sony and Kobo could allow an upgrade to their ADE that would allow BN DRMed books to be read on their devices but Sony and Kobo have not allowed that to happen.

Well, if he's just talking DRM, then forgive me for not understanding how "So I went with the one store that has a DRM that NO other eReader can read!" is a... solution.

I did not get the impression that he thought it was a solution. I did get the impression that the Amazon program gives him far more exposure and pays him better then posting an EPub version at BN. Part of that is because people who use Sonys and Kobos probably don't shop at BN because they cannot read the DRM.

Please keep in mind that while everyone on this board has been educated on the ability to remove DRM, the vast majority of the population using e-readers is probably not aware that they can do this. So we can discuss how easy it is to remove DRM, heck and convert, until we are blue in the face but most Kobo and Sony users are not aware of that.

Knowing that, the author has decided it is better for him to take advantage of Amazon's offer because he made more money in 90 days there then he did in an entire year at BN.

It sucks but it is not a surprise.

[anamardoll]

Originally Posted by 5thWiggle

I believe if you download from a Kobo device or app, you get a Kepub with an option to download a regular Adobe DRM Epub. If you buy from the website and don't have a registered Kobo or app, you just get a regular Adobe DRM Epub.

Ah, that would explain it. I only buy through the web interface.

[John F]

Originally Posted by anamardoll

...

B&N and several Android eReader apps support B&N and Adobe.

What are the Android apps?

[anamardoll]

Originally Posted by John F

What are the Android apps?

I have a dozen, and I can't check right now, but Aldiko for certain. I'm pretty sure Mantano supports both, but I'd have to double check. Moon+ was working on supporting both the last time I checked. A few others that I rarely use and can't remember the name right now.

B&N DRM is actually pretty easy to support -- slap in the name and credit card and you're done.

[charmian]

If you have to disable DRM to do something, it's not really that different from converting from epub to mobi, or vice versa. Heck, stripping DRM is more annoying, because you need to find plugins etc.

I am a bit confused about how restrictive B&N's special DRM is. So buying books from them does mean you can't use them on your Kobo or Sony reader? Or even in epub reading apps on Android?

[anamardoll]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

There are some small e-readers that support ADE and BN DRM. I don't know them off the top of my head. As I understand it, Sony and Kobo could allow an upgrade to their ADE that would allow BN DRMed books to be read on their devices but Sony and Kobo have not allowed that to happen.

I did not get the impression that he thought it was a solution. I did get the impression that the Amazon program gives him far more exposure and pays him better then posting an EPub version at BN. Part of that is because people who use Sonys and Kobos probably don't shop at BN because they cannot read the DRM.

Please keep in mind that while everyone on this board has been educated on the ability to remove DRM, the vast majority of the population using e-readers is probably not aware that they can do this. So we can discuss how easy it is to remove DRM, heck and convert, until we are blue in the face but most Kobo and Sony users are not aware of that.

Knowing that, the author has decided it is better for him to take advantage of Amazon's offer because he made more money in 90 days there then he did in an entire year at BN.

It sucks but it is not a surprise.

And I get all that. I'm not against an author trying to make a living. Just please don't tell me that ePUB is a dead-end because you can't read a B&N book on a Kobo reader. That same sentence is true about Amazon and anything Not A Kindle.

You want to make money and B&N customers like me weren't doing it for you? Fine. I get that.

But don't tell me that this is some kind of metaphysical decision that B&N and Kobo forced you into by doing the exact same things that Amazon does. That's where I feel like I'm being talked down to as a customer and a reader.

*my two cents*

[anamardoll]

Originally Posted by charmian

If you have to disable DRM to do something, it's not really that different from converting from epub to mobi, or vice versa. Heck, stripping DRM is more annoying, because you need to find plugins etc.

I am a bit confused about how restrictive B&N's special DRM is. So buying books from them does mean you can't use them on your Kobo or Sony reader? Or even in epub reading apps on Android?

You can read B&N DRM in Aldiko and some other Android apps. That is more than one can say about Amazon DRM.

[murraypaul]

Originally Posted by anamardoll

And I get all that. I'm not against an author trying to make a living. Just please don't tell me that ePUB is a dead-end because you can't read a B&N book on a Kobo reader.

I don't think anyone is saying that it is a dead end, just that it is hurting the ePub retailers ability to compete with Amazon. It isn't ePub vs Amazon, it is B&N vs Kobo vs Sony vs Apple vs Amazon. The ePub retailers are fighting amongst themselves just as much as against Amazon.

But don't tell me that this is some kind of metaphysical decision that B&N and Kobo forced you into by doing the exact same things that Amazon does.

The difference is that Amazon have done it successfully and have a huge customer base to sell to. B&N and Kobo haven't.

[murraypaul]

Originally Posted by anamardoll

You can read B&N DRM in Aldiko and some other Android apps. That is more than one can say about Amazon DRM.

OTOH, there are many many more devices in the US (possible the world?) that can read Amazon DRM than any other form of DRM. From a sales point of view, that matters.

[John F]

Originally Posted by anamardoll

I have a dozen, and I can't check right now, but Aldiko for certain. I'm pretty sure Mantano supports both, but I'd have to double check. Moon+ was working on supporting both the last time I checked. A few others that I rarely use and can't remember the name right now.

B&N DRM is actually pretty easy to support -- slap in the name and credit card and you're done.

Ok. So that's many Android (and I'll assume IOS apps) that support B&N DRM. How about the many ereaders (I only know of three, and they are all made by B&N)?

[anamardoll]

Originally Posted by John F

Ok. So that's many Android (and I'll assume IOS apps) that support B&N DRM. How about the many ereaders (I only know of three, and they are all made by B&N)?

Two of the five eReaders I mentioned are running Android. Three of my eReaders are made by B&N and are running various flavors of stock and root. I even made a tutorial video.

Do you have a reason to keep asking me about my specific readers? (Either you believe me or you don't.) Or are you asking about a list of readers in general? Google can turn up several.

[5thWiggle]

The Entourage Pocket Edge supports Adobe and B&N DRM. Never tried it since B&N won't sell to Canadians and other furreners....

[anamardoll]

If we're just listing stuff that supports both and isn't necessarily in my home, I'm pretty sure Pandigital readers support both.

[John F]

Originally Posted by anamardoll

...

Do you have a reason to keep grilling me about my reading habits? BEcause you're frankly creeping me out a tiny bit.

I just thought it a little strange that you take Jan to task for exaggerating, when IMO, you were exaggerating in your same post.

I wasn't "grilling you about your reading habits", I simply asked you to clarify about a statement you made, that I wasn't sure about. The one where you said there were "many, many ereaders...". When I think ereader, I think eink, so your "many, many" comment seemed strange to me. No harm meant.

[anamardoll]

Originally Posted by John F

I just thought it a little strange that you take Jan to task for exaggerating, when IMO, you were exaggerating in your same post.

I wasn't "grilling you about your reading habits", I simply asked you to clarify about a statement you made, that I wasn't sure about. The one where you said there were "many, many ereaders...". When I think ereader, I think eink, so your "many, many" comment seemed strange to me. No harm meant.

Oh, I see the source of the confusion. I don't equate eReader and eInk as 1:1 Venn overlaps. OK.

And thanks. I'd already edited the post thinking maybe there was something more going on than "what are you wearing, er, reading" but one sometimes meets... interesting people online.

If you want a list of eReaders that support B&N DRM and Adobe, there are at least the ones mentioned above, so I would say at least 6 different eReaders. There are also mods and hacks and roots for basically any eReader on the market, for those who care to look.

However, if there is any was to read an Amazon DRM book on anything not a Kindle or a Kindle app, I don't know of it.