AZW1 books

[wallcraft]

The thread Which font is this? discusses "Topaz", which seems to be Kindle's native eBook format. This includes an embedded font capability and comes in files with the extension .azw1. However, almost all Amazon e-books are in AZW (i.e. MOBI) format, and the original example AZW1 (Topaz) e-book is no longer sold by Amazon.

Does anyone know of an active link to an Amazon e-boook in the AZW1 format? Note that when attached by USB to a Windows Desktop you may need to change a directory option to see the filename extension in the detailed view (or perhaps look in properties for the file). The other good indication of an AZW1 e-book is a different font from usual.

[igorsk]

Here's the sample of Chemoton Theory: Theory of Living Systems I've requested from Amazon some time ago.
(click here)
Curiously, it's also not available as a Kindle ebook anymore. I wonder if Amazon decided to scrap Topaz for some reason...

[Nate the great]

I thought topaz was tpz. I have one. It's a textbook.

[igorsk]

Topaz books can be either .tpz or .azw1.

[zartemis]

Originally Posted by wallcraft

Does anyone know of an active link to an Amazon e-boook in the AZW1 format?

Here are some more active azw1 books (as of this post):

Lost Christianities: The Battles for Scripture and the Faiths We Never Knew

The Classical World: An Epic History from Homer to Hadrian

The Dance of Spices: Classic Indian Cooking for Today's Home Kitchen

Galileo's Finger: The Ten Great Ideas of Science

I noticed that in addition to the .azw1 file there is a .tan file for each of these as well.

[igorsk]

.tan is the "sidecar" file for Topaz, like .mbp for Mobi/AZW. It seems it keeps bookmarks and other user info.

[zartemis]

Originally Posted by igorsk

.tan is the "sidecar" file for Topaz, like .mbp for Mobi/AZW. It seems it keeps bookmarks and other user info.

Ah.

I also noticed that for these books if you get them via Whispernet, they come with the extension .azw1, while if I download them to my computer from the Amazon website, I get the .tpz extension (same book).

[grr]

forgery by sabina murray

Just downloaded the sample for Forgery to my Kindle and amused to see the custom font that looks very organic; as if each character of the font was originally scanned from a real paperback book. The capital letter 'C' even has a huge gap in it, as does the letter 'F'.

I must say, the effect is unique. It reminds me of, in photography, simulating the film grain of various classic film emulsions over a digital image. When done well, it can add a subliminal yet appropriate texture to a photograph.

I get the sense the publisher put some effort into making this ebook represent the original printed work as best they could.

[texasnightowl]

Ran into a sample last night that is azw1; not sure if full book is or not. If I remember right (Kindle is in the other room right now) it is:

'Scuse me while I kill this guy by Leslie Langtry

http://www.amazon.com/Scuse-While-Ki...9805773&sr=1-1

[greyparrot]

Originally Posted by texasnightowl

Ran into a sample last night that is azw1; not sure if full book is or not.

I have several AZW1 books and if the sample is AZW1 then the book will be AZW1. The difference I've noticed between AZW and AZW1 is
(1) The file is much larger.
(2) It is slower changing pages.
(3) Some books have display problems. (characters not fully formed, etc.)
I've not had any display problems with AZW files and the problems with AZW1 are not serious enough not to buy books in this format.

[texasnightowl]

Originally Posted by greyparrot

(3) Some books have display problems. (characters not fully formed, etc.)
I've not had any display problems with AZW files and the problems with AZW1 are not serious enough not to buy books in this format.

On this sample, the think I noticed was that it looked xeroxed...copied...it almost seemed like there was an ink mark on one of the pages. Def. very different from the others I have downloaded so far. My Kindle is one week old now so I've only been through 5 books and multiple samples so far, but the display on this one was different.

[greyparrot]

Originally Posted by texasnightowl

On this sample, the think I noticed was that it looked xeroxed...copied...it almost seemed like there was an ink mark on one of the pages.

I found they vary quite a bit. The first one I bought was very bad and the last one I bought had no problems. I now get a sample of every book I want to purchase and if it's a AZW1 I can check it for problems before I purchase it.