Amazon is testing “Kindle Unlimited,” an ebook subscription service for $9.99/month

[hardcastle]

Originally Posted by The Old Man

I respond to the two replies above. I read other books, mags, news, etc other than those 10 books. I can't see paying $10 per month for 3 or 4 books. I know, then you say the system isn't for me. Perhaps.

I don't think you understand this system at all.

Kindle Unlimited allows you to read as many books as you want, assuming you're willing to go download them.

Kindle Unlimited does not stop you from buying other books, magazines, and news in any way.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by hardcastle

I don't think you understand this system at all.

Kindle Unlimited allows you to read as many books as you want, assuming you're willing to go download them.

Kindle Unlimited does not stop you from buying other books, magazines, and news in any way.

I believe that the previous poster is saying that, because of his other reading interests, he would not have time to read more than 3 or 4 books a month from KU, and that it would not, therefore, make economic sense for him to be a member.

[hardcastle]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I believe that the previous poster is saying that, because of his other reading interests, he would not have time to read more than 3 or 4 books a month from KU, and that it would not, therefore, make economic sense for him to be a member.

You may be right, but in the context of the inaccuracies posted about the Kindle Unlimited service, your interpretation is a total non-sequitur.

And I must say that if the greatest defense one can make when faced with their own ignorance is "I never cared about it anyway because I don't have enough time," I would find the original allegations raised even more hilariously foolish.

[The Old Man]

Originally Posted by hardcastle

You may be right, but in the context of the inaccuracies posted about the Kindle Unlimited service, your interpretation is a total non-sequitur.

And I must say that if the greatest defense one can make when faced with their own ignorance is "I never cared about it anyway because I don't have enough time," I would find the original allegations raised even more hilariously foolish.

Wow! I sure have been put in my place.

[tompe]

Originally Posted by The Old Man

I respond to the two replies above. I read other books, mags, news, etc other than those 10 books. I can't see paying $10 per month for 3 or 4 books. I know, then you say the system isn't for me. Perhaps.

So where do you find the books you want to read cheaper than$2 to $3? I think it sound very cheap if you read 3-4 books.

[The Old Man]

Originally Posted by tompe

So where do you find the books you want to read cheaper than$2 to $3? I think it sound very cheap if you read 3-4 books.

"...want to read..." Ah, there's the rub.
I belong to two online lending libraries. I buy books that I want to read. Sure, I have seen many books on KU that I probably wouldn't mind reading. For example I currently have 42 book titles in my Amazon Wish List. Of those, 5 are available under KU. I will eventually pick them up under my free first month. Then what?

But, I suppose you are correct. 3 or 4 books for $10 bucks a month is a good and fair deal.

[tubemonkey]

I noticed that Amazon is padding the count in the KU library with free public domain titles

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

I noticed that Amazon is padding the count in the KU library with free public domain titles

It's an established practice, going back to Nov 2009:
http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2009/10/...reader-launch/

5:18: The 1 million titles includes 500,000 public domain books from Google books, they say.

[Joykins]

Originally Posted by MumblingFumbler

I think any strategy that 'raises red flags' based on book turnover is going be a very tough one to implement, for some of the following reasons:

1) I like to browse. I check out a book, it stinks, and I return it right away.
2) I'm doing research, and I just need access to a passage in a book. I
read/quote/cite the passage, and return the book right away.
3) I'm fixing my toilet (or pruning my fruit tree, or cooking a recipe, or whatever). I have no intention of reading the whole book. I just get the information I need, and return the book right away.

There are many other cases like this. Its going to be very difficult to separate these cases from those where the reader is up to no good.

I think that the things being flagged are going to happen at a higher rate than legitimate use like this. I mean, I could see you rapid-cycling a little bit that way, but not 20+ a month of rapid cycling.

And I *read* 20+ books a month, do the browse-put-back thing on Scribd, and have never been flagged for anything. On the other hand, I don't think downloads from Scribd can have their DRM cracked with any currently existing tools (nor should they). But they do seem to... linger even if the title later becomes unavailable for subscription users (I came across this by accident).

[BearMountainBooks]

Originally Posted by The Old Man

Like Netflix Amazon needs to have several plans. Different strokes for different folks. Harry accused me of "gaming the system" when I suggested I may cancel for a few months while I read the ten books and then sign up again for ten more. Why not offer a $4.99 / month plan for 5 books. Something like that might keep me signed up month after month.

On a different note - does anyone know how Amazon pays the publisher/author for these KU books it is offering?

The authors are paid out of a single "pot of cash" that is divided up across all books borrowed in a given period. The price of the book does not matter. They take all the borrows and some pre-set amount (this month I think that amount is 2 million) and divide it across the authors.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by BearMountainBooks

But they don't have to be up to no good. If Amazon determines that certain behavior is not making them money (or even costing them money) they are likely to pull the plug on that user. When they cancel the ability to return books, they don't accuse the person of reading and returning. They simple cancel the ability.

So if someone actually reads one or two pages of 160 books, they may determine they will 'refuse' the service.

How can they tell how much of the book I've read if I don't keep wi-fi on constantly?

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by Catlady

How can they tell how much of the book I've read if I don't keep wi-fi on constantly?

Sooner or later the device or app gets wifi and phones home.
If nothing else, to sync "furthest read".

If you're not comfortable with Whispersync, Kindle is not a good place to be.

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by Bookworm_Girl

I'm sure I'm not the only person who isn't going to pay $9.99 per month to have access to books that I don't want to read just because they can be read on e-ink Kindles. Lots of people these days are reading on tablets and phones. It's better economics to pay that much for access to books that I want to read with my Oyster subscription and read them on my iPad. Or, I could just stick to borrowing from my public library which has a very expansive collection.

If they expand their selection, then I don't want to pay more than $10 if I can get the same selection elsewhere for under $10. I suspect that $9.99 is a psychological barrier that Amazon doesn't want to cross yet. There are many people on this forum who don't like to pay that much on a book purchase.

I do prefer to read on my Paperwhite over my tablet for most books. If Amazon keeps the current price and expands selection, then I will consider canceling my other subscription and switch to KU. That's the nature of competition. I won't lose anything if I support one service now and then switch to another later. You're just paying for access during the time of your valid subscription.

You make compromises either by selection or type of device you are reading on. The compromise of selection will only work IF the selection you are getting is satisfying to read. If none of the books in KU interest you, then no, don't waste your money. I won't waste my money on sribd or oyster if it means I have to read on tablet / phone. I am sure there is books in both services that I would read. But same goes for KU - there is enough books to keep me happily busy for a long time. I don't need to wait until more books show up to decide if KU is even worth it. If KU is not worth it to you now, it won't be worth it if they expand selection. The majority of books going to be like it is now - and books you want will always be just a small percentage. The publishers in KU right now do not have ALL their books in KU, not even certain authors.

[BearMountainBooks]

Originally Posted by Catlady

How can they tell how much of the book I've read if I don't keep wi-fi on constantly?

If they don't ever see you read any of it, the author won't get paid. Although since it is a borrowed book, I assume you will turn it on to return the book and at that point, I assume they grab the data they want/need.

And yes, I should have used a better example than one or two pages because the author doesn't get paid unless the reader reads 10 percent of the book. However, flipping through the book would trigger that. I'm not sure if clicking on the "chapter" links would automatically trigger the 10 percent or if the person would have to page through enough pages.

[The Old Man]

Originally Posted by BearMountainBooks

If they don't ever see you read any of it, the author won't get paid. Although since it is a borrowed book, I assume you will turn it on to return the book and at that point, I assume they grab the data they want/need.

And yes, I should have used a better example than one or two pages because the author doesn't get paid unless the reader reads 10 percent of the book. However, flipping through the book would trigger that. I'm not sure if clicking on the "chapter" links would automatically trigger the 10 percent or if the person would have to page through enough pages.

Thank you.