Rakuten Buys OverDrive

[murg]

Originally Posted by rcentros

-- Kobo's market (and device software updates) don't always. (Of course that may be pure Kobo -- it's possible that Rakuten has left them alone.)

That's pure Kobo. They're slowly getting their act together, but it a lot like the frog in the well...

Very slowly...

[khalleron]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Not a good idea... this gives excellent incentive for them to link the two together and banish Amazon. Leaving we Kindle owners entirely out in the cold.

Once upon a time, Kindle owners could not borrow library books.

But that was Amazon's doing, so it was well and good, amen.

Now that Overdrive has access to those customers, OF COURSE, they would want to cut them off, because only Amazon is good, everyone else is evil, amen.

Even though losing millions of customers would hurt their business.

In other words, the only one who would have an interest in cutting off library access for Kindle owners would be Amazon. But if they did it, then it would be for the good of all, for Amazon alone knows what is good to read and what is not. Amen.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

The key questions are:

• What percent of library ebooks are checked out in Kindle format?

• What percent of those ebooks are read on eink devices?

I think most are read on a tablet or phone of using the Overdrive app.

[Synamon]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

The key questions are:

• What percent of library ebooks are checked out in Kindle format?

• What percent of those ebooks are read on eink devices?

Since Kindle format is only available in the US that question doesn't apply universally, but the Overdrive/Amazon deal that makes that possible isn't written in stone and it wouldn't surprise me if Amazon were to pull the plug, not Kobo.

The second question is more interesting, since I'm sure security focused publishers would be much happier if library books were not downloaded at all and instead were viewed only on tablets and phones via an app. The Kobo purchase should make this less likely, but it's possible that library loans will evolve to be more like the current subscription services and not available on eink in the future.

[shalym]

Originally Posted by khalleron

Once upon a time, Kindle owners could not borrow library books.

But that was Amazon's doing, so it was well and good, amen.

Now that Overdrive has access to those customers, OF COURSE, they would want to cut them off, because only Amazon is good, everyone else is evil, amen.

Even though losing millions of customers would hurt their business.

In other words, the only one who would have an interest in cutting off library access for Kindle owners would be Amazon. But if they did it, then it would be for the good of all, for Amazon alone knows what is good to read and what is not. Amen.

What are you talking about?? Overdrive has always had access to the people that borrow library books. Why would Amazon want to cut them off? I'm pretty sure Amazon was the driving force behind the Amazon/Overdrive deal.

Shari

[ottdmk]

Oddly though, Amazon has shown no interest whatsoever in working with Overdrive to give Canadian Kindle owners access to library loans. Which is a major reason I went with Kobo.

If the Rakuten deal gives my Kobo HD the capability to process acsm files on its own without the need for ADE, I for one will rejoice.

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by ottdmk

If the Rakuten deal gives my Kobo HD the capability to process acsm files on its own without the need for ADE, I for one will rejoice.

That is a double edged sword. Yes nice to get books without the need of a computer or ADE software, but bad if such books cannot get their DRM stripped. One step closer to a reader that needs constant internet connection to function. Not saying that is the plan, but it is a possible.

[SteveEisenberg]

Originally Posted by ottdmk

Oddly though, Amazon has shown no interest whatsoever in working with Overdrive to give Canadian Kindle owners access to library loans.

Perhaps the American Library Association has just a little more clout than the Canadian Library Association. Ditto for equivalents in all the other countries Overdrive serves. This may sound factious, but I think it's plausible.

Overdrive has every incentive to include Amazon titles. More platform availability means long borrowing waits, and those lead to libraries buying or leasing more titles. Amazon, by contrast, must offset the benefits of Overdrive cooperation against the negatives:

The benefits to Amazon, of Overdrive cooperation, are more eInk Kindle sales and positive publicity (or at least avoidance of negative publicity) for working with libraries.

The harm to Amazon is eBook sales lost to library borrowing, and lost Fire sales (where eInk won't work for library borrowing, that gives more reason to buy a Fire).

Originally Posted by Synamon

Since Kindle format is only available in the US that question doesn't apply universally, but the Overdrive/Amazon deal that makes that possible isn't written in stone and it wouldn't surprise me if Amazon were to pull the plug, not Kobo.

I hope you are wrong that Amazon would pull the US Overdrive Kindle plug. It I'm right that they started working with Overdrive to mute criticisms from librarians, the same consideration could cause them to stick with the current system until such time as eInk is all but forgotten. That's good for Americans like me, but not for the rest of the world.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

That is a double edged sword. Yes nice to get books without the need of a computer or ADE software, but bad if such books cannot get their DRM stripped. One step closer to a reader that needs constant internet connection to function. Not saying that is the plan, but it is a possible.

More likely you will just get OverDrive ==> Kobo account... similar to how Amazon currently works.

Since that only covers library books, it isn't a problem if the DRM cannot be removed.


On a totally separate note, I imagine it would be nice for Kobos to handle .acsm and download the book from a content server, but that has nothing to do with this thread, technically.

(Since each ADE account uses a personal universal key for all signed-in devices, the DeDRM key is likewise per-account. That's because ADE books can be transferred between devices at will.
So, I don't think this is a step towards DeDRM-proof books.)

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Since that only covers library books, it isn't a problem if the DRM cannot be removed.

Oh, please. What is so different between being able to read a library book on any device you wish than from a purchased book? Otherwise do explain why Overdrive even has DRM free mp3 audiobooks with the notice "must delete after loan is ended". It clearly is the publisher insisting on the DRM, and not the library or Overdrive. Otherwise they'd be putting freewilly DRM on every book that doesn't come with it.

[eschwartz]

While it could perhaps be argued that library loans don't really need DRM... the point I was trying to make, is that there is no realistic justification for arguing with what the publisher says.

There is NO Fair Use.

[mbovenka]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

If you DeDRM your library loans you are a dirty thief.

Only if you keep them. It used to be, actually, that the Tools wouldn't deDRM a library book; I don't know whether that's still the case.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by ottdmk

Oddly though, Amazon has shown no interest whatsoever in working with Overdrive to give Canadian Kindle owners access to library loans. Which is a major reason I went with Kobo.

I dunno, but I heard that Canadian libraries pay a royalty on books they loan out. Depending on the phrasing of the law and the libraries' inclinations, that royalty might devolve on Amazon since they are ones actually fulfilling the ebook delivery, not Overdrive and not the library doing the lending.

Kindle library ebooks works in a roundabout process that may not be legal outside the US so it may be that Amazon *can't* offer library ebooks outside the US.

Even in the US Penguin tried to stop it and when they couldn't get the system itself declared illegal they pulled out of the libraries.

https://gigaom.com/2012/02/10/419-am...rary-decision/

Edit: Did Sony's *direct* (PC-less) library ebook checkout ever work outside the US?

[murg]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

One step closer to a reader that needs constant internet connection to function. Not saying that is the plan, but it is a possible.

That's a reader I won't purchase. And most people wouldn't purchase. So it will die a quick and horrible death.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Edit: Did Sony's *direct* (PC-less) library ebook checkout ever work outside the US?

Worked for the libraries here in BC. Borrow the ebook, download the .ascm file and away it went. Personally, I only tried it a couple of times just to say I tried it. I just found it easier to download the book on my laptop and sideload to the ereader than to use the web crawler on an eInk device.