B&N removed download option on all books in "My Nook" library

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by ballfresno

I've given up. I can no longer bother fighting Nook to be able to read my purchased books on something other than my phone or PC. Now that Analog (maybe Asimov's as well) is available on Google Play, that's where I'm heading.

And Kobo still think that Analog is a "glossy" magazine that can only be read on a tablet. I despair.

Update: Google Play is just as bad. I thought I would get a book but no, I have to read magazines using their newsagent app. I despair even more now. Goodbye Analog after 40+ years of reading. There's plenty more to read out there.

Rant over. Sorry for the noise.

Analog and Asimov's are available from Amazon. But you would need a physical eInk Kindle to be able to remove the DRM and convert them to ePub.

[lkmiller]

I've been trying to figure out the various options for Analog and Asimov's. So let me know if I'm getting this right.

B&N says they're available for Nook eReaders and Nook for PC. Therefore, ePub?

Amazon says they're available for E-ink Kindles and Kindle for Android, but not Kindle for PC. So are they azw6 when sent to a device? But azw3 if downloaded from the website for an E-ink Kindle?

With Kobo, it looks like they're only available through apps (Android, iOS, Win8). So no access to the file?

With Google and Magzter, they're available through Android, iOS, and their websites. Again no access to a file?

[pdurrant]

I can only speak for the Amazon formats. As is usual with Amazon, the format depends on how you get it.

On Kindle for iOS it's a MOBI as azw, but a weird hybrid format that actually also includes images of the printed pages.
Downloaded 'for transfer via USB' to my paperwhite it's an ordinary MOBI format (not KF8), but also their weird magazine MOBI format, which converts OK, but reads on the Kindle as a magazine not a book.

I've never looked at what it actually downloads directly to the Kindle as.

[lkmiller]

Thanks, Paul. Maybe I'll do a trial subscription at both Amazon and B&N to compare.

[pdurrant]

B&N at one point did a joint subscription for the price of one. Alas it was US only. I've no idea if they still offer it.

[Dob43]

They did grandfather it though. At least I am still getting the 2 for the price of 1. But I don't think they offer it now for new subscribers (or at all for that matter).

It is odd that some people have no problem with NookStudy and others can't run it. I am also one of those that can't. But NookforPC works fine. One thing about Analog, it is not DRM protected at all. The same for Asimov's (both are epub btw). Therefore all you need to do is get the book downloaded somewhere. Either with Nook for PC but if that don't work then a rooted phone/tablet will.

By the way, there is also kindle for PC and you can "Alf" books downloaded with that. Or at least you use to. I haven't done it for a while.

[cromag]

Originally Posted by lkmiller

I've been trying to figure out the various options for Analog and Asimov's. So let me know if I'm getting this right.

B&N says they're available for Nook eReaders and Nook for PC. Therefore, ePub?

I can speak for B&N -- yes, they are EPUBs. They are also DRM-free, so you don't have to worry too much about that. But, you do have to get them to your PC.

I have an Android tablet running an old version of the Nook App. When it downloads to my tablet I use a File Explorer type App to find the files, then send them to Dropbox, and then I have the files available on my PC (in the Dropbox folder). Even though the files are DRM-free, and I don't need Alf, I still run them through Calibre to format the pages for my brand of ereader, convert the block paragraphs into indented paragraphs, etc.

I kept the old version of the App because I have heard that the new version of the Nook App stores the files in a location that can only be accessed in "rooted" devices. I can't personally confirm that. Of course, I also declined to update the App because it suddenly demanded greater access to my personal information -- and an ereader App shouldn't care that much about my personal details.


I gave up on Google, as well. I downloaded some Ellery Queen and Alfred Hitchcock magazines to my tablet. The files seemed to be DRM-free, as they should, but they were in the form of PDFs of individual pages (which had been given extremely cryptic names). There should also be a non-PDF file, but it's so cryptically named that I haven't been able to find it -- and none of the files have recognizable filename extensions, so I don't know if it's EPUB.


I haven't tried getting copies from Kobo, so I don't know if they can be copied over to a PC. They should be DRM-free, in accordance with the publisher's policy.

[Difflugia]

Originally Posted by cromag

I kept the old version of the App because I have heard that the new version of the Nook App stores the files in a location that can only be accessed in "rooted" devices. I can't personally confirm that. Of course, I also declined to update the App because it suddenly demanded greater access to my personal information -- and an ereader App shouldn't care that much about my personal details.

The latest NOOK app does store files in a root-only location.

It's a warmed-over version of the app that runs on the NOOK HD and HD+. Since there are better reading apps, the only benefit for me is that there are some books (mostly kids' books with audio) that won't download with the old app. If you don't have a child younger than six or seven, you're not missing anything by staying with the old version.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by Dob43

By the way, there is also kindle for PC and you can "Alf" books downloaded with that. Or at least you use to. I haven't done it for a while.

Analog and Asimov's won't download to Kindle for PC. And the Amazon versions do come with DRM.

[lkmiller]

Well, shoot, in spite of their best efforts to drive me away, B&N might actually get a purchase from me. How odd that they are DRM-free at B&N and not Amazon.

Thanks to all for the info!

[cromag]

Actually, I may have to walk back my statement on Dell's policy about DRM. I found this on Calibre's Facebook page from several years ago:

Attention Users of Dell Magazines like Asimov's and Analog
November 27, 2012 at 12:13pm

After December 4th (i. e. when fictionwise shuts down) Dell magazines like Asimov's, Alfred Hitchcocks Mystery Magazine, Analog, Ellery Queens Mystery magazine will no longer be available in DRM free formats. Please get the ones you want quickly.



Here is an email from Dell magazines staff that i got today



Dear Krittika,



Fictionwise began to sell our digital editions many years ago when there was less concern about piracy, making any type of encryption or security measures almost a non-issue. Of course that no longer remains true. One such company has within the last year moved their servers outside of the US in order to continue selling content they do not have rights to nor are they paying the publishers. That includes all of our fiction titles. We lose a significant sum of money to this type of effort each year, not to mention the rights of our authors. As such, once Fictionwise goes out of business there will no longer be any DRM free versions of our digital editions.



It is unfortunate that we are not able to satisfy some of our customers who want DRM free content but due to the pervasiveness of piracy today we are not able to accommodate the request. We hope you and all our customers understand our position.



Regards,

Terrie Poly

I'll go back and check the B&N downloads on my Android -- I thought they were DRM-free, but I want to be sure.

[cromag]

BTW, if anyone gets these via Kobo, I'd really like to know if they download as EPUBs and can be easily moved to another ereader.

[lkmiller]

Originally Posted by cromag

BTW, if anyone gets these via Kobo, I'd really like to know if they download as EPUBs and can be easily moved to another ereader.

It doesn't appear like you can even read them on a Kobo ereader. The product page says iOS, Android, and Tablets only. They're listed as emagazines, and don't give a file type. Searching Kobo help turns up this:

You can read magazines from Kobo on any Kobo Arc tablet, Android smartphone, iPhone, or iPad. Magazines are not supported on Kobo eReaders, the Kobo Vox, or the Kobo app for Windows.

So essentially Android and iOS apps only. So I assume no download from the website or to the desktop app (so no Alf/Obok).

[cromag]

Originally Posted by cromag

Actually, I may have to walk back my statement on Dell's policy about DRM. I found this on Calibre's Facebook page from several years ago:


I'll go back and check the B&N downloads on my Android -- I thought they were DRM-free, but I want to be sure.

Okay, i was right that Analog and Asimov's are DRM-free when purchased at Barnes & Noble. I took the downloaded files from my Android, sent them directly to my netbook and opened the EPUBs with an ereading App -- no Calibre or Alf involvement -- and they opened just fine.

Also, the PDFs of the pages that come from Google Play (once you find them and add a .pdf extension) also open directly and appear to be DRM-free. My test results there were pages from Ellery Queen and Alfred Hitchcock magazines.

[lkmiller]

Thanks for checking, cromag.

Sounds like B&N is the way to go then. The Google pdf pages were from the Newsstand Android app? Might try that if there's a back issue I really want.