Dissatisfied Kindle user, looking for a reader I can organise books better on

[Pajamaman]

Amazon removed the functionality because they want to dictate very strictly how users are able to use their devices. Kobo have left their devices comparatively open for users to expand and customize functionality. There is no practical or technical reason for Amazon to closing down their devices so tightly.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Pajamaman

Amazon removed the functionality because they want to dictate very strictly how users are able to use their devices. Kobo have left their devices comparatively open for users to expand and customize functionality. There is no practical or technical reason for Amazon to closing down their devices so tightly.

There's a very good practical reason, as discussed on the previous couple of pages of this thread. You may not agree with the decision, but to refer to it as "no reason" is disingenuous.

[kacir]

Originally Posted by Pajamaman

There is no practical or technical reason for Amazon to closing down their devices so tightly.

When I owned the first Kindle Paperwhite I was extremely annoyed by how locked-down Kindle is.
And that was at the time when there was a jailbreak available and lots of hacks could be applied to make the use more bearable. I had them all (*). Perhaps if Kindle was my very first reader I would get used to their way of displaying text and managing a library, but at the time I got Kindle I was used to other, much more configurable readers and I wanted the books and library look and behave the way I liked.

Once upon a time it was possible to create a text file on the user-accessible partition and get left justification, narrower margins or alternative fonts or smaller jumps between font sizes. All gone now.

It would be relatively easy to make a system that would let us have a user-proof collections system and allow hackers and tinkerers to have their own. Just require the user to manually create a configuration file so that he can use collections created by a third-party tool such as Calibre.

Yet, I understand their desire to lock the Kindle platform down as tightly as possible.
I have installed an alternative firmware Duokan to my Paperwhite. I was able to dualboot between Duokan and the original Kindle firmware. Somehow, I did not like Duokan, so I was using the original firmware with lots of customizations and third-party readers.
I am sure that when management at Amazon saw Duokan they experienced a nasty shock and decided to lock down Kindle completely. Duokan basically hijacked the hardware and even replaced the Amazon e-book store with a Chinese one. They [Amazon] can not let that happen. They need users to purchase books at their store. This the only reason for the existence of Kindle [sold with a *very* thin margin, I believe].

(*) I am, very obviously, NOT their target demographics ;-)

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by kacir

They need users to purchase books at their store. This the only reason for the existence of Kindle [sold with a *very* thin margin, I believe].

Mr Bezos has said that Kindles are sold at cost - Amazon make zero profit from them (source). They are sold purely as a vehicle for selling Amazon content, so obviously there is no incentive whatsoever to make them "open" to external content.

[JSWolf]

What I don't get is why some people buy a Kindle. They want the Kindle to do more than it can. Anyone buying a new Kindle hoping to jailbreak it may be out of luck. The latest firmware cannot currently be jailbroken and it could be possible it could never be jailbroken.

There are Readers such as ones that are Android based or Kobo where you have more freedom to do things with them.

[John F]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Mr Bezos has said that Kindles are sold at cost - Amazon make zero profit from them (source)...

Don't you think he is stretching it a little?

For example: the 7" Fire Tablet 8GB and 16GB are 49.99 and 59.99. Does 8GB (bought in quantity) really cost $10?

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by John F

Don't you think he is stretching it a little?

For example: the 7" Fire Tablet 8GB and 16GB are 49.99 and 59.99. Does 8GB (bought in quantity) really cost $10?

I'm certain it was true at the time he said it - company CEOs can get into big trouble if they tell lies. Whether it's true today is of course a different question.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

What I don't get is why some people buy a Kindle. They want the Kindle to do more than it can. Anyone buying a new Kindle hoping to jailbreak it may be out of luck. The latest firmware cannot currently be jailbroken and it could be possible it could never be jailbroken.

There are Readers such as ones that are Android based or Kobo where you have more freedom to do things with them.

You should of course buy a reader based on what it can actually do, not on what you think it ought to do, or what you think you can adapt it to do. If external collection management is high on your priority list, a Kindle wouldn't be a good choice. If the world's best (English-language) ebook store, a reliable device and great customer service are important to you, a Kindle is an excellent choice.

[John F]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I'm certain it was true at the time he said it - company CEOs can get into big trouble if they tell lies. Whether it's true today is of course a different question.

Without ads (in the U.S.) costs $20 more. Blatant adding "cost" to sell content sounds disingenuous, to me

Isn't it interesting that the hardware is sold "at cost", yet they are all multiple of $10 difference. "At cost" and yet things go on and off sale.

Kudos to sales and marketing to make sure that hardware is sold at cost, and the profit is made "only" one the the digital content.

Sorry for the mini-rant.

[JSWolf]

I highly doubt the Oasis is sold at cost given the silly price Amazon is asking for it.

[Pajamaman]

Originally Posted by HarryT

There's a very good practical reason, as discussed on the previous couple of pages of this thread. You may not agree with the decision, but to refer to it as "no reason" is disingenuous.

You saying I'm lying?

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

What I don't get is why some people buy a Kindle. They want the Kindle to do more than it can. Anyone buying a new Kindle hoping to jailbreak it may be out of luck. The latest firmware cannot currently be jailbroken and it could be possible it could never be jailbroken.

There are Readers such as ones that are Android based or Kobo where you have more freedom to do things with them.

For me a Kindle is great. I just want to read.
Though I am inclined to agree with you on the why buy a Kindle if you really need an Android to do what you want to do.
That would be like me buying a donut maker and expecting it to make waffles.
I believe in the correct tool for the job.

[kacir]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

What I don't get is why some people buy a Kindle.

I got Paperwhite One because:
- at the time that was the only front-lit e-ink reader
- I was visiting USA at the time it came out, so I could buy it much cheaper than it was going to be sold for here in Europe
- I wanted to try it (and I knew I would be able to recover the cost by selling it here in case I do not like it)
- I thought that I might:
- a) get used to it
- b) be able to hack and tweak it to my satisfaction.
- I wanted to read those few e-books I accumulated on my Amazon Account on an e-ink reader legally.

When other manufacturers introduced front-lit e-ink readers I sold my Kindle and purchased model that was much more to my liking.

I suspect that other people (*) buying Kindles buy them because:
- they do not realize they are not going to like the book formatting and/or library organization
- Kindle is the cheapest
- they do not realize there are other, obscure brands, such as PocketBook, Tolino, ...
- they think they might be able to root, jailbreak, hack, tweak or otherwise customize their Kindle. It used to be relatively easy in the past.

(*) obviously, I am talking about people that dislike the user interface and are trying to do something about it.
For the vast majority of users this is the only reader they ever tried and they usually like it, or get used to it, or return to the paper books.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Pajamaman

You saying I'm lying?

I'm saying that, given that we've just spent two pages of this thread talking about the reason that the change was made, to claim that there was no reason is really rather silly.

[Pajamaman]

E-readers are actually pretty powerful little devices. Amazon's decision to unnecessarily reduce the functionality of their e-readers is like turning a moped into a hair-dryer.