Amazon and DRM changes

[Paperbackstash]

Just checked mine, and I can still download and transfer USB for purchased E-books, Kindle Unlimited No.

[Ma'am-I-Am]

Copy/paste from Amzn:
"Note: Borrowed titles can be delivered to and accessed on WiFi-enabled Kindle devices or through the Kindle app, but they cannot be downloaded or transferred via USB."
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/help/cus...QEND3RFAFNLKU5

I can add this does not apply (yet) to titles borrowed from a public library.

[tomsem]

Originally Posted by jhowell

For me the option to download is missing if I use Chrome on my Samsung tablet. It does appear and works properly if I use Safari on my iPad.

And downloads are still allowed for me for KU books at the moment.

For me too, and even for many moments.

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by Ma'am-I-Am

"Note: Borrowed titles can be delivered to and accessed on WiFi-enabled Kindle devices or through the Kindle app, but they cannot be downloaded or transferred via USB."

Given that clear statement from Amazon I guess that the KU download hammer is going to fall on the rest of us sometime soon. (I tried again and it still works for me currently.)

[C-novice]

Considering that some folk can do certain things and some cannot, could it be that Amz is on a 'piloting spree' with this new enhanced Dragon of theirs but letting it loose onto selected, countries, cities or regions for now?

[Fat Abe]

Using this page:

https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/Kindle_Serial_Numbers

Can we make a list of Kindle readers that have been orphaned by the most recent changes to KU (i.e., No wireless download to the device, and no file download from Amazon and USB transfer to device)? This has rendered my K2 and DXG as usable only for purchases of a specific ilk (e.g., MOBI or AZW). This will limit users of the DX and DXG from viewing a KU book in a large format. Sounds like a secret plan to force you to purchase a book, or buy a Kindle Scribe.

There is a very cumbersome workaround to this limitation. You need to have Amazon push the file to one of your Kindle readers (not Fire) whose firmware never got upgraded to read KFX format books. Plug the reader into your computer, and browse the Documents folder. Sometimes you can find the file, and sometimes it will be completely hidden from you. In the former case, bring the file into your computer and try to see if Calibre/DeDrm can decrypt it and convert it to MOBI. I have confirmed this works on S/N B024 ... readers. This will allow you to read the book on your ancient, non-wireless reader (K1, K2, DX, DXG). To remain legit, make sure you delete all files after your loan period is over.

I have not kept up with developments involving K4PC, and whether it will allow you to get a file version from a KU book that can be digested by one of the dinosaur Kindle readers.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Pajamaman

@ownedbycats. Thx for clarification. It seems to me that the community will always be able to break DRM, but it's pointless. KFX will always be ahead of the game. So Amazon books will be blocked in the future. As this becomes the norm, the big publishers will demand the same level of protection from all ebook vendors who wish to sell their books.

The problem is there are many programs/devices out there that cannot handle a different DRM. So if the DRM was changed on say ePub, there would be holy hell.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by stumped

Every book in my content and devices now shows unavailable for usb Xfer... Even stuff I purchased years ago,
E.g.
Acquired on 26 December 2015
This title is unavailable for download and transfer

I scrolled through my entire past purchases library and it's 100% blocked

It was not like this earlier in the week.

Can someone else check their library and confirm that it's not just me and I'm not going mad

My eBooks are able to be downloaded. I used Download and transfer via USB earlier today wit two Amazon First Reads eBooks. Got them as KF8. DRM was able to be removed.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Ma'am-I-Am

But this was a purchase, right? Purchases can still be d/l'd.

As far as I can see, borrows via KU can no longer be d/l'd regardless of published date. I have more than one published and/or borrowed before 2023 and none can be d/l'd anymore.

These are free books given early access for being a prime member. They were not paid for.

I've randomly checked 3 eBooks and I was able to download them no problem. I can eventually check KU eBooks but not yet.

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The problem is there are many programs/devices out there that cannot handle a different DRM. So if the DRM was changed on say ePub, there would be holy hell.

Amazon: Look, we have the only unbreakable DRM! Maybe publishers should go exclusive with us.

I... hope this doesn't happen.

[colinsky]

Just a note, you shouldn't have to have purchased anything to explore if and when you are seeing the "This title is unavailable for download and transfer" message -- it's showing up (for me) with book samples as well.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by colinsky

Just a note, you shouldn't have to have purchased anything to explore if and when you are seeing the "This title is unavailable for download and transfer" message -- it's showing up (for me) with book samples as well.

It was disabled for samples a while ago, that's not new.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by stumped

I can't de drm a netflix movie but that does not make me want to cancel my subscription

There's no fonts or margins to change on a Netflix movie.

[Ma'am-I-Am]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

These are free books given early access for being a prime member. They were not paid for.

I've randomly checked 3 eBooks and I was able to download them no problem. I can eventually check KU eBooks but not yet.

I have Prime also. Those books are purchased even though they are $0.00. Thus, they are available for transfer via USB.

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by rcentros

There's no fonts or margins to change on a Netflix movie.

There's no fonts or margins to change on a pbook