Amazon and DRM changes

[hleo12]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

For reflowable text I don't see why scribbling on top is not available. There is a super simple solution: allow me to change the setting for margin, text size, font, bold, justification and such, but lock me in once I start drawing on top. If I change it later, the drawings are invisible unless I open the "sticky drawing" icon which will render the section as locked in before, or automatically if I revert back to the locked in setting (can be a new theme specific for this book).

That's how the Kobo Elipsa does its markings. Your markings will disappear on screen when you change font settings, but the device will keep a screenshot of the page with the markings. The markings will appear again when you revert back to the font settings you the made the markings with. Only downside is you can't export those. Which is fair, I guess, because then it'll become an issue of you having an extra copy of the book (which might be another discourse for DRM and legal issues).

I'd be surprised if Amazon does the same thing, given how much stricter they're being right now.

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by hleo12

That's how the Kobo Elipsa does its markings. Your markings will disappear on screen when you change font settings, but the device will keep a screenshot of the page with the markings. The markings will appear again when you revert back to the font settings you the made the markings with.

Increasingly off topic, but I am curious. After you switch to different font settings can you make new markings? Can you have a bunch of different markings for the same book all at different settings? How do you keep track of that if so?

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by hleo12

That's how the Kobo Elipsa does its markings. Your markings will disappear on screen when you change font settings, but the device will keep a screenshot of the page with the markings. The markings will appear again when you revert back to the font settings you the made the markings with. Only downside is you can't export those. Which is fair, I guess, because then it'll become an issue of you having an extra copy of the book (which might be another discourse for DRM and legal issues).

I'd be surprised if Amazon does the same thing, given how much stricter they're being right now.

It is nice that Kobo does it just like that. I was just thinking out loud. There been other features that trickled down from Kobo to Kindle, maybe this one will too. All is about compromise: the Scribe is cheaper with a nicer screen, and Elipsa has different ways to customize.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by hleo12

That's how the Kobo Elipsa does its markings. Your markings will disappear on screen when you change font settings, but the device will keep a screenshot of the page with the markings. The markings will appear again when you revert back to the font settings you the made the markings with.

For epub only (Sage, Elipsa). So I only use the touch keyboard and real text for epub. Maybe eventually they will integrate with Advanced Notebook (but unlikely).

There is no problem pen annotations with PDF on Elipsa or Sage. They are added to the PDF. No need to send the PDF anywhere first or afterwards. Just USB "sideload".

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by jhowell

Increasingly off topic, but I am curious.

Not necessarily off topic. The ability to remove DRM or lack thereof is a strong motivator to either switch eco systems or stay with what you have. If previously you didn't have Kindle hardware, but were using Amazon for ebooks, you can either rebel and rage against Amazon and stop buying their books, or you could decide to give in and use a Kindle as main ereader instead. Going with Kindle will still allow to buy (and remove DRM) from Amazon, and from elsewhere (remove DRM convert to Kindle format, even without their hardware).

I, myself, use Amazon alot for non ebook things. And I don't mind the reading experience on their devices. Amazon also sells ebooks, so why not? I remember when KU came out and the outcry of many that claimed books are not interchangable - the "real" books people want to read are only from big traditional publishers. So fine, Amazon made sure to keep it exclusive. Amazon published pbooks have been boycotted as well by bookstores or libraries. Now that it has been shown that there is enough interest in Amazon exclusives, they are evil again. Can't have it both ways.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

If previously you didn't have Kindle hardware, but were using Amazon for ebooks, you can either rebel and rage against Amazon and stop buying their books, or you could decide to give in and use a Kindle as main ereader instead.

As for me, I'm not going to use a Kindle for my main reader, as I dislike the Kindle UI and moreover, there is no Kindle model I'd like to use in existence at the moment. I do have a couple of old Kindles on my account, so I can deDRM and read Amazon books on my Kobos to my heart's content. No need to switch devices. That's the third option available - an old/cheap Kindle for downloading your Amazon purchases.

[odamizu]

Originally Posted by jhowell

No. Scribes receive personal documents delivered over-the-air by Amazon in KFX format. That format is necessary for the sticky notes feature to work.

I have seen no reports of Download & Transfer providing anything in KFX format. In fact I believe that switching over more things to be KFX-only is likely part of Amazon's long term plan to do away with Download & Transfer completely.

I am curious (and worried). Why do you think Amazon's long-term plan is to do away with Download & Transfer, especially if they are able to deliver KFX in a single file? (Not that receiving KFX via Download & Transfer is a good thing for readers of this thread, but since it's possible for Amazon to deliver KFX in a single file, what is the advantage to Amazon of doing away with Download & Transfer?)

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

As for me, I'm not going to use a Kindle for my main reader, as I dislike the Kindle UI and moreover, there is no Kindle model I'd like to use in existence at the moment. I do have a couple of old Kindles on my account, so I can deDRM and read Amazon books on my Kobos to my heart's content. No need to switch devices. That's the third option available - an old/cheap Kindle for downloading your Amazon purchases.

Yes, an old device. You can do that. Sometimes old devices can be hard to come by, and if they are expensive (in your or my market) it might not be a financial viable option. If you didn't already have an old Kindle, would you buy it knowing you will never actually use it?

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

If you didn't halready have an old Kindle, would you buy it knowing you will never actually use it?

Yes, if it's cheap enough. I do read Amazon self-pubs occasionally. Of course I wouldn't buy an old device for 100€ or more, but as long as it could be had cheaper, I would buy it.

If it weren't possible to deDRM Amazon books at all, I would no longer buy from Amazon. Not only because I want to read my books on something other than a Kindle, but I also like to edit the formatting, which you can't do with DRM intact.

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Yes, if it's cheap enough. I do read Amazon self-pubs occasionally. Of course I wouldn't buy an old device for 100€ or more, but as long as it could be had cheaper, I would buy it.

I bought 2 yers ago a Kindle 4 for €15,-

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by Unseen Entities

@ownedbycats if you could put a note below the jhowell quote in the first post about his subsequents tests for azw6 file image splitting that would probably help clarify.

Done.

[Terisa de morgan]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

Yes, an old device. You can do that. Sometimes old devices can be hard to come by, and if they are expensive (in your or my market) it might not be a financial viable option. If you didn't already have an old Kindle, would you buy it knowing you will never actually use it?

Yes, if you get it for 40€ more or less....

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

As for me, I'm not going to use a Kindle for my main reader, as I dislike the Kindle UI and moreover, there is no Kindle model I'd like to use in existence at the moment. I do have a couple of old Kindles on my account, so I can deDRM and read Amazon books on my Kobos to my heart's content. No need to switch devices. That's the third option available - an old/cheap Kindle for downloading your Amazon purchases.

It has to be a Kindle earlier then a PW1 that supports KF8. Otherwise, you cannot download new KU/Prime eBooks (Jan 3, 20203) or later and be be able to use them on a non-kindle (Kobo, Pocketbook, etc.) device.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

It has to be a Kindle earlier then a PW1 that supports KF8.

I have two Kindle 4 models, my first e-readers.

BTW, so far you don't have to use old models for Download & Transfer. Any eink model newer than Kindle DX will work. People who keep asking about old models are those wanting to deDRM their KU loans.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

It has to be a Kindle earlier then a PW1 that supports KF8. Otherwise, you cannot download new Kindle eBooks (Jan 3, 20203) or later and be be able to use them on a non-kindle (Kobo, Pocketbook, etc.) device.

Yes, you can and it has been written here several times. You're mixing up Download & Transfer (works with any eink model) and getting KU loans off a Kindle (works only with old models).