Amazon and DRM changes

[Skydog]

Originally Posted by DNSB

If they are purchased books, you should be able to download & transfer via USB. If they are Kindle Unlimited, Amazon Prime & (I think) First Reads (in other words, loans), they will not be available for D&T.

First reads are not loans. They are "Buy for free" purchases and listed as such.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by DNSB

If they are purchased books, you should be able to download & transfer via USB. If they are Kindle Unlimited, Amazon Prime & (I think) First Reads (in other words, loans), they will not be available for D&T.

Thanks. They are not loans. My concern was mainly about my device--whether it was old enough to avoid the KFX issue if I bother to register it. It sounds like it is, so I'll give it a try and get the books.

I don't purchase a lot of e-books in any case, but I'm certainly going to avoid getting them from Amazon anymore. What a stupid and time-consuming hassle all this has been.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Catlady

I'm kind of lost here and not having any luck searching the thread (I did read the first 15 pages before giving up!). I have an unregistered Paperwhite, 7th gen, I think. I discovered today that several 2023 Kindle books won't download to my old version of Kindle for PC, and of course if I upgrade I get the KFX format and can't convert. If I register the PW, will I be able to get those books in the azw format and into Calibre? Thanks.

You will need to register your Kindle to your Amazon account to be able to use Download & transfer via USB to download 2023+ published eBook purchases

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Skydog

First reads are not loans. They are "Buy for free" purchases and listed as such.

I haven't picked up a First Reads since none of the ones offered have appealed to me.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Catlady

Thanks. They are not loans. My concern was mainly about my device--whether it was old enough to avoid the KFX issue if I bother to register it. It sounds like it is, so I'll give it a try and get the books.

I don't purchase a lot of e-books in any case, but I'm certainly going to avoid getting them from Amazon anymore. What a stupid and time-consuming hassle all this has been.

So far on everything except the Scribe, Download and Transfer has given azw3/KF8 so avoids the issues with KFX.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Catlady

If I register the PW, will I be able to get those books in the azw format and into Calibre? Thanks.

Originally Posted by DNSB

If they are purchased books, you should be able to download & transfer via USB. If they are Kindle Unlimited, Amazon Prime & (I think) First Reads (in other words, loans), they will not be available for D&T.

Originally Posted by ottischwenk

It asks for which device - an unregistered one is not displayed for marking.
However, it will be displayed once registered

As Catlady mentioned registering the PW, your response is a bit odd.

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by DNSB

So far on everything except the Scribe, Download and Transfer has given azw3/KF8 so avoids the issues with KFX.

Unlike other Kindles the Scribe uses KFX format for personal documents. As far as I know it still does not support KFX format for Download & Transfer.

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by DNSB

As Catlady mentioned registering the PW, your response is a bit odd.

But you wrote about something different than me.

[MickiTee]

Originally Posted by Daveoc64

I live in the UK (which is not scheduled to switch off 2G and 3G connectivity in full for many years yet)

You don't have as much time as you think. The switch off of 3G in the UK is starting this year with Vodaphone being the first to do so. See this article on Ofcom's (UK regulator) website for details.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by Catlady

If I register the PW, will I be able to get those books in the azw format and into Calibre? Thanks.

Yes. Register the Paperwhite and put it in a drawer or whatever you want to do. You don't need to use it. Just have it registered. The check out post #1598

The Download and Transfer everyone is talking about is done on the Amazon website, not on the Kindle itself. Go to Your Account/Content & Devices/Books. You should see a list of your books on the left and on the right, three buttons. Choose More Actions and then Download and Transfer via USB. A popup will open asking with device you want to download for. Mine shows a Fire and the Paperwhite.

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by Catlady

Thanks. They are not loans. My concern was mainly about my device--whether it was old enough to avoid the KFX issue if I bother to register it. It sounds like it is, so I'll give it a try and get the books.

I don't purchase a lot of e-books in any case, but I'm certainly going to avoid getting them from Amazon anymore. What a stupid and time-consuming hassle all this has been.

I have always used Download & Transfer via USB as my method to deDRM my books from Amazon. The only hassle I have is to enter a new serial number into the plugin every time I get a new Kindle. As for the age of your Kindle, it is and it isn't old enough. There is three different methods available which work a little bit different and have different requirements and limitations.

1. The download and transfer via USB:
   It works for every eink Kindle (including the Scribe, except those too old to understand KF8, I think), but it will only work on purchases, not on samples or Amazon borrows (prime reading, KU). You will need to enter the serial number in the DeDRM plugin and download through the Amazon webpage. If you happen to be on a mobile device, you can still download the book if you switch to the desktop version (this could be useful if you are on the go, download the book, email it to yourself, remove the DRM later when you are near your computer again).
2. Direct download over WIFI to the device:
   This is an unrestricted loophole that only gives KF8 (in a AZW3 file) for eink Kindles older than a PW1 (5th gen), but not too old and it needs a FW update to understand KF8 (e.g. the original KT or a KK3). On the PW1 you get a split file as AZW3 (has only the cover image in B/W) plus a AZW6 (this has all other images, also in B/W). DeDRM (or any other plugin, out of the box) does not handle merging the AZW3 and AZW6 file together. You can remove the DRM from the AZW3 in the split files if you don't care for the images. Any newer Kindle and you get a KFX file delivered to the device, except if the FW is old enough to not understand KFX and you get the split AZW3 and AZW6. (You will still need to add the serial number to the DeDRM, the Kindle needs to be hooked up to the computer with USB cable to extract the book. This, I would say, disqualifies your device as you won't get the complete book and it needs to continue to keep working - but you always have option 1 or 3 left)
3. Old version of Kindle for Android:
   This is another unrestricted loophole without the need of any Amazon device (purchases work, KU loans work, samples work, KFX only books obviously don't work). You either need an Android device that lets you install an old enough Kindle for Android that allows extraction of the key needed for DeDRM. Some real devices work, some won't. However there is a way to do this on your computer (so far Windows works, Linux doesn't, Mac should work) with using an Android emulator (Bluestacks), Android Developer Bridge, and old version of Kindle for Android that doesn't download KFX. See this (extremely long) thread. Read the first post only, and if it makes sense to you, try it. If it doesn't make sense, don't bother reading the thread as it will be just be as confusing as this thread. Easier to just ask a question at the end (ownedbycats does a wonderful job keeping the first post up to date).

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

Yes. Register the Paperwhite and put it in a drawer or whatever you want to do. You don't need to use it. Just have it registered. The check out post #1598

Thanks so much for the info. I was indeed thinking that I would need to download to the PW and then transfer the file to my PC.

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

I have always used Download & Transfer via USB as my method to deDRM my books from Amazon. The only hassle I have is to enter a new serial number into the plugin every time I get a new Kindle. As for the age of your Kindle, it is and it isn't old enough. There is three different methods available which work a little bit different and have different requirements and limitations.

1. The download and transfer via USB:
   It works for every eink Kindle (including the Scribe, except those too old to understand KF8, I think), but it will only work on purchases, not on samples or Amazon borrows (prime reading, KU). You will need to enter the serial number in the DeDRM plugin and download through the Amazon webpage. If you happen to be on a mobile device, you can still download the book if you switch to the desktop version (this could be useful if you are on the go, download the book, email it to yourself, remove the DRM later when you are near your computer again).
2. Direct download over WIFI to the device:
   This is an unrestricted loophole that only gives KF8 (in a AZW3 file) for eink Kindles older than a PW1 (5th gen), but not too old and it needs a FW update to understand KF8 (e.g. the original KT or a KK3). On the PW1 you get a split file as AZW3 (has only the cover image in B/W) plus a AZW6 (this has all other images, also in B/W). DeDRM (or any other plugin, out of the box) does not handle merging the AZW3 and AZW6 file together. You can remove the DRM from the AZW3 in the split files if you don't care for the images. Any newer Kindle and you get a KFX file delivered to the device, except if the FW is old enough to not understand KFX and you get the split AZW3 and AZW6. (You will still need to add the serial number to the DeDRM, the Kindle needs to be hooked up to the computer with USB cable to extract the book. This, I would say, disqualifies your device as you won't get the complete book and it needs to continue to keep working - but you always have option 1 or 3 left)
3. Old version of Kindle for Android:
   This is another unrestricted loophole without the need of any Amazon device (purchases work, KU loans work, samples work, KFX only books obviously don't work). You either need an Android device that lets you install an old enough Kindle for Android that allows extraction of the key needed for DeDRM. Some real devices work, some won't. However there is a way to do this on your computer (so far Windows works, Linux doesn't, Mac should work) with using an Android emulator (Bluestacks), Android Developer Bridge, and old version of Kindle for Android that doesn't download KFX. See this (extremely long) thread. Read the first post only, and if it makes sense to you, try it. If it doesn't make sense, don't bother reading the thread as it will be just be as confusing as this thread. Easier to just ask a question at the end (ownedbycats does a wonderful job keeping the first post up to date).

Thanks for all the detailed information. I will probably wait till the weekend to try doing anything. I spent so much time yesterday trying to get my Kindle books to download and convert that I'm not ready to try again yet!

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by DNSB

I haven't picked up a First Reads since none of the ones offered have appealed to me.

I picked up February's First Reads and they can be downloaded via D&T.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I picked up February's First Reads and they can be downloaded via D&T.

Hi, Jon. Thanks for checking that out.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

(e.g. the original KT or a KK3)

The K3 can install a firmware that allows it to use KF8.