Amazon and DRM changes

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Aside from a handful of false alarms from people forgetting to add serial numbers to DeDRM or whatnot, have there been any more indications they've been tightening it up? I haven't been paying so much attention lately.

The older Kindle for Android sometimes fails if your device is able to use a newer version, but they haven't shut that down completely.

Not yet. I've managed to use both Download & Transfer and Bluestacks+old Kindle for Android to download and deDRM, as of a few days ago. (I used Bluestacks because I wanted to see if it still worked. It did.)

Of course when something is closed down, we won't know before it happens...

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

If the changes were in response to KU hoarders, it's a shame that purchase-to-keep books also got caught up in there.

Maybe Amazon was seeing a lot more Kindle app use and decided to do this in order to boost Kindle device sales. or they wanted to force the app users to use the current version because of the DRM being able to be removed.

[iBeth]

Originally Posted by markweaster

My Kindle Unlimited renewal awaits your input.

I used to subscribe to KU and I enjoyed it, but at some point, I just felt like I didn't have enough time to get my money's worth from the subscription. After I canceled the subscription, I discovered that many KU titles are also regularly offered for 99 cents or even free. You can follow authors or titles at ereaderiq.com and purchase them when that happens.

When books are that cheap, I don't much care if they are walled into the Amazon garden. And for KU books that I really want right away that don't go on sale, I don't mind paying for them because it's still cheaper to buy a title here and there than it is to subscribe to KU, plus I can keep them forever without feeling guilty.

So my advice would be to drop the subscription, unless you feel you're reading enough to get full value.

[iBeth]

Originally Posted by DNSB

Perhaps when someone had downloaded a few thousand KU books but had never finished one or even read any pages in the vast majority of them?

I have done this with library books, both ebooks and paper books. I check them out, never get around to reading them, return them, check them out . . . . Hopefully no one is monitoring that, because even though I never pirate books, it's still embarrassing.

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by iBeth

I used to subscribe to KU and I enjoyed it, but at some point, I just felt like I didn't have enough time to get my money's worth from the subscription. After I canceled the subscription, I discovered that many KU titles are also regularly offered for 99 cents or even free. You can follow authors or titles at ereaderiq.com and purchase them when that happens.

When books are that cheap, I don't much care if they are walled into the Amazon garden. And for KU books that I really want right away that don't go on sale, I don't mind paying for them because it's still cheaper to buy a title here and there than it is to subscribe to KU, plus I can keep them forever without feeling guilty.

So my advice would be to drop the subscription, unless you feel you're reading enough to get full value.

You do know that once you purchase a KU title, as opposed to borrowing them through the KU service, they can be downloaded for eink Kindles, right? Most purchases are less walled in than the KU service itself.

[calvin-c]

I want to really thank you for the help with my problem downloading. All is better now-but, I have a number of books in my Kindle library (K4PC 1.20) that keep generating errors. They can't be downloaded without updating my app which I refuse to do.
I've been able to download these via Download & Transfer but they still generate errors in my app. Is there any way other than removing them from my library to mark them as non-downloadable?
And if there isn't any way, will removing them from my library affect my ability to re-download them in the future if something should happen to my Calibre library?
Thanks.

[calvin-c]

Originally Posted by markweaster

I have been building my personal eLibrary for decades and have over 4000 volumes. My Kindle goes literally everywhere with me; since retiring nine years ago, I am never ever without it. Most of these books have come from the library, but many have come from book sellers including many from Amazon. It is only for my personal use. I have never given a copy of a book to anyone. I only strip off the DRM so I can keep them in my Calibre library "forever" to reread, for reference, and to collect my reviews. So, I am bummed by this latest Amazon change that prevents me from continuing a practice I have had most of my adult life. My question for the community is, is this inability temporary or should I stop buying books from Amazon forever? Thank you for any advice you can offer. My Kindle Unlimited renewal awaits your input.

The earliest ebooks I remember buying were from Fictionwise. I now have almost 19,000 ebooks in my library. I'm almost positive I've never kept a KU book. I just don't believe in keeping library books. If I'm going to keep them then I buy them. However, I haven't bothered keeping track of which books I got where (by the time it occurred to me to do so I had way too many books to go back & figure it out).
I do know that I have bought almost 2000 Kindle books (verified from my Device & Content page) and I've gotten a ton of books from PG. I think I had around a thousand from Fictionwise when it went out of business. The others (got to be at least half, I think) came from miscellaneous sites. It pains me to admit it but some of these are probably pirated-but how can I track down which ones are?
The main indicator is the poor quality of some of the books. As often as not when I find one that's so poor I suspect it's a pirated copy then I'll go back (usually to Amazon) & purchase it so I know it's legitmate-and hope that it's higher quality. Unfortunately that's not always the case.

[ownedbycats]

April 28, 2023: I added a rather strongly-worded note on why people should not DeDRM Kindle Unlimited books.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

April 28, 2023: I added a rather strongly-worded note on why people should not DeDRM Kindle Unlimited books.

You can remove the DRM from Kindle Unlimited books.

You can trick the system to thinking the KU eBook on your Kindle is the original as long as you only modify the CSS.

So you get a better formatted eBook o read and the author gets paid.

But, before you start reading, the option to return the eBook has to be available before you start reading.

[Asawi]

Originally Posted by iBeth

I have done this with library books, both ebooks and paper books. I check them out, never get around to reading them, return them, check them out . . . . Hopefully no one is monitoring that, because even though I never pirate books, it's still embarrassing.

Even if they DO monitor it it's not a problem. It's perfectly OK! What some libraries monitor though is if you check out lots of eBooks and return them early. I don't mean 5-10 books and a few days, but 20 books in one day and then new books after that. And then again...
Re-checking out books is actually a sign that you are an honest person.
No need to be embarrased!

[iBeth]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

You do know that once you purchase a KU title, as opposed to borrowing them through the KU service, they can be downloaded for eink Kindles, right? Most purchases are less walled in than the KU service itself.

Yes, that's the point I was trying to make. No need to subscribe and violate agreements, when you can purchase cheaply and keep titles in your library.

[iBeth]

Originally Posted by calvin-c

I haven't bothered keeping track of which books I got where (by the time it occurred to me to do so I had way too many books to go back & figure it out).

I know just what you mean. I periodically weed through my titles, but it's an overwhelming task. I don't have quite as many titles as you do, but I'm close, and many of mine, also, came from Fictionwise.

I miss Fictionwise.

[iBeth]

Originally Posted by Asawi

Even if they DO monitor it it's not a problem. It's perfectly OK! What some libraries monitor though is if you check out lots of eBooks and return them early. I don't mean 5-10 books and a few days, but 20 books in one day and then new books after that. And then again...
Re-checking out books is actually a sign that you are an honest person.
No need to be embarrased!

[Ma'am-I-Am]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

You can remove the DRM from Kindle Unlimited books.

You can trick the system to thinking the KU eBook on your Kindle is the original as long as you only modify the CSS.

So you get a better formatted eBook o read and the author gets paid.

But, before you start reading, the option to return the eBook has to be available before you start reading.

That sounds great, but how is it possible if you use Calibre and the de-DRM plugin?

[ownedbycats]

KU books published before this year can still be downloaded via certain methods.