DRM workaround: Kindle for Android

[Ma'am-I-Am]

@ppiresnl
Just my 2 cents, but if the book is "Maldito invento dum baronete", it looks like a children's picture book so basically images into a PDF. I rarely get those, but I think they are .azw4 or KFX, so search for those extensions. You may need to resort to using the K4PC/K4Mac method.
Can someone confirm or correct me?

[lkmiller]

Last time I tried to download a 2024 book which was a kf8/azw3 with the old Android app, it didn't work. Don't know if older books still download. I haven't bothered to try the update to the newer Android app. Since I can use other methods, I'm just sticking with those for now.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Ma'am-I-Am

@ppiresnl
Just my 2 cents, but if the book is "Maldito invento dum baronete", it looks like a children's picture book so basically images into a PDF. I rarely get those, but I think they are .azw4 or KFX, so search for those extensions. You may need to resort to using the K4PC/K4Mac method.
Can someone confirm or correct me?

The sample of the book downloads used K4A 8.5 as an prc (azw3) ebook. Using K4PC 2.4.0, the sample downloads but attempting to open it gives a "This book cannot be opened. Please remove it from your device and redownload it." It can be imported to Calibre from either download and seems to display as expected with calibre's viewer. It is not available for eInk Kindles.

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by ppiresnl

Hey! Sorry, I was reading the page but didn't understand how it could help me. Could you please point me to the direction you believe would help me with my issue?

BTW, attached you have a screenshot of the files downloaded by Kindle 8.51.1.0 on Bluestacks.

Thanks!

Interesting. Looks like 8.51 on BS now downloads kfx? Does it work with kfx input and alpha nodrm?

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

Interesting. Looks like 8.51 on BS now downloads kfx? Does it work with kfx input and alpha nodrm?

For me, 8.51.1.0(1.3.272119.0) is still downloading .prc files which import as .azw3 and rarely as .mobi. BS reports it's version as 5.11.1.1004 P64 since I've refused any offer to upgrade.

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by DNSB

For me, 8.51.1.0(1.3.272119.0) is still downloading .prc files which import as .azw3 and rarely as .mobi. BS reports it's version as 5.11.1.1004 P64 since I've refused any offer to upgrade.

I just tried too, a new book. Also downloaded as .azw3. Not sure how @ppiresnl managed to download anything as .kfx. Sounded weird when he updated it to the latest version. I don't think he used the hi-res workaround. Possibly 4.16 offers to download the newest version, which you wouldn't want. I only tested it with the specific version I linked to, no app store to be able to mess with the app.

[pypeke]

If I installed the Kindle app 2.4.0 70904, then downloaded my books after I had installed the plugins, how do I know that the DRM was removed?

Once the books are in Calibre, I can see they are listed in a file called "Calibre Library" by author's name. Do I still need to keep the downloads that are in the file labeled My Kindle Content? Thanks.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pypeke

If I installed the Kindle app 2.4.0 70904, then downloaded my books after I had installed the plugins, how do I know that the DRM was removed?

If you can view the books in the calibre viewer, the DRM has been removed.

Originally Posted by pypeke

Once the books are in Calibre, I can see they are listed in a file called "Calibre Library" by author's name. Do I still need to keep the downloads that are in the file labeled My Kindle Content? Thanks.

Once they're in calibre without DRM, there's no need to keep the original downloads. But you should probably remove the downloads through the Kindle app rather than directly in the Finder.

[ppiresnl]

Originally Posted by Ma'am-I-Am

@ppiresnl
Just my 2 cents, but if the book is "Maldito invento dum baronete", it looks like a children's picture book so basically images into a PDF. I rarely get those, but I think they are .azw4 or KFX, so search for those extensions. You may need to resort to using the K4PC/K4Mac method.
Can someone confirm or correct me?

Hey @Ma'am-I-Am, it worked! Thanks a lot for your support!

FYI, I followed the instructions for K4PC from @Sirtel's page and downloaded Kindle for PC 2.4.0 (aka 2.4.70904), DeDRM v10.0.9 beta/RC, and the KFX Conversion Input Plugin. Then, I just downloaded the book and it came as .azw. Finally, I opened the .azw file on Calibre and it opened the book as KFX

[pypeke]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

If you can view the books in the calibre viewer, the DRM has been removed..

So Kindle books are different than Nook books?

I have read (in the Nook posts) that "opening in the viewer" means the books are de-DRMed, but then someone said that "viewing the book in Calibre" does not prove that the DRM has been removed. They said to use Quality Check plugin, but when using it, I don't know what the results mean.

It could be that the blue starred books STILL have DRM or it could mean that the blue starred books do NOT have DRM. The majority of the books do not have a blue star.

Does anyone know?

Another question..

I did open several books in Calibre and noticed that the books had KFX or AZW3 or EPUB in the top right box after clicking on the Edit Metadata icon. I am curious about why I need to know that. Are AZW3 books treated differently? Need a different plugin? Or are they just older books than the KFX books?

Sorry for so many questions, but I was a teacher for many years, and I still love to learn new things. I appreciate all of the answers! Thank you.

[j.p.s]

For information about different ebook formats, see the mobileread wiki page
https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/E-book_formats

[lkmiller]

To clarify, if you can read books which are in calibre with calibre's ebook viewer, the DRM is removed. Also if you can edit or convert them.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by lkmiller

To clarify, if you can read books which are in calibre with calibre's ebook viewer, the DRM is removed. Also if you can edit or convert them.

As I understand it, the viewer test is no longer true. The viewer can read books with DRM if the deDRM plugin is installed, this doesn't mean DRM has been removed from the book. I.e. if you copy such a book elsewhere, you may not be able to open it.

Editing and converting are the true tests now.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

As I understand it, the viewer test is no longer true. The viewer can read books with DRM if the deDRM plugin is installed, this doesn't mean DRM has been removed from the book. I.e. if you copy such a book elsewhere, you may not be able to open it.

Editing and converting are the true tests now.

I believe the DeDRM plugin only operates on import, not viewing. (Viewing a Kindle book in calibre first converts it to an equivalent ePub in the background. This can't happen for books without DRM.)

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

I believe the DeDRM plugin only operates on import, not viewing. (Viewing a Kindle book in calibre first converts it to an equivalent ePub in the background. This can't happen for books without DRM.)

A Kindle book, yes, but not an epub.

The OP imported their Nook books (epubs) to Calibre and then installed the deDRM plugin. The viewer is able to open them (they're epubs), but the Quality Check plugin apparently indicates some books have DRM, i.e. it has not been removed.