Amazon and DRM changes

[geoffwood]

Originally Posted by superbet

I have a Voyage and I was able to download a book right now...

It will still work for older Kindles, what it apparently will not work for is the new Paperwhite 12th Gen

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by geoffwood

It will still work for older Kindles, what it apparently will not work for is the new Paperwhite 12th Gen

Wow. That's nasty. Perhaps it's because of the new way the Kindle connects to a computer - it doesn't show up as a file device on a Mac, for example.

[cgsmom]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Wow. That's nasty. Perhaps it's because of the new way the Kindle connects to a computer - it doesn't show up as a file device on a Mac, for example.

My Nook Glowlight 4 Plus does not show up as a USB device on a Windows 11 computer. It does show up as a drive under the Main C:/ drive. Calibre cannot access the device. I found out that it is a MTP device. Perhaps Amazon has done the same with the new Kindles. If they are not USB devices, maybe that is why the Download and Transfer by USB does not appear.

Another reason I am glad I decided not to buy a new Kindle.

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Wow. That's nasty. Perhaps it's because of the new way the Kindle connects to a computer - it doesn't show up as a file device on a Mac, for example.

I am wondering whether some owners can confirm that 12th generation Kindles now use MTP for USB access. If so is it all of the new models?

The Scribe switched to MTP early on but still allows download and transfer. So MTP does not automatically preclude that option. It is more likely that Amazon is using the new generation as an excuse to discontinue a feature that is used more for DRM removal than out of necessity. They really want to have Kindles communicating with their servers regularly.

[geoffwood]

Originally Posted by jhowell

I am wondering whether some owners can confirm that 12th generation Kindles now use MTP for USB access. If so is it all of the new models?

I had to use OpenMTP to load a font from my Mac to my 12th Gen PW, it didn’t show up in File Explorer, just like my Scribe

[Paperbackstash]

If this is a new removed thing from the new devices and not a temporary bug, that's actually pretty huge sneak in and a reason not to upgrade if you use the download and transfer function regularly. Disappointing if this is a permanent thing, but at least if you have another old device on there to select you can still download and use in Calibre and then sideload

[odamizu]

Originally Posted by jhowell

I am wondering whether some owners can confirm that 12th generation Kindles now use MTP for USB access. If so is it all of the new models?

The Scribe switched to MTP early on but still allows download and transfer. So MTP does not automatically preclude that option. It is more likely that Amazon is using the new generation as an excuse to discontinue a feature that is used more for DRM removal than out of necessity. They really want to have Kindles communicating with their servers regularly.

According to this Amazon help page: "Kindle Scribe and Kindle e-readers released in 2024 and later use the industry standard Media Transfer Protocol (MTP) to connect, browse, and transfer files to and from your computer using a USB cable."

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by odamizu

According to this Amazon help page: "Kindle Scribe and Kindle e-readers released in 2024 and later use the industry standard Media Transfer Protocol (MTP) to connect, browse, and transfer files to and from your computer using a USB cable."

Thanks. I didn't notice that.

[lkmiller]

I'll be curious to hear if all the new 2024 models are left out of download & transfer -- even the new Scribe.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

I found this post on the /r/kindle subreddit.

If i bought a new Kindle and could not use Download & Transfer, I'd return the Kindle.

However, if this is true and not just a bug on Amazon's part, I can see ePub sales going up.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by jhowell

I am wondering whether some owners can confirm that 12th generation Kindles now use MTP for USB access. If so is it all of the new models?

The Scribe switched to MTP early on but still allows download and transfer. So MTP does not automatically preclude that option. It is more likely that Amazon is using the new generation as an excuse to discontinue a feature that is used more for DRM removal than out of necessity. They really want to have Kindles communicating with their servers regularly.

It could be because the Scribe didn't start off with MTP and the new Kindles have MTP from day 1.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Paperbackstash

If this is a new removed thing from the new devices and not a temporary bug, that's actually pretty huge sneak in and a reason not to upgrade if you use the download and transfer function regularly. Disappointing if this is a permanent thing, but at least if you have another old device on there to select you can still download and use in Calibre and then sideload

It's also a reason not to send in your old Kindle for a discount when you upgrade. People who did that could be well and truly screwed.

[JSWolf]

If you plan to buy a new 2024 Kindle, DO NOT TURN IN YOUR EXISTING KINDLE OR Download & Transfer via USB could not ever work for you.

[Alfirin]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

If i bought a new Kindle and could not use Download & Transfer, I'd return the Kindle.

However, if this is true and not just a bug on Amazon's part, I can see ePub sales going up.

I thought about buying a PaperWhite 11th gen two weeks ago and told myself "Naaah I smell there's something new coming"... should have followed my instinct.
I could return it, in theory, but for some reasons (kept to myself) I'm not able to do so.

Concerning the reddit post, I answered it as well. I know it's childish but I'm kind of releived I'm not the only one with this issue.

[ownedbycats]

I updated the original post with a notice about 12th-gen Kindles.