Amazon and DRM changes

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

As you can see in the screen grab from Amazon, they are the ones calling the black NT a 5th gen device. K4NT is graphite and the K5NT is black.

Also, Amazon calls the Kindle Touch a 4th Gen device.

Attachment 215592

As I and others have written many times, amazon designated generation labels are in general not useful for reliably distinguishing kindle models.

I did not write that there are no 4th generation touchscreen kindles, I wrote that all 5th generation kindles have a touchscreen, which is a quite different statement.

I am done with this.

[texasnightowl]

OK...wow. Didn't expect to set all this off. I'm just going to continue calling it K4BNT probably. I mean, it's same hardware as the original K4NT and runs the same firmware even if Amazon is "calling" it a 5th gen. It's basically just a 2nd release. I don't know. I just know it still works and I can still get files in azw3 format and add them to Calibre. And I know my battery is still in good condition, ie. it doesn't die immediately and I can read several books on it before charging.

[Ma'am-I-Am]

Originally Posted by idiom6

K1, K2 - 1st and 2nd gen Kindles

KDX - Kindle Deluxe, part of the 2nd gen...

At least, that's what I've come to know as the common acronyms. Might be different in other places.

Thanks! I know most of these, but I'm used to seeing K4PC/Mac/Android. K4BNT sounded like K4 Windows NT-but-what-the-heck-is-B?

ETA: Sorry to set off some of you. Not my intention. I kind of assumed there was a consensus among mods regarding what abbreviations to use for ease and clarity of communication.

[Ebookus]

koreader is amazing on the K4 silver or K4 black, highly recommended. Much better than the stock firmware (this is particularly true for the outdated 4.1.4)

[xyzzy_foo]

I own a Family License for Epubor Ultimate, and they just released a new version today with minor bug fixes.
For Epubor, the current changes to Kindle's DRM are a critical situation, threatening their very business. They've released paid apps in Japan like Epubor Honto Converter (for the honto e-book store) and Epubor Rakuten Converter (which converts files from the Rakuten Magazine subscription service to PDF), and since these actually work, they clearly have the capability. Still, continuing to support Kindle will be a huge challenge for them.

Meanwhile, DVDFab suddenly announced their upcoming BookFab Kindle Converter. It seems this new product is a direct response to the recent Kindle DRM changes that have effectively neutered DeDRM, creating a new business opportunity for them. DVDFab has a strong track record of cracking numerous DRMs in video and music sector, and they've consistently supported their software through updates. They must be confident they can win the ongoing battle against Kindle DRM. As usual for DVDFab, it's very expensive, but I plan to purchase it by the 19th.
I suspect the app requires an internet connection because it handles DRM processing in the cloud. This would allow them to keep serving customers without tipping their hand to Amazon.

However, my biggest concern is how they'll manage to convert pre-compiled KFX files into original-quality EPUBs. Even using calibre's KFX Input plugin and the "From KFX" toolbar action, the resulting EPUBs don't even come close to the highly faithful quality you get when extracting EPUBs from KF8 (AZW3) files with KindleUnpack. It's possible they've figured out a way to continuously access the KF8 (AZW3) files stored on Amazon's CDN, but until the app is released on the 12th, it's all just speculation.

Regardless, the cost of switching to Rakuten Kobo is too high for me, so I'm just pinning my hopes on DVDFab pulling off something amazing.

[Sirtel]

Epubor has never invented anything. They use the same free deDRM plugin as the rest of us. They just ask money for it.

[quirkeyme]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Epubor has never invented anything. They use the same free deDRM plugin as the rest of us. They just ask money for it.

i was told long ago that all the programs that remove drm have incorporated alf's dedrm into their programs

i'm very skeptical that dvdfab has broken the drm already - it's only due to alf's Tools and the ongoing updates that up until april 22 drm could be removed - i'd feel more confident if on the page for BookFab Kindle Converter it would clearly say post-april 22 drm can be removed

xyzzy_foo if you could pls keep us updated if you purchase that program

[xyzzy_foo]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Epubor has never invented anything. They use the same free deDRM plugin as the rest of us. They just ask money for it.

It's easy to find evidence that Epubor Ultimate is merely a wrapper for DeDRM simply by using the product. However, for converting books, it employs their proprietary eCore library. Unlike KindleUnpack—which achieves an EPUB faithful to the original by extracting from KF8 (AZW3) rather than converting it—this eCore library completely destroys the original CSS. Furthermore, Epubor Ultimate lacks the ability to merge AZW6 files, so the image quality equals obsolete D&T method.

What I genuinely appreciate about this product, because its Chinese developers, is its full support for multi-byte characters. It also automatically copies books you drag and drop to a designated location and renames the files to match the book titles. For books that are already DRM-free, Epubor Ultimate does nothing more than copy and rename the files. Moreover, precisely because it doesn't merge AZW6 files, you can intentionally leverage this: by using Epubor Ultimate for DRM removal, you can create AZW3 files with a quality specifically optimized for Kindle e-readers. After all, it’s a hassle to constantly toggling the AZW6 Image Merge plugin in calibre.

However, regarding other Epubor products I've mentioned, their solution for honto is not included in Apprentice Harper's DeDRM toolset, nor has noDRM, who took over his work, ever addressed it. Frankly, I'm unaware of any solution for removing honto's DRM other than Epubor's. They also seem to have successfully managed to partially break ebookjapan's DRM. While they've stated they won't release an app for it, they do offer a conversion service via subscription. For this e-book store too, I haven't come across any open-source solutions. Additionally, they offer a paid app that removes DRM from Japanese idol photobook sites, which implies they possess the technology to defeat Japan's bookend DRM.

Incidentally, while the specifics are unclear, it seems they also license out their application, as you can find rebranded clone apps on other websites.

Originally Posted by quirkeyme

i was told long ago that all the programs that remove drm have incorporated alf's dedrm into their programs

i'm very skeptical that dvdfab has broken the drm already - it's only due to alf's Tools and the ongoing updates that up until april 22 drm could be removed - i'd feel more confident if on the page for BookFab Kindle Converter it would clearly say post-april 22 drm can be removed

xyzzy_foo if you could pls keep us updated if you purchase that program

Apparently, some folks in the Japanese community have already gone ahead and bought the product. But, the version of the app that actually handles Kindle DRM removal isn't even out yet, so naturally, they're saying they can't do anything with it. And that's DVDFab faults for not making it clear that product's currently a pre-order.

Also, like I mentioned before, DVDFab said you can use it for free three times. Installing it on a virtual machine might be blocked, but I reckon you could probably get around that limit with workarounds like using a PC at an internet cafe (unless they have some really robust HWID-based trial license management in place).

[odamizu]

Originally Posted by texasnightowl

OK...wow. Didn't expect to set all this off. I'm just going to continue calling it K4BNT probably. I mean, it's same hardware as the original K4NT and runs the same firmware even if Amazon is "calling" it a 5th gen. It's basically just a 2nd release. I don't know. I just know it still works and I can still get files in azw3 format and add them to Calibre. And I know my battery is still in good condition, ie. it doesn't die immediately and I can read several books on it before charging.

I always called it K5 until I noticed MobileReaders tended to call it K4BNT, so when I'm on MobileRead, I use K4BNT, but otherwise, I think of it as my K5

ETA: I checked the MobileRead Wiki, and was surprised to see this Kindle called the Kindle 5: https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/Kindle_5. So both Amazon and the MobileRead Wiki consider the 2012 black non-touch Kindle to be a 5 rather than 4. Now I'm wondering where "K4BNT" originated. Maybe I'll go back to calling it the K5

[Ma'am-I-Am]

"But, the version of the app that actually handles Kindle DRM removal isn't even out yet, so naturally, they're saying they can't do anything with it."

That's because the Calibre team hasn't fixed it yet. As soon as they do, behold, everyone else will have their "new" modules ready so you can pay them while the rest of us get it for free.

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by Ma'am-I-Am

"But, the version of the app that actually handles Kindle DRM removal isn't even out yet, so naturally, they're saying they can't do anything with it."

That's because the Calibre team hasn't fixed it yet. As soon as they do, behold, everyone else will have their "new" modules ready so you can pay them while the rest of us get it for free.

Calibre doesn't have anything to do with NoDRM.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by quirkeyme

i was told long ago that all the programs that remove drm have incorporated alf's dedrm into their programs

i'm very skeptical that dvdfab has broken the drm already - it's only due to alf's Tools and the ongoing updates that up until april 22 drm could be removed - i'd feel more confident if on the page for BookFab Kindle Converter it would clearly say post-april 22 drm can be removed

xyzzy_foo if you could pls keep us updated if you purchase that program

We'll find out if the Kindle Converter works for the New K4PC when the trail version gets released.

[JSWolf]

Supposedly the Epubor team has figured out how to break LCP DRM but that's on subscription.

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by xyzzy_foo

Meanwhile, DVDFab suddenly announced their upcoming BookFab Kindle Converter. It seems this new product is a direct response to the recent Kindle DRM changes that have effectively neutered DeDRM, creating a new business opportunity for them.
...
However, my biggest concern is how they'll manage to convert pre-compiled KFX files into original-quality EPUBs. Even using calibre's KFX Input plugin and the "From KFX" toolbar action, the resulting EPUBs don't even come close to the highly faithful quality you get when extracting EPUBs from KF8 (AZW3) files with KindleUnpack. It's possible they've figured out a way to continuously access the KF8 (AZW3) files stored on Amazon's CDN, but until the app is released on the 12th, it's all just speculation.

I read through the BookFab Kindle Converter description again and I have a theory about how works.

It states that you need to install and register Kindle for PC prior to using the product but gives no further details. The description of using the product does not mention actually running Kindle for PC beyond that point.

I suspect that the program may extract the user's Kindle for PC credentials and use them to mimic Kindle for PC's interactions with Amazon's servers. That would be much like the way the ACSM Input plugin for calibre pretends to be Adobe Digital Editions when interacting with Adobe in order to download books.

Kindle for PC has long had a fallback from KFX to MOBI or KF8 format in cases where the underlying operating system does not render KFX properly. This is the "Renderer Test" that was previously an external program and provided a way to bypass KFX in older versions of Kindle for PC. Amazon got wise to that and built that test into newer versions of the app.

BookFab could be telling Amazon's server that it is Kindle for PC wanting to download a book but is unable to support KFX. That would force delivery of the book in an older format without the latest KFX DRM that appears to be as yet unbroken.

If I am correct about this then it would be easy for Amazon to cut this off, either by recognizing that BookFab does not accurately mimic Kindle for PC or by just dropping delivery of older formats regardless of the system's capabilities.

I am curious to see whether or not I am correct about this.

[slm]

Well, all these Amazon games have had some effect, at least on me. I keep a list of forthcoming books I want to read, with the date of release and--until now--a link to the Amazon listing.
Today, I added a book and decided that the hassle of fooling with Amazon DRM was just not worth it. So I linked to Kobo.

I don't think Amazon will notice.