Amazon ends allowing downloads

[maddz]

Where are you based?

Other places you may like to try are:

Baen.com
Wildside Press https://wildsidepress.com/ (they also sell through DrivethruFiction)
Open Road Media https://openroadmedia.com/
BookViewCafe https://bookviewcafe.com/
Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/

Also keep an eye on HumbleBundle (https://www.humblebundle.com/books but can be geo-restricted), StoryBundle (https://storybundle.com/bundle - mostly indies), Bundle of Holding (https://bundleofholding.com/ - mostly RPGs but do occasional book bundles), and Fanatical (https://www.fanatical.com/en/bundle/books)

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by theducks

Dumb phones do messagin, Call waiting.
The answer is NO (I tried a long time ago) He runs a old school Machine shop. The smartest thing is his Tablet, because that is now how his ling time clients now send their prints (and wan invoices. Those used to be by FAX).

Flip phone do messaging. But it's really annoying messaging. The old style of ABC is not easy to use.

[Graham44]

Originally Posted by maddz

Where are you based?

Other places you may like to try are:

Baen.com
Wildside Press https://wildsidepress.com/ (they also sell through DrivethruFiction)
Open Road Media https://openroadmedia.com/
BookViewCafe https://bookviewcafe.com/
Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/

Also keep an eye on HumbleBundle (https://www.humblebundle.com/books but can be geo-restricted), StoryBundle (https://storybundle.com/bundle - mostly indies), Bundle of Holding (https://bundleofholding.com/ - mostly RPGs but do occasional book bundles), and Fanatical (https://www.fanatical.com/en/bundle/books)

Thanks for that maddz but I'm in the UK, however these might be useful for others

[maddz]

Originally Posted by Graham44

Thanks for that maddz but I'm in the UK, however these might be useful for others

All available to purchase in the UK apart from some Humble Bundles. Fanatical is UK-based anyway.

Even Humble Bundle geo-restricted bundles aren't necessarily a problem - you just need a VPN (or a browser with one built-in), and pay using PayPal not a credit card, and you'll need to switch Humble Bundle to a suitable location. I will admit that I tend not to bother doing that unless the bundle is a must-have for me - in any case, you can't switch location more than 3 times a quarter.

[tempest@de]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Why public wifi? Most folks have a smartphone these days and can share its internet connection.

I don’t have data on my smarthphone, and it is not because of the price, it’s a choice, I don’t need to be connected 24 hours, if I need to download something or use the mobile banking I’ll do it at home or at work using wifi, or in the banking case trough the PC, I don’t use unknown wifi or hotspots.

This works for me since I have access to wifi almost through the whole day, even though I keep it turned off on my devices, only connecting when needed, If I’m out doing something I don’t expect I will need internet, and in the event I would I can always activate the data through the phone and have instant access for 24 hours.

I understand that for people that commute or have down time during the day having internet anywhere may be a necessity to help pass the time, but having a book, and audiobook or some music on your phone will do the same thing and you don’t need data for that. I find ridiculous how people nowadays go through life glued to their phones, even when crossing the street they have their eyes glued to the phone, it’ a miracle some of them are still alive.

[Sirtel]

Quite a lot of people don't work for 8 hours in offices with secure wifi networks and may need internet connection on their phones for other reasons than just entertainment. I know I did in the past when out and about; I often needed to check something, look something up and so on.

Not every data use is just for pleasure or for killing time. There are many people for whom it's a necessity.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by tempest@de

I understand that for people that commute or have down time during the day having internet anywhere may be a necessity to help pass the time, but having a book, and audiobook or some music on your phone will do the same thing and you don’t need data for that.

So people using technology for downtime with data/wifi = bad. But people using technology for downtime without data/wifi = good. It's the data/wifi that's evil and makes people walk out in front of traffic. Got it.

Even on my short commute, I pass people on the highway with books or papers of some sort open on their laps several times a week. It's not connectivity that obsesses some people and makes them do dangerous, dumb stuff. It's stupidity. And that doesn't get turned off with the phone's data/wifi.

[cfrizz]

Originally Posted by tempest@de

I don’t have data on my smarthphone, and it is not because of the price, it’s a choice, I don’t need to be connected 24 hours, if I need to download something or use the mobile banking I’ll do it at home or at work using wifi, or in the banking case trough the PC, I don’t use unknown wifi or hotspots.

This works for me since I have access to wifi almost through the whole day, even though I keep it turned off on my devices, only connecting when needed, If I’m out doing something I don’t expect I will need internet, and in the event I would I can always activate the data through the phone and have instant access for 24 hours.

I understand that for people that commute or have down time during the day having internet anywhere may be a necessity to help pass the time, but having a book, and audiobook or some music on your phone will do the same thing and you don’t need data for that. I find ridiculous how people nowadays go through life glued to their phones, even when crossing the street they have their eyes glued to the phone, it’ a miracle some of them are still alive.

I totally agree 100%! I only just got T-Mobile $15.00 a month plan in September, before that I had pay as you go where I purchased 1100 minutes for a year and usually, I had minutes left over. The only things I use my phone constantly for is to read and listen to my music during my commute to and from work.

I wait until I'm home to use the internet in a safe environment.

[theducks]

I would like to hear from Amazon Authors in a month or so, on how their sales now fare.

[John F]

Originally Posted by theducks

I would like to hear from Amazon Authors in a month or so, on how their sales now fare.

My guess would be a small blip, that may be attributed to something else.

Aren't the majority of "Amazon Authors" in Kindle Unlimited, so the effects of D&L would have been felt quite a while ago?

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by John F

Aren't the majority of "Amazon Authors" in Kindle Unlimited, so the effects of D&L would have been felt quite a while ago?

Is that a guess? KU is merely an option on self-publishing and prohibits any distribution elsewhere at any price or free, including from the author.

Statistics other than the size of the KU pot (decided by Amazon) sketchy and there is no independent verification of the "value" of KU.

Larger publishers, i.e. retail on Amazon without KDP, can be on KU without any restrictions.

If D&T affect sales (and how would you know?) it would equally or more affect non-KDP as they are on all major platforms, even if using KU.

Also KU titles are available to purchase, not just borrow on subscription, so those sales would be affected by anything affecting any sales.

It's likely most customers didn't use or even know about D&T as they removed that option at Point of sale ages ago. Likely most don't care.

The majority of Kindle users use an app. Even the majority of eink Kindle users may not know that Redit, Mobile Read or the Register even exists.

[John F]

Originally Posted by Quoth

...

It's likely most customers didn't use or even know about D&T as they removed that option at Point of sale ages ago. Likely most don't care.

...

So, likely a blip.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by John F

My guess would be a small blip, that may be attributed to something else.

That's my guess.

[DNSB]

Quite a few of the authors in KU seem to be more upset over Amazon making changes in their algorithms about how books are pushed than D&T disappearing.

[Ladyrixx]

I was talking with some small authors at the local Sci-Fi con last month. I was explaining about Amazon and how I've had to resort to pirating books I legally purchased, since I couldn't get them out of Kindle format. I'm hoping said authors looked into literally anywhere else to publish.