Amazon and DRM changes

[lkmiller]

No surprise that Epubor and BookFab get a negative reception here in a community that has been using and some of whom have been helping with the DeDRM project for many years.

[MegDreamsofBooks]

Originally Posted by Iris-maybe

I doubt the account safety the Bookfab mentioned. It seems their conversion process still requires the internet, so they are likely still communicating with Amazon's servers.

This is one of my main concerns with their app. Inspired by a comment here, I ended up creating a new, separate Amazon account just for future Kindle purchases. (I wish I didn't need to buy Kindle books, but some of my favorite authors are exclusively published there.)

The separate account is partly due to BookFab, although mostly I use the e-ink method to back up my books, but the primary use is actually for managing my ebook budget because the new account is only funded with gift cards bought via credit card reward points.

[xyzzy_foo]

I confirmed that Epubor's servers came back online 12 hours ago, right as I was going to bed. All of the apps I purchased from them are now activating properly.

However, their flagship product, Epubor Ultimate, is currently completely useless against KFX2024 DRM. Their reputation is only going to get worse if this continues, so I wonder what they plan to do next.

[xyzzy_foo]

Alright, so I did some digging into BookFab Kindle Converter. I completely uninstalled and cleaned up both K4PC and BookFab, then observed its behavior both online and offline.

First off, BookFab requires an internet connection to start. This is because it needs to communicate with its license authentication server. If you launch it offline, the app won't be authenticated and you'll be logged in as a guest.

Next, while BookFab no longer asks for your Amazon credentials in its built-in browser, it does require them to be fetched from K4PC. This isn't for a .kinf2024 file; BookFab doesn't need that key.

Then there's the conversion process, which absolutely requires an internet connection and involves communication with Amazon's CDN servers. A VOUCHER file is used during this process.

Finally, outputting the file is done entirely locally. It uses the KFX files that are already on your PC, so you'll get an error if the RES and MD files are missing. And of course, the AZW file is also required.

So, in conclusion, the current version of BookFab does convert local files, but it communicates with Amazon's servers in some way to handle the DRM. This means there's a definite possibility of your Amazon account getting banned. However, since it doesn't use a key, you might be able to remove the DRM from your own files whenever you want. It might even be possible to strip the DRM from someone else's KFX files, but I have no desire to test that, and there's no telling what would happen.

BookFab is kind enough to generate detailed log files, so someone with more technical expertise than me could probably investigate its behavior in greater detail.

TL;DR: I strongly recommend sticking with either the Satsuoni KFX2024 method or the my K4A KFX2018 method. Both of these handle DRM entirely offline.
By the way, regardless of which method you choose, the quality of the resulting KFX file will be the same.

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by xyzzy_foo

So, in conclusion, the current version of BookFab does convert local files, but it communicates with Amazon's servers in some way to handle the DRM. This means there's a definite possibility of your Amazon account getting banned.

Also the risk of Amazon detecting and closing it.

[lkmiller]

I'll stick with my Kindle Touch kf8 files and noDRM's DeDRM. When that stops working, I'll give up on Amazon ebooks completely. They are already my last choice.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by lkmiller

I'll stick with my Kindle Touch kf8 files and noDRM's DeDRM. When that stops working, I'll give up on Amazon ebooks completely. They are already my last choice.

This!

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by lkmiller

I'll stick with my Kindle Touch kf8 files and noDRM's DeDRM. When that stops working, I'll give up on Amazon ebooks completely. They are already my last choice.

Ditto. I'm buying almost exclusively from Kobo at the moment.

[xyzzy_foo]

An update for Epubor Ultimate was just pushed out, and the new version can now handle KFX2024 DRM.

*Of course*, they've stolen Satsuoni's work. Sat's key extractor is placed in the K4PC installation path, and when you launch Epubor Ultimate, the K4PC app starts up automatically and creates a memory dump.

It's a real pain when you're trying to do anything not related to Kindle.
Why couldn't they just think to add a button to launch the K4PC app?

[Quoth]

Kindle 3 to PW1 inclusive. Calibre + NoDRM. Read on something else. Also works on Mac, Linux (even Raspberry Pi) as well as Windows. Most later Kindles also work, but ones that get no updates are safest, but later than PW1 gets KFX instead of azw3/KF8.

Internet only needed once for ebook via WiFi to eink Kindle.

No doubt Epubor needs specific K4PC on actual Windows

Epubor seem like a commercial parasite.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Ditto. I'm buying almost exclusively from Kobo at the moment.

Most of my commercial content is also now from Kobo. Also Kobo accepts PayPal and doesn't need an app or ereader registered to their store, or insist you are in one country forever (eink Kindle).

[odamizu]

Originally Posted by xyzzy_foo

An update for Epubor Ultimate was just pushed out, and the new version can now handle KFX2024 DRM.

*Of course*, they've stolen Sats...'s work ...

Most interesting. Thanks for this info

[tym]

Originally Posted by odamizu

Most interesting. Thanks for this info

Yea, I can confirm this works. I own epubor. I dont share or pirate any of my books, but If I buy a book, I should be able to read it with what ever software I wish. Both on android and windows.

I am tickled that we can go back to removing kendal drm and read our ebooks how ever we want, and on what ever platform we want.

I had hoped it woudnt take someone long to figure out the new drm.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by tym

I had hoped it woudnt take someone long to figure out the new drm.

That someone is not Epubor, of course. They only stole a method already freely available and charge people for it.

[tym]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

That someone is not Epubor, of course. They only stole a method already freely available and charge people for it.

Oh your right. They have always taken from calibre. Its great for people that are not real into the tek stuff. For 30 bucks, and its a life time license, its just a quick and easy method to remove drm. Sadly, 30 bukcs is what, a two person meal at McDonalds now?

Whats sad, is if kendal would make there software more in lines with what moon reader pro can do for example, The drm may not be the issue it still is.

I used to be real into calibre, and plugins and the drm stuff. Just got older, and turned lazy, and just rather pay 30 bucks and not have to mess with it.