TechCrunch: Rampant Piracy Will Be The Kindle DX's Savior

sirbruce · 05-10-2009, 07:11 AM

http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/05/09...le-dxs-savior/

Quote:

I’ve spent the last few days mulling over the future prospects of the new device, and up until a few hours ago my forecast was looking pretty grim. But then a lightbulb went off over my head: pirates are going to save the Kindle DX.

wallcraft · 05-10-2009, 08:31 AM

I agree that the screen size makes scanned pages potentially usable. This isn't only useful for piracy, scanning books you own will be legal in more places than stripping DRM. It does make piracy simpler. The article comments suggests that students are already photocopying entire textbooks because this is cheaper than buying them. A Kindle DX is expensive, but it is the kind of thing that a student might get as a gift.

One thing the article assumed, though, was that Amazon did not screw up the addition of PDFs to the device. In fact, the KDX does not search the contents of PDFs in its "all content" search and does not allow notes in PDFs. Search inside an open PDF apparently works, but obviously not if the PDF is all images. I don't understand the lack of note taking capability for a device designed for text books.

Spectrum · 05-10-2009, 09:05 AM

I agree that pirates will save Kindle DX or Chinese model with lower price will surely kill Knindle DX. One way to save Kindle DX is like offer it free with long term commitment to magazine subscription and buy certain number of books. The model is just like Free cell phones with long term commitment.

I hope Apple jumps into competition with a killer model with it's brand name attached.

Let the fun begin.

zerospinboson · 05-10-2009, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wallcraft

One thing the article assumed, though, was that Amazon did not screw up the addition of PDFs to the device. In fact, the KDX does not search the contents of PDFs in its "all content" search and does not allow notes in PDFs. Search inside an open PDF apparently works, but obviously not if the PDF is all images. I don't understand the lack of note taking capability for a device designed for text books.

"Want Highlighting? Buy from us!"
I imagine the fact that PDFs can't be DRMed is the only reason for them not to offer too many features in non-Topaz format ebooks (and not to support ePub).
The amount of OCRed PDF ebooks is rising on a daily basis (Cambridge UP and others are already offering some texts as ebooks legally), but those publishers, and that format, doesn't force force people to buy from and stay with Amazon; Only DRM support (combined with the fear of piracy) will do that.

sirbruce · 05-10-2009, 10:48 AM

Is there OCR that outputs in MOBI format? Because colleges will either have to do that or they'll have to convert PDF to MOBI for the Kindle DX if they expect kids to annotate. (I'm talking strictly for their own course materials, not textbooks and the like which will be up to Amazon.)

zerospinboson · 05-10-2009, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sirbruce

Is there OCR that outputs in MOBI format? Because colleges will either have to do that or they'll have to convert PDF to MOBI for the Kindle DX if they expect kids to annotate. (I'm talking strictly for their own course materials, not textbooks and the like which will be up to Amazon.)

You could, but most to all formatting would be gone.

Kris777 · 05-10-2009, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sirbruce

http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/05/09...le-dxs-savior/

This article has many comments and I like this one:
Students pirating books is legal because it’s for educational purposes or not?

rcuadro · 05-10-2009, 12:26 PM

LOL! You right... pirates will make the books available very quickly...

Gideon · 05-10-2009, 12:38 PM

It might not be a bad thing.

I'm not a big fan of piracy, but this might be a strong push towards legitimizing the market and getting people used to the product. The piracy issue certainly helped the mp3 player business out - and so it might be worth it just to build up a population who enjoys and uses digital readers.

AMacD · 05-10-2009, 12:45 PM

I don't think there is any justification for piracy, but I also don't think it is morally right to require a student to buy an overpriced text book just to boost the income of the teacher.

Gideon · 05-10-2009, 12:52 PM

I'm not defending piracy... but it will be a factor in how the technology plays out. And in the long run, it might be beneficial.

And yes... overpriced textbooks is a curse. Overpriced textbooks that you're buying just because your professor or someone in the department is in it is even worse.

Exhibit A: My German book - single worse foreign language text I've ever used/seen/experienced and I've seen a LOT. It's just terrible! But someone in the department was involved...

Alphapheemail · 05-10-2009, 01:20 PM

students average maybe 100 dollars plus a week if they have a job. publishers will lose lots of money on this but its not like they are not going to eat at the end of the day. who cares if they have copyrights, we have to stop being a gluttonus society. just because its rightfully yours doesnt mean you have the right to demand from me the last 150 dollars i have to add to you 150 thousand you have in the bank.

This is going to boom in the on each campus' DC++'s

p.s. there are ALOT of people who still use lime wire and kazaa because thats the only ting they know; this will promote torrents and dc++!

Emu · 05-10-2009, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AMacD

I don't think there is any justification for piracy, but I also don't think it is morally right to require a student to buy an overpriced text book just to boost the income of the teacher.

think about piracy, copyright, drm, education, the world, money, the sense of life etc.
I really think there ARE justifications for "piracy". I think in some cases it's like "petty larceny of food"

jharker · 05-10-2009, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sirbruce

Is there OCR that outputs in MOBI format? Because colleges will either have to do that or they'll have to convert PDF to MOBI for the Kindle DX if they expect kids to annotate. (I'm talking strictly for their own course materials, not textbooks and the like which will be up to Amazon.)

Yes to the last bit: from what I have seen, most ebooks for the Kindle that you can buy on Amazon are in a reflowable format (probably mobi?), not in pdf. Thus, they are searchable, annotatable, etc. Obviously a pirated book would be much less likely to be in a reflowable format.

sirbruce · 05-10-2009, 05:59 PM

Sorry, maybe I'm not clear; what I'm asking is there OCR software that the colleges would have (COTS) that does direct MOBI output.

05-10-2009, 01:20 PM	#12
Alphapheemail .a ribbon around a bomb. Posts: 639 Karma: 4334 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: sigh... ny Device: PRS700	students average maybe 100 dollars plus a week if they have a job. publishers will lose lots of money on this but its not like they are not going to eat at the end of the day. who cares if they have copyrights, we have to stop being a gluttonus society. just because its rightfully yours doesnt mean you have the right to demand from me the last 150 dollars i have to add to you 150 thousand you have in the bank. This is going to boom in the on each campus' DC++'s p.s. there are ALOT of people who still use lime wire and kazaa because thats the only ting they know; this will promote torrents and dc++! Last edited by Alphapheemail; 05-10-2009 at 01:22 PM.

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05-10-2009, 08:31 AM	#2
wallcraft reader Posts: 6,977 Karma: 5183568 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mississippi, USA Device: Kindle 3, Kobo Glo HD	I agree that the screen size makes scanned pages potentially usable. This isn't only useful for piracy, scanning books you own will be legal in more places than stripping DRM. It does make piracy simpler. The article comments suggests that students are already photocopying entire textbooks because this is cheaper than buying them. A Kindle DX is expensive, but it is the kind of thing that a student might get as a gift. One thing the article assumed, though, was that Amazon did not screw up the addition of PDFs to the device. In fact, the KDX does not search the contents of PDFs in its "all content" search and does not allow notes in PDFs. Search inside an open PDF apparently works, but obviously not if the PDF is all images. I don't understand the lack of note taking capability for a device designed for text books.

05-10-2009, 09:05 AM	#3
Spectrum Zealot Posts: 126 Karma: 570 Join Date: Nov 2008 Device: iPad 1 and iPad 4, KF HD 8.9"	I agree that pirates will save Kindle DX or Chinese model with lower price will surely kill Knindle DX. One way to save Kindle DX is like offer it free with long term commitment to magazine subscription and buy certain number of books. The model is just like Free cell phones with long term commitment. I hope Apple jumps into competition with a killer model with it's brand name attached. Let the fun begin.

05-10-2009, 10:48 AM	#5
sirbruce Provocateur Posts: 1,859 Karma: 505847 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Columbus, OH Device: Kindle Touch, Kindle 2, Kindle DX, iPhone 3GS	Is there OCR that outputs in MOBI format? Because colleges will either have to do that or they'll have to convert PDF to MOBI for the Kindle DX if they expect kids to annotate. (I'm talking strictly for their own course materials, not textbooks and the like which will be up to Amazon.)

05-10-2009, 12:26 PM	#8
rcuadro Wizard Posts: 1,686 Karma: 874275 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Device: Kindle DX	LOL! You right... pirates will make the books available very quickly...

05-10-2009, 12:38 PM	#9
Gideon Wearer of Pants Posts: 1,050 Karma: 7634 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Norman, OK Device: Amazon Kindle DX / iPhone	It might not be a bad thing. I'm not a big fan of piracy, but this might be a strong push towards legitimizing the market and getting people used to the product. The piracy issue certainly helped the mp3 player business out - and so it might be worth it just to build up a population who enjoys and uses digital readers.

05-10-2009, 12:45 PM	#10
AMacD Al Posts: 66 Karma: 140 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Bardstown, KY as home base, but RV following the seasons. Device: Kindle1 and Kindle2 and Palm T\|X	I don't think there is any justification for piracy, but I also don't think it is morally right to require a student to buy an overpriced text book just to boost the income of the teacher.

05-10-2009, 12:52 PM	#11
Gideon Wearer of Pants Posts: 1,050 Karma: 7634 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Norman, OK Device: Amazon Kindle DX / iPhone	I'm not defending piracy... but it will be a factor in how the technology plays out. And in the long run, it might be beneficial. And yes... overpriced textbooks is a curse. Overpriced textbooks that you're buying just because your professor or someone in the department is in it is even worse. Exhibit A: My German book - single worse foreign language text I've ever used/seen/experienced and I've seen a LOT. It's just terrible! But someone in the department was involved...

05-10-2009, 05:59 PM	#15
sirbruce Provocateur Posts: 1,859 Karma: 505847 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Columbus, OH Device: Kindle Touch, Kindle 2, Kindle DX, iPhone 3GS	Sorry, maybe I'm not clear; what I'm asking is there OCR software that the colleges would have (COTS) that does direct MOBI output.