Amazon is testing “Kindle Unlimited,” an ebook subscription service for $9.99/month

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by Fbone

Because if the books aren't in a SQ db, then you can keep all of them, convert, copy and go over the 10 limit.

You can do the same for library loans, books lent by a friend/loan marketplace, and even books from KOLL (if you have an e-ink device) -- why should these be any different?

[sirmaru]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

You can also go to http://amzn.com/kindleunlimited or http://amzn.com/ku -- the amazon internal shortlink to the Kindle Unlimited feature, which has the dedicated searchbox. If you don't bookmark the storefront, this link is easier to remember and type in.

Thanks for that link. I searched for eBooks I'm now reading and some others I've read recently and cannot find any of my favorite eBooks available. Thus, I won't be using that new service.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by cybmole

What happens if you are not online . Can you read offline or is there an online valid subscription check done before you are allowed back into a book ?
Could be an issue if you get the package to use when commuting to and from work

You can read offline on compatible mobile devices.

[Fbone]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

You can do the same for library loans, books lent by a friend/loan marketplace, and even books from KOLL (if you have an e-ink device) -- why should these be any different?

Sheer quantity. Those are purchases or single borrows.

If Amazon wants to give me all 600,000 titles for $9.99 (or free during the 30-day trial), that's fine with me.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by Fbone

Sheer quantity. Those are purchases or single borrows.

If Amazon wants to give me all 600,000 titles for $9.99 (or free during the 30-day trial), that's fine with me.

My point was that clearly they are not concerned by the possibility of cracking borrowed books (and nor are the publishers) or they would undoubtedly demand that be fixed as well -- no matter how small.

Also, I can check out a lot of books in a three-day period, if I cycle through them as fast as you suggest people may cycle through KU books.

[Fbone]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

My point was that clearly they are not concerned by the possibility of cracking borrowed books (and nor are the publishers) or they would undoubtedly demand that be fixed as well -- no matter how small.

Also, I can check out a lot of books in a three-day period, if I cycle through them as fast as you suggest people may cycle through KU books.

I'm sure they will. Enterprising people are creative

[Jessica Lares]

Just thought I'd mention this...

The Audible files that you get with Unlimited aren't able to be downloaded other than to devices with the Audible client. BUT, I was able to get them off my iPod using a file explorer, and after entering my Audible details, they were able to be played within iTunes after I dragged it in.

So they haven't done anything weird to the files, so those of you who use Sansa MP3 players and other devices, should be OK.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by Jessica Lares

Just thought I'd mention this...

The Audible files that you get with Unlimited aren't able to be downloaded other than to devices with the Audible client. BUT, I was able to get them off my iPod using a file explorer, and after entering my Audible details, they were able to be played within iTunes after I dragged it in.

So they haven't done anything weird to the files, so those of you who use Sansa MP3 players and other devices, should be OK.

Thanks. I was thinking I could download to my phone with an Audible app and then copy to the Clip Zip via my PC. Sounds like it would work. Just waiting a few days to sign up for the free trial till I have more time to read.

[DreamWriter]

I do see quite a few Kindle Unlimited books I'm interested in, but I'm going to wait for a while before signing up for the free 30-day trial. I'll have more time for reading when the weather turns chilly. Outdoor activities keep me busy this time of year.

[Jessica Lares]

Originally Posted by Catlady

Thanks. I was thinking I could download to my phone with an Audible app and then copy to the Clip Zip via my PC. Sounds like it would work. Just waiting a few days to sign up for the free trial till I have more time to read.

I can officially confirm that the audiobook syncs and plays on my iPod Nano perfectly.

I am going to be eating books like crazy for the next 30 days.

[NickyWithNook]

I see a few books that look interesting, but not enough to make me want to pay $120 a year. I could get 12 $10 books I'd really like for that. I don't have so much available reading time that I'm reading whatever is available. I want the time I have to be spent on the books I really want.

[Lutraa]

I read mainly Lit Fic (including stories), history, natural history, and biography. I'm not really into most genre writing with the exception of truly well-written mystery and historical fiction. Having just tried searching for several favourite authors and browsed the categories, I'm not seeing anything of interest in KU's catalogue that isn't already in the Prime library, in the public domain, or available in hard copy for a few dollars from my large, well-stocked local used book store. Which buys them back at half what I pay. Maybe KU's offerings will improve but unless this happens, I'm not wasting $120/year. My TBR list is huge and my backlog of already downloaded books would take me several months to finish. Subscriptions like this tend to get used for the first month or two, then forgotten -- there are just too many forms of entertainment competing for my limited leisure time if I am to fulfill work, exercise, sleep, and household duties.

I liken this new offering to a grab bag of cheap candy (some stale) v. a far more expensive, smaller box of high quality chocolate. I'll take the latter!

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by Lutraa

Subscriptions like this tend to get used for the first month or two, then forgotten

There is nothing to prevent somebody signing in, binge reading for a month or two, and quitting. And repeating the next year...

Could be useful to give the kids a supply of summer reads...

[piper28]

I sampled my way through a number of authors that I read, and started running out of names that I could think of easily off the top of my head, and only really found a few titles that would be eligible. For me at least, it's even more useless than the Amazon Prime Music service, which I didn't find particularly useful either.

[jj2me]

Originally Posted by Jessica Lares

I am going to be eating books like crazy for the next 30 days.

If this works anything like the Prime Lending Library, the subscription books on your Kindle won't expire when your subscription expires, as long as your Kindle is disconnected from the network. Reconnect and they'll expire.

My Prime subscription ended when I was in the middle of a three-novel ebook, so I shut off wireless and kept it off, and the ebook is still readable.

Caveat: Treat this like an unexpected bonus if it works. I'd hate to see anyone strategize to push their favorite weighty tomes off to the relaxed-reading after-subscription period, and then find they've all expired.