Amazon and DRM changes

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Rhooo

God, now I'm stressed out that I went and stupidly spent money on a Kindle Kids Edition 2019 (cheapest I could find at retail in my country) and I'll still end up with KFX files even via the USB transfer method.

For what it may be worth, I've never seen Download and transfer via USB download a KFX file though the Scribe might change that since it appears that many of the Scribe's options are tied to KFX.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by rantanplan

Is DRM mandatory on Amazon?

As far as I've seen, the only Amazon format where DRM is mandatory is KFX. For mobi and KF8/azw3 files, DRM is optional.

[rantanplan]

Originally Posted by ottischwenk

And what about the one from 5th?
Did you download via USB?

That one could be deDRM'ed just fine.

[downeaster59]

I've just discovered and skimmed through this thread. First of all, I see a kind of paradox involving Amazon. On the one hand, people say that we at Mobileread are only a small minority of Amazon customers, so why should Amazon care about us? On the other hand, others say that Amazon is carefully monitoring Mobileread looking for de-DRM stuff and then counteracting it ASAP. If Amazon dismisses us as a very small community, why should they put in the resources to monitor our efforts to de-DRM ebooks if we, the small minority, are the only ones who will know about and use them? Or, is Amazon seeking to plug every possible hole before something might get out to the general public?

Kinda like being on the Island of Misfit E-Toys!

For those who need eInk, want Kindle books, but do not want a Kindle device, consider one of the Onyx Boox devices. They are Android-based, which means that you can install apps from Kindle, Kobo, Nook, or services like Scribd or Hoopla. It doesn't address the licensing vs. owning issue, but it does address the need-for-eInk issue.

The Nook Glowlight 4 also runs Android (8.1), but getting the Kindle app to work well on it has been a challenge.

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by downeaster59

The Nook Glowlight 4 also runs Android (8.1), but getting the Kindle app to work well on it has been a challenge.

The new Tolino devices also run on Android 8.1, but there is no magic (before FW version 16) to install the Kindle app.

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by rantanplan

That one could be deDRM'ed just fine.

All files for the Kindle 4 were DRM azw3 - one for the PW4 was kfx

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by stumped

Console yourself with the fact that historically, there's been no such thing as an uncrackable DRM

It is particularly hard to maintain strong DRM on the PC/Windows platform since the system is designed to allow the owner full access to just about everything.

For KFX Amazon was smart in building multiple DRM schemes into their reader software, ready to be activated as needed. It would take a lot of work to defeat that and so I doubt that anyone will put in the effort unless there is no easier way to defeat Amazon's DRM. I don't see it happening as long as the "Download & transfer" method still works for most books.

On the other hand I still hold out hope that a completely different method of attack will be found. The idea of using an old version of Kindle for Android in an emulator has been mentioned. And there is a chance that a new way to disable KFX will be found that works in the latest version of Kindle for PC.

Originally Posted by stumped

It would be interesting, in a separate thread, to discuss how it works and then how to break it, except that it would be against the rules? Maybe on a different site, those discussions are already happening. The I am curious "how does it work" bit would be ok here ?

I think the best place for technical discussion of the detailed workings of Amazon's DRM is the Discussions section of NoDRM's GitHub.

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by ottischwenk

All files for the Kindle 4 were DRM azw3 - one for the PW4 was kfx

Jus to be be clear, you are saying that KFX format was downloaded using the "Download & transfer" function of the amazon.de website directly to your PC and by not by looking at what was on your device via USB? If so then that is interesting news.

Can you provide a little more detail? What was the name and file size of the KFX file you downloaded for the book previously mentioned?

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by jhowell

Can you provide a little more detail? What was the name and file size of the KFX file you downloaded for the book previously mentioned?

It's hard at the moment - I'm about 400km from the pc I downloaded onto and returned this book so can't see it here.

[HLS]

They did this years ago. also if you try to download the old desktop version so you can strip DRM it forced you to upgrade.

[Karellen]

Originally Posted by HLS

also if you try to download the old desktop version so you can strip DRM it forced you to upgrade.

I have the installer for the old version. Every time K4PC upgrades (even thought I have unchecked the "automatically update" option) I run the installer and reinstall the old version again.

I usually get about 10+ starts before it updates again.

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by HLS

They did this years ago. also if you try to download the old desktop version so you can strip DRM it forced you to upgrade.

There was a workaround (set a folder to read-only so it wouldn't be able to download the updated version). Now, it outright blocks you from downloading the files.

[John F]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

It wasn't a bug; it was a deliberate design.

SorryI thought you were saying a bug was introduced; My misunderstanding. FWIW, NODRM (at least some version(s)) allows stripping DRM from Unlimited ebooks.

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by Karellen

I have the installer for the old version. Every time K4PC upgrades (even thought I have unchecked the "automatically update" option) I run the installer and reinstall the old version again.

I usually get about 10+ starts before it updates again.

See the "Preventing undesired updates" instruction at the end of the first post in the thread Dealing with Kindle for PC/Mac 1.19 (and later) and KFX in calibre.

[Karellen]

Originally Posted by jhowell

See the "Preventing undesired updates" instruction at the end of the first post in the thread Dealing with Kindle for PC/Mac 1.19 (and later) and KFX in calibre.

Great. Thank you @jhowell