Am I Wasting My Time Requesting Books For The Kindle? - Page 2

bjones6416 · 11-22-2010, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NVash

What is a Topaz ebook exactly? Is that a bad thing?

This is the only part of this I can answer.

Yes. Topaz is a bad thing. Doesn't convert easily to other formats without producing a bunch of extraneous files, and difficult to strip the DRM if you're into that sort of thing.

NVash · 11-29-2010, 12:14 AM

Thanks for that info bjones6416, but I have another question. I thought Kindle ran on MOBI files. Does it not do MOBI or does it do both? How does that work out?

I was just requesting some more books and got to thinking of some more questions. Is there any way to track the books I requested for the Kindle? At this point I find myself often wondering how many times Ive requested the same book. And also, is there any way to see any progress and if theyve been made? I know I could always keep looking but most times I look for a book, see it isnt on Kindle, request it and keep on going. They should have some sort of thing on both Amazon and on the Kindle where you can not only request books but see what you have requested and if they have made any progress towards them becoming ebooks.

robtillotson · 11-29-2010, 08:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NVash

Thanks for that info bjones6416, but I have another question. I thought Kindle ran on MOBI files. Does it not do MOBI or does it do both? How does that work out?

It does both. Topaz is an Amazon proprietary format that is a hybrid of a scan (for display) and OCR (for text to speech and searching), and the files tend to be a lot bigger than mobi/azw and can't easily be converted to anything else. You can usually tell if a book is Topaz by the free sample, or by noticing that the page on the Kindle store doesn't tell you how big the file is.

As near as I can tell, Topaz is used to allow Amazon to make a Kindle book when the publisher doesn't supply a more appropriate input format. This lets Amazon have books in the Kindle library that no other e-book vendor has, and the amount of work for the publisher is probably a lot less, but on the other hand the quality varies a lot, and the results are even more locked in to the Kindle platform than DRMed MOBIs already are.

--Rob

=X= · 11-29-2010, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NVash

I was just requesting some books on the Kindle when I began to wonder. Am I wasting my time? .....

No, if you read the blurb, Amazon uses the requested count to try to persuade authors and/or publishers to release the eBook. The higher the request count the more likely the chances are that that book will be converted.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NVash

I guess my main question is has anyone requested some books and actually seen them appear on the Kindle? And does anyone think the Kindle will ever hold comics? I know they can be converted to work for the Kindele but will it ever actually have the option to buy comics? Can E-ink withstand that?

Yes, several of the books I've requested have been released. And no I don't believe I was the single influence

just a contributing vote. Of all of the books that where re-released as eBooks all where in Topaz format.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I've always believed that the "I want to read this book on my Kindle" button usually results in a Topaz ebook. If the publisher has no inclination to create an ebook -- but sees that there's enough interest in one -- they may take the easy route and allow Amazon to create one for them... which does result in a Topaz ebook.

Just a theory, but I'm sticking with it.

I think that is a very likely theory, or a more probable than you think. Topaz is the format Amazon uses for automating the conversion process, they do not proof read that format at all. If an author/publisher does not have the resources to convert a book to an electronic MOBI file, Amazon will convert the book for them and offer it as a topaz format book. The result of the topaz format varies per book. My experience is it looks okay. The problem I had was that sometimes the search does not work since the OCR did not scan correctly.

=X=

Eraserhead · 12-11-2010, 11:03 PM

I would rather make them myself personally, thus having infinite possibilities outside of their "store". The world is my kindle store. I love my kindle. Kindle Good.... DRM Bad...

traponk · 12-12-2010, 02:23 AM

It all depends on the publisher if they think ebook publishing is worthwhile, and which books they choose to put out as ebooks. I would guess they would release their best selling books first for ereaders, but I think there will be a day when the vast majority of books will be available as ebooks. I don't know if the author has much say about what formats their books get published in. If they're one of the publisher's best sellers, the publisher might be more willing to listen. But it's probably not worth publishers' time to bother converting their entire catalog into ebooks, at least not yet.

12-11-2010, 11:03 PM	#20
Eraserhead Junior Member Posts: 8 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: Kindle Gen 1	I would rather make them myself personally, thus having infinite possibilities outside of their "store". The world is my kindle store. I love my kindle. Kindle Good.... DRM Bad... Last edited by Eraserhead; 12-11-2010 at 11:08 PM.

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11-29-2010, 12:14 AM	#17
NVash Wandering Vagabond Posts: 282 Karma: 350000 Join Date: Apr 2010 Device: iPod Touch	Thanks for that info bjones6416, but I have another question. I thought Kindle ran on MOBI files. Does it not do MOBI or does it do both? How does that work out? I was just requesting some more books and got to thinking of some more questions. Is there any way to track the books I requested for the Kindle? At this point I find myself often wondering how many times Ive requested the same book. And also, is there any way to see any progress and if theyve been made? I know I could always keep looking but most times I look for a book, see it isnt on Kindle, request it and keep on going. They should have some sort of thing on both Amazon and on the Kindle where you can not only request books but see what you have requested and if they have made any progress towards them becoming ebooks.

12-12-2010, 02:23 AM	#21
traponk Member Posts: 20 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Midwest USA Device: rooted e-ink Nook	It all depends on the publisher if they think ebook publishing is worthwhile, and which books they choose to put out as ebooks. I would guess they would release their best selling books first for ereaders, but I think there will be a day when the vast majority of books will be available as ebooks. I don't know if the author has much say about what formats their books get published in. If they're one of the publisher's best sellers, the publisher might be more willing to listen. But it's probably not worth publishers' time to bother converting their entire catalog into ebooks, at least not yet.

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