The true cost of publishing on the Amazon Kindle

[karunaji]

Originally Posted by Kali Yuga

Magazine publishers and/or Amazon are obviously not going to pass on cost savings to you.

That's why devices should be separated from content delivery. It creates the same problems as with Kindle application for iPad and so on. The closed systems mean that ultimately everybody loses.

By the way, 10p per mb is the cost they're charging the publishers.

It is also the price I would get charged if I used Kindle 3G for my own document delivery. And I don't want to pay. I just want Kindle hardware where I can put my own SIM card as in any other cell phone that has been in possession.

So, yet again: You would not save one thin dime, or get any extra content, if you used your own 3g connection.

I already have.

Save yourself some aggravation, and worry about things that are actually worth worrying about.

Who gives it up without a fight? The current system is very much like if you had a car and you would be allowed to buy gas only from gas stations that belong to the car maker. Not that their gas would be any different but you just would be charged more. And lose warranty if you fill up at another gas station.

In fact, the EU court recently decided that it was illegal to refuse car warranty if you did routine maintenance (like oil change) outside of their authorized service centers. As long the maintenance is done by qualified personnel and records are duly kept they have to honor the warranty. Internet is just too recent phenomena that proper balance of rights are not yet established. But we have to ask for them and not simply expect.

P.S. Don't forget the prophecy that within the Kali-yuga there will be ten thousand years of sub-period of golden age. Some say that this period has already started

[Kali Yuga]

Originally Posted by karunaji

That's why devices should be separated from content delivery....

C'mon man, reading comprehension. Absolutely nothing about opening up the 3g delivery would change the fact that these companies don't uniformly pass on cost savings to customers.

Originally Posted by karunaji

The closed systems mean that ultimately everybody loses.

Open systems aren't a bliss of freedom either. Android developers are routinely driven up a wall by apps that work on one smartphone but not another. Similarly an open system basically allows for lots of shenanigans.

There are also tons of closed systems that are not only doing well but are fostering innovations and transforming the industry. The Kindle and Apple -- which you are deriding so thoroughly -- both utilize largely closed systems, yet are doing more for ebooks than Project Gutenberg. Go figure.

(This is not at all to say that "closed is better," only that "open is not a definitive win.")

Originally Posted by karunaji

It is also the price I would get charged if I used Kindle 3G for my own document delivery. And I don't want to pay.

So? Sideload it. Or get an iPad.

The iPad, by the way, does allow you not only to use competing ebook apps, but allows you to use your own SIM card as well. Yet Apple is still railing magazine publishers with a 30% royalty (like Amazon did until a few months ago), and I doubt that if they increase the royalty rates that the magazine publishers will change their prices.

There are genuine pros and cons to open vs closed. But in this case, you're chasing an illusory benefit.

Originally Posted by karunaji

The current system is very much like if you had a car and you would be allowed to buy gas only from gas stations that belong to the car maker.

Or, it's like owning an XBox360 and finding out you can't play PS3 or Wii games on it.

Originally Posted by karunaji

Who gives it up without a fight?

What are you, a porcupine? :P

Everyone has to pick their battles selectively. And of all the perceived injustices of the world, this is a fairly petty one.

[Ripplinger]

Originally Posted by susan_cassidy

Maybe it is cheap in Europe, but in the US, data plans are very expensive (to me). About the cheapest data plan is the iPad $15 US/month for 250 Mb. 2Gb will cost you $25.00 US.

For me, the problem with the data plans on most smartphones is that they want to bundle a huge talk plan with a medium data plan. I have a no-contract phone that I have to pay a minimum of $15/month, and I only use about 5 minutes a week on it. I would use more data than voice, but you can't really get a phone with that kind of plan in the US.

Your phone usage is very similar to mine, I don't walk down the street with it attached to my ear 24/7 and I just can't see paying $60+/month for a cell phone. I have a monthly no-contract plan from Virgin called Beyond Talk which costs $25/month. It gives me unlimited text, data, email and web usage, plus 300 anytime voice minutes, which is more than I need. I'm in a major city and have no problems at all with the service, you might look into it.

[karunaji]

Originally Posted by Kali Yuga

Similarly an open system basically allows for lots of shenanigans.

I have no idea what you mean with it. I have bought a computer/Kindle/any device of my own choice and I pay for my internet connection to an ISP of my choice. Where do the shenanigans come in?

(This is not at all to say that "closed is better," only that "open is not a definitive win.")

It is just that the current system is bad even if it is winning.

Yet Apple is still railing magazine publishers with a 30% royalty (like Amazon did until a few months ago), and I doubt that if they increase the royalty rates that the magazine publishers will change their prices.

If you look at particular cases it may look like that but at the bigger picture it is not true. Every factor has influence on prices.

There are genuine pros and cons to open vs closed. But in this case, you're chasing an illusory benefit.

Being able to use Kindle with my own 3G connection is certainly real not illusory benefit to me.

Or, it's like owning an XBox360 and finding out you can't play PS3 or Wii games on it.

I don't know anything about games so this point is lost on me.

Everyone has to pick their battles selectively. And of all the perceived injustices of the world, this is a fairly petty one.

What battles? I just don't like the current closed system as it restricts me both as a reader and as a publisher.

[Anthem]

Originally Posted by Lemurion

The problem is that no one has yet invented an ethereal cannon.

Hmm. Methinks an idea is gestating!