Amazon's introduces "Digital Replica" format

[Kali Yuga]

Originally Posted by mldavis2

Sorry, but these graphics-oriented textbooks and coffee table display items simply are a no-go on hand-held readers...

They'd work fine on larger displays. It's only the 7" and smaller displays which really wouldn't work.

Originally Posted by mldavis2

What I would suggest is having a pure text display with a full-screen toggle to the graphic or image if it's really an integal part of the book.

That really isn't going to work for a sufficiently complex layout.

[OtterBooks]

I have no idea what the ninny is going on here.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by Kali Yuga

I concur that PDF is preferable because it's more standardized. At the same time, I'm not surprised that Amazon preferred to brew up its own format, I can't see them liking the idea of dealing with a competitor's proprietary/closed format.

Make no mistake... the "new format" IS PDF. Regular old PDF. It's just embedded in a Mobipocket container that can only currently be read by the latest versions of Kindle for PC/Mac.

[Daithi]

I don't see the point of a new standard either. As long as the book is purchased through Amazon they could use a software solution that would handle deleting expired books, and they wouldn't need to use a custom file format to accomplish this task. When you download a book with an expiration date you just update a database on the Kindle that records when the file should be deleted.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by Daithi

I don't see the point of a new standard either. As long as the book is purchased through Amazon they could use a software solution that would handle deleting expired books, and they wouldn't need to use a custom file format to accomplish this task. When you download a book with an expiration date you just update a database on the Kindle that records when the file should be deleted.

I don't think you're quite understanding... what you've described is exactly what Amazon has delivered. It's a standard PDF. The mobi (azw) container that it's embedded in is mainly functioning as a DRM vehicle—which will use Amazon's pre-existing DRM system (No new custom DRM software expenditures) to apply time constraints to PDF rentals.

I'm not backing Amazon's decision, just trying to stress the fact that there really is no "new format" here. PDF inside a MOBI. The only thing new is the application necessary to read it.

[RockdaMan]

Originally Posted by Kali Yuga

I concur that PDF is preferable because it's more standardized.
--
I can't see them liking the idea of dealing with a competitor's proprietary/closed format.

A lot of companies prefer to use their own formatting because it frees them from having wait for a standards body to 'rev' the format when their needs change.

And with Amazons size and heft in the market, this will soon be as standard as their other format.

A third point --> this is good for Mobileread. With all the (ahem! ) discussions that this will cause, their page-views are going to double or triple.

[Ron.]

I can think of one mobiread user who is going to love this news (JSWolf)

[elemenoP]

So Amazon was not able to offer PDFs for sale until now?

Libraries/Overdrive already offer PDF with some kind of ADE wrapper that expires the license when your time is up, so that's not new.

ep

[anamardoll]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I doubt it, but I'm guessing that if a potential solution would incidentally make it easier for someone to "steal" rented textbooks, the current developers of... you know... probably won't be very interested in solving that particular dilemma.

So people who buy the textbooks can't... you know... because someone might abuse the... you know... When did the philosophy about... you know... change to suddenly not tolerate the risk that it might be abused?

Or are bought textbooks just going to be plain PDF without the wrapper?

I really don't mind Amazon making new formats left and right as long as it's clear what the format is BEFORE you buy. I've bought textbooks from them before as mobis and I wouldn't want to buy thinking I was getting a mobi and instead getting something that can't be... you knowed.

[Dulin's Books]

Originally Posted by mldavis2

Sorry, but these graphics-oriented textbooks and coffee table display items simply are a no-go on hand-held readers, even tablets which are uncomfortable to hold for long periods of time and suck batteries to death in shorter periods of time.

it would seem they agree with you since the OP wrote

Originally Posted by pdurrant

This may explain why the format can only be read with Kindle for PC or Kindle for Mac,

[KevinH]

Hi,

I think the tipping point is the rental issue. If there was some way to differentiate rental from purchased, then I don't think the developers of ... you know ... would object too much. Converting a book you bought seems to be different than keeping a copy of a book you only paid to rent ... but that is just my guess.

[anamardoll]

Originally Posted by KevinH

Hi,

I think the tipping point is the rental issue. If there was some way to differentiate rental from purchased, then I don't think the developers of ... you know ... would object too much. Converting a book you bought seems to be different than keeping a copy of a book you only paid to rent ... but that is just my guess.

There are textbook rentals already that are plain jane mobi. If the makers of... you know... are worried about it being abused, that particular cat is out of the bag.

And how many people rip library book to convert and read on their Kindle and then delete? If rental is an issue, then it should have been an issue then, not now, imho.

[EowynCarter]

Originally Posted by Kali Yuga

An example that came up in a recent thread....



Yes this is one page, yes the layout is in fact critical to the author's intent.

And yes, textbooks, manuals and other documents definitely need more than what ebook formats can offer.

FWIW it sounds like they also tossed in Whispernet sync, annotations, etc.

I concur that PDF is preferable because it's more standardized. At the same time, I'm not surprised that Amazon preferred to brew up its own format, I can't see them liking the idea of dealing with a competitor's proprietary/closed format.

That kind of layout can be done with css and html. Not sure what's included in ePub3, but it might suppport this alredy.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by elemenoP

So Amazon was not able to offer PDFs for sale until now?

Libraries/Overdrive already offer PDF with some kind of ADE wrapper that expires the license when your time is up, so that's not new.

ep

Amazon have offered PDFs for sale is the past. And have had to pay Adobe for the DRM. This new format allows them to sell PDFs with DRM without paying Adobe for the ability.

Originally Posted by anamardoll

There are textbook rentals already that are plain jane mobi. If the makers of... you know... are worried about it being abused, that particular cat is out of the bag.

And how many people rip library book to convert and read on their Kindle and then delete? If rental is an issue, then it should have been an issue then, not now, imho.

There are mobipocket format textbook rentals? Could you point me to one?

It's a fair point about the library books.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by EowynCarter

That kind of layout can be done with css and html. Not sure what's included in ePub3, but it might suppport this alredy.

The issue is probably that these textbooks already exist in PDF format, hence offering them for renting is just a case of adding the DRM wrapper around the existing PDF. Reformatting them in ePub would be a massive undertaking, and one which the publisher probably wouldn't consider to be economically viable.