Kobo, why won't you sync my sideloaded books?

[TechniSol]

It seems like the hashing algorithm would be fine as long as Kobo never decoded the data and viewed it on their servers and forced the user to positively opt in -if they wished the service. No additional storage beyond a unique identifier and the page number should be required. ISBN scrambled might be the simplest.

Another way to do it would be for a Kobo device to generate a unique key upon user demand that would be used to scramble or encrypt an ISBN/page combo and only present that key to the user who would then enter it only on the devices (s)he wished synced in future. Once enabled future syncs would use the then pre-entered key.

You can project this sort of thing out ad nauseum, but at some point there are diminishing returns considering the low worth of the data encrypted.

Honestly, I couldn't care less if Kobo knows what titles I'm reading, but I'd like my books synced...

[ShellShock]

I don't think Kobo really want us side loading epubs, they would much prefer everyone to stick to kepub. It would make support and maintenance simpler for them. kepubs get firmware enhancements, epubs don't, which makes sense as Kobo have no control over the Adobe RMSDK used for rendering epubs.

[TechniSol]

It think that being an ereader incapable of rendering DRM free files would be a bad move...

[MacEachaidh]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

They don't have to know as long as it is the device itself that looks up those recommendations. If they don't cache that info on the servers, and aren't pushing it to the device, then they never know what sideloaded books you have -- but your device does know.

Kobo must datamine that info, surely? Does it not keep track of trends of what people are reading, as well as what they're buying?

I know indexing that information against customer identity is a further step, but how can anyone be certain Kobo doesn't go there?

(I'm asking out of interest, not trying to make assertions.)

[MacEachaidh]

Originally Posted by ShellShock

I don't think Kobo really want us side loading epubs, they would much prefer everyone to stick to kepub. It would make support and maintenance simpler for them. kepubs get firmware enhancements, epubs don't, which makes sense as Kobo have no control over the Adobe RMSDK used for rendering epubs.

Is there a particular reason that Kobo uses ADE? Is that the only way they can deal with Adobe DRM? Or is it some kind of licensing requirement?

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by MacEachaidh

Kobo must datamine that info, surely? Does it not keep track of trends of what people are reading, as well as what they're buying?

I know indexing that information against customer identity is a further step, but how can anyone be certain Kobo doesn't go there?

(I'm asking out of interest, not trying to make assertions.)

They could be, but they don't have to, by which I mean that it isn't necessary for the purpose of formulating recommendations, even though they may be doing so anyway.

But I don't think they are, because it would be a privacy violation and thus against the law, and I will assume (perhaps wrongly) that Kobobooks is not willing to break the law in the hopes of not getting caught.

Originally Posted by TechniSol

It seems like the hashing algorithm would be fine as long as Kobo never decoded the data and viewed it on their servers and forced the user to positively opt in -if they wished the service. No additional storage beyond a unique identifier and the page number should be required. ISBN scrambled might be the simplest.

Another way to do it would be for a Kobo device to generate a unique key upon user demand that would be used to scramble or encrypt an ISBN/page combo and only present that key to the user who would then enter it only on the devices (s)he wished synced in future. Once enabled future syncs would use the then pre-entered key.

You can project this sort of thing out ad nauseum, but at some point there are diminishing returns considering the low worth of the data encrypted.

Honestly, I couldn't care less if Kobo knows what titles I'm reading, but I'd like my books synced...

I think it would work much better if they just store everything, encrypted with a private key which is itself encrypted with your account password. When you register a device, the key is downloaded, decrypted, and stored, then used to decrypt the collections store.

Then it becomes a form of Host-Proof Hosting: they don't have access as they can't make use of your private key (although granted they could "update" the firmware to give them access, but that itself is not a problem) since it requires a password which only you have. They don't have your password in their database, at least I hope they don't -- they should be storing a verification hash only -- and it will even be proof against changing your account password, as all they have to do is use your old/new passwords to decrypt and re-encrypt your private key on their server, so new devices can still use it.

The whole thing would be quite automatic and, in the best style of user-friendliness, is accomplished merely through the already pre-existing need to sign in with your account password when registering the device.

I guess this wouldn't work if it comes pre-registered, I know Amazon does this if you buy a Kindle from their website, does Kobo?

[John F]

So, in the news today, Sony is closing their ebook store in the U.S. and Canada, and allowing their customers to transfer their ebooks to Kobo. So much for "customer privacy" problems when it means new customers?

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by John F

So, in the news today, Sony is closing their ebook store in the U.S. and Canada, and allowing their customers to transfer their ebooks to Kobo. So much for "customer privacy" problems when it means new customers?

Operative word there being "allowing". If the consumer is asked first, it's not a privacy issue, they gave the right to the company to know they have those books!

[TechniSol]

So, then you'd have no difficulty with customers giving Kobo the right to maintain reading position for selected titles or their entire library. Problem solved.

[Terisa de morgan]

I look at it from another point of view: so.. they have to develop a software and use storage space for books not purchased from them? I don't see it realistic (call me cynical). I don't know if Amazon synchronize books you send by email, so I can't talk about it.

[filmo]

Good for Sony book store customers if Kobo maintains their DRM books on Kobo servers. Good for Kobo if they gain new customers that were Sony book store customers.

[John F]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Operative word there being "allowing". If the consumer is asked first, it's not a privacy issue, they gave the right to the company to know they have those books!

I'll play the really card.

Really? Really?

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by Terisa de morgan

I look at it from another point of view: so.. they have to develop a software and use storage space for books not purchased from them? I don't see it realistic (call me cynical). I don't know if Amazon synchronize books you send by email, so I can't talk about it.

Yes, Amazon does.

https://www.amazon.com/kindlepersonaldocuments

Whispersync automatically syncs last page read, bookmarks, and annotations, with the exception of PDFs and files transferred via USB.

Note: We may limit the number of personal documents you may send, download, or store.

But I don't know whether Kobo wants to, I am simply pointing out a way they could.

[taming]

Originally Posted by shalym

I really don't understand why this is in violation of Canadian law for Kobo, but not for Amazon. Kobo is no longer a Canadian company any more than Amazon is--it may have started as a Canadian company, but it's now owned by Rakuten, which is NOT a Canadian company. The Kobo division of Rakuten may have it's main office in Canada, but the company is incorporated in Japan, not Canada, and I would think Japanese law would prevail.

Shari

Kobo remains a Canadian company--a wholly owned subsidiary of a Japanese company. See this Slash Gear article about it.

[ppulle]

Hi,
How feasible would be a local sync server.
By this I mean a plug in to the kobo that connects to your local pc running a program that does the same thing as the inbuilt sync. No Internet connection, your files stored locally, no privacy issues.....
I know calbre can be configured to serve out files, surely it cannot be too hard to sync.