Amazon has removed Download & Transfer option

[ratinox]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

It's how they are interpreting that. I'm interpreting that as the WiFi Kindles are going to be supported. I don't feel Amazon is dropping older WiFi Kindles any time soon given that K4PC downloads mostly KFX and there would be no way to download eBooks to those Kindles. That would be removing perfectly good Kindles for no good reason.

Please remember that your opinions and interpretations are not official statements from Amazon. You might see no good reason as an end user and I'm inclined to agree. But Amazon very well could see control over the ecosystem as a perfectly good reason to cut them off. Fact is, none of us know what Amazon really mean. They've been intentionally vague about the whole thing.

[JSWolf]

[DiapDealer]

Other than the date, isn't this entire thread based on unofficial interpretations and speculation?

[astrangerhere]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Other than the date, isn't this entire thread based on unofficial interpretations and speculation?

From The Verge, who got a quote from Amazon:

Amazon confirmed the removal of the book download feature in a statement to The Verge. “Customers can continue reading books previously downloaded on their Kindle device, and access new content through the Kindle app, Kindle for web, as well as directly through Kindle devices with WiFi capability,” said Amazon spokesperson Jackie Burke.

[ratinox]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Other than the date, isn't this entire thread based on unofficial interpretations and speculation?

More about trying to make sense of Amazon's ambiguity, and what we can do about it. The quote from The Verge was updated after many of us received direct notices from Amazon: "as well as supported Kindle devices with WiFi capability." The The Verge quote does not incude the word "supported" which suggests that older devices such as my PW3 may continue to work.

[DiapDealer]

Oh, I get why the official statement sounds ambiguous. And I get why people might speculate and throw out opinions and interpretations about it. But what else would one call trying to make sense of ambiguous statements if not interpretation and speculation? Not trying to be difficult, just trying to make sense of why someone would be loathe to call what they (and everyone) is doing speculation. Speculation about what constitutes a supported device with WiFi capability.

Me.... I consider the fact that I can still download official updates for a Kindle Keyboard from Amazon servers fair game to consider it "supported" (which is, of course, speculation/interpretation on my part). Now if I could only get the battery to take a charge. But I'm trying to fire it up mainly to figure out if it's still "supported" or not. And how long it stays that way (for reference purposes). DRM removal is no longer something I consider necessary for my reading/buying habits.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Oh, I get why the official statement sounds ambiguous. And I get why people might speculate and throw out opinions and interpretations about it. But what else would one call trying to makes sense of ambiguous statements if not interpretation and speculation?

Yes, and I won't assume anything even on the 27th. I'll see what the situation is on the 3rd of March. I was happy reading books before Amazon or Kindles existed, so either way I'll not be especially sad or delighted. "Supported WiFi" means whatever Amazon wants it to mean. I'm reminded of Humpty Dumpty in Through the Looking-Glass. I'll not be surprised if I can still send to the DXG (from My Content on Web page), which mysteriously can still get ebooks sent when you sync. I can't imagine why Amazon hasn't ceased the Cell contract, though 3G seems gone as it always uses EDGE enhancement of GSM 2G (245 kbps). Or maybe anything older than 5 years will be gone.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by shalym

It does work in Calibre if you have the KFX input plugin. I just dragged the booktitle.kfx file to the open Calibre library window on my computer and it brought it in automatically--with all of the files that make up the .kfx book included.

Shari

I finally got a close look at from where on his kindle, he was looking at the files that he was dragging into calibre. He was looking in the filename_ASIN.sdr folder and the various KFX files in there. This resulted in only the single file being imported and attempting to open the file popped up a message about all the other kfx files being missing. Scrolling down past the multiple pages of sdr folders, got him to the title_blurb_ASIN.kfx files which did work.

Now he is having fun using From KFX to convert the KFX to ePub which is going slowly since it only seems to allow selecting one book at a time.

[gbm]

Originally Posted by Quoth

Yes, and I won't assume anything even on the 27th. I'll see what the situation is on the 3rd of March. I was happy reading books before Amazon or Kindles existed, so either way I'll not be especially sad or delighted. "Supported WiFi" means whatever Amazon wants it to mean. I'm reminded of Humpty Dumpty in Through the Looking-Glass. I'll not be surprised if I can still send to the DXG (from My Content on Web page), which mysteriously can still get ebooks sent when you sync. I can't imagine why Amazon hasn't ceased the Cell contract, though 3G seems gone as it always uses EDGE enhancement of GSM 2G (245 kbps). Or maybe anything older than 5 years will be gone.

Yes the only hard facts we know at this time is that D&T is going away. I can--as of the time of this post--still git kindle books using my Kindle and Device View, with the KFX input plugin in calibre, this may change at any time.

I have not received the email just the notice on the My Content page.

Yes have been buying ebooks at Baen for over 20 years.

From the Baen February 2025 newsletter:

Baen Books. No DRM. You own it; it’s yours.

Originally Posted by DNSB

I finally got a close look at from where on his kindle, he was looking at the files that he was dragging into calibre. He was looking in the filename_ASIN.sdr folder and the various KFX files in there. This resulted in only the single file being imported and attempting to open the file popped up a message about all the other kfx files being missing. Scrolling down past the multiple pages of sdr folders, got him to the title_blurb_ASIN.kfx files which did work.

Now he is having fun using From KFX to convert the KFX to ePub which is going slowly since it only seems to allow selecting one book at a time.

Have him use Device View in calibre.

bernie

P.S.
I have averaged over 67 ebooks from Amazon over the last 15 years. That a third of the ebooks I buy in a year. I suspect that number to be smaller going forward.

[el_vandragon]

I think the biggest impact for me are the Kindle Unlimited exclusive books. A lot of series I read are self-published and don't have a physical release, they also often enroll in Kindle Unlimited to reach more readers which I believe requires the ebook be exclusively available on Kindle.

It seems like my only options going forward are to hope that the existing KFX methods keep working, drop the series, or be okay with only having DRM copies that I can't control which is unfortunate.

[BionicGecko]

Originally Posted by el_vandragon

I think the biggest impact for me are the Kindle Unlimited exclusive books. A lot of series I read are self-published and don't have a physical release, they also often enroll in Kindle Unlimited to reach more readers which I believe requires the ebook be exclusively available on Kindle.

It seems like my only options going forward are to hope that the existing KFX methods keep working, drop the series, or be okay with only having DRM copies that I can't control which is unfortunate.

It is considered a bad practice in these parts to remove DRM from KU books, as the KU payment model relies on the number of pages read, which can only be accounted for when reading the book online and as downloaded on the device from the Amazon servers; stripping DRM from KU books effectively prevents authors from being paid their fair share.

[el_vandragon]

Originally Posted by BionicGecko

It is considered a bad practice in these parts to remove DRM from KU books, as the KU payment model relies on the number of pages read, which can only be accounted for when reading the book online and as downloaded on the device from the Amazon servers; stripping DRM from KU books effectively prevents authors from being paid their fair share.

I purchase the books, I have never subscribed to Kindle Unlimited, I was just referring to the fact that as far as I am aware books that are part of KU can only be purchased through Amazon and can’t also be available on other platforms like Kobo.

[BionicGecko]

Originally Posted by el_vandragon

I purchase the books, I have never subscribed to Kindle Unlimited, I was just referring to the fact that as far as I am aware books that are part of KU can only be purchased through Amazon and can’t also be available on other platforms like Kobo.

Aha, understood, sorry for the confusion!

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by el_vandragon

I purchase the books, I have never subscribed to Kindle Unlimited, I was just referring to the fact that as far as I am aware books that are part of KU can only be purchased through Amazon and can’t also be available on other platforms like Kobo.

Most KU books are Amazon exclusive, but not all. Certainly not the larger publishers. Individuals using KDP Select will be exclusive to Amazon. Do search the title (Duck Duck Go, Google etc) and sometimes it's not exclusive.

It's not like only Walmart or Tesco having Heinz baked beans. It's like only one online retailer having any baked beans at all. Exclusive retail for a mass market item is quite different to a wholesaler, distributor or publisher having exclusive rights. It should be illegal. Also as Amazon has over 90% of English language ebook sales in the world, monopoly laws should apply.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by BionicGecko

It is considered a bad practice in these parts to remove DRM from KU books, as the KU payment model relies on the number of pages read, which can only be accounted for when reading the book online and as downloaded on the device from the Amazon servers; stripping DRM from KU books effectively prevents authors from being paid their fair share.

They are only "really" KU if borrowed as part of a subscription. KU tagged books can be bought in the normal way with no subscription.

Actually buying gives the authors a fair share. The KU system doesn't even when it is used properly. It's opaque. Unlike other libraries, the KU system gets the content free and Amazon decides on the "pot" to be shared to pages read. In the UK & Ireland the libraries have to buy the content for a stated number of simultaneous loans and then pay a per book small royalty to the author, per loan, no matter how much is read. The Amazon system is arrogant, monopolistic, invades user privacy and under pays the the authors. They get the content free for any number of loans. Now, try and find an Amazon book in a library. They want to wipe out all other book retailers and libraries.