Is the end near for Mobipocket?

[zerospinboson]

Originally Posted by Shaggy

With the moves they've been making, it certainly looks like Amazon's plan all along was to kill off the Mobipocket format.

Sure, but what is the point? They've already got all Kindle users locked in, so why would they want to deny themselves the revenue and consolidate the rest of the market under the ePub flag? (I'm assuming they get something from every mobipocket book sold by way of licensing)
All they stand to gain is that ordinary people start complaining about it, whereas with 2 major formats at least they can point to that to explain why they don't think they should feel obliged to switch to ePub (as it hadn't 'won' yet).
So I'm confused.

[rhadin]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Also, my Kindle is backed by Amazon.... and as it is their is more content for the Kindle than every other other device out there.

Bob,

Is this empirically true, that there is more content for the Kindle than for all other available devices? How do you know this? (The question is not does the Kindle store have more ebooks than say the Sony store or Books on Board. The question is whether there is more content available to the owner of say an Astak device than to the owner of a Kindle from all sources.)

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by rhadin

Is this empirically true, that there is more content for the Kindle than for all other available devices? How do you know this? (The question is not does the Kindle store have more ebooks than say the Sony store or Books on Board. The question is whether there is more content available to the owner of say an Astak device than to the owner of a Kindle from all sources.)

Do I "know it for sure"... well no. However, I do know that there are ebooks available on the Kindle store that are not available anywhere else. I also know that I can access any other store that a non-Kindle owner can access.

But, I can say this, if there is a contemporary ebook available which is protected by DRM and it is available in somewhere its in the Kindle store too.

That said, there is no way to know 100% what books are available for each device in it's natively supported format/DRM scheme.

I would turn it around to you... can you point out ebooks that are available with a DRM that the Kindle does not support which are not in the Kindle store?

The bottom line is, I don't have to worry about not being able to get content for my Kindle. Even if mobipocket goes away, that does NOT affect a Kindle owner.

BOb

[Shaggy]

Originally Posted by rhadin

Is this empirically true, that there is more content for the Kindle than for all other available devices?

I'd be surprised if it were true.

[Nate the great]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

I would turn it around to you... can you point out ebooks that are available with a DRM that the Kindle does not support which are not in the Kindle store?

That's easy. Most of the titles here and here are not available on the Kindle, and all of the titles here (CUP only does PDF).

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by Nate the great

That's easy. Most of the titles here and here are not available on the Kindle, and all of the titles here (CUP only does PDF).

Are those PDFs copy protected? Also, those other two links.. one of them looks like they only support PC based viewer software... and I wrong there? The other one doesn't say anything about format/DRM.

BOb

[lisreed]

Originally Posted by rhadin

Bob,

Is this empirically true, that there is more content for the Kindle than for all other available devices? How do you know this? (The question is not does the Kindle store have more ebooks than say the Sony store or Books on Board. The question is whether there is more content available to the owner of say an Astak device than to the owner of a Kindle from all sources.)

I know I think I technically get more books that I am personally interested in on the SOny than when I had a kindle because along with using Sony & booksonboard, I also buy ebooks from WH Smith for British mystery titles that either have no US publisher or the book hasn't been released here yet. This access is a big plus for me to have an ebook reader. I was buying British mysteries from amazon uk about twice a year for stuff I can't buy in the US or borrow from the library. It has saved me those shipping charges.

[Shaggy]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

But, I can say this, if there is a contemporary ebook available which is protected by DRM and it is available in somewhere its in the Kindle store too.

You're saying that EVERY DRM'd eBook is available in the Kindle store? I don't know if you're right, but I find that awfully difficult to believe.

[Nate the great]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Are those PDFs copy protected? Also, those other two links.. one of them looks like they only support PC based viewer software... and I wrong there? The other one doesn't say anything about format/DRM.

BOb

Yes, the PDFs are protected by Adobe DE.

Both of the first 2 are PC becuase the formats are richer in content than you can support on any of the dedicated liseuses.

[Shaggy]

Originally Posted by Shaggy

You're saying that EVERY DRM'd eBook is available in the Kindle store? I don't know if you're right, but I find that awfully difficult to believe.

Wasn't there a post recently stating that Amazon is only accepting content from US Publishers? That would pretty much rule out a big chunk of eBooks, wouldn't it?

[tompe]

Originally Posted by zerospinboson

Sure, but what is the point? They've already got all Kindle users locked in, so why would they want to deny themselves the revenue and consolidate the rest of the market under the ePub flag? (I'm assuming they get something from every mobipocket book sold by way of licensing)
All they stand to gain is that ordinary people start complaining about it, whereas with 2 major formats at least they can point to that to explain why they don't think they should feel obliged to switch to ePub (as it hadn't 'won' yet).
So I'm confused.

Maybe they are preparing for a DRM free world?

I am pretty sure you can find good reasons. Maybe it will be impossible to further develop MobiPocket so instead of supporting an old format it is better to spend resources on a new format.

Or some other reason. Or it is just an arbitrary decision.

[luqmaninbmore]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

ADE DRM allows for library ePub. Plus, we can strip the DRM from ADE DRM. eReader is just going to be an annoying mess.

You can strip the DRM from EReader books too. And the DRM is much less annoying. I can't register my Sony Pocket Edition because of an error on my work PC which used up all of my remaining activations. I opened a case with Adobe and they sent me a PDF in response that superficially addressed my problem. They did not reset my device activation count as requested and it's been the better part of two weeks. This would not be an issue with EReader. As for library support, I'm sure that could be engineered into it. Heck, Overdrive offers MP3 audiobooks that patrons are expected to delete after their loan period is over.

[luqmaninbmore]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

But, I can say this, if there is a contemporary ebook available which is protected by DRM and it is available in somewhere its in the Kindle store too.

That said, there is no way to know 100% what books are available for each device in it's natively supported format/DRM scheme.

I would turn it around to you... can you point out ebooks that are available with a DRM that the Kindle does not support which are not in the Kindle store?

BOb

There are plenty, including many that I'm interested in. Fritz Leiber's Our Lady of Darkness is apparently only available in the Sony Store, there is Brad Metzger's "Book of Lies," Virtue Epistemology (which is available on the Kindle store, but at several times the price of the Sony edition), Wierd Tales Magazine, Dave Robinson's "Nietzsche and Post Modernism," and others. I'm not bashing on the Kindle; I bought one and subsequently passed it on to my wife. I'm also not against taking advantage of Amazon's prices when they are in fact lower than the other stores'. But it doesn't have everything, especially if your tastes run to philosophy, the esoteric, and the wierd.

[pilotbob]

Well, I guess the simple answer for those that want books that are not available on the Kindle is to not get a Kindle.

But, I still stand firm on my main point that if mobipocket goes away it will not somehow hurt Kindle owners.

BOb

[Dylrob]

Originally Posted by tompe

I am pretty sure you can find good reasons. Maybe it will be impossible to further develop MobiPocket so instead of supporting an old format it is better to spend resources on a new format.

But they're using essentially the same format on the Kindle. Just with a modified DRM.

I have to agree with an early post. I think in the long term Amazon wants to to be a content provider. Offering books for various devices in the AZW format, which they are in complete control over and don't have to share the profits with other ebook retailers (as they do with Mobipocket).