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Old 01-25-2014, 07:52 AM   #76
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I've just looked at the majority of the books people have posted here, and guess what... I can now tell from the web-site which books will have no ePub format available for download.

If the list of valid devices does NOT include Blackberry then it does seems to be a book WITHOUT an ePub download available for it.
DRM-free books don't have the Blackberry, for example all Tor books are missing the Blackberry but all the ones I have bought have a download button.

It seems to be that if the book has a Blackberry then it has Adobe DRM and will have a download button. If it doesn't have a Blackberry then most likely it is a DRM-free book with a download button, but could also be a book without a download button.
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Old 01-27-2014, 03:40 AM   #77
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It seems to be that if the book has a Blackberry then it has Adobe DRM and will have a download button. If it doesn't have a Blackberry then most likely it is a DRM-free book with a download button, but could also be a book without a download button.
All of which goes to show, IMO, that the Kobo ebook store - either by accident or design - fails to provide its customers with sufficient information with which to make informed buying decisions. That should neither be minimized nor excused; it is a significant problem that Kobo needs to fix ASAP.
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Old 01-27-2014, 04:28 AM   #78
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All of which goes to show, IMO, that the Kobo ebook store - either by accident or design - fails to provide its customers with sufficient information with which to make informed buying decisions. That should neither be minimized nor excused; it is a significant problem that Kobo needs to fix ASAP.
Adding a preview of the book to your library will let you see the download options for the book in the preview's library entry. It is inconvenient and I don't know why they don't just show the download options before it is added to your library, but if it is really important to know whether the book has a download option before buying, then that information is available.
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Old 02-11-2014, 11:36 PM   #79
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At this point, I'm ready to make the call: EPUB3 books mean no Kobo download button, which I consider a major bug.

Does anyone else have any counter-evidence to knock down the theory?
No counter-evidence, but supporting evidence: a big-6 publisher has confirmed to me that that's exactly what Kobo's problem is - that they have the epub3 from the publisher, but won't offer download links for ePub3 files.

The publisher kindly provided me with a token to download the epub3 from their own website (with DRM, into ADE), which works and looks just fine. It's a regular novel, nothing fancy about the layout or anything.
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Old 02-12-2014, 12:38 AM   #80
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I agree with the Rev Bob theory. I have loved to shop at Kobo so I can download to Adobe Digital Editions and transfer to Calibre or directly to Aldiko reader on my tablet. I use Aldiko because it's fonts go larger and the app is faster than Kobo's.

Suddenly I buy a book and find there is no manual epub download link. I was told by Kobo customer service on phone this was a limitation placed by publisher. Then I had an online chat with Kobo Customer Service who told me their technical people were working on a solution.

I don't understand why they need a soluiton. When I went to ebooks.com they had the book in epub format. But it cost a little more and they don't take coupons like Kobo did on this book. I am not sure what game Kobo is playing but at least in my case they've lost a customer until they resolve this issue.
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Old 02-12-2014, 03:48 AM   #81
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No counter-evidence, but supporting evidence: a big-6 publisher has confirmed to me that that's exactly what Kobo's problem is - that they have the epub3 from the publisher, but won't offer download links for ePub3 files.
Which publisher, dare I ask? And is the publisher going to apply any pressure from their end for Kobo to fix things?

Oddly, I have found one bit of counter-evidence. I picked up the just-marked-down The Shambling Guide to New York City at Sony, even though it was the same price at Kobo, because it was an Orbit book and thus I expected it to be an EPUB3 and not downloadable at Kobo. As it turns out, the latter is true but the former is not; it's an EPUB2 without a download button.

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I am not sure what game Kobo is playing but at least in my case they've lost a customer until they resolve this issue.
And that's exactly why I bought this one through Sony. Kobo has proven itself unreliable in this respect, so when there's a question (and while there's still an option), I'm going elsewhere.
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Old 02-12-2014, 05:27 AM   #82
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Oddly, I have found one bit of counter-evidence. I picked up the just-marked-down The Shambling Guide to New York City at Sony, even though it was the same price at Kobo, because it was an Orbit book and thus I expected it to be an EPUB3 and not downloadable at Kobo. As it turns out, the latter is true but the former is not; it's an EPUB2 without a download button.
It's not so much counter-evidence, as it is evidence that being epub3 isn't the only reason Kobo will withhold an epub download.

I'm going to chat with the publisher further.
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Old 02-12-2014, 05:38 AM   #83
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When they say you can read on different devices what they are really saying is you can read on those devices for which there is a Kobo reading app. I use Aldiko reader app on Android which is actually an Adobe Digital Editions approved app that requires you to enter you ADE address to read any epub with Adobe DRM. Now I can't even use that.

I don't think the problem is the publishers. A book I recently bought for which there is no epub download link on Kobo IS available on ebooks.com in epub format. The problem is cost. I shop a lot at Kobo for epubs because they take coupons that often (but not always, depending on publisher) save me from 20% to sometimes 50% off the book. Ebooks.com does not offer those discounts.

If you go to GooglePlay and read their download instructions for downloading ebooks bought on GooglePlay they seem to say that their ebooks are available in epub and can be downloaded to Adobe Digital Editions. I haven't checked that out yet. I've never bought an ebook from GooglePlay.

I think Kobo's game (which I am convinced is going to be self-defeating) is they want you using their reader so they can keep tabs on your reading habits and push a never-ending stream of ads and promotions your way. It's annoying.

I have bought at least 30 books from Kobo over the last 18 months. When they see my account - and other accounts like it - stop buying they will get the message.

Rob
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Old 02-12-2014, 05:54 AM   #84
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I don't think the problem is the publishers. A book I recently bought for which there is no epub download link on Kobo IS available on ebooks.com in epub format. The problem is cost. I shop a lot at Kobo for epubs because they take coupons that often (but not always, depending on publisher) save me from 20% to sometimes 50% off the book. Ebooks.com does not offer those discounts.
Oh, I don't think the publishers are the problem, either. I do, however, believe that they have a lot more clout in terms of getting Kobo to fix the problem than you or I do. After all, they have skin in the game; if Kobo loses the sale, the publisher also stands to lose that sale.
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Old 02-12-2014, 09:05 AM   #85
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That's a good thought. But my optimism is tempered by the reality that publishers also know that if I really want a book I'm going to buy it from someone and if it's no Kobo it's going to be someone else. Thus they'll still sell the same book just via a different channel.
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Old 02-12-2014, 04:08 PM   #86
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That's a good thought. But my optimism is tempered by the reality that publishers also know that if I really want a book I'm going to buy it from someone and if it's no Kobo it's going to be someone else. Thus they'll still sell the same book just via a different channel.
Yes, that's what the savvy among us do. Other folks, who are generally assumed to be the majority of customers...not so much.
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Old 02-15-2014, 03:37 PM   #87
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I'm one of the many Sony customers who will be transferred to Kobo in March. I came across this thread somehow, and now I am wondering, if I look at the list of available devices for a particular Kobo book, which will I need to look for to read on a Sony reader? Is it the one simply called "ereaders"?
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Old 02-15-2014, 04:38 PM   #88
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I'm one of the many Sony customers who will be transferred to Kobo in March. I came across this thread somehow, and now I am wondering, if I look at the list of available devices for a particular Kobo book, which will I need to look for to read on a Sony reader? Is it the one simply called "ereaders"?
That really depends on several factors, some of which we just don't know yet. For instance, if Sony only updates their firmware to allow shopping at the Kobo store, then yes, this could affect you. OTOH, if Sony does a more in-depth update that lets their readers sync directly with the Kobo store, then it's less likely (but still possible) that this will be a problem. I'm afraid we'll just have to wait and see.

In the meantime, my suggestion is to download all of your Sony books to your computer before the switch and remove the DRM from them. That way, if this is a problem - or if some Sony books just don't transfer over to Kobo - then you're still covered.

FWIW, I also have a Sony account, as well as my main Kobo account, but I don't have a Sony reader. That does still mean I'll be affected by the changes, and of course I'll report my findings here.
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Old 02-17-2014, 06:17 PM   #89
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Well, so much for Kobo
A while back, I purchased several eBooks from Kobo. All available as ePub. I thought that I found a place were I can legitimately get eBooks and make sure that the author was rewarded.

Last week, I purchased another eBook only to find that it was restricted. Looking at the entries for the DRMed and non-DRMed, there is no difference between them. No hint that the most recent eBook was contaminated with DRM.

I consider that fraud. Now, Kobo did give me a refund on the DRM-contaminated eBook, but I won't be doing business with them anymore.
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Old 02-17-2014, 07:02 PM   #90
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Here's a new development: the "Blackberry icon equals download button" test no longer works. Specifically, the absence of that icon doesn't mean the absence of a download button.

Example: Striking Mars - no Blackberry icon, but it shows up fine (DRM-free EPUB 2, download button) in my library. Meanwhile, Hot Blood XI has the same icons, also shows up as a DRM-free EPUB in my library when I add the sample, but does not have the download button. In fact, downloading the sample through the Kobo desktop app and examining it directly reveals that it's also an EPUB 2 book.

So - two books with the same profile. Both EPUB v2, both without DRM, both without the Blackberry icon. One gets the download button and one does not.

This is just a mess.
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