'I should be the Nook's ideal customer. But I'm not...I am locked in.'

[OtterBooks]

Originally Posted by bhartman36

If it was from an independent author that might not be the case, though, right?

True. Frankly I'm not even sure about the thing about Amazon getting files from the publisher in epub form. Just something I saw mentioned once.

[anamardoll]

Originally Posted by kacir

Now, you can read your Kindle Books on Nook Touch.

Very short time after the All New Nook Simple Touch (or how is it called) was Rooted, there is the first hacker running Kindle App on it.
http://www.the-digital-reader.com/20...he-kindle-app/

You need to put a seizure warning on that. The flashing of the Kindle loading animation on eInk is a little spastic.

[Prestidigitweeze]

Originally Posted by toddos

For those of us who liberate our books and convert back and forth between mobi and epub, it doesn't really matter.

But for consumers who shuttle between proprietary worlds during this War of the Roses of ePub standardization, it does matter -- hence the cleverness of toddos's idea. Techphobes shouldn't lose access to their old libraries every time they decide to buy a better book stand.

The problem is that DRM has been made to serve huge stores instead of the publishers and authors it was designed to protect. Otherwise it would be universally applied. (This, BTW, is not an argument in favor of DRM but a criticism of the hypocritical uses to which it has been put.)

[MV64]

Originally Posted by wyndslash

but he knew what was happening...? i mean, i don't know whether to be annoyed at this person o_O;

The problem is, in this day and age, we are increasingly being forced to "belong" to a Corporation. No longer can a consumer just buy a device and use it. Instead, no matter what you buy, you're being locked into loyalty to that company. It really sucks to be a consumer these last few years. So many restrictions and requirements for basic purchases. We are truly allowing these Corporations to become more and more powerful every day.

For an extremely cynical example, just wait until vacuum cleaner companies realize they could charge monthly fees on top of the initial purchase price for their product.

[bhartman36]

Originally Posted by MV64

The problem is, in this day and age, we are increasingly being forced to "belong" to a Corporation. No longer can a consumer just buy a device and use it. Instead, no matter what you buy, you're being locked into loyalty to that company. It really sucks to be a consumer these last few years. So many restrictions and requirements for basic purchases. We are truly allowing these Corporations to become more and more powerful every day.

This isn't really a new phenomenon. Lock-in has been a part of consumer culture for a long time, from videotape to razor blades.

[pidgeon92]

Originally Posted by MV64

The problem is, in this day and age, we are increasingly being forced to "belong" to a Corporation. No longer can a consumer just buy a device and use it. Instead, no matter what you buy, you're being locked into loyalty to that company.

I really feel this is more of a perception problem than reality. I certainly don't feel compelled to stick with any one company for anything. I have brands that I like because I like the product(s), but I wouldn't hesitate to purchase a different brand if it would be comparable.

[toddos]

Originally Posted by pidgeon92

I really feel this is more of a perception problem than reality. I certainly don't feel compelled to stick with any one company for anything. I have brands that I like because I like the product(s), but I wouldn't hesitate to purchase a different brand if it would be comparable.

The key phrase here is "if it would be comparable". You just described the economic concept of cross-price elasticity and substitute goods. If Coke is more expensive than Pepsi, you will buy Pepsi because it's a comparable good to Coke. For ebooks and ebook readers, the firms actively try to make their goods as unique as possible economically-speaking, meaning that a price increase in Nook or Kindle won't send existing Nook or Kindle owners to other sources because they've locked them in. A Kindle book cannot be read on a Nook, so it's not a substitute good even if it is the exact same underlying text.

From a pure economic point of view, the Nook is a better choice for consumers than the Kindle because it supports a wider range of DRM formats (you can read books from any Adobe ADEPT-based store), but the consumers who are already locked into Kindle are inaccessible without some sort of transfer program. Do that, and people will move.

Or they won't, because Amazon is the Apple of the eink-based ereader world, and they get people based on image rather than utility

[murraypaul]

Originally Posted by toddos

Or they won't, because Amazon is the Apple of the eink-based ereader world, and they get people based on image rather than utility

Or because they have the best book store, and the best shopping environment/experience.
I buy all my books from Amazon, but I don't own a Kindle.

[DJHARKAVY]

Originally Posted by Donnageddon

Not me, boswd, I keep em unDRMd, and in my Dropbox library via Calibre.

I reread my ebooks often.

100% agreement. And I am eternally grateful to the poster here (although I do not remember his name) who first got me to look at Dropbox. It has been a lifesaver for me SO many times, when I need files in a particular location. And I am currently using 3 different computers so the ability to sync between them (plus my phone and a few files on my Wife's computer) is an amazing feature.

For those who are unaware, Dropbox also gives more space for referrals to those who are students or associated with an educational account. www.dropbox.com/edu to activate it.

Originally Posted by mlewis78

If you buy ebooks at B&N, then you are locked into the Nook. You can't read those book on other epub ereaders.

Not quite. Adobe's reader official protocols now includes both BN and Adept decoding.

Originally Posted by JSWolf

But with a nook, you don't have to buy from B&N. You can buy from BooksOnBoard, Kobo, Sony, Diesel, etc. and not ever buy from B&N for DRMed eBooks. But with Amazon, you ARE locked into Amazon for DRMed eBooks.

You can get mobi formats from some places which can work on the Kindle. And pdf files work on most of the Kindles.

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I know lots on MR say you don't have to buy from Amazon. But if you don't strip DRM/convert, then you have to buy from Amazon if DRM is involved.

The majority of people don't know the difference anyway. BN, Amazon and some of the others (although less prominent) are set up to make it easy to buy and download from the parent company. Most people don't even think of looking elsewhere. And with the Agency model, there is little advantage to doing so anyway.

The biggest negative to the Kindle IMHO, is the inability to borrow from the library without removing DRM. For those who have difficulty with technology, this is a big problem, otherwise it is a minor glitch.

Originally Posted by OtterBooks

Interesting idea, and would definitely a big gamble on their part.

I noticed that many ebooks on Amazon list the publisher as the seller. Some do, some don't. But if you bought it from the publisher, it seems like they should honor that license across platforms. I guess they could claim that you only bought a license for the Kindle format version, but I hear that the original file from the publisher is epub, and Amazon converts.

A proof of purchase verification system would need to be set up, naturally. But that should just be a matter of your name and contact info matching the Amazon sale. Of course there could be problems here that I'm not considering.

That's an interesting thought. Isn't the whole point of the Agency Model that the distributer is just an agent for the Publisher? In that case, the Publisher should be required to honor a different format of the same book, provided that you can provide proof that you purchased it, and that you deleted it from your Kindle Library...

[Ditchleyportrait]

personally, i don't mind lock in. if all my electronic devices blew up, my ebooks would be safe in sound on amazon, ready to get when i get a new device.

lock-in is the best thing that ever happened to ebooks.

[Ditchleyportrait]

they better let you keep them forever at those egregious prices.

next time i read a messed up transcription, i'm going to phone amazon, though.

[Giggleton]

Originally Posted by rolof

next time i read a messed up transcription, i'm going to phone amazon, though.

Would this apply to translations as well? And in a more general form, could we say that all texts are in essence a non-perfect translation of one mind's thoughts transcripted for another? So in effect, all ebooks should be free??

Or should we not concern ourselves with searching for the perfect mind-mind connection and be content with what we are given?

[Leyor]

Found the article informative and good, raising awareness of some of the issues that may affect techsavy people becoming first time e-reader owners.

Find it ridiculous that people are ready to give up ownership of the books they buy, in return for rental though.

[Sil_liS]

Originally Posted by rolof

personally, i don't mind lock in. if all my electronic devices blew up, my ebooks would be safe in sound on amazon, ready to get when i get a new device.

lock-in is the best thing that ever happened to ebooks.

So what happens if amazon goes bankrupt?

[murraypaul]

Originally Posted by Sil_liS

So what happens if amazon goes bankrupt?

You quickly learn how to remove DRM from your files.
But some risks are worth worrying about, some are not.
What happens if Borders goes bankrupt clearly was.
What happens if B&N goes bankrupt might be.
What happens if Amazon/Apple/Google/Microsoft go bankrupt isn't.