Buying epubs for Kobo from Kobobooks competitors

almagary · 01-26-2011, 04:47 PM

On Jan. 28 the NYT is publishing Open Secrets, about the Wikileaks dumps, but the initial announcement says it will be available as a NookBook, "coming soon to Kindle eBooks, iBookstore, & Google eBookstore." Kobobooks and Borders don't list this book. With some hesitation, I put in a preorder at Nookbooks.

These big device-oriented ebookstores don't go out of their way to attract users of other ereaders or even advertise any of their wares as device-neutral, but the Nookbooks are in fact epubs and will probably be downloaded via Adobe Digital Editions. But I understand there are "flavors" of DRM applied to epubs. So the question is: Any problems with buying epubs for our Kobo ereaders from the major Kobobooks/Borders competitors?

Open Secrets is only $5.99 but I don't like to buy hassles.

ATDrake · 01-26-2011, 05:30 PM

B&N uses their own DRM, so a NookBook will not be compatible with your Kobo unless you strip the DRM (or it happens to be one of their rare DRM-free books).

Kobo takes ADE-DRM, of which Sony, Borders, and Google eBooks of the majors are compatible, and lots of little stores if they list "Adobe Secure ePub/PDF" as one of the format options. The iBookstore is completely incompatible with anything else, works only for iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch, and the DRM scheme has yet to be cracked.

Kobo also tend not to list pre-order stuff, but often have the books in their catalogue after they're officially released, so if I were you, I'd think of cancelling the B&N pre-order and waiting.

Possibly you may luck out with a good coupon code during release week.

Hope this helps.

almagary · 01-26-2011, 05:36 PM

Thanks for that summary. As it happens, my daughter just bought a Nook 1 so I can always read the book on her gadget, and otherwise it will be useful to have a competitive device around the house to play around with stripping DRM*, transferring between devices, etc.

*I do generally support DRM--except that if I have bought a product, I have some ownership rights!

Anthem · 01-26-2011, 05:45 PM

Ugh, e-books are going the route of video game systems with their incompatible everything and their exclusives!

01-26-2011, 04:47 PM	#1
almagary Wears funny hat (cloth) Posts: 28 Karma: 26 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Limbo Device: Kobo WiFi, Kobo Touch	Buying epubs for Kobo from Kobobooks competitors On Jan. 28 the NYT is publishing Open Secrets, about the Wikileaks dumps, but the initial announcement says it will be available as a NookBook, "coming soon to Kindle eBooks, iBookstore, & Google eBookstore." Kobobooks and Borders don't list this book. With some hesitation, I put in a preorder at Nookbooks. These big device-oriented ebookstores don't go out of their way to attract users of other ereaders or even advertise any of their wares as device-neutral, but the Nookbooks are in fact epubs and will probably be downloaded via Adobe Digital Editions. But I understand there are "flavors" of DRM applied to epubs. So the question is: Any problems with buying epubs for our Kobo ereaders from the major Kobobooks/Borders competitors? Open Secrets is only $5.99 but I don't like to buy hassles.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Buying from kobobooks in Australia?	Valhalla	General Discussions	1	10-16-2010 03:54 AM
Question about epubs from stores other than Kobo	Samantha45	Kobo Reader	8	08-22-2010 06:32 PM
Side-loading of epubs on Kobo App	shiffy	Apple Devices	2	08-20-2010 11:37 PM
Advice on using Sigil to standardise all epubs for my Kobo	digital_steve	Sigil	3	08-10-2010 09:29 PM
Free EPUBs from kobo	koland	Deals and Resources (No Self-Promotion or Affiliate Links)	10	12-17-2009 05:06 AM

01-26-2011, 05:30 PM	#2
ATDrake Wizzard Posts: 11,517 Karma: 33048258 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Roundworld Device: Kindle 2 International, Sony PRS-T1, BlackBerry PlayBook, Acer Iconia	B&N uses their own DRM, so a NookBook will not be compatible with your Kobo unless you strip the DRM (or it happens to be one of their rare DRM-free books). Kobo takes ADE-DRM, of which Sony, Borders, and Google eBooks of the majors are compatible, and lots of little stores if they list "Adobe Secure ePub/PDF" as one of the format options. The iBookstore is completely incompatible with anything else, works only for iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch, and the DRM scheme has yet to be cracked. Kobo also tend not to list pre-order stuff, but often have the books in their catalogue after they're officially released, so if I were you, I'd think of cancelling the B&N pre-order and waiting. Possibly you may luck out with a good coupon code during release week. Hope this helps.

01-26-2011, 05:36 PM	#3
almagary Wears funny hat (cloth) Posts: 28 Karma: 26 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Limbo Device: Kobo WiFi, Kobo Touch	Thanks for that summary. As it happens, my daughter just bought a Nook 1 so I can always read the book on her gadget, and otherwise it will be useful to have a competitive device around the house to play around with stripping DRM, transferring between devices, etc. I do generally support DRM--except that if I have bought a product, I have some ownership rights!

01-26-2011, 05:45 PM	#4
Anthem Guru Posts: 704 Karma: 1622328 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: USA Device: Kindle Oasis, OnePlus Nord	Ugh, e-books are going the route of video game systems with their incompatible everything and their exclusives!

Advert