Amazon is removing Download & Transfer option

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by haertig

So is there are there any positives left for buying a new Kindle or for buying eBooks from Amazon?

For me, no. For others, well, they get to decide.

Amazon used to be quite good. I realize they are trying to completely take over the eBook and audiobook market. Thus their move here to further lock eBook purchases to Amazon devices. But over the last few years they have gone downhill in most everything else they sell too. You really have to watch what you buy there now - they sell so much CCC these days.

If you don't have a Kindle that does not handle KFX, there is no reason at all to buy a Kindle from Amazon as you'll get KFX and you most likely won't be able to remove the DRM.

[issybird]

I also didn't have the notice last night, but got it just now. I suspect a flurry of D&Ts on my part last night triggered it. I'd never used it before and I would likely have been one of the stealth removals.

Originally Posted by jhowell

It seems that they are trying to make this change quietly by only informing those who are actively using the feature in order to avoid negative publicity. Most Kindle users will probably never learn that this feature is being discontinued until after it is already gone.

I'd stopped downloading my Kindle books years ago and just direct downloaded. That will still be my method of choice to read Kindle books. However, since D&T is trivial I figured I might as well grab a portion of my library; it means I won't be forced into a Kindle purchase if (or when, of course) my two active devices go belly up.

I grabbed the low-hanging fruit (i.e. my most appealing books) last night, just in case. Now to decide what else. I won't bother with PD or books of low interest I'll never read again; I'm not sure about more academic titles where I think the likelihood of my ever reading them is low. The whole business could seem more onerous except that my major purveyor has been Kobo and I stopped buying Kindle books altogether in late 2023.

FWIW, the Kindle for PC method was still working last night, although I did have to redownload 1.17 after a forced upgrade. Obviously that can't be relied on going forward, but it's an option for those without a relevant Kindle for D&T.

We knew this was coming. I didn't understand myself why people didn't take their custom away from Amazon as soon as the writing was on the wall. Sometimes that's all you can do.

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by BionicGecko

I'm not aware of any way to spoof the firmware, however it is possible to downgrade a jailbroken device; if the Kindle is old enough, it should be possible to downgrade it to a pre-KFX firmware version.

This being said I'm not sure what Amazon's response would be to a registered device which used to receive KFX files and suddenly can't handle them anymore, as downgrading is not a normal use case.

I believe that the build number of the Kindle's firmware is reported to Amazon when making a request to download a book. That is the main factor in determining which format to deliver in response. It may be possible to spoof the build number but I do not believe that it will work unless a build number that corresponds to an actually released firmware version for that Kindle model is used. So trying to fake the inability to support KFX on a recent Kindle won't work.

Added: And like others have reported here I am now seeing the warning message when I wasn’t yesterday.

Added: A warning that while Amazon may not care very much if you jailbreak your Kindle, you will risk having your Amazon account terminated if you mess with the interactions between your Kindle and their servers with the intent of downloading files that Amazon does not want you to have.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by rantanplan

Just wondering, would it be possible to block the delivery of KFX on a jailbroken device to always receive KF8? Like spoof the firmware version?

See https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/custo...MQC26VQQMM8XSW

Version 3.4.3 gives kf8 (azw3). Never KFX
Versions 5.6.x and later give KFX mostly.

If the ebook is ancient it might be mobi or azw (mobi with different encryption)

So that leaves
Kindle Touch (4th Generation) 5.3.7.3
Kindle (4th and 5th Generation) Latest version: 4.1.4

The original K3 and some others got azw3/KF8 by pack port on firmware. Originally mobi/azw. K3 upgrades to 3.4.3.

The K1, K2, DX and DXG apparently didn't have enough RAM to backport kf8/azw3, so don't do it.

[Quoth]

Now getting the warning in Ireland on Amazon UK.

Battery near dead in K3, but the PW3 is unlikely to get a FW update to change the KFX as it's well behind the later 5.17.x kindles. The 5.16.2.1.1 was quite a while ago.

The DXG of course is useless.

[issybird]

I've still got my old Amazon downloads from before I stopped bothering in their own Calibre library, which obviously made this process much easier. I had only a few years of books before I stopped buying at Amazon altogether.

But now that I've started, I'm wondering. I'm not very fussy (which is a failing on my part, not an attack on others with standards!), but would it be worth it to me to go back and grab at least my most important books in AZW3? Because of course my existing downloads are all MOBI. Seriously, I'm soliciting opinions here. I could chip away at in the next not-quite two weeks.

[Quoth]

Mobi vs azw3 & KFX (which is similar to epub)

Mobi (azw): no embedded fonts, only a few built-in fonts, no CSS, just inline styles in HTML3. A few not very useful mobi extensions. There are images, but they might not be sensibly sized.

KF8/azw3: Can have embedded fonts and more built in fonts referenced. Subset of CSS3 and HTML5 and some Amazon extensions. Might have Media queries that work. Unpacks or converts well to epub2,

It depends on the content and formatting. For a simple novel all in one body font and simple headings it likely doesn't make much difference.

Occasionally an old ebook title is only delivered in mobi/azw direct on a Paperwhite 3 or Download & Transfer.

I'd download anything not downloaded

More recent years uploads are usually epub2, which converts almost exactly to azw3. I suspect KFX is a repacked binary/compiled azw3 with different rendering and encryption. The mobi upload for ordinary ebooks is gone ages ago.

[jonathan2022]

i would only i you dont have those files in your library. get the books you dont have. especially if any of your readers has battery problems. otherwise only way to get azw3 besides convert will be to download direct to device.

[jhowell]

I just received an actual announcement email about this from Amazon:

 
Dear Customer,

Thank you for being a loyal Kindle customer. We wanted to let you know about changes to the Download & Transfer via USB feature in the Manage Your Content and Devices page. Starting February 26, 2025, while you can continue reading books previously downloaded on your Kindle device, you will not be able to download and transfer via USB any Kindle content. We apologize for any inconvenience this change may cause.

You can, of course, continue to read Kindle content using Kindle for Web, or the free Kindle apps for Android, iOS, Mac, and PC as well as supported Kindle devices with WiFi capability. You may be eligible for a discount on the purchase of a new device, please visit http://amazon.com/tradein for more information.

If you have any questions or require assistance, please visit http://www.amazon.com/kindlesupport.

Best Regards,

The Kindle Team

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by issybird

But now that I've started, I'm wondering. I'm not very fussy (which is a failing on my part, not an attack on others with standards!), but would it be worth it to me to go back and grab at least my most important books in AZW3? Because of course my existing downloads are all MOBI. Seriously, I'm soliciting opinions here. I could chip away at in the next not-quite two weeks.

MOBI doesn't support embedded fonts, sideloaded fonts and the bolding slider. Also the formatting is often worse than AZW3, although I'm sure many people would not notice that.

Personally I'd redownload, but then I'm probably much fussier than you.

[pdurrant]

I'm seeing the message too now. I have several suitable E-Ink kindles, but this does make me consider moving to buying from Kobo.

[haertig]

Originally Posted by cgsmom

I have heard several people mention Amazon deleteing sideloaded books. I have never had that happen. I leave my Kindles connected to wifi all the time and let them update whenever they want. However, I do use Send to Kindle to send my non-Amazon books to my Kindles so all my devices and apps will sync. Is that not the same as sideloading?

Amazon has not deleted books from my Kindle either (but that's probably because they don't have access to it).

From what I have read here, the problem happens when you DENY Amazon access to your Kindle for a while (by taking it offline). Then when you RESTORE access to Amazon, they may delete some sideloaded books.

Since you say you never deny Amazon access to your Kindle, you evidently (from what I've read) do not quality for their book deletion feature. At least not currently (per reports). You may qualify in the future however.

[haertig]

Originally Posted by issybird

...but would it be worth it to me to go back and grab at least my most important books in AZW3?...

I would point out that downloading your books in AZW3 format will never hurt you. And it may help you in the future when you find out that AZW3 might offer you some benefit that you haven't used or considered yet, but may find useful in the future.

So based on this "can't hurt, may help" conclusion, I would recommend re-downloading them. You've got a window to do that now. A short window. And then you won't have the option anymore.

[ratinox]

I haven't used Kindle D&T in many years other than a quick test a few weeks ago. All of my digital purchases for the last some number of years have been either Kobo or other stores. Nothing from Amazon. Regardless, the first thing I do with a Kindle or Kobo purchase is feed it to DeDRM to decouple the content from the device.

This morning I received email from Amazon informing me that, "Important Notice: End of Support for Download & Transfer via USB". "Starting February 26, 2025, while you can continue reading books previously downloaded on your Kindle device, you will not be able to download and transfer via USB any Kindle content."

[Waylander]

Originally Posted by issybird

I also didn't have the notice last night, but got it just now. I suspect a flurry of D&Ts on my part last night triggered it. I'd never used it before and I would likely have been one of the stealth removals.



I'd stopped downloading my Kindle books years ago and just direct downloaded. That will still be my method of choice to read Kindle books. However, since D&T is trivial I figured I might as well grab a portion of my library; it means I won't be forced into a Kindle purchase if (or when, of course) my two active devices go belly up.

I grabbed the low-hanging fruit (i.e. my most appealing books) last night, just in case. Now to decide what else. I won't bother with PD or books of low interest I'll never read again; I'm not sure about more academic titles where I think the likelihood of my ever reading them is low. The whole business could seem more onerous except that my major purveyor has been Kobo and I stopped buying Kindle books altogether in late 2023.

FWIW, the Kindle for PC method was still working last night, although I did have to redownload 1.17 after a forced upgrade. Obviously that can't be relied on going forward, but it's an option for those without a relevant Kindle for D&T.

We knew this was coming. I didn't understand myself why people didn't take their custom away from Amazon as soon as the writing was on the wall. Sometimes that's all you can do.

Does Kindle4PC work on a Mac? If so, I'll download 1.17 as I don't have a Kindle that's old enough to download directly onto the device and then transfer to Calibre.

More generally, it's a real bummer that this is happening but I thought it was only a matter of time when the PW6 came without the D&T option. Thankfully, the vast majority of books I own are in Calibre, and the majority I am likely to want to read are available on Kobo's store anyway. However, there will be a few that I'll want to read which won't be. I can understand the logic from Amazon's POV: it keeps people within their walled garden, and most people now have broadband Wi-Fi, unlike in 2010/11 when Kindles really became big, so the proprietor and consumer logic is no longer there. Those like us who D&T to de-drm, upload to Calibre and edit are a tiny minority, so this wouldn't weigh in the decision.

Even so, I personally see this as yet another example of Doctorow's "ensh***ification of the internet" concept: websites and companies making things less open, flexible, and ultimately enjoyable just because they can and because they want to squeeze customers and users for every penny possible no matter the actual decline in user experience. This wouldn't be such a problem if Kindles were as customisable in their reading options as Kobos, regarding line height, L/R margins, and font sizes. If they were, I wouldn't have a problem being limited in this way to only being able to download onto the device. But because these options are still so ridiculously limited, the ability to tweak an ebook's look and feel in Calibre has been extremely useful for me. Ah well, things are as they are.