AZW format on Sony Reader

thibaulthalpern · 03-04-2009, 04:24 AM

Now that Amazon has come out with the app for iPod touch to read AZW books, I wonder how easy the following would be for a Macintosh user:

1. strip the AZW file of DRM, using a program for the Mac (since I'm a Mac user)
2. converting AZW file to something that Sony PRS-700 can read
3. loading the converted file to Sony PRS-700

Is this doable now that Amazon has come out with the app for iPod touch? I do own an iPod touch.

HarryT · 03-04-2009, 04:55 AM

You will be committing a crime under the DMCA if you do this, but yes, it can be done. Please note, though, that you cannot buy books from the Kindle store unless you own a Kindle.

RufusA · 03-04-2009, 04:56 AM

In theory it should be easily do-able.

AZW is usually just a mobipocket format with DRM. So the python scripts described as mobidedrm should strip off the drm, and will work on the mac.

Once you have it in mobipocket, use calibre to convert it in to your PRS-700 format of choice.

Discussing DRM removal is frowned upon, but you should be able to google for further information.

Rufus

thibaulthalpern · 03-04-2009, 04:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

You will be committing a crime under the DMCA if you do this, but yes, it can be done. Please note, though, that you cannot buy books from the Kindle store unless you own a Kindle.

I think with the new iPod application made by Amazon (that just came out) you can now actually read AZW items on the iPod touch and I presume on a Mac or at least stored on Mac or something like that. I haven't tried it yet. I have an iPod touch but not a Sony Reader.

thibaulthalpern · 03-04-2009, 04:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RufusA

In theory it should be easily do-able.
Discussing DRM removal is frowned upon, but you should be able to google for further information.
Rufus

Thanks! I can understand why it's frowned upon. I ask because I don't own a digital reader yet but I do own an iPod touch and Mac. I interested in getting the Sony Reader and not the Kindle but I know the Sony Reader can't read AZW or Mobi formats. I'm willing to buy the books from Amazon but want to read it on the Sony, if I get the Sony.

HarryT · 03-04-2009, 05:01 AM

That's right - it's an application which allows you to read Kindle books on the iPhone and iPod Touch - ie, it's a version of the MobiPocket Reader for that device. You probably won't be able to read the books on the Mac - there has never been a Mac version of the Mobi Reader.

Removing DRM, though, and converting to Sony format is a different question entirely. There's no "technical" issue with doing it but, in the US, there are major legal issues with doing so.

Xenophon · 03-04-2009, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

You will be committing a crime under the DMCA if you do this, but yes, it can be done. Please note, though, that you cannot buy books from the Kindle store unless you own a Kindle.

Harry --

This is really too strong a statement. I think it is more accurate to say "you may be committing a crime under the DMCE if you do this." Legal expert's opinions on the matter differ by quite a bit (as in all over the map from "definitely a crime" to "definitely not a crime" and everything in between). And because it hasn't been addressed in any court cases yet, we really don't know for sure whether removing DRM from legally acquired content for personal use only would be committing a crime or not.

Xenophon

HarryT · 03-04-2009, 12:32 PM

Section 1201 (A) of the DMCA:

Quote:

`(a) VIOLATIONS REGARDING CIRCUMVENTION OF TECHNOLOGICAL MEASURES- (1)(A) No person shall circumvent a technological measure that effectively controls access to a work protected under this title.

That seems pretty clear and unambiguous: "No person shall circumvent a technological provision that controls access to a work".

Where is the ambiguity in that? There's nothing in there saying "unless you've legally bought it".

Obviously I'm no lawyer, but I really don't see where there's any room for "interpretation" of what's a pretty bald statement.

tompe · 03-04-2009, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Section 1201 (A) of the DMCA:

That seems pretty clear and unambiguous: "No person shall circumvent a technological provision that controls access to a work".

Where is the ambiguity in that? There's nothing in there saying "unless you've legally bought it".

Obviously I'm no lawyer, but I really don't see where there's any room for "interpretation" of what's a pretty bald statement.

There are other laws that can be in conflict. And since you has said that we should use the principle that we only claim things here that have been tested in court maybe you should follow that also.

HarryT · 03-04-2009, 12:39 PM

Quite right, Tommy, and I apologise for my laxness. Let me rephrase it: given the wording of the DMCA (which I quote above), it is my personal opinion as a non-lawyer that it is probably illegal to circumvent DRM in the USA.

I would, however, be very interested in knowing what grounds there could be for interpreting this law differently. It seems so "clear cut".

JSWolf · 03-04-2009, 12:43 PM

The DMCA is basically a violation of our rights and I'd like to see it go to court and get tossed out.

Xenophon · 03-04-2009, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Section 1201 (A) of the DMCA:

Quote:

`(a) VIOLATIONS REGARDING CIRCUMVENTION OF TECHNOLOGICAL MEASURES- (1)(A) No person shall circumvent a technological measure that effectively controls access to a work protected under this title.

That seems pretty clear and unambiguous: "No person shall circumvent a technological provision that controls access to a work".

Where is the ambiguity in that? There's nothing in there saying "unless you've legally bought it".

Obviously I'm no lawyer, but I really don't see where there's any room for "interpretation" of what's a pretty bald statement.

I too am not a lawyer, but I have listened to presentations on this subject by eminent lawyers on both sides of the question.* As far as I recall there are three general areas of disagreement. First there are arguments over the precise meaning of the "effectively" in that statement. If the DRM has been cracked, is it "effective?" What if the DRM is simply ROT13? Or Igpay Atinlay? Secondly, there are arguments over the precise scope of the various exemptions and exceptions from the DMCA's rules that are given elsewhere in the text. And finally there are questions of how the concept of "fair use" plays into things.

It's important here to recall that in US courts "fair use" is a defense that permits certain actions that would otherwise be unlawful (w.r.t. copyright and maybe the DMCA). Note that fair use is outside the written law, but nevertheless legal -- a concept I find nearly as mindblowingly odd as the U.K.'s unwritten-but-enforceable constitution (assuming I got that right...).

The one thing that all of the various legal experts agreed on was that we won't actually know the outcome until an actual case goes through the courts. If then.

Xenophon

*We'll gloss over whether my non-lawyerly mind was up to the challenge of actually understanding those presentations, as well as the question of whether or not I correctly remember what was said. Even reviewing notes I took at the time, it's sometimes pretty tough to get the sense of the arguments -- especially from panel discussions with three or four lawyers who each disagreed with all the others.

ahintz · 03-04-2009, 08:34 PM

Not going into the legal arguments (from a moral standpoint, I am paying Amazon for the content, so I think what I do with that content within my own home should be sacrosanct) but I was able to purchase content from the Amazon Kindle store by registering my iPhone, and then was able to get the content onto my Sony Reader. Full description is here:
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...&postcount=142

pilotbob · 03-04-2009, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Please note, though, that you cannot buy books from the Kindle store unless you own a Kindle.

According to reports elsewhere this is not true. If you register your iPhone/iPod Touch to amazon you are able to buy kindle books. However, you can not d/l them to your PC if you don't have a Kindle. Of course, there are ways around this that people have already posted about.

BOb

Andybaby · 03-04-2009, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ahintz

Not going into the legal arguments (from a moral standpoint, I am paying Amazon for the content, so I think what I do with that content within my own home should be sacrosanct) but I was able to purchase content from the Amazon Kindle store by registering my iPhone, and then was able to get the content onto my Sony Reader. Full description is here:
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...&postcount=142

That is GREAT news.

03-04-2009, 04:24 AM	#1
thibaulthalpern Evangelist Posts: 478 Karma: 451808 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: California, USA Device: my two eyes, KLiiK, Sony PRS-700	AZW format on Sony Reader Now that Amazon has come out with the app for iPod touch to read AZW books, I wonder how easy the following would be for a Macintosh user: 1. strip the AZW file of DRM, using a program for the Mac (since I'm a Mac user) 2. converting AZW file to something that Sony PRS-700 can read 3. loading the converted file to Sony PRS-700 Is this doable now that Amazon has come out with the app for iPod touch? I do own an iPod touch.

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03-04-2009, 04:55 AM	#2
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	You will be committing a crime under the DMCA if you do this, but yes, it can be done. Please note, though, that you cannot buy books from the Kindle store unless you own a Kindle.

03-04-2009, 04:56 AM	#3
RufusA Member Posts: 18 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: none	In theory it should be easily do-able. AZW is usually just a mobipocket format with DRM. So the python scripts described as mobidedrm should strip off the drm, and will work on the mac. Once you have it in mobipocket, use calibre to convert it in to your PRS-700 format of choice. Discussing DRM removal is frowned upon, but you should be able to google for further information. Rufus

03-04-2009, 05:01 AM	#6
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	That's right - it's an application which allows you to read Kindle books on the iPhone and iPod Touch - ie, it's a version of the MobiPocket Reader for that device. You probably won't be able to read the books on the Mac - there has never been a Mac version of the Mobi Reader. Removing DRM, though, and converting to Sony format is a different question entirely. There's no "technical" issue with doing it but, in the US, there are major legal issues with doing so.

03-04-2009, 12:39 PM	#10
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Quite right, Tommy, and I apologise for my laxness. Let me rephrase it: given the wording of the DMCA (which I quote above), it is my personal opinion as a non-lawyer that it is probably illegal to circumvent DRM in the USA. I would, however, be very interested in knowing what grounds there could be for interpreting this law differently. It seems so "clear cut".

03-04-2009, 12:43 PM	#11
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 75,860 Karma: 134368292 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	The DMCA is basically a violation of our rights and I'd like to see it go to court and get tossed out.

03-04-2009, 08:34 PM	#13
ahintz Zealot Posts: 107 Karma: 322 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Sacramento, CA Device: Kindle PW/iPhone5/iPad (3)/Nook ST	Not going into the legal arguments (from a moral standpoint, I am paying Amazon for the content, so I think what I do with that content within my own home should be sacrosanct) but I was able to purchase content from the Amazon Kindle store by registering my iPhone, and then was able to get the content onto my Sony Reader. Full description is here: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...&postcount=142

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