Beta webpage for Kindle Library

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by Badcatalex

Given the photos from Odamizu, I bet they're gonna merge the Cloud Reader into the main Amazon site more or less, with all this added functionality.
Content & Devices MIGHT MIGHT be rolled in too, but I suspect the main thing here is that they wanna make it easier for people to read their books on things like, well, a PC (without downloading and installing the Kindle for PC app).

A phone / tablet surely? Domestic use of PC for web now massively outstripped by phone/tablet.

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by odamizu

Things you cannot do from the beta Your Books page at this time that you can do from Content & Devices page:

• Deliver or Remove from Device
• Delete
• Mark as Read
• Download & transfer via USB
• Clear Furthest Page Read
• Add or Remove from Collection
• Order Details
• Gift Now
• Manage Family Library

Given that it lacks most of the features of Content & Devices I am not worried about it just yet. Still it is something to keep an eye on.

[tomsem]

Originally Posted by odamizu

Why do you think it is "clearly not a replacement of Content and Devices"?

Especially since jhowell has pointed out:


Note: I'm not saying that it is a replacement for Content & Devices, it's just not clear to me that it isn't.

Because it clearly replaces the landing page after purchase, and has none of the functionality of Content & Devices.

[odamizu]

Originally Posted by tomsem

Because it clearly replaces the landing page after purchase, and has none of the functionality of Content & Devices.

It does not replace the landing page after purchase (at least, it didn't for me). The landing page after purchase is the same except now there's a new link to the Your Books page.

In any case, I see the Your Books page as something in development that will evolve.

It reminds me of the iOS app and I can see it eventually, maybe replacing Kindle for PC/Mac. And if they add more of the functionality of Content & Devices, I can see it eventually, maybe replacing the Content & Devices page.

What I have a hard time seeing is the point of the Your Books page as it is now. That's why I think it's going to evolve and has the potential to replace something that currently exists.

[JSWolf]

And as mentioned, there will be a lot of pissed off customers if Download & transfer via USB goes away because they have an old Kindle that only has 3G and 3G is dead. So there would be no way to get any of the eBooks they've purchased on the Kindle.

Of course, removing Download & transfer via USB could be Amazon's way of getting them to buy a new Kindle.

[tomsem]

Originally Posted by odamizu

It does not replace the landing page after purchase (at least, it didn't for me). The landing page after purchase is the same except now there's a new link to the Your Books page.

Thanks for the clarification. Still, if you had not purchased, you would not have known about it (and perhaps I have missed seeing the Your Books link!).

It looks like a way of browsing one's library combined with recommendations based on the books you're viewing there. I think this is more 'value added' and not positioned to replace anything that's there now. I hope some of it makes its way to the Kindle and Kindle apps (particularly the ability to group purchases by Author and Genre).

The Kindle (and Kindle app) Home view has some similarity to this but they seem to serve some different use cases at present. The latest changes to the apps have eliminated Discover panel and replaced with Shorts, another attempt to engage users in Kindle Vella (it's not working on me).

[odamizu]

Originally Posted by tomsem

... Still, if you had not purchased, you would not have known about it (and perhaps I have missed seeing the Your Books link!).

A link to the Your Books page also appears when you go to the Amazon web page of any book you have purchased. Am I still the only one who can see this?

... The latest changes to the apps have eliminated Discover panel and replaced with Shorts, another attempt to engage users in Kindle Vella (it's not working on me).

Interestingly, my Kindle for iOS app still has a Discover panel.

It occurred to me today that the Your Books page may be part of Amazon's plan to discontinue Kindle for Mac/PC. jhowell had found a notice that Kindle for Mac was being replaced by the Kindle for iOS app, which is expected to run on the newer M1/M2 Macs. I had thought it weird to cut off earlier Macs, but now I'm wondering if that is indeed the plan — discontinue Kindle for Mac, transition M1/M2 Macs to Kindle for iOS, and older Macs will be pointed to the Your Books page, which links to Kindle Cloud Reader.

Then do the same thing with Kindle for PC in a couple years — have Windows 11 users run the Kindle for Android app and earlier Windows users are pointed to the Your Books page.

All speculation, of course

[tomsem]

I have been running the Kindle for Mac beta for several months now. It's very much like the iPad app, which I like (immersion reading, supports series grouping, collections, X-Ray, personal documents etc). I don't know of any reason why they would not roll it out to Intel Macs as well provided they're running a compatible version of macOS. Catalyst doesn't restrict it. To the extent it requires specific version of macOS, older Macs presumably would continue to run the existing app.

I'll repeat that 'I did no notice a link to Your Books'. Which is to say I'll try to look for it next time I purchase. I typically just close the page right away, so it's entirely possible it is there and I just didn't see it.

[odamizu]

Originally Posted by tomsem

I have been running the Kindle for Mac beta for several months now. It's very much like the iPad app, which I like (immersion reading, supports series grouping, collections, X-Ray, personal documents etc). I don't know of any reason why they would not roll it out to Intel Macs as well provided they're running a compatible version of macOS. Catalyst doesn't restrict it. To the extent it requires specific version of macOS, older Macs presumably would continue to run the existing app.

What Kindle for Mac beta? And how does one get it? (I've been running Kindle for Mac 1.40.1 since it came out.)

I'll repeat that 'I did no notice a link to Your Books'. Which is to say I'll try to look for it next time I purchase. I typically just close the page right away, so it's entirely possible it is there and I just didn't see it.

You don't need to wait until your next purchase. Go to the Amazon page of any book you have already purchased. At the top, where it says "You purchased this item on such-and-such date" I get a link to my Your Books page. See if you have a link there, too.

[Quoth]

No, I get a message at the top with 3 links: Order, Content & Devices and More Help. Not exact texts.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by BionicGecko

touting it as the “next generation” book management app,

Similar to the spin Amazon put on the change to Prime Music, i.e., when they broke it.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

And as mentioned, there will be a lot of pissed off customers if Download & transfer via USB goes away because they have an old Kindle that only has 3G and 3G is dead. So there would be no way to get any of the eBooks they've purchased on the Kindle.

Of course, removing Download & transfer via USB could be Amazon's way of getting them to buy a new Kindle.

The percentage of customers who still use a 3G Kindle must be vanishingly small and Amazon's already had a generous incentive for them to upgrade. No device lasts forever and if customers are pissed off because they can't download and transfer to a 3G Kindle, they're being unrealistic, to put it mildly. While there might be other arguments for keeping download and transfer, catering to dinosaurs isn't one of them.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by issybird

The percentage of customers who still use a 3G Kindle must be vanishingly small and Amazon's already had a generous incentive for them to upgrade. No device lasts forever and if customers are pissed off because they can't download and transfer to a 3G Kindle, they're being unrealistic, to put it mildly. While there might be other arguments for keeping download and transfer, catering to dinosaurs isn't one of them.

In this case, catering to dinosaurs also helps the rest of us.

[nabsltd]

Originally Posted by odamizu

A link to the Your Books page also appears when you go to the Amazon web page of any book you have purchased. Am I still the only one who can see this?

I can't say if you are the "only one", but I do not see that link for books I have purchased.

Does it appear on all purchased books for you, or only recent purchases? My last batch of purchases was a month ago.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

In this case, catering to dinosaurs also helps the rest of us.

But that wasn't your original argument.

No matter. I can't get all that exercised about this. It'll be annoying if the other tools for managing books currently available through content and devices disappear (although as mentioned upthread, I don't expect them to go), but Amazon's always been very clear about a high wall to their garden and even more so lately. Being shocked, shocked that download & transfer no longer will work is pointless. To be clear, I'm not saying that that's the reaction here overall.