08-16-2016, 08:11 PM | #1 | ||||
Grand Sorcerer
Posts: 11,732
Karma: 128354696
Join Date: May 2009
Location: 26 kly from Sgr A*
Device: T100TA,PW2,PRS-T1,KT,FireHD 8.9,K2, PB360,BeBook One,Axim51v,TC1000
|
Kindle in Motion ebook format
It's been a couple of years since Amazon introduced their primary reflowable ebook format, KF8, and while there's been some tinkering with typography mods and stuff, they haven't changed the basic model of ebook rendering: reflowable vs fixed page.
That may be changing. Here are two looks at some of the new capabilities coming to the Kindle ecosystem: http://the-digital-reader.com/2016/0...t-screenshots/ Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
There's some fun stuff coming. I think the really bigg impact will be on magazines. Last edited by fjtorres; 08-16-2016 at 08:14 PM. |
||||
08-16-2016, 08:35 PM | #2 |
Grand Sorcerer
Posts: 6,496
Karma: 84420419
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Tampa Bay, Florida
Device: Kindles
|
I tried the selection of Kindle in Motion books available through Kindle Unlimited using Kindle for Android. I am not a fan so far. For me the animations were distracting and took me out of the story instead of making me more immersed in it. It seems more suited to magazines than books.
Those things are huge! The average size of each book was about 275 MB. (And these are all short books.) Looking at the files I see that this is another use for the new KFX format. It appears that Amazon is using KFX for all of their new features. On the plus side I did like the ability to have text flow around unevenly shaped images. Fixed layout book have been able to do this in the past, but Kindle in Motion allows you to change the font style and size and have the text still reflow around things. ETA: One oddity. Although these books work in Kindle apps, I needed to select an actual Kindle or Fire device for the initial borrow in Kindle Unlimited. Only after borrowing could I send them to an app. [Further edit: This problem only occurs if I borrow from the search results page. Borrowing from the actual book page on Amazon works normally.] Last edited by jhowell; 08-18-2016 at 02:29 PM. |
08-16-2016, 09:44 PM | #3 |
doofus
Posts: 2,521
Karma: 13036221
Join Date: Sep 2010
Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kindle Voyage
|
"The romance titles had embedded videos."
Ahem. This sounds like it may be good for children's books. Those file sizes are bonkers, though. |
08-17-2016, 12:33 AM | #4 |
Grand Sorcerer
Posts: 11,732
Karma: 128354696
Join Date: May 2009
Location: 26 kly from Sgr A*
Device: T100TA,PW2,PRS-T1,KT,FireHD 8.9,K2, PB360,BeBook One,Axim51v,TC1000
|
|
08-18-2016, 02:18 PM | #5 |
Grand Sorcerer
Posts: 6,496
Karma: 84420419
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Tampa Bay, Florida
Device: Kindles
|
Another Kindle in Motion book has been added, Off to Be the Wizard by Scott Meyer.
I borrowed the book on Kindle Unlimited to check out the new features, but found that I couldn't. Because I had previously borrowed (and returned) that book, my account is now locked to the original edition that I borrowed back in 2014, which of course does not have Kindle in Motion. [The handling of e-book updates that occur after purchase or first borrow is a tricky issue.] Others, who have borrowed or purchased this book in the past, may be faced with a similar problem. I could contact customer service and see if they would unlock the new edition for me, but I don't think I will bother. |
08-18-2016, 07:04 PM | #6 |
Grand Sorcerer
Posts: 6,478
Karma: 26425959
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: USA
Device: iPhone 15PM, Kindle Scribe, iPad mini 6, PocketBook InkPad Color 3
|
Assuming Amazon releases ever tools for creating these, the file size issue is a deal killer. KDP charges 10 cents per MB for 'delivery'. So 200MB -> $20. They need to adjust the rates, or nobody will use these features. I imagine the current rates are out of step with Amazon's actual costs, which should be going steadily down as competition with AWS ramps up.
But I think the reason for this is mainly to show 'we can do it too': iBooks format has had this stuff for awhile (e.g. the Harry Potter books), and those are also pretty big. I'd like to see support for animated SVG, as those could be considerably smaller than video or animated GIF. SVG 2 spec just released, as SVG on the web is seeing a renaissance with the demise of Flash. |
08-18-2016, 07:17 PM | #7 | |
Just a Yellow Smiley.
Posts: 19,161
Karma: 83862859
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Texas
Device: K4, K5, fire, kobo, galaxy
|
Quote:
The delivery fee only applies to 70% royalties. |
|
08-18-2016, 10:23 PM | #8 | |
Grand Sorcerer
Posts: 11,732
Karma: 128354696
Join Date: May 2009
Location: 26 kly from Sgr A*
Device: T100TA,PW2,PRS-T1,KT,FireHD 8.9,K2, PB360,BeBook One,Axim51v,TC1000
|
Quote:
|
|
08-18-2016, 11:18 PM | #9 | |
Ex-Helpdesk Junkie
Posts: 19,422
Karma: 85397180
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity
Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)
|
Quote:
|
|
08-19-2016, 06:50 AM | #10 |
Wizard
Posts: 4,742
Karma: 246906703
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: USA
Device: Oasis 3, Oasis 2, PW3, PW1, KT
|
Not so sure about that. I have not even tried yet if it is possible to delete a KU book. It could simply be a return instead (or not work). Unlike library borrows that stay in your MYK page after being returned or expired, KU books disappear. It would be nice if past borrows could be shown. There is no way to figure out if a book has been previously borrowed through KU. I do believe I read the book I just started before, but can't be sure.
|
08-19-2016, 08:12 AM | #11 | ||
Grand Sorcerer
Posts: 6,496
Karma: 84420419
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Tampa Bay, Florida
Device: Kindles
|
Quote:
Quote:
[I have even found that if you delete a book that you have purchased from your account and re-purchase it again later (as you might do with a free book) Amazon gives you the version of the book that you purchased originally. However, if you lend a purchased book to someone else they receive the latest version, no matter what version you have in your account.] |
||
08-19-2016, 08:46 AM | #12 |
Ex-Helpdesk Junkie
Posts: 19,422
Karma: 85397180
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity
Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)
|
|
08-19-2016, 08:57 AM | #13 | |
Just a Yellow Smiley.
Posts: 19,161
Karma: 83862859
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Texas
Device: K4, K5, fire, kobo, galaxy
|
Quote:
|
|
08-19-2016, 10:47 AM | #14 |
Grand Sorcerer
Posts: 6,496
Karma: 84420419
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Tampa Bay, Florida
Device: Kindles
|
|
08-19-2016, 01:30 PM | #15 |
Grand Sorcerer
Posts: 6,478
Karma: 26425959
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: USA
Device: iPhone 15PM, Kindle Scribe, iPad mini 6, PocketBook InkPad Color 3
|
No, I like this. It would just be clutter, and if you were trying to use MYK to return current KU borrows, it would be hard to find them. The notes/highlights are still there should you borrow the title again.
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Converting ebook to a dictionary format on a kindle | Natekj | Calibre | 1 | 11-09-2015 09:47 PM |
Anyone else get motion sick when trying to read ebook in a car? | tedmorgan | General Discussions | 84 | 06-09-2013 06:29 AM |
Request apps for Kindle ebook format? | edtng2 | enTourage Archive | 1 | 09-28-2010 03:22 PM |
The Official Motion for Introduction of the Epub Dictionary Format | Abelturd | ePub | 62 | 12-29-2009 09:04 PM |