New Cybook and DRM, and other changes

AlexBell · 04-30-2009, 06:59 AM

My new Cybook has arrived, (after I broke the screen on my old one) and I've noticed some changes and an odd thing with DRM'd ebooks.

The first change I noticed is that the SD card is now inserted with the label facing the front - in the old one the label has to face the back.

Also, when I read an ebook each one has a line at the top of each 'page' showing the book title and author with an underline going across the page, and the text flows underneath this line and underline - this certainly is not present in the same mobipocket ebook on the old Cybook. The text seems to look rather better, but this is very subjective so I can't be certain.

I have all my current ebooks on an SD card, and assumed that I would not be able to read the ebooks which were DRM'd because of course the new ebook has a different PID. I had deDRM'd some ebooks, but certainly not all. The mobipocket reader on my new Cybook can read all my ebooks, whether or not I had removed the DRM.

This seems to destroy the whole point of putting DRM on ebooks; so far as I can tell without actually trying it I could pay for and download a secure mobipocket ebook, put it on an SD card, and anyone else who had a similar Cybook to my new one could read it. Am I missing something here?

Regards, Alex

pdurrant · 04-30-2009, 07:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlexBell

when I read an ebook each one has a line at the top of each 'page' showing the book title and author with an underline going across the page, and the text flows underneath this line and underline - this certainly is not present in the same mobipocket ebook on the old Cybook.

This is a preference. Menu/Layout.../Show Header
Unfortunately, turning it off doesn't show more text - it just leaves the header area blank. Ditto for the Pageometer.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlexBell

I have all my current ebooks on an SD card, and assumed that I would not be able to read the ebooks which were DRM'd because of course the new ebook has a different PID. I had deDRM'd some ebooks, but certainly not all. The mobipocket reader on my new Cybook can read all my ebooks, whether or not I had removed the DRM.

I suppose it's just possible that Bookeen set your new CyBook to have the same Mobipocket PID as your old one. Can you check?

Otherwise, I'd suggest that you've De-DRMed more than you thought!

You cannot read DRMed Mobipocket ebooks except on devices/software that have the PID(s) used to encode the ebook.

HarryT · 04-30-2009, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlexBell

I have all my current ebooks on an SD card, and assumed that I would not be able to read the ebooks which were DRM'd because of course the new ebook has a different PID. I had deDRM'd some ebooks, but certainly not all. The mobipocket reader on my new Cybook can read all my ebooks, whether or not I had removed the DRM.

This seems to destroy the whole point of putting DRM on ebooks; so far as I can tell without actually trying it I could pay for and download a secure mobipocket ebook, put it on an SD card, and anyone else who had a similar Cybook to my new one could read it. Am I missing something here?

Regards, Alex

If you can read a DRM-protected book on the new machine, that means that the new machine has the same PID as the old. If you send away a machine for repair, that is (normally) literally what they do - repair it; you get the old machine back, hence the same PID.

ErwinOtten · 04-30-2009, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

If you can read a DRM-protected book on the new machine, that means that the new machine has the same PID as the old. If you send away a machine for repair, that is (normally) literally what they do - repair it; you get the old machine back, hence the same PID.

Strange, I never opend my cybook, but I asume that the SD-card-slot is attached to the board on which the chip-set is placed.
How can the SD-card slot be the other way around now then?

Godzil · 04-30-2009, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ErwinOtten

Strange, I never opend my cybook, but I asume that the SD-card-slot is attached to the board on which the chip-set is placed.
How can the SD-card slot be the other way around now then?

I heard that there is two sort of Cybook, one with label facing you, and another set with label in the other way...

GeoffC · 04-30-2009, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ErwinOtten

Strange, I never opend my cybook, but I asume that the SD-card-slot is attached to the board on which the chip-set is placed.
How can the SD-card slot be the other way around now then?

Perhaps they did that when they repaired it ....

peterbbb · 04-30-2009, 02:01 PM

I had mine replaced, not repaired. New PID and SD card that now has the label forwards. Can't read the ebooks downloaded with the old PID so had to download them all again.

Ortep · 04-30-2009, 03:40 PM

I never realized, mine was repaired/replaced from an old 64k model to an 512k model after a broken screen. My dictionaries are still functional. I don't know if I have the same PID. I will have to check it when I get home

AlexBell · 05-01-2009, 12:06 AM

Thanks for all the responses.

Firstly, this is a brand new Cybook, bought from Readers Feast in Melbourne. It is not the old broken one, which I still have tucked away somewhere in my closet.

Secondly, you're quite right about the DRM. I just tried another book that I know I had not been near, and got a message that it was the wrong PID. Silly me.

Regards, Alex

cbell · 05-01-2009, 03:02 AM

Congratulations, AlexBell! Yours is Readers Feast's first Cybook sale!

As you've found, the most recent Cybooks have the SD card slot reversed over previous versions, so you insert the card with the contacts to the back, sticker to the front.

You also have a larger selection of pre-loaded ebooks and comics, version 820 firmware, faster processor and a faster startup and page turns.

gerraldo · 05-01-2009, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cbell

You also have a larger selection of pre-loaded ebooks and comics, version 820 firmware, faster processor and a faster startup and page turns.

version 834 firmware is the latest...

cbell · 05-01-2009, 07:13 PM

Ah, thanks, gerraldo. AlexBell, what firmware version do you have in your new Cybook?

AlexBell · 05-02-2009, 02:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cbell

Ah, thanks, gerraldo. AlexBell, what firmware version do you have in your new Cybook?

820.

I'm very happy with the service provided by Readers Feast, and proud to be the first customer.

Regards, Alex

cbell · 05-02-2009, 04:00 AM

Alex, I'm pleased you were the first, too. I'll let Reader's Feast know they have a happy customer! This is new to them and they're keen to do well.

I hope you can make it back to Melb mid-June for our meetup. We might find out we're distant cousins

AlexBell · 05-03-2009, 04:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cbell

I hope you can make it back to Melb mid-June for our meetup. We might find out we're distant cousins

No, I don't think we can make it till November.

I came to Australia as a child in 1952, so unless you have English relatives any relationship would be very distant.

Regards, Alex

04-30-2009, 06:59 AM	#1
AlexBell Wizard Posts: 3,413 Karma: 13369310 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Launceston, Tasmania Device: Sony PRS T3, Kobo Glo, Kindle Touch, iPad, Samsung SB 2 tablet	New Cybook and DRM, and other changes My new Cybook has arrived, (after I broke the screen on my old one) and I've noticed some changes and an odd thing with DRM'd ebooks. The first change I noticed is that the SD card is now inserted with the label facing the front - in the old one the label has to face the back. Also, when I read an ebook each one has a line at the top of each 'page' showing the book title and author with an underline going across the page, and the text flows underneath this line and underline - this certainly is not present in the same mobipocket ebook on the old Cybook. The text seems to look rather better, but this is very subjective so I can't be certain. I have all my current ebooks on an SD card, and assumed that I would not be able to read the ebooks which were DRM'd because of course the new ebook has a different PID. I had deDRM'd some ebooks, but certainly not all. The mobipocket reader on my new Cybook can read all my ebooks, whether or not I had removed the DRM. This seems to destroy the whole point of putting DRM on ebooks; so far as I can tell without actually trying it I could pay for and download a secure mobipocket ebook, put it on an SD card, and anyone else who had a similar Cybook to my new one could read it. Am I missing something here? Regards, Alex

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04-30-2009, 02:01 PM	#7
peterbbb BoyReader Posts: 151 Karma: 308 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Llangollen, North Wales, UK Device: Cybook Gen3 and now Kindle 3	I had mine replaced, not repaired. New PID and SD card that now has the label forwards. Can't read the ebooks downloaded with the old PID so had to download them all again.

04-30-2009, 03:40 PM	#8
Ortep Fanatic Posts: 527 Karma: 470 Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: The Netherlands Device: Kindle Oasis	I never realized, mine was repaired/replaced from an old 64k model to an 512k model after a broken screen. My dictionaries are still functional. I don't know if I have the same PID. I will have to check it when I get home

05-01-2009, 12:06 AM	#9
AlexBell Wizard Posts: 3,413 Karma: 13369310 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Launceston, Tasmania Device: Sony PRS T3, Kobo Glo, Kindle Touch, iPad, Samsung SB 2 tablet	Thanks for all the responses. Firstly, this is a brand new Cybook, bought from Readers Feast in Melbourne. It is not the old broken one, which I still have tucked away somewhere in my closet. Secondly, you're quite right about the DRM. I just tried another book that I know I had not been near, and got a message that it was the wrong PID. Silly me. Regards, Alex

05-01-2009, 03:02 AM	#10
cbell Frenetic Posts: 590 Karma: 8181 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Australia Device: iLiad V2	Congratulations, AlexBell! Yours is Readers Feast's first Cybook sale! As you've found, the most recent Cybooks have the SD card slot reversed over previous versions, so you insert the card with the contacts to the back, sticker to the front. You also have a larger selection of pre-loaded ebooks and comics, version 820 firmware, faster processor and a faster startup and page turns.

05-01-2009, 07:13 PM	#12
cbell Frenetic Posts: 590 Karma: 8181 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Australia Device: iLiad V2	Ah, thanks, gerraldo. AlexBell, what firmware version do you have in your new Cybook?

05-02-2009, 04:00 AM	#14
cbell Frenetic Posts: 590 Karma: 8181 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Australia Device: iLiad V2	Alex, I'm pleased you were the first, too. I'll let Reader's Feast know they have a happy customer! This is new to them and they're keen to do well. I hope you can make it back to Melb mid-June for our meetup. We might find out we're distant cousins

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