Comments on: DRM’d Mobipocket: Is the e-text on the wall? http://www.teleread.org/2009/03/04/drmd-mobipocket-is-the-e-text-on-the-wall/ News & views on e-books, libraries, publishing and related topics Sat, 21 Nov 2009 20:01:59 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Chris Meadows http://www.teleread.org/2009/03/04/drmd-mobipocket-is-the-e-text-on-the-wall/comment-page-1/#comment-1017545 Chris Meadows Thu, 05 Mar 2009 06:31:00 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/03/04/drmd-mobipocket-is-the-e-text-on-the-wall/#comment-1017545 That <a href="http://jkontherun.com/2009/02/14/ereader-versions-coming-for-blackberry-android-linux-e-ink/" rel="nofollow">may actually not stay the case for long</a>, Bruno.<blockquote>Last but not least comes some surprising news from Fictionwise about eReader. They are also working on “several E-ink” ports. They can’t give any details about what devices/platforms this might entail but there aren’t that many out there right now. I don’t think Amazon would put eReader on the Kindle, but maybe Sony would give it a shot?</blockquote> That may actually not stay the case for long, Bruno.
Last but not least comes some surprising news from Fictionwise about eReader. They are also working on “several E-ink” ports. They can’t give any details about what devices/platforms this might entail but there aren’t that many out there right now. I don’t think Amazon would put eReader on the Kindle, but maybe Sony would give it a shot?

]]> By: Bruno Di Giandomenico http://www.teleread.org/2009/03/04/drmd-mobipocket-is-the-e-text-on-the-wall/comment-page-1/#comment-1017542 Bruno Di Giandomenico Thu, 05 Mar 2009 06:18:48 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/03/04/drmd-mobipocket-is-the-e-text-on-the-wall/#comment-1017542 The problem with Ereader is that there is no ebook reader, as far as I know, that today support encripted ereader ebooks. That is a problem, and I do not see a solution soon. It does not seem easy for ebook reader software developers to implement it, what with the device DRM exclusivity deal everybody talks about, that Mobipocket enforces on those who want it. The problem with Ereader is that there is no ebook reader, as far as I know, that today support encripted ereader ebooks. That is a problem, and I do not see a solution soon. It does not seem easy for ebook reader software developers to implement it, what with the device DRM exclusivity deal everybody talks about, that Mobipocket enforces on those who want it.

]]> By: Dave Robinson http://www.teleread.org/2009/03/04/drmd-mobipocket-is-the-e-text-on-the-wall/comment-page-1/#comment-1017454 Dave Robinson Thu, 05 Mar 2009 02:18:46 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/03/04/drmd-mobipocket-is-the-e-text-on-the-wall/#comment-1017454 I switched the majority of my DRM purchasing to eReader a while ago and the DRM scheme was a major reason for it. I also purchase primarily from Fictionwise because they are the only place I can buy bestsellers that has made a public commitment against DRM. I think Amazon wants the same kind of control over the ebook ecosystem that Apple has over the music ecosystem, and that DRM mobi is going to end up filed under the heading "There are necessary losses." I switched the majority of my DRM purchasing to eReader a while ago and the DRM scheme was a major reason for it. I also purchase primarily from Fictionwise because they are the only place I can buy bestsellers that has made a public commitment against DRM.

I think Amazon wants the same kind of control over the ebook ecosystem that Apple has over the music ecosystem, and that DRM mobi is going to end up filed under the heading “There are necessary losses.”

]]> By: Rob Preece, Publisher http://www.teleread.org/2009/03/04/drmd-mobipocket-is-the-e-text-on-the-wall/comment-page-1/#comment-1017397 Rob Preece, Publisher Wed, 04 Mar 2009 23:13:23 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/03/04/drmd-mobipocket-is-the-e-text-on-the-wall/#comment-1017397 Interesting speculation. At this time, Mobipocket is the major format that works with Blackberry, one of the major platforms publishers want to reach. It might make sense for Amazon to Kindlize the Mobipocket format--simply rebranding it as Kindle because Kindle now has much more market exposure than does Mobi (I wonder if the Kindle-on-the-iPhone is the long-awaited Mobi product with a different brand). Still, I don't see what benefit they could get from shutting their Mobi operations without first adding the other platforms. From a publisher perspective, Mobi is an access point to Kindle. When I submit to Mobi, I also submit to Kindle. Obviously I'd prefer for both to sell a lot of my books. Rob Preece Publisher, www.BooksForABuck.com Interesting speculation. At this time, Mobipocket is the major format that works with Blackberry, one of the major platforms publishers want to reach. It might make sense for Amazon to Kindlize the Mobipocket format–simply rebranding it as Kindle because Kindle now has much more market exposure than does Mobi (I wonder if the Kindle-on-the-iPhone is the long-awaited Mobi product with a different brand). Still, I don’t see what benefit they could get from shutting their Mobi operations without first adding the other platforms.

From a publisher perspective, Mobi is an access point to Kindle. When I submit to Mobi, I also submit to Kindle. Obviously I’d prefer for both to sell a lot of my books.

Rob Preece
Publisher, http://www.BooksForABuck.com

]]> By: Liviu http://www.teleread.org/2009/03/04/drmd-mobipocket-is-the-e-text-on-the-wall/comment-page-1/#comment-1017361 Liviu Wed, 04 Mar 2009 21:09:14 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/03/04/drmd-mobipocket-is-the-e-text-on-the-wall/#comment-1017361 As history of drm content shows repeatedly, do not complain about losing access to your content if you do not convert it. I learned my lesson with the original drm pdf's bought from Amazon way back, and even now with inept, one is dead - I kept backups and tried to renew the drm license whenever Adobe changed it, so luckily all but one of those books are ADE, but one is dead though it's still available for 5$ if I want to repurchase it in ADE Inept - So de-drm the prc's or stop complaining and buy again your content. It's your choice and be lucky that you have it since for example lrx books are still locked, hopefully not for long... As history of drm content shows repeatedly, do not complain about losing access to your content if you do not convert it.

I learned my lesson with the original drm pdf’s bought from Amazon way back, and even now with inept, one is dead – I kept backups and tried to renew the drm license whenever Adobe changed it, so luckily all but one of those books are ADE, but one is dead though it’s still available for 5$ if I want to repurchase it in ADE Inept –

So de-drm the prc’s or stop complaining and buy again your content. It’s your choice and be lucky that you have it since for example lrx books are still locked, hopefully not for long…

]]> By: Kurt Hoss http://www.teleread.org/2009/03/04/drmd-mobipocket-is-the-e-text-on-the-wall/comment-page-1/#comment-1017353 Kurt Hoss Wed, 04 Mar 2009 20:31:18 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/03/04/drmd-mobipocket-is-the-e-text-on-the-wall/#comment-1017353 As has been mentioned a large problem for ebook readers is the investment made in the DRM Mobipocket books but another not mentioned is the investment the Libraries such as NYPL have made. This can impact sales in the sense that borrowing books from the library can "turn on" someone to a particular author or genre and generate further sales. I would think it wise at this point for Amazon to consider some method of resurrecting these books either through a decryption kit or the release of a reader. Changes in devices and attitudes seem to have doomed the Mobipocket DRM format. As has been mentioned a large problem for ebook readers is the investment made in the DRM Mobipocket books but another not mentioned is the investment the Libraries such as NYPL have made. This can impact sales in the sense that borrowing books from the library can “turn on” someone to a particular author or genre and generate further sales. I would think it wise at this point for Amazon to consider some method of resurrecting these books either through a decryption kit or the release of a reader. Changes in devices and attitudes seem to have doomed the Mobipocket DRM format.

]]> By: Jon Wolf http://www.teleread.org/2009/03/04/drmd-mobipocket-is-the-e-text-on-the-wall/comment-page-1/#comment-1017351 Jon Wolf Wed, 04 Mar 2009 20:25:01 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/03/04/drmd-mobipocket-is-the-e-text-on-the-wall/#comment-1017351 Strip the DRM and take those 48 Mobi books where you want. Use Calibre to convert them if need be. Then you have the content you paid good money for to read where you want. Strip the DRM and take those 48 Mobi books where you want. Use Calibre to convert them if need be. Then you have the content you paid good money for to read where you want.

]]> By: Sara Rosso - When I Have Time http://www.teleread.org/2009/03/04/drmd-mobipocket-is-the-e-text-on-the-wall/comment-page-1/#comment-1017342 Sara Rosso - When I Have Time Wed, 04 Mar 2009 19:57:12 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/03/04/drmd-mobipocket-is-the-e-text-on-the-wall/#comment-1017342 I completely agree...I am sitting on 48 Mobi books with nowhere to take them. I am fighting hard to start buying books from Amazon (I have the iTouch) since I feel like they are still being less-than-straight with us in the formatting war. I think eReader's approach to all of this has been a much better way to interact with and respect readers. I completely agree…I am sitting on 48 Mobi books with nowhere to take them. I am fighting hard to start buying books from Amazon (I have the iTouch) since I feel like they are still being less-than-straight with us in the formatting war. I think eReader’s approach to all of this has been a much better way to interact with and respect readers.

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