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From: ted@loft.tnolan.com (Ted Nolan <tednolan>)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
Subject: Re: Amazon to remove download/transfer via USB option for ebooks?
Date: 24 Feb 2025 16:38:16 GMT
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In article <vpi6sg$17j80$1@dont-email.me>,
Torbjorn Lindgren  <tl@none.invalid> wrote:
>Jaimie Vandenbergh  <jaimie@usually.sessile.org> wrote:
>>On 22 Feb 2025 at 06:45:15 GMT, ""Default User""
>><defaultuserbr@yahoo.com> wrote:
>>> ted@loft.tnolan.com (Ted Nolan wrote:
>>>> In article <vp9cc1$3acdu$1@dont-email.me>,
>>>> Default User <defaultuserbr@yahoo.com> wrote:
>>>>> For the most part, I've moved away from Amazon to Kobo, which gives
>>>>> you epub files that you can download. You can use Calibre to
>>>>> convert epubs to mobi or azw3 to use on a kindle device if you want.
>>> 
>>>> I still get azw/azw3 files as I still use the 2011 "Kindle Keyboard"
>>>> device.  The new ones don't have an aux jack, plus Calibre decrypt
>>>> still works.
>>> 
>>> I don't have any actual Kindle devices, just apps for Windows and iOs.
>>> The ability to get a workable file for those ended some time back.
>>
>>Kindles download the same encrypted files, so you couldn't decrypt them
>>by USB copy either.
>
>"USB Copy" normally refers to downloading it on Amazon's website "for"
>a physical Kindle - so far this has ALWAYS resulted in the older
>(trivially crackable) format even if it's locked to the serial number
>of a brand new Kindle which would download the new format if
>downloading via Wifi/4G (and every possible firmware version for it
>support the new system).
>
>So what you say is true but not relevant for this discussion. It's
>also different to downloads for the apps where they closed this
>specific loophole many years ago.
>
>They're now finally closing the last loophole. Or at least closing in
>some circumstances, I didn't get that text in Amazon when I downloaded
>a purchase about one week ago (long after other reported seeing it).
>
>
>So it's possible they're only doing this for US accounts but I think
>it's more likely their notification is broken and that they're
>dropping the KF8/AZW3 format completely. I guess having less formats
>will save a bit of storage.
>
>The KFX format came out in 2015 and support was backported to their
>2013 and up Kindle models. So we're talking 11+ year old devices, not
>sure they can even connect to Amazon's website any longer - I know the
>Kindle Keyboard from 2010 can't due to certificate issues.
>
>Yes, there will be SOME old Kindle left in use that can't handle KFX
>format but they're going to be RARE enough that Amazon is unlikely to
>care. And it's not just batteries, all mine that are old enough are
>long since dead from other reasons - IE won't charge battery but a new
>battery doesn't fix it so... "broken". Some of these were already on
>their second battery when something else broke.

It's something of a bear to change the battery on a Kindle Keyboard, but
there are kits on ebay and videos on youtube, and so far I've done it
twice with success.

As I have said, I expect to continue to receive AZW/AZW3 files on that
device as there are no software upgrades for it.  We will
know soon enough -- I believe I have a pre-order which should kick in
at the end of hte month.
-- 
columbiaclosings.com
What's not in Columbia anymore..