Next week, Amazon is stripping away your ability to download your ebooks.
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I also use Kobo. It's really easy to download on Kobo (then remove DRM if that's your vibe).
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I borrow them from my library through the Libby and Hoopla apps. If I want to support the author, I’ll buy a copy through some other means. Directly from them, if possible.
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The UI is super simple, it's based on Linux so it's much closer to using a tablet computer, you access your books via folders
Default UI
Library is a file Explorer
UI without recommendations (I never bothered turning it off because I'm never on the front page)
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Welcome to capitalism 101.
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Unaffected since I've never participated in the Kindle ecosystem. I've been gifted a few Kindles but never was on board with that walled garden. Fuck Amazon.
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Thank you so much for posting pics! It looks great.
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I had some issues at first then decided to actually RTFM and once i entered my kindle serial number into the plugin, worked perfectly.
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Good to know! Thanks! I’ll start using my e-lending app again, ever if that just means I instantly return the book.
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It's not a great deal for the libraries. They ebooks can come with a limited number of checkouts and cost far more.
I switched to Kobo and have been very happy so far. I was able to download my books from Amazon and mumble and then I was able to read them on my Kobo device and store them in my Calibre library.
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There are some plug-ins for Calibre that might be able to help you.
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I keep a Win10 VM kicking for things like this. Sure I could probably do it with Wine, but sometimes I just take the easy route.
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Up until fairly recently, you could just drag and drop files onto the Kindle with a usb. I've had my first generation Kindle for almost 15 years now and it still works. Just download an .epub file, convert it to .mobi with Calibre, and drag and drop it over to the Kindle.
I have a newer one too, that I got a couple of years ago as a gift.
The trick is just disable the wifi and never let it communicate with Amazon servers. They will mess with your settings and push secret updates that remove features. For example, it could "sync" your books with your Amazon account if you naively log into your Amazon account and that literally results in you not being able to remove items from your Kindle without logging into your Amazon account on your computer and going through a million menus. It won't let you do it from the Kindle, even if you're offline.
But if you just never let it connect it to the internet at all, you're fine.
Although the new Kindles now require a special Amazon software to copy files over (because of "convenience") and it won't communicate with the usual protocol so you can't drag and drop like you could for the last 15 years.
So yeah, don't buy a Kindle. at least not a new one.
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Which generation of kindles requires Amazon software for USB transfer? I've always put mine in airplane mode and just used Calibre. I don't want to buy a newer one that doesn't work without special software.
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Even after years and years of this being discussed, it shocks me how many people keep dropping money into services which force them to own nothing.
Convenience is a helluva drug.
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I'm not sure where exactly they made the switch. Basically, I got my girlfriend one a year and a half ago and it did not need the software. I explained to her to turn off the wifi and just download books and drag and drop.
But then around Christmastime last year my girlfriend's cousin wanted an ebook ready so we bought her a Kindle and I gave the same advice. But she couldn't figure out how to drag and drop, so she brought it over. I was fussing around thinking something was wrong with my USB cable but then I realized it required that special software.
So the switch happened at some point in the last ~18 months or so my memory's a bit hazy
Amazon just couldn't let it be. There's a certain set of people that just aren't going to opt into all the bullshit. These people just want a plain and simple ebook ready to host their ebooks. They think if they force the special software they'll be able to do things like sign into your Kindle and change your settings by force.
But what happens? Instead of gaining those people like me or you into their ecosystem, they're just gonna lose future hardware customers. I would have been perfectly fine buying Kindles for the rest of my life if they had just kept that feature.
I'm sure it's going to be reversed engineered at some point but it's absurd. I don't understand the short-sighted greed.
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how is that even possible? Congrats anyway
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Calibre (Kindle) and Libation (Audible) are essential backup tools.
Y'know, in case their servers are down...
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That doesn't change the argument.
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Lol, my girlfriend just had all of her sideloaded books removed from her kindle today. She just opened her kindle and they were gone
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I pulled down the eight Kindle books I actually bought, about half of the books in my Kindle library are public domain, stuff like old Sherlock Holmes novels, some FAA handbooks, etc.
Next I guess is Audible. Over the years Audible has offered a lot of free trials with a complimentary audiobook several times, and I've amassed a bit of a collection. Including the edition of The Martian narrated by R.C. Bray you can't get anymore. Those I'd like in mp3 format if I can get it.
