Kindle pros and cons, tips?

[raspabalsa]

Hi all!

A few weeks ago I "discovered" Kindle on my Android devices,and I immediately was hooked on. I'm a big fan of reading, and I love to have my books with me all the time. I'd like to discuss a few things about Kindle, because I'm starting to purchase books in this format, and I'd like to know what other users think about Kindle as a program and ebook format. However, most of this post will be the usual senseless rant and ramble, so please bear with me (or skip this thread entirely, which may be safer for your mental health ).

Reading ebooks was a major factor in my decision to purchase a Samsung Galaxy Player 5.0, because the large 5" screen struck me as very comfortable for reading. This proved very true, but I still occasionally read on my Galaxy Mini's 3.6" screen. Not as comfortable, but with a larger font size it's still a very enjoyable experience.

I like the Kindle app very much, even though it's somewhat underfeatured. One of the features I like most is its ability to sync, not only the books themselves, but one's progress through each book. If I read on the GP5, I can pick up my reading on the Mini (or even the PC) at exactly the same spot. Of course, this requires that the devices be online during the sync.

I'm a bit miffed by Kindle for Android app's "Home" and "on Device" screens. The Home screen shows me just the last 6 titles I've opened, with a tag showing my progress on every one, and below a panel with recommendations based on my previous purchases. But the app has no way to customize this screen. I can't make it show more or less titles, nor can I turn the recommendations panel off. Which is why I often immediately switch to the "On Device" screen, where I can see all my titles, plus a graphical progress bar, and (thankfully) no recommendations. A couple of tools (sorting and grid/list view) and that's about it. I'd like to see a few more options, such as grouping books by author, genre, tags, etc.

Which brings me to the next question: since this is a propietary format, is there any other program to read Kindle books? One with better management / viewing tools? I haven't seen any so far.

Regarding organization, this is where Kindle fares the worst IMO. All the books are stored in one single folder (Android/data/com.amazon.kindle/files) in the GP5's internal drive. I see no option to turn storage to the SD card on my GP5. On my Mini (which has no internal drive) the folder is in the SD card. But all the books are dumped here, and worse, the files themselves are not named after the ebook title. For example, "Moby Dick" is named "B001PSEPLG_EBOK.prc". So it's not at all easy to identify which is which. Is there a way to improve this? Has someone tried to create subfolders, move some books inside, and rename the files? I'm buying several books from a single author, and I'd like to classify them under a folder, if possible.

Another feature that IMO requires updating or standardizing is the table of contents. Several books I own have it, but every editor seems to have his own idea of how it should work. Some are a flat, linkless table, others do have links but are awfully organized or cluttered. But the feature I most feel the app lacks is that there is no way to return to the previous location I was on the book (a "placeholder"). The app has a link to the book's TOC, but once I get there I have to wade through the book to return to my previous location. Bookmarking is not very useful, because I'll end with several one-time, otherwise meaningless bookmarks.

What about future-proofing my purchases? I'm sure Amazon is comfortable in the belief that it will exist forever, but how do other users feel about purchasing lots of titles in Kindle format? Is it possible to convert to a different format? Is it possible to create a hard copy for backup purposes? These questions trouble me because Kindle books are not cheap: the ones I've purchased cost almost twice their paperback equivalent, which strikes me as very unreasonable given that so little goes into distribution and maintenance of these ebooks. Still, most of my favorite titles are not in the public domain, so I have no option but to buy them.

What about special offers? Does Amazon's Kindle store offer titles at discounted prices regularly, or at known dates? I have several titles on my wish list (had to force me to put them there instead of purchasing right away ). Is it reasonable to expect some offers for, say, Father's Day, or the 4th of July?

Comments and recommendations are very welcome!

Thanks!

[Hook]

You pretty much hit the issues on the head. And it is pretty much the issue with all readers that use DRM. I love Kindle, by the way, and my first Novel is published Kindle only, as probably will the next two I am working on.. I actually got a B&W kindle ereader because it is even more delightful to read on than my GP5 and I wish they would at least make the Android app more like the reader interface. The answer to most of your questions are no. The only way ti future proof your purchases is to use an ereader and ebook store that doesn't use DRM, which means there will be a lot of currently published stuff you won't be able to have. Or know the author. ;-)

Part of this mess is as much the fault of the publishers as it is Amazon or Barnes and Noble. Ebooks are even messier than digital music was 10 years ago. I think Kndle is a good gamble for longevity, but nothing is forever.

Their app is very walled garden. WYSIWYG and it isn't terribly flexible.

[Mi An]

The only way ti future proof your purchases is to use an ereader and ebook store that doesn't use DRM, which means there will be a lot of currently published stuff you won't be able to have. Or know the author. ;-)

The only way, without any legal ambiguity, certainly. DRM removal is a legally gray area. There are fair use exemptions to the DMCA that haven't been fully tested, and certainly haven't been tried in court, but that do bolster good arguments that you have the right to free your own collection for your own use in a different format. Google 'apprentice alf' for the tools. I'll try and find a bookmark I have to one of the better legal arguments I've read if you care to check it out. Of course, the second layer of trouble is that even if something is legal doesn't mean it isn't against a TOS and couldn't result in losing an account if detected.

Also, not all amazon hosted kindle books are required to be DRM'd. Indie authors often choose not to apply the DRM, and those can be easily converted with vanilla calibre. Some smaller publishers might forgo DRM as well. Baen doesn't DRM ebooks from their own store, and I could imagine they might not DRM their kindle hosted ebooks either.

For the record, I have no personal experience with all of this. I would never want to read an ebook on a platform my ebook provider didn't support or with better software, because if they don't support it, it must not be right for me, and if their software doesn't have my desired features, those features must not be helpful. I'm just passing along some info I got from some disgusting rebel scum.

[Hook]

Yes, you are quite right not all Kindle books have DRM. I specifically requested my book not be and none of mine ever will be. I was using DRM more in the sense of a class of booksellers that don't go out of their way to remove roadblocks. I have no personal qualms over removing DRM for legally purchased books, though I am mostly too lazy to figure out how and Kindle makes sharing across devices so easy there isn't much motivation.

I now do all of my reading on a Kindle wifi, only occasionally reading on my SGP when I am stuck somewhere without the Kindle. Luckily the Android app syncs the locations. There is really no erearder app on a handheld that satisfies me after using a real Kindle.

[Mi An]

What about special offers? Does Amazon's Kindle store offer titles at discounted prices regularly, or at known dates? I have several titles on my wish list (had to force me to put them there instead of purchasing right away ). Is it reasonable to expect some offers for, say, Father's Day, or the 4th of July?

Are you familiar with agency pricing? For most major publisher titles, the publisher sets the prices. In theory, they could discount prices themselves. In practice, ebooks sales have dramatically reduced in frequency, breadth and discount depth since March of 2010. Amazon does occasionally do sales on non big 6 publishers's books, but I haven't noticed any particular pattern yet.

3 of the publishers who pioneered ebook agency pricing have agreed to stop in a settlement with the feds, but that change hasn't filtered into stores yet. I have no idea when it might.

[Mitlov]

At least on the iPad, I've found the Nook app (Barnes and Noble) to be much better executed than the Kindle app. Nicer format and more options for customizing font and colors.

[raspabalsa]

You pretty much hit the issues on the head. And it is pretty much the issue with all readers that use DRM.

Interesting... so basically I'm no worse with Kindle than I'd be with any other DRM content provider, right?

The answer to most of your questions are no. The only way ti future proof your purchases is to use an ereader and ebook store that doesn't use DRM, which means there will be a lot of currently published stuff you won't be able to have.

Too bad... I had some hope there would be some workarounds to improve the situation. I have a few classics downloaded DRM-free from the usual places (Memoware, Project Gutenberg, etc), but most are simple plain text files with not the least in terms of formatting (not even bolds or italics!). And of course, no TOC with links. This is why I ended purchasing a Kindle Edgar Allan Poe collection, because the TOC means I can easily jump to whatever short story I want to read.

Part of this mess is as much the fault of the publishers as it is Amazon or Barnes and Noble. Ebooks are even messier than digital music was 10 years ago. I think Kndle is a good gamble for longevity, but nothing is forever.

I wasn't aware the situation with ebooks was so messed up. I always thought movies and music would be much more of a concern. From the way I've been buying books, it looks like I'm already commited to Kindle. Funny thing, for some titles it's my third purchase... first in Spanish translation (back when books in English where too rare and expensive here), then English paperback, now Kindle. I hope I don't have to buy them yet again in the foreseeable future!

Their app is very walled garden. WYSIWYG and it isn't terribly flexible.

Yeah, but at least some kind of organization would be nice. Wading through the 20+ titles I have is already annoying. I hope Amazon at least reads the feedback on the Play Store!

DRM removal is a legally gray area. There are fair use exemptions to the DMCA that haven't been fully tested, and certainly haven't been tried in court, but that do bolster good arguments that you have the right to free your own collection for your own use in a different format. Google 'apprentice alf' for the tools. I'll try and find a bookmark I have to one of the better legal arguments I've read if you care to check it out. Of course, the second layer of trouble is that even if something is legal doesn't mean it isn't against a TOS and couldn't result in losing an account if detected.

Yes, do point to relevant discussions. I've read next to nothing about this topic, but now it's piqued my curiosity.

Also, not all amazon hosted kindle books are required to be DRM'd. Indie authors often choose not to apply the DRM, and those can be easily converted with vanilla calibre. Some smaller publishers might forgo DRM as well. Baen doesn't DRM ebooks from their own store, and I could imagine they might not DRM their kindle hosted ebooks either.

Ah, this is something I had no idea about... I thought every ebook on Amazon was DRM'ed. I'll take a look at Vanilla Calibre. Does it preserve formatting, links, etc?

Are you familiar with agency pricing? For most major publisher titles, the publisher sets the prices. In theory, they could discount prices themselves. In practice, ebooks sales have dramatically reduced in frequency, breadth and discount depth since March of 2010. Amazon does occasionally do sales on non big 6 publishers's books, but I haven't noticed any particular pattern yet.

That's too bad... I hoped it would be like apps, where sales and special offers can be expected.

[Mi An]

Ah, this is something I had no idea about... I thought every ebook on Amazon was DRM'ed. I'll take a look at Vanilla Calibre. Does it preserve formatting, links, etc?

It's just Calibre. I used vanilla as a modifier because, allegedly, the DRM'd versions can be converted by calibre + questionable plugins. It can convert anything else without assistance. There are tons of formatting options to use with calibre, but I don't know how to use them very well. I believe it can preserve formatting fairly well, but I always had trouble preserving TOC. It might be easy, I just haven't figured it out.

Here's a legal discussion of de-drming: MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - I'm regretting giving my husband a Kindle 3

[raspabalsa]

D'oh! I thought vanilla was part of the name

I'll be sure to look at Calibre plus some of those plugins. Questionable or not, I have payed for some of these titles more than once... I think I've supported the author enough already!

For most titles I don't mind not having a TOC. Most novels I read straight from beginning to end. It's short story collections that make navigating without a TOC a real hassle. I guess I'm spoiled by converters such as iSiloX, which preserved almost all format, including hyperlinks and TOCs (which were just a list of hyperlinks).

[Mi An]

D'oh! I thought vanilla was part of the name

It was my fault. Had I capitalized Calibre properly or used less slang, it would have been more clear.

The TOCs I had issues with were a little more integrated with a particular format of ebook than just the normal inline list at the beginning of the book -- those all work for me out of the box. This TOC is something where, inside my preferred software, without leaving my current page, I can pull up a list of chapters and sometimes subchapters and scroll through it. Maybe TOC isn't the right term, maybe it's called something more specific. But in any case, Calibre is very good software and I suspect anyone who cares to learn it better than I will do just fine with it. There's an active support forum over on mobileread too.