Comments on: Amazon’s DMCA takedown of KindleID script hints at dark future for Mobipocket format

By: CommanderROR

CommanderROR — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 16:20:56 +0000

I agree with the scenario above…but I see a big flaw in Amazon’s model…

The Kindle might be the #1 device in the US, but it’s not even released in the EU yet and so far there are only runours whether it ever will be. Now, while the Us is a big market, books are not as popular there as they are in good-old-europe, and here it seems the ePub format is growing very strong very quickly.
The Sony Reader is starting to pop up all over Europe and even here in Germany bookshops like Thalia are starting to seel ebooks…in ePub format.
This is going to be like the HD-DVD vs. BluRay fiasco…and it sure is going to be interesting, however, I think with Amazon making enemies out of it’s paying customers this one will be over even quicker than the DVD-successor game…at least I hope so.
So far I was always a great supporter of Amazon, but the moves they have been making in the last months are just too much…the have become too large and too lofty, they deserve a fall…and a painful one!

By: Joseph Gray

Joseph Gray — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:50:37 +0000

Chris – Amazon’s recent DMCA notice does indeed indicate that they are trying for lock-in. This is exactly the same thing they did with third party POD. Amazon wants it all and won’t play nice with anyone else.

rjh – about “disproportionate media coverage”, I see it even here on Teleread. Sometimes it seems like there is no other ebook reader on the planet but the Kindle. I’m sure Bezos loves the press.

By: FrancisT

FrancisT — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 13:16:59 +0000

My thoughts on what this says about the Kindle business model – http://www.di2.nu/200903/15.htm

By: Steve Jordan

Steve Jordan — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 03:57:30 +0000

Amazon can take this step if it wishes. But the fact of the matter is that only in the U.S. are e-book buyers being influenced by Amazon and the Kindle. ePub is becoming a dominant format worldwide, due to its inherent flexibility… and there are a lot of devices besides the Kindle (and even the iPhone) to read e-books on, most of which read multiple formats.

Any attempt on Amazon’s part to dominate the market will only result in just another device in a multi-device market, as there will always be plenty of non-Amazon content, and plenty of non-Amazon readers. If Amazon thinks it can keep its content off of other readers, it doesn’t know the digital realm very well.

By: rjh

rjh — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 22:58:31 +0000

Before the release of the Kindle 2 there were some musings around about the possibility of epub support on the Kindle – I thought at the time that this (like so many other features people were hoping for) was just wishful thinking.

Now I’d go so far as to say, epub on the Kindle is definitely not going to happen.

That doesn’t worry me of itself (I’m unlikely to ever own a Kindle) but the effect on the wider uptake of epub is a concern. Amazon and the Kindle get disproportionate media coverage – the general public is probably unaware of the other devices (and formats – if they even think about formats) available.

If Amazon fails to support epub (or in fact, actively works against it as it seems to be doing with mobi), this could have an effect of slowing the uptake of epub across the market.

Amazon have at least a 2 year head start on ease of use – they’ve solved the problem of getting content onto an ereader; this is such a big deal that the technical abilities and philosophical issues surrounding other formats and readers count for little in the wider market. They don’t really even need to be playing these DRM games but by doing so demonstrate an active agenda against other formats and readers.