Ability to download Kindle books to PC ends on 26 Feb 2025

[Retro]

From 26 February 2025, you'll no longer be able to download your Kindle books to files on your PC. This is clearly anti-consumer and is bad in several ways. Here's two takes on this:

Amazon’s killing a feature that let you download and backup Kindle books

It’s bad if you like to keep ebook backup copies.

www.theverge.com

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[Geffers]

Our money in the bank is digital too, the days of 'I promise to pay the bearer on demand the sum of one pound' are slowly evaporating.

We'll own nothing and be happy. More likely own nothing and forget the other bit.

 

[Geffers]

The phrase - You'll own nothing and be happy is used quite a bit nowadays, particularly in relation to digital media.

Kindle owners may be aware that from 26th February (why not 28th?) you will not be able to back up your books to a non Kindle device.

This is an interesting 14 minute video on the subject of digital books and the potential pitfalls of not owning the book.

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Geffers

 

[Geffers]

Worth downloading the Kindle books if you have time, at least backed up. They are protected by DRM

Apparently there are ways to overcome this, Calibre is a free program that can read ebooks, available on Windoz, Mac and Linux it is a decent program. There is a plugIn that supposedly gets rid of DRM but I have tried it and so far unsuccessful.

 

[Retro]

The phrase - You'll own nothing and be happy is used quite a bit nowadays, particularly in relation to digital media.

Worryingly true, isn't it?

 

[Retro]

Quick update: the ability to download did indeed stop. For me, it was a few hours later than expected, likely due to timezone difference.

 

[Astro What]

Personally, I have no desire to read books on my PC or even on a laptop.
It's why I purchased the Kindle. Of course, I subscribe and mainly read books that are in the Prime downloads as I have no real interest in keeping them on hand.

If I am going to buy a book, I'm going to buy it in hard cover or paperback format. Yes, still old school, but you don't have to worry about them having a license for digital media being revoked or expiring.

 

[Retro]

You know, one reason for having a local copy is if the book is revoked and hence deleted. However, that still doesn't help much, because as soon as the Kindle goes online, the DRM will delete it. Only by keeping the Kindle offline for the whole time that you're reading it can you get around it. What a pita.

 

[Geffers]

Personally, I have no desire to read books on my PC or even on a laptop.
It's why I purchased the Kindle. Of course, I subscribe and mainly read books that are in the Prime downloads as I have no real interest in keeping them on hand.

If I am going to buy a book, I'm going to buy it in hard cover or paperback format. Yes, still old school, but you don't have to worry about them having a license for digital media being revoked or expiring.

I'm not a great reader but a real book is certainly more pleasing in many circumstances however, my Kindle is great when travelling on a long flight, conveniently compact. I think many make the mistake of comparing as though one must like one or the other rather than ereaders actually being an additional option for bookworms. Some video bloggers wouldn't give up their bookshelf as a backdrop displaying numerous impressive volumes they may not have even read and opt for one Kindle

https://www.gutenberg.org is a brilliant resource that has thousands of classic books out of copyright all for free download in numerous formats.