eBook Prices - Is it just me…

[Belen]

Yikes! I can't even imagine how!

Streaming, apps, SaaS (M365, Adobe, etc), games…..

Subs are pervasive. The smaller upfront expense is fine at a micro level but grow huge at a macro one.

I turned most off and am saving a lot of money.

 

[Belen]

What is a Saas?

Software as a service

 

[Gradine]

And I love Libby library books but man I wish they had more consistent selection.

Oh boy, if you think eBooks are expensive as a regular consumer, you should see what they charge libraries.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

I don't actually care about the whole "ownership" thing so much. I just want ebooks to be device-agnostic. If I had a e-ink device that could run kindle, Nook, and Libby apps for access, I would be happy.

I am pretty much the same but I very much doubt that it will happen organically. If it ever happens it will be like government mandate. Like device chargers in the EU.

 

[MoonSong]

Yeah, but streaming services can remove songs they deem problematic, or even artists for their off platform behavior. But that's lesser problem. Other one is geofencing. Some songs might not be available depending on what region you are in. Last but not least, artist or their publisher, can remove songs from platform and then you are out of luck. I've been trying to find song from one Ukranian industrial/folk band for ages now, it's like they expunged it form the internet. No trace of it, even AI can't find it, but i know it was on yt couple of years ago.

And many times you can only find new versions of the songs which sound completely off. Maybe the vand changed vocalist and they only offer the song with the new one. Perhaps they changed studios and no longer control their masters. Maybe they earn more by putting their acustic unplugged remix with an orchestra. Whatever the reason, with streaming you are at the whims of an industry with many moving parts that are ever moving. Meanwhile, as long as you take care of your media, you keep access to the same version of the song.

 

[Umbran]

I am pretty much the same but I very much doubt that it will happen organically. If it ever happens it will be like government mandate. Like device chargers in the EU.

Well, we are pretty close, honestly.

Right now, with one bog-standard android tablet I can have a Kindle app, a Nook app, a Kobo app, and Libby. Functionally, I pay different people, but it is one device for all my reading needs. That's agnostic enough.

This falls apart for e-ink screen devices, which I prefer for reading, that cannot currently handle all those sources on one device. I can get a Kobo that handles Kobo and a little bit of Libby functionality, but won't talk to Nook or Kindle.

I may end up rooting my older tablet, downloading by nook library, and then using Kobo's google drive/dropbox functionality to get my library moved over....

 

[Belen]

Well, we are pretty close, honestly.

Right now, with one bog-standard android tablet I can have a Kindle app, a Nook app, a Kobo app, and Libby. Functionally, I pay different people, but it is one device for all my reading needs. That's agnostic enough.

This falls apart for e-ink screen devices, which I prefer for reading, that cannot currently handle all those sources on one device. I can get a Kobo that handles Kobo and a little bit of Libby functionality, but won't talk to Nook or Kindle.

I may end up rooting my older tablet, downloading by nook library, and then using Kobo's google drive/dropbox functionality to get my library moved over....

Calibre.

You can use the program to convert the book to an additional format.

 

[Umbran]

Calibre.

You can use the program to convert the book to an additional format.

As I understand it, that's not necessary in the case I'm talking about.

IIRC, the Nook app on Android stores ebooks in normal, DRM-free epub format. It just stores them in a directory that is hidden from standard Android users. Indeed, even if I needed Caliber to convert the book, I couldn't, because I could not indicate the file I wanted converted, because I can't navigate to or see it!

Thus, rooting the tablet first, so you can actually see the files as a superuser. And, IIRC, on my wifi-only tablet, this is not even against the license agreement.

But, then simple file copy will do the trick, I don't think format conversion is required. Since I am not violating any DRM, the file copy is standard digital backup and/or for personal use only on a different device, which is generally considered Fair Use these days. So, all legal. Just a pain in the tuchus.

 

[Wolfram stout]

Oh boy, if you think eBooks are expensive as a regular consumer, you should see what they charge libraries.

Yeah, I know. I worked in my university library periodicals section back in the 90s, and saw how they charged them mag subscriptions based on "approximate readership". From the librarians here on the site I can tell it is that same type of logic.

I appreciate the books I can get off Libby, that is for sure.