If I buy a Kindle, can I read any book on Amazon.com that I purchase?

SaturnVengeance · November 29 2010, 06:21 PM

Hypothetically speaking, if I were to purchase an Amazon Kindle, and then purchase Twilight on Amazon, then could I just read that book on the Kindle? Also, does the Kindle have all books that are on Amazon, or only some of them?

RoJoHen · November 29 2010, 06:23 PM

Well, you'd have to purchase the electronic version of Twilight, but yeah, that's pretty much the whole point of the Kindle.

But no, not everything is available in electronic format.

Robert Maxwell · November 29 2010, 06:23 PM

Only if you bought the electronic version, I believe. Just because you bought a physical copy doesn't mean you automatically get the electronic version for free.

Not all books available on Amazon are available for the Kindle. There are licensing issues involved.

SaturnVengeance · November 29 2010, 06:23 PM

RoJoHen wrote:

Well, you'd have to purchase the electronic version of Twilight, but yeah, that's pretty much the whole point of the Kindle.

But no, not everything is available in electronic format.

Why isn't everything?

RoJoHen · November 29 2010, 06:24 PM

You'll have to ask Amazon.

Robert Maxwell · November 29 2010, 06:25 PM

SaturnVengeance wrote:

RoJoHen wrote:

Well, you'd have to purchase the electronic version of Twilight, but yeah, that's pretty much the whole point of the Kindle.

But no, not everything is available in electronic format.

Why isn't everything?

See my post. To elaborate a little bit, when an author sells their publishing rights, electronic rights may or may not be included in the agreement. In order to sell an electronic copy of a book, Amazon must have licensed it meaning the publisher and author have to have worked out a digital distribution agreement.

For physical books there are no such complications.

SaturnVengeance · November 29 2010, 06:28 PM

Robert Maxwell wrote:

SaturnVengeance wrote:

RoJoHen wrote:

Well, you'd have to purchase the electronic version of Twilight, but yeah, that's pretty much the whole point of the Kindle.

But no, not everything is available in electronic format.

Why isn't everything?

See my post. To elaborate a little bit, when an author sells their publishing rights, electronic rights may or may not be included in the agreement. In order to sell an electronic copy of a book, Amazon must have licensed it meaning the publisher and author have to have worked out a digital distribution agreement.

For physical books there are no such complications.

What about old books that the author of died a long time ago or the publisher is defunct?

Spaceman Spiff · November 29 2010, 06:29 PM

Plus, for a lot of them, there might not be digital versions, yet. A new release is likely to have a digital manuscript, which is easy to turn into an ebook edition. A book from the '70s or '80s would probably have to be scanned manually.

Spaceman Spiff · November 29 2010, 06:31 PM

SaturnVengeance wrote:

Robert Maxwell wrote:

SaturnVengeance wrote:

Why isn't everything?

See my post. To elaborate a little bit, when an author sells their publishing rights, electronic rights may or may not be included in the agreement. In order to sell an electronic copy of a book, Amazon must have licensed it meaning the publisher and author have to have worked out a digital distribution agreement.

For physical books there are no such complications.

What about old books that the author of died a long time ago or the publisher is defunct?

It depends on who owns the rights. If the work is in the public domain, it will be free for most devices.

SaturnVengeance · November 29 2010, 06:31 PM

Spaceman Spiff wrote:

Plus, for a lot of them, there might not be digital versions, yet. A new release is likely to have a digital manuscript, which is easy to turn into an ebook edition. A book from the '70s or '80s would probably have to be scanned manually.

They had word processing programs for computers before the 1990s, I think. Didn't they have some DOS programs in the 80s that could be used to write books?

Robert Maxwell · November 29 2010, 06:33 PM

SaturnVengeance wrote:

Spaceman Spiff wrote:

Plus, for a lot of them, there might not be digital versions, yet. A new release is likely to have a digital manuscript, which is easy to turn into an ebook edition. A book from the '70s or '80s would probably have to be scanned manually.

They had word processing programs for computers before the 1990s, I think. Didn't they have some DOS programs in the 80s that could be used to write books?

Those would've been a tiny minority.

Books were traditionally published by authors who typed up the whole manuscript on a typewriter, then it would be sent to a printer who would quite literally set up each letter on a printing press. There would be no digital copies at all.

RoJoHen · November 29 2010, 06:34 PM

It's possible that for a lot of older books they just haven't gotten around to converting them yet.

If you go to the Kindle Store on amazon.com, you can search for whatever books you're looking for.

However, if I'm not mistaken, aren't there many more titles available for the Nook because it accept more formats than the Kindle?

Robert Maxwell · November 29 2010, 06:36 PM

The Nook supports EPUB which is an industry standard. Kindle does not.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong...

Spaceman Spiff · November 29 2010, 06:37 PM

Yeah, you can see pretty much everything available for Kindle here.

The Nook store is here.

John Clark · November 29 2010, 06:48 PM

I have another question relating to ebooks for the Kindle (or even in general).

Are there region coding restrictions? (I've had a quick look around the net and there seems to be quite a few comments to suggest that there are)

I've ordered (physical) books from the US before now and had thought that having an e-reader would make things a little quicker and easier. I suppose there is licensing issues to think about though.

November 29 2010, 06:21 PM	#1
SaturnVengeance Lieutenant	If I buy a Kindle, can I read any book on Amazon.com that I purchase? Hypothetically speaking, if I were to purchase an Amazon Kindle, and then purchase Twilight on Amazon, then could I just read that book on the Kindle? Also, does the Kindle have all books that are on Amazon, or only some of them?

November 29 2010, 06:23 PM	#2
RoJoHen Awesome Location: Wherever life takes me	Re: If I buy a Kindle, can I read any book on Amazon.com that I purcha Well, you'd have to purchase the electronic version of Twilight, but yeah, that's pretty much the whole point of the Kindle. But no, not everything is available in electronic format. __________________ I am the Quintessential Admiral. Get ready to grow your EQUINOX BEARD!

November 29 2010, 06:23 PM	#3
Robert Maxwell Cherry Chassis Location: The Track	Re: If I buy a Kindle, can I read any book on Amazon.com that I purcha Only if you bought the electronic version, I believe. Just because you bought a physical copy doesn't mean you automatically get the electronic version for free. Not all books available on Amazon are available for the Kindle. There are licensing issues involved. __________________ Your crash was, like, spectacular! My world simulation project! Also: Women and Men: Self-Image and Rape Culture

November 29 2010, 06:24 PM	#5
RoJoHen Awesome Location: Wherever life takes me	Re: If I buy a Kindle, can I read any book on Amazon.com that I purcha You'll have to ask Amazon. __________________ I am the Quintessential Admiral. Get ready to grow your EQUINOX BEARD!

November 29 2010, 06:29 PM	#8
Spaceman Spiff Intrepid Explorer	Re: If I buy a Kindle, can I read any book on Amazon.com that I purcha Plus, for a lot of them, there might not be digital versions, yet. A new release is likely to have a digital manuscript, which is easy to turn into an ebook edition. A book from the '70s or '80s would probably have to be scanned manually. __________________ "Love means never having to say you're ugly." - Dr. Phibes

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November 29 2010, 06:34 PM	#12
RoJoHen Awesome Location: Wherever life takes me	Re: If I buy a Kindle, can I read any book on Amazon.com that I purcha It's possible that for a lot of older books they just haven't gotten around to converting them yet. If you go to the Kindle Store on amazon.com, you can search for whatever books you're looking for. However, if I'm not mistaken, aren't there many more titles available for the Nook because it accept more formats than the Kindle? __________________ I am the Quintessential Admiral. Get ready to grow your EQUINOX BEARD!

November 29 2010, 06:36 PM	#13
Robert Maxwell Cherry Chassis Location: The Track	Re: If I buy a Kindle, can I read any book on Amazon.com that I purcha The Nook supports EPUB which is an industry standard. Kindle does not. Someone correct me if I'm wrong... __________________ Your crash was, like, spectacular! My world simulation project! Also: Women and Men: Self-Image and Rape Culture

November 29 2010, 06:37 PM	#14
Spaceman Spiff Intrepid Explorer	Re: If I buy a Kindle, can I read any book on Amazon.com that I purcha Yeah, you can see pretty much everything available for Kindle here. The Nook store is here. __________________ "Love means never having to say you're ugly." - Dr. Phibes

November 29 2010, 06:48 PM	#15
John Clark Commodore Location: MacLaren's Bar	Re: If I buy a Kindle, can I read any book on Amazon.com that I purcha I have another question relating to ebooks for the Kindle (or even in general). Are there region coding restrictions? (I've had a quick look around the net and there seems to be quite a few comments to suggest that there are) I've ordered (physical) books from the US before now and had thought that having an e-reader would make things a little quicker and easier. I suppose there is licensing issues to think about though. __________________ If there's a justification for my actions right now, it's this: I have gone completely mad