Top Ten Reasons To Not Buy An iPad

[Redcard]

Originally Posted by ApK

Well, while I certainly would not call any DRM scheme "open" or "non-proprietary", it is true that several sources use Adobe's ADEPT system (via Adobe digital editions) which makes them interoperable with several competing readers, unlike Amazon's DRM witch will only work on Kindle devices or Kindle software.

That being said, it must be true that many Kindle users find little reason to shop anywhere else. I don't care how well marketed the device was, if the Amazon store was not keeping people happy, Kindle would not be holding the market share it holds.

That, plus the fact that stripping DRM and using those Adobe ePubs on the kindle is, for the moment, trivially easy for those inclined to do so.

The problem is, even though ADEPT is out there, not as many use it as people think. EPUB is supported on the Ipad/Ibooks platform, but Apple has told me (in a letter) , that OverDrive never will be. And that non-Apple DRM won't ever be.

It's not the devices that are the problem. It's the DRM, and the sooner that goes away, the better all these devices will be.

[allen.gotwald]

All good points. But, I have been following mobileread for years and I enjoy downloading books from the mobileread, the library and gutenberg. I want an ereader device to allow me to access other sites and not restrict me. I don't want to always have to buy a book, especially those in the public domain (as mobileread posts). I'm not tied to Sony, but the PRS-505 has met my needs for 3 years. The problem is that ebooks are coming as larger files with embedded pics and the 505's processor is a little slow. Otherwise, the battery still lasts a couple weeks and the e-ink display is still very clear. If a Tablet comes along that provides me open access like the 505, I may look at it. Does anyone know if the IPAD (now or nearterm) will support DRM PDF or EPUB (not via APP but organic to the device)?

[Graham]

Why does it matter whether it's iBooks or a different app that supports Adobe DRM or Overdrive on the iPad as long as they are supported?

Graham

[Redcard]

Originally Posted by Graham

Why does it matter whether it's iBooks or a different app that supports Adobe DRM or Overdrive on the iPad as long as they are supported?

Graham

Because they are supported NOW.

They may NOT be supported next month, or next year. That's why it's not a particular device that's the problem. It's the whole DRM system.

Apple can, tomorrow, say "No more Overdrive books, on our device", and go in and killswitch out apps and remove them. Amazon can do the same. So can Sony.

DRM is the problem, not the devices. If you buy a device that can support 100 different versions of DRM, it doesn't matter, since they can turn it off tomorrow at will.

So long as the device can read UN-DRM'd stuff freely (which they all can), the only difference in play is hardware.

[Graham]

Originally Posted by Redcard

Because they are supported NOW.

They may NOT be supported next month, or next year. That's why it's not a particular device that's the problem. It's the whole DRM system.

Apple can, tomorrow, say "No more Overdrive books, on our device", and go in and killswitch out apps and remove them. Amazon can do the same. So can Sony.

DRM is the problem, not the devices. If you buy a device that can support 100 different versions of DRM, it doesn't matter, since they can turn it off tomorrow at will.

So long as the device can read UN-DRM'd stuff freely (which they all can), the only difference in play is hardware.

That doesn't answer my question. Both allen.gotwald and you mentioned that iBooks* would never support Overdrive or non-Apple DRM. However, if there are other apps that do, why would this matter?

Obviously if a user is willing to strip the DRM then the whole question is irrelevant, but I know I'd feel extremely uncomfortable about removing DRM from a library book.

Graham

* I assume it's iBooks that is meant when allen.gotwald said 'organic to the device' although I understand that iBooks is itself an app.

[allen.gotwald]

By organic to the device, I mean it's a capability that comes inherent with the device without the need to use external software to convert or modify the software. Sony allowed PDR DRM around 18 months ago and later added EPUB literally doing away with their proprietary BBeB version. I can download EPUB books from mobileread, the library, the Sony ebook store or any other site as an almost ebook standard. According to ebook-reader-review.toptenreviews.com/ Kindle does not support EPUB and I don't think IPAD does either. That means that even though a site may "sell" texts, I'm captive to their content; their prices and I can't go to my local library site and check-out new books online for free. Most of my ebook library did not come from the Sony ebook-store and I like the freedom of using my local library website which I lose with Kindle and IPAD. According to the site, Nook appears to have the broadest content allowance but the color LCD limits battery life to 8 hours versus 20+ days with the Sony. It's a trade-off.

[devilsadvocate]

Originally Posted by kindlekitten

apparently we ARE still waiting on a tablet from Microsoft.
from the link;

Tablets

Microsoft, Motorola and Palm will once again have tablets to talk about -- and maybe even to demonstrate. In 2010, Microsoft misfired on the Courier device, killing it before it ever really took shape. This time around, Microsoft is expected to brandish tablets from Samsung and Dell.

The stock

Microsoft's tablet demo should mark the software giant's big step toward ARM-based mobile systems. The company will likely unveil a version of Windows for tablets. This would be a crucial step just like Windows Phone 7 was in smartphones, but, similarly, it could take years to pay off.

Whoever wrote your linked-to article seems to be reading from a script; Palm was taken over by HP months ago. That tablet won't run Windows but WebOS, the excellent Linux-based Palm phone OS that has a monster cult following (including my wife, until she saw how many things my Droid X could do):

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/fas...ompetitio.html

In addition, Steve Bomber showed the Slate proto at CES last year, so MS was already in the game when this was written.

I checked the specs for the HP Slate. It started shipping in October and runs essentially the same hardware as convertibles such as the Asus T91MT. I would consider one myself save for 1) the pricetag and 2) the GMA500 graphics chipset, as I would try to dual-boot Linux with it. The difference your article brings up is a version of Windows for ARM-based systems; there are perfectly good tablets running Windows today as I mentioned. As it stands, I'm happy with my HP Mini and will not be springing for a tablet-anything any time soon but if you have the scratch I would say look into the Slate.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by allen.gotwald

By organic to the device, I mean it's a capability that comes inherent with the device without the need to use external software to convert or modify the software. [. . .] and I don't think IPAD does either.

That's rather meaningless and arbitrary for a device like the iPad (or any computer, for that matter) which accomplishes ALL user functionality via some "external" software. It's like saying a PC does not really have web browsing because you need a browser app.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by allen.gotwald

By organic to the device, I mean it's a capability that comes inherent with the device without the need to use external software to convert or modify the software. Sony allowed PDR DRM around 18 months ago and later added EPUB literally doing away with their proprietary BBeB version. I can download EPUB books from mobileread, the library, the Sony ebook store or any other site as an almost ebook standard. According to ebook-reader-review.toptenreviews.com/ Kindle does not support EPUB and I don't think IPAD does either. That means that even though a site may "sell" texts, I'm captive to their content; their prices and I can't go to my local library site and check-out new books online for free. Most of my ebook library did not come from the Sony ebook-store and I like the freedom of using my local library website which I lose with Kindle and IPAD. According to the site, Nook appears to have the broadest content allowance but the color LCD limits battery life to 8 hours versus 20+ days with the Sony. It's a trade-off.

That's why you have to forgot all that and buy only drm-free or free-able content, convert it and read it on a open drm-free device. If you go along with drm-encoded books then you don't actually own them and they can disappear any instant at the whim of the provider if they decide to go out of business.

[allen.gotwald]

Kennyc is correct about the DRM. I scanned my library and noticed I have no books in PDF DRM. They're all EPUB or the old Sony BBeb (because I'm too lazy to convert them) which I'm certain also has a DRM to protect copyright. I have back-up CDs and files on which the ebooks are stored. The only way to prevent my access is to negate the device via firmware upgrade. But, I have already verified that I can open the EPUB files on other devices.

[Graham]

Originally Posted by allen.gotwald

By organic to the device, I mean it's a capability that comes inherent with the device without the need to use external software to convert or modify the software.

Ah, OK. Well, the iPad is a multipurpose device so you need to run applications on it, just as you would a computer. Even the standard Apple book reader is an 'external' app. However installing these applications is a trivial process, and one which any iPad user will quickly become familiar with.

You can get applications that will read ePub, including those with Adobe DRM, and you wouldn't need to use external software to convert or modify the files.

Graham

[Redcard]

Originally Posted by Graham

You can get applications that will read ePub, including those with Adobe DRM, and you wouldn't need to use external software to convert or modify the files.

Graham

For now you can, yes.

But Apple has a history of knocking products they disagree with or are competing with off their system. That's why there's no real web browser competitor, and why anything Flash App related has been ejected from the app store as violation of the developer rules.

Google Voice for the longest time was denied because it mimiced and people at Apple were afraid it'd allow people to use data instead of minutes, and hurt their deals with AT&T. Only after AT&T went to a limited data plan was Google Voice allowed in.

One day, they might decide that Ibooks should be all anyone needs, and goodbye all the other apps.

I love Apple, don't get me wrong. But I also know that having an app that does something (I have about 30 apps on my iphone 4 that simply don't exist anymore in the apple store.. they've been retro-banned) is not as important when you have a gatekeeper telling you what can and cannot be on a device.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by NVash

In an article in the Wall Street Journal, Brett Arends lists ten reasons why he would not buy an Apple iPad:



For the full article, see here.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...?KEYWORDS=ipad

Your article link links to the wrong one.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by allen.gotwald

All good points. But, I have been following mobileread for years and I enjoy downloading books from the mobileread, the library and gutenberg. I want an ereader device to allow me to access other sites and not restrict me. I don't want to always have to buy a book, especially those in the public domain (as mobileread posts). I'm not tied to Sony, but the PRS-505 has met my needs for 3 years. The problem is that ebooks are coming as larger files with embedded pics and the 505's processor is a little slow. Otherwise, the battery still lasts a couple weeks and the e-ink display is still very clear. If a Tablet comes along that provides me open access like the 505, I may look at it. Does anyone know if the IPAD (now or nearterm) will support DRM PDF or EPUB (not via APP but organic to the device)?

The iPad does have apps that support DRM from Adobe and even library ePub/PDF via Overdrive. Just download the Bluefire Reader app and you are good to go. The head of the project for the app is here and there is a thread in the Apple section. The iPad doesn't need native eBook DRm. It just needs the proper apps which it has.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Redcard

For now you can, yes.

But Apple has a history of knocking products they disagree with or are competing with off their system. That's why there's no real web browser competitor, and why anything Flash App related has been ejected from the app store as violation of the developer rules.

Google Voice for the longest time was denied because it mimiced and people at Apple were afraid it'd allow people to use data instead of minutes, and hurt their deals with AT&T. Only after AT&T went to a limited data plan was Google Voice allowed in.

One day, they might decide that Ibooks should be all anyone needs, and goodbye all the other apps.

I love Apple, don't get me wrong. But I also know that having an app that does something (I have about 30 apps on my iphone 4 that simply don't exist anymore in the apple store.. they've been retro-banned) is not as important when you have a gatekeeper telling you what can and cannot be on a device.

What apps do you have that no longer exist in the app store?