Classic Nook overseas can't download?

[dbur]

I just returned from Egypt where I attempted to download US newspapers to my wifi Nook classic. No can do! Message says only can download in North America! Is this true?
My friends with Kindle can download. What's the deal here?

[geertm]

Originally Posted by dbur

I just returned from Egypt where I attempted to download US newspapers to my wifi Nook classic. No can do! Message says only can download in North America! Is this true?
My friends with Kindle can download. What's the deal here?

There is a difference between buying and downloading books, newspapers and magazines. You can only buy them in the US. But if they are bought, you are allowed to download them anywhere in the world.
If you buy a magazine or newspaper subscribtion in the US, you can download the copies of that subscribtion anywhere in the world. But you can not buy a subscribtion, or a single copy outside the US.

The publishers have forced all US bookstores to enforce strict geo-restrictions. The bookstores are only allowed to sell their books, newspapers and magazines in the US.
Amazon is the only bookstore with contracts in place that allows users to buy things outside the US.

[kittyhawk63]

I think the publishers should at least allow our military personnel to download, but I read here the other day that a person in the military and serving overseas is restricted to the same rules. The publishers ought to reconsider that policy decision for our military.

[taustin]

Originally Posted by kittyhawk63

I think the publishers should at least allow our military personnel to download, but I read here the other day that a person in the military and serving overseas is restricted to the same rules. The publishers ought to reconsider that policy decision for our military.

The world of publishing is still years behind real life in the age of the internet. This isn't a new issue, it's based on business practicies that date back decades. Authors sell rights for specific geographic areas, like North America, and agents who do not insist on these restrictions are incompetent. The reason being, once you've sold worldwide rights once, you can't sell them again to someone else, and your income (royalties) are based on sales. So if you sell worldwide rights to someone who will only publish in North America, you have no income from the rest of the world.

The internet changes all that, because anyone can sell something, especially something electronic, to anyone anywhere in the world, but the publishing industry is still trying to figure out how to deal with that. And only books published in recent years have any chance of being under a contract that reflects that. Stuff that's been around for longer than the internet is under contracts with geographic restrictions, and renogiating simply isn't going to happen (because for one publisher to gain rights in other countries, any foreign publishers in those countries must give them up.)

[geertm]

Originally Posted by kittyhawk63

I think the publishers should at least allow our military personnel to download, but I read here the other day that a person in the military and serving overseas is restricted to the same rules. The publishers ought to reconsider that policy decision for our military.

B&N recently has implemented an exception for military personnel.
If you have an account with an ".mil" e-address you are allowed to buy things outside the US (you still need to put an US shipping and billing address in your account, because there is no exception for that check).

[Beryll Snyder]

Originally Posted by geertm

There is a difference between buying and downloading books, newspapers and magazines. You can only buy them in the US. But if they are bought, you are allowed to download them anywhere in the world.
If you buy a magazine or newspaper subscribtion in the US, you can download the copies of that subscribtion anywhere in the world. But you can not buy a subscribtion, or a single copy outside the US.

The publishers have forced all US bookstores to enforce strict geo-restrictions. The bookstores are only allowed to sell their books, newspapers and magazines in the US.
Amazon is the only bookstore with contracts in place that allows users to buy things outside the US.

That does not seem to be quite right.
Well I am living in Germany and had to provide a US address to buy the Nook. Borderlinx for example does this - they also forward the product to your home. Once you have this address you can buy and dowload books from B&N. At least it wokrks for me.

[geertm]

Originally Posted by Beryll Snyder

That does not seem to be quite right.
Well I am living in Germany and had to provide a US address to buy the Nook. Borderlinx for example does this - they also forward the product to your home. Once you have this address you can buy and dowload books from B&N. At least it wokrks for me.

You can only buy books from B&N if you have an US IP-address (or for a small number of books a Canadian IP-address).
The only exception (since a few months) are accounts with an ".mil" e-mail address for military personnel.
To buy B&N books here in the Netherlands I need to use an US VPN (alwaysVPN) to get an US IP-address.

If you can B&N books without using a US VPN your PC somehow has an US IP-address, or you are using a ".mil" e-mail address. Otherwise it is really not possible.