Kindle Unlimited Launches in the UK

HarryT · 09-24-2014, 11:57 AM

Amazon have launched the "Kindle Unlimited" programme in the UK. £7.99 a month for unlimited access to a large range of Kindle and audiobooks.

See the home page of http://amazon.co.uk for details.

Mike L · 09-24-2014, 02:09 PM

Thanks for posting that, Harry. It's definitely worth considering for anyone who spends more than £8 per month on Kindle e-books or audio books. (But I wonder if the fact that you can't pay with a debit card will discourage some potential customers.)

Mike

Yolina · 09-24-2014, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike L

It's definitely worth considering for anyone who spends more than £8 per month on Kindle e-books or audio books.

Well only if there is stuff you want to read available through KU and if you don't mind just renting the books

I spent a bit of time looking though what's available and I haven't really seen much that I'd want to read (admittedly I haven't gone through all 650,000 titles

) Seen a few books that I already own or have already read though. Audio books don't really appeal so meh for me really. I'll probably have good rummage through at some point though and just use the free trial, but I'm not really interested in the subscription service.

As an aside I think they're slightly overdoing it launching everything so close together. IIRC for the UK that's now Amazon TV, Fire phone, Fire tablets, e-ink Kindles and Kindle Unlimited in the space of a month or so. Possibly a bit much

pdurrant · 09-24-2014, 03:21 PM

That is a better price than I was expecting.

I don't think I'll be signing up soon. It requires a change in mind-set from buying and keeping books to just accessing books. I'm not sure if I can make that change just at the moment.

But, assuming the books include the ones I want to read, a switch to £96/year from my current £300/year is worth considering.

Are Baen's titles included, I wonder. And Tor's? What about magazines like F&SF, Analog SFF and Asimov's SF?

Hmm.... I'm spending £60/year just on subscriptions to those three magazines. And realistically, the number of times I'll re-read a magazine issue is insignificant.

pdurrant · 09-24-2014, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Are Baen's titles included, I wonder. And Tor's? What about magazines like F&SF, Analog SFF and Asimov's SF?

To answer my own questions:

None of the publishers/books I wondered about seem to be included. This considerably reduces my interest.

BearMountainBooks · 09-24-2014, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

That is a better price than I was expecting.

I don't think I'll be signing up soon. It requires a change in mind-set from buying and keeping books to just accessing books. I'm not sure if I can make that change just at the moment.

But, assuming the books include the ones I want to read, a switch to £96/year from my current £300/year is worth considering.

Are Baen's titles included, I wonder. And Tor's? What about magazines like F&SF, Analog SFF and Asimov's SF?

Hmm.... I'm spending £60/year just on subscriptions to those three magazines. And realistically, the number of times I'll re-read a magazine issue is insignificant.

Unless it is different than the US launch, NO big or even small publishers signed up. (There may be some very small ones I don't know about). I don't think Baen is signed up.

Amazon is making a pretty big push with indie writers who sell a certain amount (read: The most popular indie writers who are already selling extremely well in all markets) to go exclusive. They are offering a 25k bonus and some other bonuses for those who sign up and whose books are borrowed. They need some big names to keep people interested, but I don't think the large publishers are too keen on giving Amazon any more power.

HarryT · 09-24-2014, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BearMountainBooks

Unless it is different than the US launch, NO big or even small publishers signed up.

There certainly appear to be numerous commercially-published books available. Eg "Life of Pi", "2001: A Space Odyssey", the "Harry Potter" books, all of Stuart M. Kaminsky's books. Lots of stuff that's not indie.

Yolina · 09-24-2014, 03:39 PM

Just noticed something... why is the video streaming subscription £5.99/month (and included in Prime for those who have it) but for ebooks it's £7.99/month?

HarryT · 09-24-2014, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yolina

Just noticed something... why is the video streaming subscription £5.99/month (and included in Prime for those who have it) but for ebooks it's £7.99/month?

Sorry, not sure what you're asking. Why would you expect them to be the same price?

Yolina · 09-24-2014, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Sorry, not sure what you're asking. Why would you expect them to be the same price?

I just find it a bit strange is all ... both are an unlimited rental service and I don't really see why ebooks should be more expensive to rent than films

but then there's a few competitors for video streaming services, so I guess Amazon probably wouldn't have done too well if they'd priced that at £7.99

AnemicOak · 09-24-2014, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BearMountainBooks

Unless it is different than the US launch, NO big or even small publishers signed up.

What about Open Road, W. W. Norton, Algonquin Books, Mariner Books, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt & Scholastic? None are BIG, but they aren't exactly no-name publishers and have been there from the start.

BearMountainBooks · 09-24-2014, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

What about Open Road, W. W. Norton, Algonquin Books, Mariner Books, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt & Scholastic? None are BIG, but they aren't exactly no-name publishers and have been there from the start.

I knew someone would prove me wrong. Even as I typed it...

Honestly I'm mostly going by the complaints I see from a couple of other forums--that most of the books in the program have either been free or very cheap in the past and that none of the big publishers are there.

I have only perused the list once because overall the idea does not appeal to me right now. I do see some enthusiasm for the program on the US side, but to be honest, a lot of that enthusiasm seems to be "oh, I'll find a bunch of books and do a free month." Of course, Amazon is hoping they will forget to cancel or otherwise find enough to continue the program.

There are at least two ladies in my cozy group who love the selection.

DuckieTigger · 09-25-2014, 08:58 AM

It is too bad that KU US and KU UK are not linked together. For me subscribing in the US, I still cannot borrow Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (Book 1) to match my printed UK-version books.

On the bright side, the same shortcuts apply in the UK - for example www.amazon.co.uk/ku brings you right to the Kindle Unlimited page.

HarryT · 09-25-2014, 09:01 AM

It seems to represent good value for money to me. I shan't be subscribing, simply because I like buying and collecting books. I don't use libraries (other than for my academic research) for the same reason.

DrNefario · 09-25-2014, 10:00 AM

It seems like it might be a good deal if I hadn't already accumulated this enormous backlog of unread books. (And if their selection was better.)

I've only just started finding books worth borrowing on the Prime Kindle Lending Library, which seems to have largely evaporated. I won't be best pleased if, in October, I can't borrow volume 2 of the series I've just borrowed volume 1 of.

09-24-2014, 11:57 AM	#1
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Kindle Unlimited Launches in the UK Amazon have launched the "Kindle Unlimited" programme in the UK. £7.99 a month for unlimited access to a large range of Kindle and audiobooks. See the home page of http://amazon.co.uk for details.

09-25-2014, 08:58 AM	#13
DuckieTigger Wizard Posts: 4,759 Karma: 246906703 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: USA Device: Oasis 3, Oasis 2, PW3, PW1, KT	It is too bad that KU US and KU UK are not linked together. For me subscribing in the US, I still cannot borrow Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (Book 1) to match my printed UK-version books. On the bright side, the same shortcuts apply in the UK - for example www.amazon.co.uk/ku brings you right to the Kindle Unlimited page. Last edited by DuckieTigger; 09-25-2014 at 09:01 AM.

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09-24-2014, 02:09 PM	#2
Mike L Wizard Posts: 1,479 Karma: 3846231 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Edinburgh, Scotland Device: Kindle 3, Samsung Galaxy	Thanks for posting that, Harry. It's definitely worth considering for anyone who spends more than £8 per month on Kindle e-books or audio books. (But I wonder if the fact that you can't pay with a debit card will discourage some potential customers.) Mike

09-24-2014, 03:21 PM	#4
pdurrant The Grand Mouse 高貴的老鼠 Posts: 72,522 Karma: 309063598 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Norfolk, England Device: Kindle Voyage	That is a better price than I was expecting. I don't think I'll be signing up soon. It requires a change in mind-set from buying and keeping books to just accessing books. I'm not sure if I can make that change just at the moment. But, assuming the books include the ones I want to read, a switch to £96/year from my current £300/year is worth considering. Are Baen's titles included, I wonder. And Tor's? What about magazines like F&SF, Analog SFF and Asimov's SF? Hmm.... I'm spending £60/year just on subscriptions to those three magazines. And realistically, the number of times I'll re-read a magazine issue is insignificant.

09-24-2014, 03:39 PM	#8
Yolina Wizard Posts: 1,179 Karma: 11573197 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: London, UK Device: Voyage	Just noticed something... why is the video streaming subscription £5.99/month (and included in Prime for those who have it) but for ebooks it's £7.99/month?

09-25-2014, 09:01 AM	#14
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	It seems to represent good value for money to me. I shan't be subscribing, simply because I like buying and collecting books. I don't use libraries (other than for my academic research) for the same reason.

09-25-2014, 10:00 AM	#15
DrNefario Wizard Posts: 2,138 Karma: 11676050 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: UK Device: Kindle, Kobo Touch, Nook SimpleTouch	It seems like it might be a good deal if I hadn't already accumulated this enormous backlog of unread books. (And if their selection was better.) I've only just started finding books worth borrowing on the Prime Kindle Lending Library, which seems to have largely evaporated. I won't be best pleased if, in October, I can't borrow volume 2 of the series I've just borrowed volume 1 of.

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