NVDA (NonVisual Desktop Access) and Kindle for PC 1.19

[jhowell]

NV Access has announced availability of new enhanced accessibility software for PCs, NVDA (NonVisual Desktop Access) that works in conjunction with Kindle for PC version 1.19. You can read the details and find a link to download this new software on this page.

Warning: The new Kindle for PC version will download books in KFX format to enable "enhanced typesetting" as needed for the accessibility software. This is incompatible with existing DRM removal tools.

NVDA and Kindle for PC

Last update: 4 January 2017 01:09 UTC

NVDA 2017.1 will support the enhanced accessibility functionality available in Amazon Kindle for PC version 1.19. This enables users to read books in browse mode, including reading with the cursor and continuous reading, and pages turn automatically as the user reads. Users can access links, footnotes, graphics, highlighted text and user notes. In addition, users can highlight text, add notes, perform dictionary and Wikipedia lookups and copy text to the clipboard.

[meeera]

Originally Posted by jhowell

Warning: The new Kindle for PC version will download books in KFX format to enable "enhanced typesetting" as needed for the accessibility software. This is incompatible with existing DRM removal tools.

Is this the case with Kindle for Mac also?

[mbovenka]

Thanks for the warning :-). I already disabled automatic updates, exactly for cases like this, but it's still good to know.

[Sweetpea]

Thanks for the headsup! I checked my kindle for PC install and noticed I still had the automatic update turned on...

[JSWolf]

I just had a look and the latest version available of Kindle for PC is 17.1. My guess is this new crappy version won't be available until February or March.

[lkmiller]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I just had a look and the latest version available of Kindle for PC is 17.1. My guess is this new crappy version won't be available until February or March.

Definitely turn off automatic updates because its already started to roll out.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I just had a look and the latest version available of Kindle for PC is 17.1. My guess is this new crappy version won't be available until February or March.

Some people have reported getting it as an automatic update. I think Amazon, as usual, are rolling it out in stages, in case of problems.

(It's much easier for Amazon to cope with 2,000 customers having problems with a new version of Kindle for PC than 20,000,000. )

[Divingduck]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Some people have reported getting it as an automatic update. I think Amazon, as usual, are rolling it out in stages, in case of problems.

And it happen not only in one country

[JSWolf]

I've downloaded 17.1 in case my K4PC makes me update.

[the.Mtn.Man]

Originally Posted by jhowell

Warning: The new Kindle for PC version will download books in KFX format to enable "enhanced typesetting" as needed for the accessibility software. This is incompatible with existing DRM removal tools.

That, of course, is most likely the real reason for these "enhancements". Claiming that it improves "typesetting" is probably just bait to entice users to download the new software.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by the.Mtn.Man

That, of course, is most likely the real reason for these "enhancements". Claiming that it improves "typesetting" is probably just bait to entice users to download the new software.

There's zero need for Amazon to roll out a new ebook encoding if they just wanted to make removing DRM harder.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by the.Mtn.Man

That, of course, is most likely the real reason for these "enhancements". Claiming that it improves "typesetting" is probably just bait to entice users to download the new software.

I honestly don't think Amazon is rolling out KFX as a secret scheme to make DRM removal more difficult. They just don't care if it is. My guess would be in their eyes, folks like us aren't even considered.

If Amazon gives it any thought at all, it would be a good idea to leave a way to get the older formats as they get sales from people like me who don't own a Kindle, but like their shopping experience. But again, we're likely small potatoes.

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by the.Mtn.Man

That, of course, is most likely the real reason for these "enhancements". Claiming that it improves "typesetting" is probably just bait to entice users to download the new software.

The term "enhanced typesetting" is not something they invented for the new version of Kindle for PC. It has been used by Amazon since 2015 to refer to the improved e-book layout provided by the software that renders the KFX format. You can read more here.

They don't need to be concerned with enticing users to download the new software. Amazon has in the past forced updates by discontinuing support for older K4PC versions. I expect that will happen with this new one eventually.

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

If Amazon gives it any thought at all, it would be a good idea to leave a way to get the older formats as they get sales from people like me who don't own a Kindle, but like their shopping experience.

Amazon expects non-kindle owners to read kindle books in kindle apps.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by jhowell

Amazon expects non-kindle owners to read kindle books in kindle apps.

Yes, that's understood. I would just buy my e-books elsewhere. Amazon is not likely quaking in their boots over the loss of my business though.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

There's zero need for Amazon to roll out a new ebook encoding if they just wanted to make removing DRM harder.

There's no need to roll out a new eBook format to get the typesetting. Adobe did it with ADE without a single change to ePub.