03:20 AM by ZodWallop in E-Book General | News

Last Call for Mass Market Paperbacks

Mass market paperbacks have long been on their death bed and now the plug has been pulled. I kinda wonder if that format was the most impacted by ebooks?

I do think in part it was killed by big publishers realizing they could sell trade paperbacks for $15-20 instead of the $6-7 of the mass market.

09:58 AM by jhowell in E-Book Readers | Amazon Kindle

From Digital Rights Management on Amazon KDP:

Effective January 20, 2026, verified purchasers can download the EPUB and PDF files of your confirmed DRM-free books.

Digital Rights Management (DRM) is a technology you can apply when publishing your eBook that affects how readers can access their purchased content.
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Applying DRM limits reader access to Kindle apps and devices only. DRM technology is designed to limit unauthorized access to or copying of digital content files.

Choosing not to apply DRM (DRM-free) gives readers additional flexibility to enjoy their purchased content across a wider range of devices and applications by providing downloadable EPUB and PDF files. Your royalty rates and payment structure remain unchanged regardless of your DRM selection.
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Reader download access

Effective January 20, 2026, readers can download EPUB and PDF files of your DRM-free books from their Manage Your Content and Devices page on Amazon. Only verified purchasers who have bought your book can access the EPUB/PDF files. Customers who borrowed your books through Kindle Unlimited or other services can't download the EPUB/PDF files, even if the books are DRM-free.

If readers downloaded EPUB/PDF files when your book was DRM-free, they will retain access to those downloaded EPUB/PDF files even if you later apply DRM. However, the option to download EPUB/PDF files will not be available after your DRM setting change is live (approx. 24-72 hours after you publish).

07:00 AM by Alexander Turcic in Miscellaneous | Week in Review

In case you've missed any MobileRead news from this week, here is our usual roundup:

E-Book General - News

• Kobo Remote Confirmed

03:42 AM by ownedbycats in E-Book General | News

This new accessory might just be what my Kobo ereader needs

• Kobo has just announced a remote page turner for its ereaders
• It will be available to buy in most major markets from November 4
• Kobo, however, is yet to announce any new ereaders for 2025

07:00 AM by Alexander Turcic in Miscellaneous | Week in Review

Is it really Sunday again? Hoorah! Time to dig in to another digest of MobileRead delectables

E-Book Readers - Amazon Kindle

• Amazon announces Kindle Scribe Colorsoft at Sept. 30 Devices Event

09:44 AM by Frogm4n in E-Book Readers | Amazon Kindle

Official Amazon PR announcement: https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/dev...e-scribe-color

Mentions a new stylus pen and new rendering engine for the display.

Does not mention implementing the new Workspace and other notebook software features on the previous Scribe models. Does mention bringing the AI-powered book summary features to the iOS app and other Kindles.

https://www.engadget.com/amazon-even...100017137.html

(I'll add highlights here to save people needing to scroll the live feed)

Kindle Scribe
Kindle Scribe with FrontLight
Kindle Scribe Colorsoft

It is 5.4mm thick, 400g, and no longer has asymmetric bezels. The display stack was thinned, and has a claimed latency of under 12ms.

The new design has both B&W and color display models.

There is a Scribe Workspace app that allows import and export to Google Drive and OneDrive. You can export notes to OneNote and Alexa+.

AI-powered Notebook search. Book summary Story So Far and Ask This Book are claimed to be spoiler-free and AI-powered.

(They've moved to Echo devices so this is all for the Scribe)

https://www.theverge.com/news/788289...notepad-stylus

11 inch display, up from the 10.2 of the 2022 and 2024 Scribes

New Home screen with a Quick Notes section

https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tabl...145031938.html

This article calls it "Scribe 3" which I think is editorializing it like was done by calling the Scribe 2024 the "Scribe 2".

https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tabl...145147981.html

Engadget hands-on with the new Scribes. Their description wording makes it clear that it is Kaleido, like the other Colorsoft models.

Like the Kindle Colorsoft that Amazon announced in 2023, the Scribe Colorsoft uses a color filter and LEDs. What’s slightly different is a new rendering engine that Amazon said “enhances the color and ensures writing is fast, fluid and totally natural.”

The redesigned home page will be launching later this year, and older Kindle devices will be able to update to the new software.

This still doesn't directly say if the older Scribe will be getting the new Workspace app and Notebook features.

https://www.amazon.com/kindle/shop/kindle-scribe

The official product pages are now public. In them Amazon describes the B&W models as:

Generation Kindle Scribe (3rd Generation)

And the color model as:

Generation Kindle Scribe Colorsoft (1st Generation)

I'll take back the comment that Engadget was editorializing about "Scribe 3", partially. Amazon is calling them the 3rd gen, but only the B&W models. They have skipped a generation, as the 2024 Scribe is still listed as:

Kindle Scribe 1st generation - 2024 release

07:00 AM by Alexander Turcic in Miscellaneous | Week in Review

Been away? Fear not! Here is your chance to check out what appeared on our frontpage this week:

E-Book General - News

• New 16GB Kindle Colorsoft

01:17 PM by salamanderjuice in E-Book General | News

Amazon announced a new slightly cheaper 16GB Kindle Colorsoft that also drops features like wireless charging.

https://www.theverge.com/news/712765...oft-16-gb-kids

Still more than the Kobo Libra Color somehow.