Kindle Unlimited • Hacker News Board

Re: Kindle Unlimited

#11

Post by Hermel » Fri, Jul 18, 2014, 1:14 PM UTC

leviathan wrote: post #10

kenny_r wrote: post #2

Very saddened by this: We're sorry. Kindle Unlimited is currently only available for US customers. Please visit us again when it is available in your country.

I still don't understand why, when content is digital and distribution doesn't cost anything extra, things like this are restricted to specific countries.

It's legal, not technical restrictions.

Re: Kindle Unlimited

#12

Post by omni » Fri, Jul 18, 2014, 1:14 PM UTC

leviathan wrote: post #10

kenny_r wrote: post #2

Very saddened by this: We're sorry. Kindle Unlimited is currently only available for US customers. Please visit us again when it is available in your country.

I still don't understand why, when content is digital and distribution doesn't cost anything extra, things like this are restricted to specific countries.

Laws.

Re: Kindle Unlimited

#13

Post by lukev » Fri, Jul 18, 2014, 1:14 PM UTC

Well, I looked up a small handful of books I have been interested in reading next, and while all are available on Kindle, none are on the Unlimited program.

Looks like I'll be giving this one a pass.

Re: Kindle Unlimited

#14

Post by edent » Fri, Jul 18, 2014, 1:14 PM UTC

watty wrote: post #7

edent wrote: post #3

"We're sorry. Kindle Unlimited is currently only available for US customers. Please visit us again when it is available in your country." That's ok Amazon. My local library lets me check out as many ebooks as I can read. And audio books. And paper books. Total cost? FREE ! via taxation which works out as £13 per year (budget is £8 million, population is 650k)

Amazon isn't intentionally discriminating against your country, they don't have a choice.

I'm well aware of that. And, I don't think it's discrimination to only sign complex licensing deals in only one territory.

I'm just not sure why people in the UK would go for this when the Library already does a fine job of "all you can read".

Re: Kindle Unlimited

#15

Post by mrt0mat0 » Fri, Jul 18, 2014, 1:18 PM UTC

To all the "this is just a 10 dollar library card", I ask you this: if library books are the way to go, why do people buy endless amounts of books from amazon. Amazon became successful by selling books. Audible is another successful company that offers a feature that according to you, can be achieved at a library. Clearly libraries are missing something or else we'd be using them more. Maybe it's one click instant access. Maybe it's the larger selection, or that lack of having to wait. Regardless, it's not the same.

Re: Kindle Unlimited

#16

Post by jasonlfunk » Fri, Jul 18, 2014, 1:18 PM UTC

edent wrote: post #14

watty wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Amazon isn't intentionally discriminating against your country, they don't have a choice.

I'm well aware of that. And, I don't think it's discrimination to only sign complex licensing deals in only one territory. I'm just not sure why people in the UK would go for this when the Library already does a fine job of "all you can read".

It's often the case that the books I want to read are not at my local library; either because they don't have them or they are already checked out. This is especially true of e-books. Wilbur[1] doesn't have the greatest selection.

[1] http://wilbor.lib.overdrive.com/826F0311-F3BF-4487-A2D0-CA70...

Re: Kindle Unlimited

#17

Post by swanson » Fri, Jul 18, 2014, 1:19 PM UTC

I love the idea, but the selection is not good enough (for me) yet. I keep an Amazon wishlist as a "reading queue" and none of the 60 books (technical, business, pop-psych) in it were available on Kindle Unlimited.

I usually buy 2-3 Kindle books a month at around $9/per, so I would definitely use this service if the selection improves. I kind of wonder if Amazon could get away with charging $9/month for any book they have and just cash-in on folks that "spend" less than that a month.

Re: Kindle Unlimited

#18

Post by Echo117 » Fri, Jul 18, 2014, 1:22 PM UTC

hospadam wrote: post #6

Can anyone offer any guidance on the audiobook aspect of this? What is a "Kindle book with narration"? If I'm an audible customer... doesn't this seem like a far better deal? Their page seems very light on details for audiobooks. Edit: I just found a link that includes Kindle Unlimited books with Narration: http://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=9630682011

There are about 2,000 audiobooks available through Kindle Unlimited. Compared with 150,000+ available through Audible.

So yes, if the books you want to listen to are on KU, it's a better deal.

*Full press release embedded here: http://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-unlimited-reading-2014...

Re: Kindle Unlimited

#19

Post by davidw » Fri, Jul 18, 2014, 1:22 PM UTC

I wonder if you get to keep the notes you make from books in this? Of the last 5 books I've read, only 2 were in this, so I'm not sure I'll sign up.

Re: Kindle Unlimited

#20

Post by bennesvig » Fri, Jul 18, 2014, 1:23 PM UTC

As an author with two books enrolled in KDP select, I didn't know they'd be included in Kindle Unlimited. It will be interesting to see if this has any effect on sales.