Book Purchasing and Consuming Choices

It looks like Amazon will be allowing you to put EPUB books onto your Kindle devices. Historically, only MOBI formatted books were allowed on the Kindle, so this is an excellent (if not overdue) update. This change, as noted by 9to5 Mac, will still not allow you to put EPUBs purchased on the Apple Books Store on your Kindle, since the Kindle only supports non-DRM EPUBS.

I’ve not written about this, but years ago, I made a few decisions:

1. I Prefer Digital Books to Paper Ones

I know all my cool friends dig their paper books, and I’ll grant you a full bookshelf makes a great backdrop, but I no longer buy paper books. I remember the days of carrying 50 pounds of books around and still not having the one that I needed. I don’t feel nostalgia for using paper books. I feel dread.

Digital books are better in the ways that matter to me. I can search them. I can combine them with other services. I can copy and paste right out of them. Most importantly, I can carry my entire library in one pocket.

2. I Am Buying Books from Amazon, Not Apple

Having spent some time as an Apple Books author (and using iBooks Author), I was initially sold on the platform. However, over the years, it seemed more and more like the Apple Book Store was more a hobby than a passion for Apple. Moreover, I got a Kindle for my bedside table (and travel), and I like the E Ink pixels before bed more than an LCD.

For additional convenience, I often buy audible books, and Amazon makes pretty good offers to add the Kindle book at the same time. Also, services like Readwise usually get around to Apple Books, but they always cover Kindle Books. I’m not a particular fan of Amazon, but I find the convenience of Kindle e-Books hard to beat.

The Fog Horn

It is interesting to see the permutations as the publishing world gets reinvented. There is a new magazine in the Apple Newsstand called The Fog Hornfour fictional stories per month from talented writers. The model reminds me of the 1950s era science fiction magazines and I’ve subscribed.