[icantevenhold]

I recently was in the market for a new e-reader and steered away from Kobo and Kindle because of their non-free ecosystem. I don’t know how exactly it would negatively impact me but I didn’t want to find out.

Got a refurbished pocketbook in the end and very happy with it, it reads all imaginable file formats and I can just send books to it via email or cable.

[dakolli]

I don't really have an issue with kindle, I just download anything off of z-library and use the email to kindle tool. I haven't given Amazon a penny other than from the original purchase of the kindle. I only have used epub/pdf (and will never have a need for another format).

[RetroTechie]

Quoted from here:

https://informatecdigital.com/en/Send-to-Kindle%3A-all-ways-...

"This service is free and works with both Kindle devices such as with the Kindle appIt also automatically converts many files to Amazon's internal format (such as AZW3 or KFX), as long as you respect its supported file types and size limits."

Read: requires internet connectivity to put documents on your Kindle. Depends on Amazons 'blessing'. Ends when Amazon ends support for your device. Is limited to whatever document formats (and sizes) Amazon decides to support. Internal formats on your Kindle may be DRM locked. Amazon could snoop any document transferred through that service. Could be turned into a paid service @ some point. Amazon could effectively brick your device if so desired.

(please correct if I misunderstand any of the above)

Sure, this may work for many users & they may be happy with that arrangement. But it's quite a few drawbacks. And the "planned obsolesence" smell is strong here. Me... I'll pass.

[thg]

> Amazon could effectively brick your device if so desired.

I have a 16 year old Kindle (Keyboard) that Amazon actually decided to turn into a brick last month [0]. Still works just fine and will continue to do so thanks to Calibre, but buying books from Amazon, or using their "Send to device" feature (both through the e-mail convert and for books already in my Amazon library) is now forever closed for me and de-registering the device will brick it with no recourse.

[0]: https://www.techrepublic.com/article/news-amazon-ends-suppor...

[maratc]

All of that is technically correct, however my non-Amazon readers (Sony, Nook, ...) reached the end of their useful life when their batteries died or their screens broke. All of them were "unsupported" at that stage (3-4 years after announcement), so not much to do about it. With that, I have a very old Kindle (7 years or so) that is still working -- with "Amazon's blessing" of course.

Any reader will turn into a brick one day. What matters is what you're getting before that point. For me, I'd rather use Send-to-Kindle and never bother with SD cards again. Naturally, YMMV.

[icantevenhold]

Fwiw the pocketbook has the same kind of feature.

The question is I guess if you trust pocketbook or Amazon more. I tend towards the former since that is their main business and not one of 1000 things they do.

My last Pocketbook lasted for 12+ years until something heavy fell on the screen one day. But I hear that kindles are similarly robust until amzn decides to brick them.

[maratc]

I can count on Amazon being there in 10 years from today. I can't count on pocketbook.

[boredhedgehog]

Technically you already have need of another format, because Kindles don't support epub, and your books get converted before the transfer.

[maratc]

The "Send to Kindle" page only accepts ePub, as to whatever format is used internally I couldn't care less.

[WorldMaker]

The latest Kindle formats are just epub with a different DRM hat. Amazon still prefers to wrap the entire container in DRM whereas most epub DRM schemes are inside the container (ZIP file), but that's the only big difference now.