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Thauranil
Master of Realmslore
India
1591 Posts |
 Posted - 21 Nov 2012 : 15:15:03
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| I agree with Jornan and the lack of titles available for purchase for overseas buyers has not endeared these ebooks to me either. |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11746 Posts |
Posted - 21 Nov 2012 : 21:37:12
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by Erik Scott de Bie
You really don't need an e-reader. All you need is a computer and one of the free apps, such as this one for the Kindle:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771
Cheers
I spend way more time staring at a computer screen than I should. When I want to read a book, I want to be away from my computer.
I've tried reading books on my phone, and I can do it... But I usually forget I have books on there, and reach for a proper paperback, instead. So if I'm going to read eBooks, I need either a tablet or a dedicated eReader. My funding isn't as copious as I should like, and there hasn't been that much of a need for a reader, so...
I echo Wooly's sentiments here. I typically buy a new computer every 2 or 3 years, but I'm not going to sit at my computer to read a book. I'd love to have a tablet that simply linked up to your workstation wirelessly over your home network (like turning your home pc into a citrix server) to take screenscrapes. That way it wouldn't need a bunch of storage, or ram, or a real need to be upgraded.... because all it is is essentially an output device. But, I don't think anyone will ever develop that. They'll sooner make smaller laptops that work as tablets. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Lewton
Acolyte
USA
32 Posts |
Posted - 22 Nov 2012 : 15:04:24
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| It is sad that I've totally lost my interest in the Realms due to the fact of ebooks only. I still read all of the novels that come out but don't own an e-reader and don't have the time or desire to sit at a computer to read a book. Call me old fashion. I've supported the Realms novels since day one and still do but just not to the extent that I have in the past. |
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Caolin
Senior Scribe
769 Posts |
Posted - 22 Nov 2012 : 18:31:12
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quote:
Originally posted by Lewton
It is sad that I've totally lost my interest in the Realms due to the fact of ebooks only. I still read all of the novels that come out but don't own an e-reader and don't have the time or desire to sit at a computer to read a book. Call me old fashion. I've supported the Realms novels since day one and still do but just not to the extent that I have in the past.
You're old fashion 
I wanted to ask a question about when would you get an eReader, if ever. But I think I'll start a new thread on it. |
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Derulbaskul
Senior Scribe
Singapore
408 Posts |
Posted - 24 Nov 2012 : 08:49:25
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For those of us outside the USA the simplest way of getting access to the full catalogue of eBooks on Kindle is going to "change location" in your Kindle account and including a US address.
It may not be legal - and personally, I couldn't give a rat's arse as I am paying for the books rather than pirating them which is my only other option - but it does work.
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Cheers
D
NB: Please remember: A cannon is a big gun. Canon is what we discuss here. |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11746 Posts |
Posted - 24 Nov 2012 : 11:52:20
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Hmmm, this thread made me spend an hour searching online for 10 inch tablets for cheap. I found some off-brand tablets in the price range I'm willing to pay for something that will basically be a toy that lays beside the bed($139). I'm not trying to promote the below two offerings, because I don't own either, but I found the idea of a 10 inch tablet for $139 with 1 GB RAM/8 GB of storage cheap enough to be worth at least looking at. I figured I'd at least throw this up here in case anyone else was looking. I'm running on the assumption that I'll be able to plug up a USB flash drive full of PDF's and be able to download a good PDF reader. If I can download an app to Remote desktop my desktop pc, that might also work (and if I can RDP my work laptops... well, I'll be in heaven when I work from home). If it can play tv, even better, but I've got company laptops and a home one when I'm travelling. If it doesn't do what I want, I'll make it a gift. Literally, these are only being bought because a 10" google nexus is $399... so $139 is like 1/3 the price.
this one's got a 1.6GHz dual core processor
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Double-Power-TD-1010-with-WiFi-10.1-Touchscreen-Tablet-PC-Featuring-Android-4.0-Ice-Cream-Sandwich-Operating-System/21615660
this one also looks interesting as its got 2 cameras as well, but the processor is a little slower. Still $139.
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=20880668&findingMethod=rr |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Tanthalas
Senior Scribe
Portugal
508 Posts |
Posted - 24 Nov 2012 : 22:37:31
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quote:
Originally posted by Derulbaskul
For those of us outside the USA the simplest way of getting access to the full catalogue of eBooks on Kindle is going to "change location" in your Kindle account and including a US address.
It may not be legal - and personally, I couldn't give a rat's arse as I am paying for the books rather than pirating them which is my only other option - but it does work.
Hmm, let me look up the address of the United Nations... |
Sir Markham pointed out, drinking another brandy. "A chap who can point at you and say 'die' has the distinct advantage". |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31701 Posts |
Posted - 25 Nov 2012 : 01:28:04
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quote:
Originally posted by Derulbaskul
For those of us outside the USA the simplest way of getting access to the full catalogue of eBooks on Kindle is going to "change location" in your Kindle account and including a US address.
I'm afraid that's not entirely applicable for at least one location [and, perhaps, others as well] -- and I'm talking exclusively of Australia -- outside the US. I've tried it, experimentally, and achieved no success.
quote:
It may not be legal - and personally, I couldn't give a rat's arse as I am paying for the books rather than pirating them which is my only other option - but it does work.
I'd prefer you not encourage the non-legal use of a service such as this on a public forum.
Thank you. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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Erik Scott de Bie
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
4598 Posts |
Posted - 25 Nov 2012 : 17:49:43
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An open invitation: If you want to download a FR novel and can't because of where you live, please email me the name(s) of the novel(s) you want to download and your general location (as specific as city, country), and I will pass the information along to WotC. They may not even be aware that people can't download the book in a particular locale.
If you aren't looking for a specific novel (i.e., you just want to be able to look at "the catalog" and aren't sure what novels should or shouldn't be available) look for these novels: Shadowbane, Shadowbane: Eye of Justice, Sword of the Gods: Spinner of Lies, Prince of Ravens, and Spider and Stone. Let me know which of these novels is available (if any), and which don't seem to show up.
Email me this information through Candlekeep or at my email addy: erikscottdebie AT yahoo DOT com
Cheers
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Erik Scott de Bie
'Tis easier to destroy than to create.
Author of a number of Realms novels (GHOSTWALKER, DEPTHS OF MADNESS, and the SHADOWBANE series), contributor to the NEVERWINTER CAMPAIGN GUIDE and SHADOWFELL: GLOOMWROUGHT AND BEYOND, Twitch DM of the Dungeon Scrawlers, currently playing "The Westgate Irregulars" |
Edited by - Erik Scott de Bie on 25 Nov 2012 17:50:10 |
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swifty
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
517 Posts |
Posted - 27 Nov 2012 : 11:00:23
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quote:
Originally posted by Erik Scott de Bie
An open invitation: If you want to download a FR novel and can't because of where you live, please email me the name(s) of the novel(s) you want to download and your general location (as specific as city, country), and I will pass the information along to WotC. They may not even be aware that people can't download the book in a particular locale.
If you aren't looking for a specific novel (i.e., you just want to be able to look at "the catalog" and aren't sure what novels should or shouldn't be available) look for these novels: Shadowbane, Shadowbane: Eye of Justice, Sword of the Gods: Spinner of Lies, Prince of Ravens, and Spider and Stone. Let me know which of these novels is available (if any), and which don't seem to show up.
Email me this information through Candlekeep or at my email addy: erikscottdebie AT yahoo DOT com
Cheers
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go back to sleep america.everything is under control.heres american gladiators.watch this.shuttup. BILL HICKS. |
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swifty
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
517 Posts |
Posted - 27 Nov 2012 : 11:04:45
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| i find it astonishing that wotc would be unaware of the problem but nothing surprises me with them.not being able to get ebooks in europe is a disgrace.do they not want to make money |
go back to sleep america.everything is under control.heres american gladiators.watch this.shuttup. BILL HICKS. |
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ElaineCunningham
Forgotten Realms Author
2396 Posts |
Posted - 27 Nov 2012 : 13:22:15
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quote:
Originally posted by swifty
i find it astonishing that wotc would be unaware of the problem but nothing surprises me with them.not being able to get ebooks in europe is a disgrace.do they not want to make money
It's not difficult for me to understand why WotC might be unaware of the scope and specifics of this issue. I've seen the sort of reports e-bookstores send, and they don't have a category for "sales unsuccessfully attempted." If contractual complications make it impossible for a reader in, say, Austria to download a particular ebook from Amazon.com, the folks at WotC will know the contract exists, but I doubt they know whether there are three frustrated readers in Austria or three thousand. So it seems to me that Erik's suggestion is a good one. Numbers are always useful. As my husband the CPA says, you can't really solve a problem until you can quantify it.
But also keep in mind that knowing a problem exists and coming up with a solution are two different things. The technological changes in publishing have raised a lot of issues and challenges, and it's going to take time to sort through them and come up with new approaches.
In the meanwhile, here's what I'd suggest: 1) Pass along sales data of the sort Erik is collecting, 2) purchase the ebooks if you can and/or let WotC know that you would purchase a book if a POD option was available, and 3) purchase and promote the upcoming Sundering series. This is a big event and its success could give a huge boost to the FR fiction line. Speaking in generalities, any success opens up new possibilities.
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Caolin
Senior Scribe
769 Posts |
Posted - 27 Nov 2012 : 23:37:53
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quote:
Originally posted by ElaineCunningham
3) purchase and promote the upcoming Sundering series. This is a big event and its success could give a huge boost to the FR fiction line. Speaking in generalities, any success opens up new possibilities.
This is a very good point, thanks Elaine! I always see people here saying how they are refusing to buy this novel or support that edition. Which is fine, I believe in capitalism and you have a right not to buy a product that doesn't meet your standards. But that being said, I have also seen a lot of people pre-judging 5E (or whatever it's gonna be called) and saying that they won't support it. This is not any form of noble protest. If we all don't get behind WoTC's genuine effort to fix their past wrongs, then we are going to lose FR for good.
And if you think it's a good thing for FR to fail just as a means to get it out of Hasbro's hands, you are sorely misguided. I just have to point to Battlech as an example of an IP that struggles in an underfunded environment. Yes, Catalyst is doing the best that they can with the resources they have. But they can focus mainly on role playing material and their novel line is all but non-existent.
So if you are one of the curmudgeons who is refusing to support the upcoming Realms materials, please at least give the people at WoTC one more chance. I think Ed and the Forgotten Realms deserves it. |
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Bound by Blood - Rise of the Zhentarim
