Users bypass Kindle restrictions

Using the Kindle for PC software on Windows, users can remove copy protection from e-books. In a post on his blog, a hacker has published a Python script for the "Kindle for PC" application that converts open e-books with DRM protection into unprotected Mobipocket books. The method for bypassing the Digital Rights Management (DRM) used on Kindle devices to prevent the sharing of e-books isn't new: A conversion script used by the hack has been in circulation on the internet for over a year.

Users can now enable web browsing and gain access to Amazon's full catalog on the International Kindle.
Source: Amazon However, removing Amazon's copy protection has, till now, been quite complicated; The Kindle shop encrypts the e-books using the user's Kindle device ID. To simplify the procedure, the hacker has made use of Amazon's recently released Kindle for PC application that allows Kindle e-books to be viewed on Windows computers. The script can now convert Kindle e-books that users have authorised for the Kindle for PC application installed on their computers.

An article published by Wired yesterday, on the other hand, describes how to bypass the restrictions of the international Kindle version. To do this, a user needs to create a US account at Amazon.com and activate this account on the Kindle. E-books can be bought without a US credit card via Amazon gift vouchers. Compared to the US edition of the Kindle, the International Edition, which is also available in the UK, doesn't offer the same variety of books, and the prices of e-books tend to be higher. Furthermore, the web browser available in the "Experimental" menu is restricted to the English language version of Wikipedia.

(crve)