Quote: Kindle for PC: 1. Collections management: Search collections by name and sort collections by name or last update. Bug fixes and performance improvements. Kindle for Mac: 1.
Support for 64-bit. Study features: Updated Notebook panel that allows you to view your notes, highlights, and bookmarks side-by-side with your book. You can also export your notes and automatically create flashcards from your Notebook content.
Collections management: Search collections by name and sort collections by name or last update. Bug fixes and performance improvements.
As you have discovered this new version also contains changes that make it incompatible with the existing DeDRM software. The is currently still delivering K4PC version 1.24.3.
Feb 22, 2018 Kindle for PC 1.17 was the last version that kept all the books in one MASS folder before splitting each book into it's own folder. It's also the last version before they changed the azw format slightly so that Calibre no longer recognized it.
I recommend downloading and installing that version and then turning off the option to automatically install further updates. You may want to check out for other workarounds. I know that jhowell has been stating that Amazon was changing the DRM in KFX files in Kindle for PC and the change would cause the DeDRM plugin to stop working. He predicts they will make the same change to the Kindle firmware soon. So at that point, buying the latest kindle will mean it receives some ' KFX2 ' format that will be uncrackable for a while?, and there will be a scramble for older models a bit like printer wars, where suddenly a firmware upgrade forces you to stop buying compatible inks, or to go source an older printer. Hopefully it it technically difficult to push such a kindle firmware update without making books on already device unreadable, and that may slow down such plans AFAIK it is a lot harder to stop you kindle from updating, yet still have book downloads & whispersync working, than it is to block K for PC updates. How does that new DRM effect eink Kindles, especially older ones that won't get any updates anymore?
Amazon can't use the new DRM with firmware that predates it so older Kindles and those with firmware updates blocked or without Internet access will not be affected. The latest 5.10.x firmware apparently does not support the new DRM. The next release probably will. As far as I know the new DRM only affects KFX format and KFX can be avoided by e-ink Kindle owners running any firmware version using the 'Download and transfer via USB' function from Amazon's website. Whether this will continue to be true with devices running future firmware depends on how serious Amazon is about closing DRM loopholes.
I appreciate this is all speculation but. Lets says amazon push a new firmware to existing paperwhites, that supports the new 'hardened' DRM. Are amazon then smart enough to detect that my e -ink device(s) are now updated and thus deliver only the new format to me via the download and transfer route, or will they not know if I have deliberately kept my PW offline to avoid getting the upgrade?
And they can't know for sure that I sold off my old Kindle basic on ebay, unless they run database checks to see what SNs have been re-registered with new owners. And are there any predictions of when any such firmware may be rolled out? Or when they may block the old version 1.7 of K for PC which is what I use to get copies of my bought books into calibre. Are amazon then smart enough to detect that my e -ink device(s) are now updated and thus deliver only the new format to me via the download and transfer route, or will they not know if I have deliberately kept my PW offline to avoid getting the upgrade? Amazon will know that you have updated your firmware if your device is ever allowed to connect back to them.
Very few Kindle owners would be happy keeping their device permanently offline since that reduces its functionality significantly. There is at least one case of this sort of thing happening in the past.
When the Kindle 3 was originally released it had support for MOBI, but not KF8 (azw3) format. A firmware update added that support later.
Amazon keeps track of what firmware was last seen on each of those devices and delivers the appropriate format when Download and Transfer via USB is used. My last version on XP worked on Wine on Linux, but they killed that. The newer versions won't install on WINE. Since I discovered that the Kindle App on Android is 'spyware' and took it off my phone and tablet I don't worry about the Kindle PC app not installing on WINE. I use a non-spying ePub reader on phone & tablet. I use my real eInk Kindle's serial number in Calibre and read all Amazon eBooks on my Kobo H20 (original) or Sony PRS350.
I preview on the Calibre eReader program on Linux. Only a small percentage of my books are Amazon eBooks anyway. However Harlequin Barnes & Noble (Nook) are worse. They don't allow apps at all now? Aren't B&N nook ebooks now put on a hidden partition? I support copyright, I don't 'share' or 'upload' copyright material, but I'm glad I don't live in USA with their toxic DRM & DMCA laws that are contrary to International Copyright conventions.