A Bit Eclectic

I am a huge fan of the Kindle, but this kind of thing really pisses me off. Amazon has deleted copies of “1984″ and “Animal Farm” on users Kindles and credited their account because the publisher was unhappy with digital distribution. These are copies that users had legitametly purchased.

This paragraph from David Pogue’s blog really sums it up.

As one of my readers noted, it’s like Barnes & Noble sneaking into our homes in the middle of the night, taking some books that we’ve been reading off our nightstands, and leaving us a check on the coffee table.

Amazon says that this was a rare case, but I don’t think it should have even been considered.

UPDATE 7/18/09: According to Ars Technica, the books were deleted because they were illegal copies distributed without the publishers permission. This sheds a little more light on the situation, but it remains unsettling that Amazon can delete books off my Kindle without my permission.

(via Smarterware)

The world of eBooks is not new. They have been around for awhile, whether on a dedicated reader or just a computer or PDA. But they haven’t really taken off. The market is plagued with high prices and relatively small selection. Plus, it is hard to compete with good old paper. It is difficult to improve on something that has not only stood the test of time but also changed the world as we know it.

Amazon recently released an eBook reader called the Kindle. It started selling on Nov. 19th 2007 for $399 and was completely sold out until recently. It is about the size of a paperback book, but a little thinner. The Kindle utilizes an eInk display, which reads just like ink on paper, to prevent eye strain. One of the key features that sets the Kindle apart from other eBook readers is it’s wireless connectivity. You can connect directly to the Kindle store and download books all through the device itself with no monthly charge.

I received my Kindle at the beginning of February and I absolutely love it. This is my first foray into the world of eBooks and the Kindle has been an excellent host. At first, I was extremely skeptical about the device. I had heard about it through many different blogs and podcasts but it just never caught my attention. I thought it was neat, but still more of the same thing. Mainly it was the price that held me back. I couldn’t imagine paying so much for this device. After hearing more about it, I decided to hit up the product page for more information. That is when it got me.

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