Pre-ordered my first every Kindle but not sure how it all works. Help please?

[DarkHaloPrincess]

Hi, I took the plunge and pre-ordered the new kindle 3 wifi only (UK version). This is my first time for the kindle and I've had my sony pocket read for the last 2/3 months (which I LOVE). I wasn't interested in the kindle before as it was only available from the US which increased the total of what I would spend with all the shipping costs etc/ and how Amazon US books were not all available to the UK.

However, I love the £109.00 price tag for the uk and Amazon ebooks seem way cheaper than either Waterstones or WHsmith. BUT, now I'm wondering about how the Amazon and the Kindle work together. Months ago, I found articles on how Amazon removed a book from most (if not all) kindle devices because of some publisher's issues.

So I'd be very happy if any Kindle owners or anyone could please explain to me how it all works. In this case, I understand that Amazon tracks and logs the last page you're reading and keeps a back up of all Amazon books downloaded. BUT what I want to know is, can Amazon remove any documents I transfer(via laptop) to the Kindle? Do they log those documents as well - e.g. pdf's etc? They don't keep a back up of my uploaded contents do they - but only only Amazon (.azw) files?

Do they know exactly what I'm reading and at what time? That's seems a little like 'BIG BROTHER'. - I don't mean any offense with this - I just want to know. I don't want Amazon reading what I'm reading (in case it's my personal work files etc) and removing docs from the kindle. What's the limit to their remote access?

Thanks for any answers.

[Achiever]

omg... you just thought allmost exactly what I thought and allmost the same time.

[carld]

>BUT what I want to know is, can Amazon remove any documents I transfer(via laptop) to the Kindle?

No, that won't happen.

>Do they log those documents as well - e.g. pdf's etc?

No.

>They don't keep a back up of my uploaded contents do they - but only only Amazon (.azw) files?

They don't really keep track of anything. It's just that your Amazon purchases are available for download to your Kindle from the Manage You Kindle page.

In theory they could do almost anything, in reality they won't do anything.

[rlparker]

Hi DarkHaloPrincess,

I'm not a lawyer (thanks be to the gods!) but I suppose Amazon could be forced under certain circumstances to divulge your purchase history to some government agency. Of course, that's true whether or not you own a Kindle!

My understanding is that they can not or do not look at the non-Amazon content on your Kindle. They did that thing a year or so that you mentioned when they deleted content from some Kindles. My understanding is that it was a matter of copyright--it turned out they didn't have the right to sell the content in the first place. I'll bet in hindsight they wished they'd handled it some other way! But in my opinion, the whole thing was a little overblown. They also reach into your Kindle to do software upgrades. I suppose that there are people who think that's a bad thing--but my guess is that most Kindle owners are happy as long as they have a trouble-free buying and reading experience. I'm glad to say that I'm in that category so far in the almost-two years that I've had mine.

In terms of "Big Brother", I personally think that we have a lot more to worry about from our telcos and ISPs than from Amazon!

So congratulations on your new Kindle! Hope you enjoy it and don't worry too much!

[DarkHaloPrincess]

Originally Posted by carld

>

They don't really keep track of anything. It's just that your Amazon purchases are available for download to your Kindle from the Manage You Kindle page.

In theory they could do almost anything, in reality they won't do anything.

Thanks. I just have to trust Amazon.

Originally Posted by rlparker

Hi DarkHaloPrincess,

My understanding is that they can not or do not look at the non-Amazon content on your Kindle. They did that thing a year or so that you mentioned when they deleted content from some Kindles. My understanding is that it was a matter of copyright--it turned out they didn't have the right to sell the content in the first place. I'll bet in hindsight they wished they'd handled it some other way! But in my opinion, the whole thing was a little overblown. They also reach into your Kindle to do software upgrades. I suppose that there are people who think that's a bad thing--but my guess is that most Kindle owners are happy as long as they have a trouble-free buying and reading experience. I'm glad to say that I'm in that category so far in the almost-two years that I've had mine.

In terms of "Big Brother", I personally think that we have a lot more to worry about from our telcos and ISPs than from Amazon!

So congratulations on your new Kindle! Hope you enjoy it and don't worry too much!

Thanks so much rlparker! This is really reassuring. I'm sooo excited! I've got my sony to tide me over until then. I'm already browsing books on Amazon!

[DarkHaloPrincess]

Also on a side note, how can I buy Amazon US ebooks? Is it possible? At the moment it's not letting me, suggesting that I shop in the UK site - but there are some really good ebooks on the US one which aren't on the UK one.

[Alisa]

I put library books on my Kindle all the time. I strip the DRM off to do this. These are usually books that aren't available anywhere legally without DRM. I've never heard a peep out of Amazon about it. If I were them, I would want nothing to do with people's personal documents. The PR fallout would be astronomical for what benefit it would get them. Also, if they set themselves up as being copyright cop, for all I know that could then make them liable for what they don't catch. Too much of a headache.

[susan_cassidy]

The last page read is tracked on the Kindle itself (does not require access to Amazon). If you want, it can also be backed up to Amazon, so that it can "remember" the last page across devices. It is an option, though. Mine has it turned off. We are a 2-Kindle household, so we don't do that. Otherwise, my husband would end up on the last page I read, and vice-versa.

[DarkHaloPrincess]

Originally Posted by Alisa

I put library books on my Kindle all the time. I strip the DRM off to do this. These are usually books that aren't available anywhere legally without DRM. I've never heard a peep out of Amazon about it. If I were them, I would want nothing to do with people's personal documents. The PR fallout would be astronomical for what benefit it would get them. Also, if they set themselves up as being copyright cop, for all I know that could then make them liable for what they don't catch. Too much of a headache.

Thanks! That's what I was thinking - about Amazon not wanting to create too much of a headache.

Originally Posted by susan_cassidy

The last page read is tracked on the Kindle itself (does not require access to Amazon). If you want, it can also be backed up to Amazon, so that it can "remember" the last page across devices. It is an option, though. Mine has it turned off. We are a 2-Kindle household, so we don't do that. Otherwise, my husband would end up on the last page I read, and vice-versa.

That's a good tip thanks. I wasn't aware that it could be turned off. I'm just excited for the kindle to arrive now. It's like waiting for a present - but this wait is way too long!