[TimW]

Originally Posted by BenG

I've downloaded to three devices and while reading on the iPhone I sometimes get a message if a passage has been highlighted by others.

I see the genius at Gizmodo has reversed course... a bit. He still blames Amazon for forcing him to "shoot his only bullet":

Last week, and throughout yesterday, I was unable to download 1Q84 on multiple devices, or share public notes and highlights. I can now, but largely thanks to this article. Amazon customer service initially identified this as an issue specific to the title. In fact, it now appears to have been an Amazon problem.

I tried downloading the books to my devices when I hit the errors shown below. I attempted manually sending the book to my devices via the Kindle online management software, also without success. Amazon customer service attempted unsuccessfully to help me resolve this.

After being escalated, a customer service rep told me that the device limit can vary from title to title. He looked at my purchase, and told me that 1Q84 had a one book device limit. He went on to note that some books, especially textbooks and scientific volumes, have similar limits.

However, the book's publisher says that's not the case. Paul Bogaards of Random House notes that 1Q84, and all its titles, support a six device limit. "Random House policy hews to the six simultaneous device access that is common across the industry, and that policy applies to 1Q84."

Also today, Amazon public relations responded to my previous query, contradicting what its customer service department told me, and noting that "There is no one-book limit on this title, there was an error that affected very few readers that has since been corrected. We apologize for the inconvenience."

Indeed, I can now read 1Q84 on multiple devices and share public notes and highlights. That's great! And I'm glad of it. I've made corrections below where appropriate via strikethrough and emphasis.

Amazon fixed a problem that may have been unique to his account because he wrote an inflammatory, inaccurate article on Gizmodo? Oh, sure. If the CSR gave him inaccurate information initially, did that excuse Honan from the need to exercise due diligence before he "shot his one bullet?" Nope. If he can blame Amazon for "forcing" him to write his screed, I suppose he deserves blame for inciting the idiots that flamed 1Q84's review page. It seems only fair.