Foul play and big brother behavior from Amazon regarding failed book update

johnnyb · 10-20-2011, 06:49 AM

I was in a situation yesterday many of you were in (and I dreaded the day ;-)). I was asked if I wanted to update a book. Under normal circumstances, I probably wouldn't because I would lose all my annotations and highlights, but it seemed, Amazon had changed something, here's the mail I got:

Quote:

Hello,

We are happy to announce that an updated version of your past Kindle purchase of The Importance of What We Care About: Philosophical Essays by Harry G. Frankfurt is now available. The version you received had typos that have been corrected.

You can receive the new version by replying to this email with the word "Yes" in the first line of your response. Within 2 hours, any device with an active wireless connection that is registered to your account and that has the eBook currently downloaded will be updated automatically.

In order to ensure that your notes, highlights, bookmarks and furthest reading location are retained in the new version, please check to see that all of your devices that you have used to read this book are connected to a network and that their Annotations Backup settings are turned on. For help with modifying settings, go to http://www.amazon.com/kindlesupport and check the help pages for the devices or applications you are using.

You can find more information about Kindle related topics here:
www.amazon.com/kindlesupport

Please Note: in order to receive the updated version, your e-mail response must come from the e-mail address associated with your Amazon account. Responses from other email addresses cannot be processed.

We thank you for your business with Amazon.

Sincerely,
Customer Service Department
Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com

From the mail it becomes quite clear that it would now be possible to retain notes and the rest very easily... Unfortunately it didn't. And I lost a hugh bunch of notes and comments on these essays. Infuriated I wrote to Amazon to ask for reasons, as a reply I got this:

Quote:

Hello,

I apologize for the inconvenience caused.

I'd like to inform you that, whenever there is an updated version of the kindle book is available, we always send an email notification and we ask your permission whether to update your book or not.

You can automatically receive the new version of the Kindle book, if you're replying to that email with the word "Yes" in the first line of your response.

I see that you've replied with the word "Yes" in the first line of your response for the email which we have sent you about the updated version of your content.

As you have replied with "Yes", the content was automatically updated and downloaded to your Kindle.

I'm sorry, I was unable to assist you in this case and appreciate your patience and understanding

We look forward to seeing you again.

Thank you for your recent inquiry. Did I solve your problem?

No you didn't solve my problem, you barely touched it, it is not an inconvenience that has "mysteriously" been caused, it's pandemonium.
I told them that, including a reference to the passage in the original email that states that everything will be retained, here's their second answer:

Quote:

Hello,

I'm so sorry, but we can't offer any additional insight or action on this matter.

We appreciate your business and hope to see you again soon.

Thank you for your recent inquiry. Did I solve your problem?

This is so big brother style that for the first time in a year I'm seriously considering leaving the Kindle platform and going to Sony (or anyone) that provide an excellent infrastructure of keeping notes "out of the cloud". I'm really fed up now with their promises and "brave new world" computing solutions. No explanation, no comment on why they said my stuff would be retained and then wasn't.
I'd really like to discuss this, any recommendations, comments, suggestions and criticism are welcome!

TimW · 10-20-2011, 07:25 AM

Amazon can save annotations on updated books? That's very new. Sorry it didn't work for you, that's unfortunate. Those email responses seem to be "canned." You aren't talking to anyone, I'm afraid. If you're in the US, call 866-321-8851 during the day. I think option #4 still gets a CSR in the US. I don't know if they can help but it's worth a try.

TimW · 10-20-2011, 07:32 AM

BTW, have you looked at the text file named "My Clippings" on your Kindle? It contains annotations and it *should* be unaffected by the update.

HarryT · 10-20-2011, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnnyb

And I lost a hugh bunch of notes and comments on these essays.

Have you really lost them? They should be in your "My Clippings" file.

johnnyb · 10-20-2011, 07:53 AM

Unfortunately, I had to delete the "My Clippings" file some time ago because it caused some indexing problem (this was guided by Amazon advice), and even more unfortunate the fact that I didn't keep a copy of the file. Ever since then I have been using the Kindle page or Kindle for Mac (or more recently, the Cloud Reader) to access my highlights and notes for the book. In all of these, the notes are now gone. 40-50 hours of work down the drain, the Kindle system really isn't designed for serious reading, it's just too unreliable I think (add to that "canned" replies from India or elsewhere in the world and the "World's Best Service" company's image crumbles).

mr ploppy · 10-20-2011, 08:01 AM

How do you get Amazon to send emails to previous buyers when you update a book? Or is that just something that "real" pulishers can do?

johnnyb · 10-20-2011, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr ploppy

How do you get Amazon to send emails to previous buyers when you update a book? Or is that just something that "real" pulishers can do?

I think that should happen automatically. But it may infuriate customers

TimW · 10-20-2011, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnnyb

Unfortunately, I had to delete the "My Clippings" file some time ago because it caused some indexing problem (this was guided by Amazon advice), and even more unfortunate the fact that I didn't keep a copy of the file. Ever since then I have been using the Kindle page or Kindle for Mac (or more recently, the Cloud Reader) to access my highlights and notes for the book. In all of these, the notes are now gone. 40-50 hours of work down the drain, the Kindle system really isn't designed for serious reading, it's just too unreliable I think (add to that "canned" replies from India or elsewhere in the world and the "World's Best Service" company's image crumbles).

'My Clippings" caused an indexing problem? I'm not sure how it would but I suppose that's irrelevant now. I assume that you had your "annotation backup" turned on (per your posted email), have you been to https://kindle.amazon.com/your_highlights to see if your annotations are there?

johnnyb · 10-20-2011, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TimW

'My Clippings" caused an indexing problem? I'm not sure how it would but I suppose that's irrelevant now. I assume that you had your "annotation backup" turned on (per your posted email), have you been to https://kindle.amazon.com/your_highlights to see if your annotations are there?

I had it turned on (hence the possibility to review notes in the cloud) and no, all annotations are now gone from "My Highlights" on the Kindle site.

HarryT · 10-20-2011, 08:35 AM

I really think you need to talk to Kindle CS on the phone about this.

TimW · 10-20-2011, 09:29 AM

Yes, definitely call Customer Service. An email I received on October 2nd still contained the warning "It's important to note that when we send you the updated version, you will no longer be able to view any highlights, bookmarks, and notes made in your current version and your furthest reading location will be lost" so apparently this change has been made within the last few days.

mr ploppy · 10-20-2011, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnnyb

I think that should happen automatically. But it may infuriate customers

I've never had one, and I know that ebooks I've bought have been updated after I've sent the writer a list of mistakes. And when you update them it doesn't ask what your reason for the new version is, so it couldn't give a reason to buyers automatically either.

pidgeon92 · 10-20-2011, 03:01 PM

I agree with calling Kindle Customer Service. I don't see any "big brother" behavior here; more like poor programming and form letters. No excuse for this, though.

Amazon Kindle customer service (1-866-321-8851)

johnnyb · 10-20-2011, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pidgeon92

I agree with calling Kindle Customer Service. I don't see any "big brother" behavior here; more like poor programming and form letters. No excuse for this, though.

Amazon Kindle customer service (1-866-321-8851)

The big brother behavior I referred to is their ignorance as regards the statement on the preservation of highlights etc they made. They won't admit that they have made a mistake, they just stay vague.
Even on the phone they would simply declare that they are sorry but they cannot do anything and they don't know what happened. They wouldn't even say if this is actually a new feature or if it even existed.

tubemonkey · 10-20-2011, 04:15 PM

OMG! Did Amazon hire Peggy for their CS department?

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10-20-2011, 07:25 AM	#2
TimW Wizard Posts: 1,022 Karma: 6824104 Join Date: May 2011 Location: Southeastern Kentucky Device: KK3G, KPW1, Sony PRST1, Sony PRS350, iPod Touch 5G	Amazon can save annotations on updated books? That's very new. Sorry it didn't work for you, that's unfortunate. Those email responses seem to be "canned." You aren't talking to anyone, I'm afraid. If you're in the US, call 866-321-8851 during the day. I think option #4 still gets a CSR in the US. I don't know if they can help but it's worth a try.

10-20-2011, 07:32 AM	#3
TimW Wizard Posts: 1,022 Karma: 6824104 Join Date: May 2011 Location: Southeastern Kentucky Device: KK3G, KPW1, Sony PRST1, Sony PRS350, iPod Touch 5G	BTW, have you looked at the text file named "My Clippings" on your Kindle? It contains annotations and it should be unaffected by the update.

10-20-2011, 07:53 AM	#5
johnnyb Cloud Reader Posts: 1,136 Karma: 4273668 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Boox Note Air 4C, Remarkable PP Move, iPad Pro 11	Unfortunately, I had to delete the "My Clippings" file some time ago because it caused some indexing problem (this was guided by Amazon advice), and even more unfortunate the fact that I didn't keep a copy of the file. Ever since then I have been using the Kindle page or Kindle for Mac (or more recently, the Cloud Reader) to access my highlights and notes for the book. In all of these, the notes are now gone. 40-50 hours of work down the drain, the Kindle system really isn't designed for serious reading, it's just too unreliable I think (add to that "canned" replies from India or elsewhere in the world and the "World's Best Service" company's image crumbles).

10-20-2011, 08:01 AM	#6
mr ploppy Feral Underclass Posts: 3,622 Karma: 26821535 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Yorkshire, tha noz Device: 2nd hand paperback	How do you get Amazon to send emails to previous buyers when you update a book? Or is that just something that "real" pulishers can do?

10-20-2011, 08:35 AM	#10
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,560 Karma: 93980341 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I really think you need to talk to Kindle CS on the phone about this.

10-20-2011, 09:29 AM	#11
TimW Wizard Posts: 1,022 Karma: 6824104 Join Date: May 2011 Location: Southeastern Kentucky Device: KK3G, KPW1, Sony PRST1, Sony PRS350, iPod Touch 5G	Yes, definitely call Customer Service. An email I received on October 2nd still contained the warning "It's important to note that when we send you the updated version, you will no longer be able to view any highlights, bookmarks, and notes made in your current version and your furthest reading location will be lost" so apparently this change has been made within the last few days.

10-20-2011, 03:01 PM	#13
pidgeon92 Wizard Posts: 3,144 Karma: 8426142 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Chicago, IL Device: Kindle PW2, Kindle Voyage, Kindle DXG, Boox M90, Kobo Aura HD	I agree with calling Kindle Customer Service. I don't see any "big brother" behavior here; more like poor programming and form letters. No excuse for this, though. Amazon Kindle customer service (1-866-321-8851)

10-20-2011, 04:15 PM	#15
tubemonkey monkey on the fringe Posts: 45,858 Karma: 158733736 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Seattle Metro Device: Moto E6, Echo Show	OMG! Did Amazon hire Peggy for their CS department?