Xmas Launch for UK Kindle ?

[Alisa]

Originally Posted by Wario

I don't see the point of changing my prs-505 to the Kindle UK. Unless Amazon sell ebooks cheaper then most online site that sell to the UK.

There are a few differences but I don't know if they would matter enough to you to justify the expense if at all.

Feature-wise, the Kindle has dictionary lookup, content search and annotation which were a very big deal for me. If the wireless deal works the way it does here in the States, you also get free Wikipedia search and web access over 3G and the ability to synch your bookmarks with an iPhone or iPod Touch. However, it doesn't have nearly as good of a content organization system as the Sony. You can sort by author, title, and most recent first. You can add "tags" in your annotations and use the search to find them as a bit of a workaround, but there's no true organization system. I keep hoping they'll fix that in firmware.

As for the shopping experience, I have no idea how the prices or selection will be but there is a nice convenience element to the Kindle. Being able to get free sample chapters on your device that you can read at your leisure has definitely changed the way I buy books. I'm reading more yet buying fewer books than I did before. This is because I don't have to rush the buying decision and can read a nice chunk of the book before I buy. I don't have to plan ahead for what I'm going to read which often spurred me to buy books somewhat speculatively. I used to buy many books I didn't finish trying to make sure I had something to read once I finished my current books. Since the 3G connection works pretty much anywhere I go, I don't have to worry about whether I'll be able to get the book when I'm finished with the sample. If I'm on the train or in the park, I can still get my next book. It's not like I'd be without any books even if I didn't have the wireless connection, but this way I get to have the book I want to read right now. I'm getting rather spoiled.

Not sure if any of that is worth dropping a significant amount of cash since you already have a perfectly good reader, but there's more to it than just price of books for many folks.

[tonyofla]

hope this means Ireland as well, (mostly) same telcos in both countries so it should. I think Waterstones have sold a good few Sony 505s here since it went on sale last year.

[petermillard]

I'd have thought the mass-market appeal of the Kindle is two-fold; content delivery (no PC, no syncing etc...) and the range of content available. Take away or hobble the available content and you lose a huge part of its appeal - especially when Amazon pull stunts like this.

Seriously, 1984; no sense of irony...

Cheers, Pete

[krischik]

Originally Posted by petermillard

especially when Amazon pull stunts like this.

This is exactly why there I am not at all excited. For me Amazon comes to late. After the starvation of Mobipocket and pulling books right of the device I will never buy a Kindle.

Martin

[HarryT]

You don't think it's right that Amazon should remove illegally-sold material and refund customers' money? It seems perfectly reasonable to me.

[petermillard]

My understanding is that the publishers offered Kindle editions of these books (not illegal copies) then had a change of heart and withdrew them, asking Amazon to delete the books from the Kindles of people who bought them in good faith. It's PR SNAFU - the book titles alone will guarantee a stream of gleeful invective from eBook-hating hacks - and does the mainstream adoption of eBooks and readers no good at all.

So yes, not Amazon's fault - but they still come out looking like the bad guys.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by petermillard

My understanding is that the publishers offered Kindle editions of these books (not illegal copies) then had a change of heart and withdrew them, asking Amazon to delete the books from the Kindles of people who bought them in good faith.

No. That was the initial story as told by Amazon's customer service department, but it turned out to be incorrect. The truth is that this publisher uploaded content to Amazon which they did not have the legal right to sell in the USA, since Orwell's works are still under copyright protection in the US. The legitimate US copyright holder complained, resulting in Amazon's removal of the books.

[petermillard]

Ah, I see. Just as long as we can blame the publisher.. Still, it doesn't help anyone who's trying to sell the idea of eBooks to a skeptical public...

[krischik]

Originally Posted by HarryT

You don't think it's right that Amazon should remove illegally-sold material and refund customers' money? It seems perfectly reasonable to me.

Well I remembered now that in the US things are differed. I remember now the pseudo reality shows with those wannabe texas rangers collecting cars because the owner did no pay his / her loan installments.

You see we don't have that here in Europe. Here the bailiffs with a court warrant in his / her hand accomplished by some policemen who have sworn to uphold the law will collect your car when you don't pay you loan.

So for me - as European the answer is clearly NO it is not right. Unless the act as an agent to an official bailiffs.

Martin

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by krischik

So for me - as European the answer is clearly NO they should not. Unless the act as an agent to an official bailiffs.

Martin

So you would prefer that Amazon knowingly left you open to prosecution for copyright infringement for possession of illegally-uploaded material?

[krischik]

Originally Posted by HarryT

So you would prefer that Amazon knowingly left you open to prosecution for copyright infringement for possession of illegally-uploaded material?

If you Neighbour spots some illegal material in your house and he also knows that you don't know that it is illegal, do you want him to:

A) Come at daytime to your Doorstep, informs you that the material is illegal and suggest that you destroy it.
B) Come at nighttime to you Doorstep, pick the lock and destroy the material as a neighbourly service for you.

My answer is A. Amazon could have send an e-mail.

And legality aside - Before this I was just about 95% sure I never buy a Kindle in my live. Now I am 99.9% sure. Im My Book they have done evil before (kill Mobipocket) and now they have done evil again. And when I decide where I put my money My Book is all that counts.

Martin

[cstross]

I am TOTALLY down with the idea of buying myself a Kindle this Christmas!

I'm going to have a ball re-reading 1984!

No, wait ...

(Speaking parenthetically: Amazon are evil. How do I know they're evil? Because I'm an author and I talk to my publishers and They Tell Me Things. Hideous things. Things that make me think that if Jeff Bezos wins the ebook wars, I really ought to have trained as an accountant or an East German girl gymnast or something instead of trying to find work as a novelist. Hint: whose pay packet do you think the 30-40% discount Amazon offers you comes out of?)

[Sparrow]

I've don't trust Amazon, and won't buy a Kindle.

I'm worried their presence in the UK will be bad for competition - they may tie publishers into exclusivity contracts.

[krischik]

Originally Posted by Sparrow

I'm worried their presence in the UK will be bad for competition - they may tie publishers into exclusivity contracts.

I never thought about that! Just like territorial restriction this will lead to even more pirating. If you can't legally buy then there is pirate bay. When will they ever learn...

Martin

[daffy4u]

Originally Posted by Sparrow

I've don't trust Amazon, and won't buy a Kindle.

I'm worried their presence in the UK will be bad for competition - they may tie publishers into exclusivity contracts.

I don't think that's a concern at all. The number of books that have had temporary exclusivity have been less than a handful. If you've seen more than I have please point them out.