Friday, July 17, 2009

Kindle No More!

Yesterday, I corresponded with Dave the Mobile Warrior about getting a Kindle this fall instead of going through my annual iPod upgrade or even waiting for Apple's tablet.

And today? Amazon has effectively made it so that I will not buy a Kindle or books through the Kindle app for the iPhone unless this policy is changed?  What policy is that?

How about offering some common courtesy and privacy?  According to the NY Times, Kindle owners of certain books woke up this morning only to discover that they were gone!

Apparently, the publisher requested that they be removed after deciding that they no longer want to offer it.  This is a seriously major WTF!

Imagine if this were to happen on Windows?  A developer coming into your PC and uninstalling an application because they no longer want to offer it.  Or just about anything else you buy from a store or online and they send someone to come over and take back what you paid for.  Imagine Apple breaking into your iPhone to take back you paid for apps.  

A mobile device, PC, or any other electronic device with storage is the private domain and should not be violated in such a way.  Amazon screwed up.  Thievery was committed in this case even though there was a refund.  An authorized entry was made without the consent of the Kindle owners.

Back to the iPhone app example.  If this behavior is tolerated, any mobile device makers can pull this kind of stunt as well.  Imagine an app developer providing a free app that is wildly popular.  Then it requests the device maker or the wireless provider go into your Blackberry, Pre, or iPhone to delete the app.  Then the publisher can say, if you want it back, pay up.  

Privacy was violated.  Here's the irony as NY Times pointed out.  The books rescinded?  That's right.  Orwellian classics, 1984 and Animal Farm.

This is just bogus.

Source:  NY Times, Gizmodo

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