Is Big Brother watching? Orwell's classics removed from the Kindle |
Connect with TechFlash on our Facebook page for all the latest technology news headlines and commentary, plus information and access to special events, photos from events, promotions and more.
Today On Techflash
- Startup of the Week: LocalBonus aims at 'buy local' movement
- Seattle webcomic The Oatmeal generates Tesla-Edison controversy
- Amazon falls on world's most valuable brand list; Microsoft at No. 5
- Former Yahoo CEO Scott Thompson resigns from F5 board
- 350 million Windows 7 devices to be sold this year: Microsoft
- Microsoft rolls out facial recognition for Windows Kinect
Mass High Tech
Kindle News
- Seattle is nation's 13th most 'well-read' city, says Amazon
- Target confirms it will stop selling Kindle, other Amazon products
- U.S. sues Apple, book publishers for fixing e-book prices
- Publishing on the iPad: Displays, processors and licensing, oh my!
- Amazon's Kindle Fire eats into Apple's iPad tablet lead
Is Big Brother watching? Orwell's classics removed from the Kindle
Photo via: Barnes & Noble
A dust up up between Amazon.com and a book publisher has resulted in the mysterious removal of George Orwell's "1984" and "Animal Farm" from the Kindle electronic book reader.
David Pogue at The New York Times reports that Amazon.com "caved" after the book publisher decided that it didn't want to distribute the titles via the Kindle. The problem?
Kindle customers had already purchased the books, though Pogue notes that Amazon.com credited their accounts for the books.
Pogue writes:
"This is ugly for all kinds of reasons. Amazon says that this sort of thing is “rare,” but that it can happen at all is unsettling; we’ve been taught to believe that e-books are, you know, just like books, only better. Already, we’ve learned that they’re not really like books, in that once we’re finished reading them, we can’t resell or even donate them. But now we learn that all sales may not even be final.
"As one of my readers noted, it’s like Barnes & Noble sneaking into our homes in the middle of the night, taking some books that we’ve been reading off our nightstands, and leaving us a check on the coffee table."
This is the second piece of negative PR for Amazon.com this week, following news that a Seattle man had sued the company over a cracked Kindle screen.
Earnings are out next week. Maybe that will patch things up.
If you are commenting using a Facebook account, your profile information may be displayed with your comment depending on your privacy settings. By leaving the 'Post to Facebook' box selected, your comment will be published to your Facebook profile in addition to the space below.
TechFlash Team
Recent Sponsor Posts
Follow, like, and connect to a broader audience for your company!
The Puget Sound Business Journal announces Social Madness: A Corporate Social Media Challenge, presented by Capital One Spark Business. This a local and national challenge that will spotlight the best social media programs of companies in 43 cities. The local challenge begins (following the nomination period) on June 1, 2012. The promotion will culminate in a national bracket challenge that will crown Social Madness champions in 3 categories based on company size. To see the official rules, visit http://www.socialmadness.com/rules.
For more information on how your company can participate, visit the nomination page here. Nominations are due May 15th.
BizDev Seminar Series - Leadership: Rallying People to a Brighter Future
Join us for this one-of-a-kind seminar series where you hear directly from the experts about hot topics to grow your business.
The skills to be effective as a leader can be learned. What are the skills and attributes needed to be effective top leaders? How do you tell what level your people are at, and what development skills each person needs? Workshop attendees will learn the answers to these questions and more.
Tuesday, May 17, 2012
8:30am - 10:30am
The Harbor Club, Seattle
Register here.
