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Amazon Hobbles Features For International Kindle
Barence writes "Amazon has stripped several key features out of the international edition of the Kindle, PC Pro has discovered. Newspapers and magazines are delivered without any photos, and the web browser has been disabled, presumably because Amazon doesn't want to foot the data bill. There's also a 40% premium on books bought via the Amazon store. 'International customers do pay a higher price for their books than US customers due to higher operating costs outside of the US,' an Amazon spokesperson confessed."
... is still better than unavailable, which is the current state of the Kindle here in Canada (we don't even get the "International" version)
What part of "Third World Nation Axis of Evil" do you Nucks not understand?
The books need to be converted from the NTSC format that America uses to the inferior PAL system that European books use.
Amazon did have to lay the cable across the oceans to deliver said books. You gotta pony up!
There may be a significant cost in converting from Letter size to A4.
It's amazing they let you cross borders with books in your possession. "I'm sorry, senior, but your copy of HP Lovecraft's Best is still under copyright in our country, we will have to seize it, fine you ten million pesos. As well, we see this is the third time you have tried to cross the border in such a fashion. Last time it was Shakespeare's Portfolio, which we explained to you was owned by Sony Bono's widow, and before that it was Homer's Iliad, which the Walt Disney Corporation has filed ownership for. Since this is your third violation, you will no longer be permitted to read books. Please lean back while I gouge your eyes out.,,"
What a moronic and ludicrous world IP law has created.
The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
I fail to understand the reasoning for this in places where Amazon already has a huge operation (eg UK)
That's because you fail to understand how the device operates. It uses a connection to the cell phone network to receive data. In the US, Amazon has a deal with Sprint to use the Sprint wireless data network. For the international Kindle, they have a deal to use AT&T's wireless data network. When used outside the US, this incurs roaming charges.
What a moronic and ludicrous world IP law has created.
IP law didn't create the world you're describing, you did.
In fact, you own it! And now if I wanted to create a similar story you could sue me. Wow, this is cool!
Dude! Have you ever tried turning an English book into Engrish?
Oh, they already speak English? Hrm, well, I guess then they'd have to create a "Ministry of Funny Spellings and Pronunciations" for words like 'color' and 'schedule.'
No? Ok, I'll leave.