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Amazon Hobbles Features For International Kindle

Posted by timothy on from the someone-call-me-when-the-sinister-starts dept.

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."

13 of 166 comments (clear)

  1. Another troll summary? by radish · · Score: 5, Insightful

    1) The browser is not a "key feature" - it's barely useable and not an advertised/supported feature anyway.
    2) Calling the Amazon explanation a "confession" seems a little biased...sounds quite reasonable to me to charge more if their costs are higher.

    --

    ---- Den ene knappen er powerknapp, den andre er Bender voice knapp "Bite My Shiny Metal Ass"

    1. Re:Another troll summary? by chadenright · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Logically speaking, why would their operating costs be any higher? They aren't actually shipping books around--they're shipping data. And that data is probably hosted on the same servers, maybe even the same bits as their US products.

      A more reasonable explanation, in my opinion, is that pictures are being stripped and the internet locked down so they aren't liable under chinese law for anyone who evades the eWall of China. And they're charging more because they think they can get away with charging more, leading to higher profits.

      That would be like me putting a download on my site and saying "If you live in the US, click HERE so I can charge you $10 usd. If you do not live in the US, click HERE so I can charge you $14 usd."

    2. Re:Another troll summary? by sznupi · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Regarding 1), free wiki acess anywhere seems really nice. I guess that falls under "disabling web browser" also?

      Oh well; no Kindle for me then.

      --
      One that hath name thou can not otter
    3. Re:Another troll summary? by Red+Flayer · · Score: 5, Insightful

      2) Calling the Amazon explanation a "confession" seems a little biased...sounds quite reasonable to me to charge more if their costs are higher.

      No offense, but if you accept that explanation, you're one of the suckers their PR people spew that line for. That's not why they are charging more. Prices are set based upon maximizing profitability, not based on "cost + some acceptable profit margin".

      They've made the determination that they'll make more money selling overseas at a higher price (even if they sell fewer units). Their "higher costs" explanation is just a standard explanation for "we're going to charge more in a certain market because we've determined that's how we'll make the most money".

      --
      "Trolls they were, but filled with the evil will of their master: a fell race..." -- J.R.R. Tolkien on Olog-hai
    4. Re:Another troll summary? by toppavak · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Its particularly odd that they would strip the browser citing costs when mobile internet access outside of the US is so much cheaper!

    5. Re:Another troll summary? by MankyD · · Score: 2, Insightful

      It's not IP Law. It's marketing and, as frustrating as the end result is, it is completely reasonable in the bigger picture. If a product maker wants to sell their product for different prices in different places, then by all means, go for it. Furthermore, if an product maker needs to translate or in some other way localize their product for international markets, then that adds costs. There's nothing inherently wrong with adjusting your product for the market your selling in.

      --
      -dave
      http://millionnumbers.com/ - own the number of your dreams
    6. Re:Another troll summary? by Late+Adopter · · Score: 2, Insightful

      No offense, but if you accept that explanation, you're one of the suckers their PR people spew that line for. That's not why they are charging more. Prices are set based upon maximizing profitability, not based on "cost + some acceptable profit margin".

      I agree with your post in entirety, but I'll take it a step farther and say "Who cares?" Different markets are different. Amazon doesn't owe you an explanation as to why it's "fair". You either take them up on their offer or not.

      Non-story.

    7. Re:Another troll summary? by Dogtanian · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Different markets are different. Amazon doesn't owe you an explanation as to why it's "fair". You either take them up on their offer or not.

      While you're correct that the public can accept or reject Amazon's offer, your implication that they don't have the right to discuss or criticise it as they're doing here is wrong.

      The public don't owe Amazon the right to have them STFU and not discuss the merits and/or reasons behind their offer. Amazon have the right not to sell the product in the first place if they (or you) don't like it being discussed.

      --
      "Slashdot - News and Chat Sites Deviant". (Click "homepage" link above for details).
  2. Partially hobbled... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    ... is still better than unavailable, which is the current state of the Kindle here in Canada (we don't even get the "International" version)

  3. A market for middle men? by maillemaker · · Score: 4, Insightful

    What is to stop someone from buying "American" book and reselling them to European customers for, say, only a 10% markup?

    Oh, let me guess - no interoperability / not an open format.

    --
    A work that expires before its copyright never enters the public domain and thus enjoys eternal copyright protection.
  4. Then this should be true also: by maillemaker · · Score: 4, Insightful

    [b]There's nothing inherently wrong with adjusting your product for the market your selling in.[/b]

    Then there should be nothing inherently wrong with me buying a product in any market available to me to buy from.

    --
    A work that expires before its copyright never enters the public domain and thus enjoys eternal copyright protection.
  5. Too Confused To Make Heads Or Tails? by tunapez · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Here's a brilliant idea, DON'T BUY IT! Here is a WANT(read: not NEED) that costs way too much for it's purpose and is hobbled every time the lawyers gets a scent of blood or a penny. Vote with the only thing these corp's care about, your money! Stop being the consumption drone the media tells you to be!!!!

    Too much to ask, I guess. Gotta get the new Droid...oh my, it's a phone, too? And the new Lana Johannah album, she's hawt! And of course, them 20" rims for the Prius, they save batteries cuz they are cooler!

    /common sense

    --
    Imagination drew in bold strokes, instantly serving hopes and fears, while knowledge advanced by slow increments...
  6. Solution is to include a wi-fi chip by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    If the international kindle used wi-fi instead the problem of high data charges on a roaming US sim is gone. Or partner with a local GSM network. Am i missing something here? >> because this seems like a simple problem to solve.