Amazon's Bezos hits out at Google over books deal
Jeff Bezos, chief executive of Amazon.com, has called for Google's book digitisation project to be sent back to regulators. Amazon, and its Kindle digital book device, are right in the centre of Google's crosshairs as it starts to turn its digital book archive into a business. Bezos was asked what he thought of Google's digital …
"....since using the Kindle that he became aware of the failings of old-style books....."
I only became aware of the massive advantages of old-style books once e-versions became de rigeur in the world of IT manuals.
Each to his own I suppose, although I can't help thinking that Mr Bezos' opinion is somewhat coloured by the fact that every time someone buys into his hype and stumps for a Kindle and a load of books for it, his wallet gets heavier.
...what a cock.
Folks have been saying "the book is dead" ever since CDROMs became popular in the early 90s. And they're wrong. Nobody wanted to sit at their desk reading eBooks and nobody wants to sit with e-readers reading whole books all the time. Also, paper books are less likely to be broken/stolen on long journey :)
"Also, paper books are less likely to be broken/stolen on long journey :)"
Do you think there's a market for Kindle covers that look like paperback books? A bit like that trick in old spy/detective novels where you cut the insides out of a book and hide a gun inside, you could disguise your Kindle as a paperback so no-one will pick it up if you forget it. Comes in "Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand, "Courage" by Gordon Brown, and "Dianetics" by L Ron Hubbard flavours for maximum anti-swiping protection.
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He said books: "had a great 500-year run. It’s an unbelievably successful technology. But it’s time to change.”
Surely it is periodicals and newspapers that could do with being retired. Save the planet and all that. Isn't that the point of the wireless connection on the Kindle?
(Or maybe it is to assist you to keep informed of exclusive offers, rather than having to use your old-tech letterbox for delivery. Perhaps it is just cynical to presume that Amazon may also wish to use this technology to "rent" you books at a later date, and do away with those troubling public libraries?)
