DOJ still not happy with Google’s book scanning
Friday, February 5th, 2010In an encouraging statement the Department of Justice indicates that Google’s revised book scanning settlement still does not satisfy its concerns about creating a would-be monopoly by the internet goliath, stating “The amended settlement agreement still confers significant and possibly anti-competitive advantages on Google as a single entity.” Its really fascinating to me that this [...]
The Big Kindle; a Bibliophile’s Prognosis
Thursday, May 7th, 2009The Buick got bigger. Amazon announced yesterday the release of the new, large format Kindle, specifically designed to appeal to students. Unfortunately, I think that its doomed to fail in the college market – at least on its own merits for three intertwined reasons. As a reader, a book industry guy, and an at-least-one-course-a-year student [...]
As deadline looms, opposition to Google’s book scanning mounts
Monday, April 20th, 2009The Internet Archive has thrown in its opposition to the Google book scanning settlement, requesting they be allowed the “same limitation of potential copyright liability as Google.” In fact, we think that if Google is given this broad indemnity against copyright infringement, every individual and institution in the US should be given the same. The [...]
Google book scanning settlement slowly becoming recognized as monopolistic
Saturday, April 4th, 2009It appears that people are slowly waking up to the realization that the Google book scanning settlement is a really, really bad thing. The head of Harvard’s library system is quoted as saying: “Google will be a monopoly.” We’ve blogged here a few times about the fundamental problems with allowing the Google scanning settlement to [...]
WSJ calls Google book scanning settlement a “rip-off for authors”
Monday, March 30th, 2009The Wall Street Journal is running a well-written and persuasive editorial strongly against the Google book scanning settlement, calling it a “rip-off” for authors. The author warns that we are all on track to become “Google’s data-entry slaves” and that it turns authors “into fully subordinated, last-in-line net residuaries.” Our editorial position is similarly very [...]
Kindle is Heir-Apparent to Betamax
Friday, March 13th, 2009They really just don’t get it. In a move to prevent the possibility that someone could use the Kindle to buy e-books from (gasp!) a retailer other than Amazon, the same had its attorneys contact MobileRead and demand that they remove some user posted scripts that effectively “unlocked” the Kindle so that it could be [...]
Is Kindle the One? being an account of 1983 Buicks and other heresies
Wednesday, August 6th, 2008I know I’m putting myself perilously close to being burned as a heretic, but I have to say that I think the Kindle is pretty good. There. I said it. But, before you cast me into the lake to see if I float, at least give me a chance to prepare my defense. We bought [...]