Even without new experiments like Seth Godin’s Domino Project, that will push the limits of what an e-book is, there is already fallout from the fungible nature of an medium. Take the email I just got from Amazon:
Greetings from Amazon.com.
We’re writing about your past Kindle purchase of Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain. The version you received contained some errors that have been corrected.
An updated version of Kitchen Confidential (ASIN:B002UM5BXW) is now available. It’s important to note that when we send you the updated version, you will no longer be able to view any highlights, bookmarks, and notes made in your current version and your furthest reading location will be lost.
If you wish to receive the updated version, please reply to this email with the word “Yes” in the first line of your response. Within 2 hours of receiving the e-mail any device that has the title currently downloaded will be updated automatically if the wireless is on.
You can find more information about Kindle related topics at our Kindle support site below.
http://www.amazon.com/kindlesupportWe apologize for any inconvenience caused and thank you for your business with Amazon.
Sincerely,
Customer Service Department
Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com
This pretty well sucks for me. I’m about halfway through the book and have noticed a wealth of typos. But I’ve also highlighted a half-dozen passages and made several notes, which I don’t want to lose. And just how far-reaching are these changes? Is a whole chapter missing or are these spelling corrections?
It’s not just the Kindle either. This is the second time in three months I’ve gotten this message in iBooks:
Pain. In. The. Ass.
And yes, I am using both apps, as well as the new Google eBookstore — It is because of vagaries in selection and differences in pricing between the vendors. I find it ludicrous that there is no reader app which will let me at least consolidate my library listing, as I can never remember which book is on which “shelf.” (There is at least a nice webapp to compare price and selection.)
I’m most annoyed by this because I so love my e-books. I read 3x more since getting my iPad. But it might be 6x if not for these growing pains. There’s a long way to go, especially in terms of stability and data preservation.
Related articles
- Amazon Announces Magazines and Newspapers for Kindle Apps (geardiary.com)
- Writing, Amazon.com, & Personal Branding Success in 2011 (personalbrandingblog.com)
- Amazon’s latest Kindle deletion: erotic, incest-themed fiction (arstechnica.com)
- Google eBookstore: Another new way to Read? (coolcatteacher.blogspot.com)
- Thoughts on Kindle Store, rival book stores, formats (ireaderreview.com)
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