amazon is getting sued by a 17 year old (class-action) because they went and deleted a book he had purchased through them. However, it was never disclosed that amazon can just delete books off your kindle. I don't know the details of the case, but personally, why would anyone want an e-reader? Seems to me like this is just another way for companies to control what information gets to where. You have a book, when you're done with it, you can sell it, you can keep it, you can loan it, you can donate it... but obviously you can't with an e-book! I admit, the kindle takes up a LOT less space than books, thus when you have to move and have no books, it is much easier, but on the other hand, if there's one material thing that I think is worth owning it's books. So, thoughts?

cheers,

-avatar!

I believe one of the books that was deleted was "1984." Amazon didn't actually have the rights to distribute the e-book so they "took back" the download and refunded the measly 99 or so cents to those who had downloaded it. And despite what the people on newsvine believe (I go there to watch the left and right beat on one another – rather fun), I really doubt it was part of a conspiracy by the Obama administration.

Personally, the idea of "taking back" a DL does kind of get under my skin. If someone raided my HD for say an mp3, I'd be miffed. Still, I wouldn't buy a DL that I couldn't back up after purchasing - which probably excludes the Kindle (or any similar device) being a future purchase of mine (can you control/back-up the actual e-book files?) This also goes towards stuff like the Virtual Console, rather have an ancient cart than worry about keeping a game on a dedicated system HD (which could fail) and even though you may be able to redownload it via your account it may not carry over to the next generation of consoles.

You can go all into the laws behind intellectual property, this and that, blah, blah, blah, but once I have an mp3 (especially if I did purchase it, which I do anymore) I will do with it as I please - which is why I stay away from iTunes. Hypocritical? Yes, but at the same time I find myself a lot less willing to give people copies of said purchased DLs - why should they get it for free when I didn't? I get a little miffed when someone expects me to spend the time dubbing a $90, 14-dvd set for them just so they can avoid paying for something. Hear me Dayton?

(P.S. Dayton is no one on this board, just so we're clear, but I just had to vent that... I mean I have no life but I'm going through that much trouble)

Despite the misgivings surrounding the Kindle (high device and content price, and now this new bit of controversy), it's still an awfully slick device to use.  I was able to borrow a co-worker's for a week, and I took the test-run opportunity to read through a number of Sherlock Holmes stories, and Gaiman's Coraline and The Graveyard Book.  It's user-friendly, and the portability factor is incredibly attractive; just the knowledge that I was touting around Doyle's Complete Holmes Collection, as well as the Lord of The Rings Trilogy, War & Peace, and a dozen Stephen King and Michael Crichton novels in a device that takes up a fraction of my messenger bag..... well, it's ridiculously cool.

If the Kindle becomes more affordable in the coming years, I can totally see me becoming a convert.

And here I thought you meant the Nintendo e-reader, which I have and used to get items in Animal Crossing and extra levels for Mario 3.

Was thinking the same thing.

Same here.

...I got my e-reader for Christmas one year. Never used it. Thought it was a super lame idea.

I'd love to get one of these e-book thingies.

I know having physical books has its merits (you can highlight in it, copy it, etc).  But books are heavy.  Shipping a 2000 page/200 lb. textbook costs an arm and a leg at the post office.

The Sony E-reader is supposedly able to download Google Books (mostly classic books whose copyright have already expired).

And now Barnes and Nobles has their own e-book system.
You can download to Ipod or computer, but you're not allowed to print which sucks.

If all books had the option of either electronic (PDF,etc.) or hc/paperback version,
I'd be tempted to go all the electronic versions.

That makes 4 of us, apparently.
Never got to try it though.
How are those new Mario 3 levels?