[Dtb-talk] National Federation oftheBlind RespondstoAuthorsGuild Statement on the Amazon Kindle 2

Sat Feb 14 00:55:29 UTC 2009

Ok but that would void the devices warranty.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Robert Jaquiss" <rjaquiss at earthlink.net>
To: "Discussion of Digital Talking Books" <dtb-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, February 13, 2009 12:51 PM
Subject: Re: [Dtb-talk] National Federation oftheBlind 
RespondstoAuthorsGuild Statement on the Amazon Kindle 2

> Hello:
>
>     Being curious, I did a Google search with the terms; hacking Kindle. I 
> came across a guy who managed to access the Kindle's OS and who explains 
> how to work with it.
>
> Regards,
>
> Robert
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "David B Andrews" <David.B.Andrews at state.mn.us>
> To: "Discussion of Digital Talking Books" <dtb-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Friday, February 13, 2009 10:41 AM
> Subject: Re: [Dtb-talk] National Federation of theBlind 
> RespondstoAuthorsGuild Statement on the Amazon Kindle 2
>
>
>> The Kindle is a small, portable ebook reader device from amazon.com.  It
>> downloads books, in a proprietary format from amazon.com and allows a
>> sighted person to read them on its small screen.
>>
>> Dave
>>
>>
>>
>> David Andrews
>> Chief Technology Officer
>> Minnesota State Services for the Blind
>> 2200 University Ave. W., #240
>> St. Paul, MN  55114-1840
>> (651) 642-0513  Office
>> (612) 730-7931  Cell
>> (651) 649-5927  Fax
>>
>>
>>>>> "Anthony Vece" <ajvece at verizon.net> 2/13/2009 9:26 AM >>>
>>   Pardon my ignorance but, what is Kindle and, how does it differ from
>> NLS
>> or Bookshare.
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>>
>> Anthony
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Fred Wurtzel" <f.wurtzel at comcast.net>
>> To: "'Discussion of Digital Talking Books'" <dtb-talk at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Friday, February 13, 2009 9:37 AM
>> Subject: Re: [Dtb-talk] National Federation of the Blind Responds
>> toAuthorsGuild Statement on the Amazon Kindle 2
>>
>>
>>> Hi,
>>>
>>> Do you have contact details?
>>>
>>> Thanks.
>>>
>>> Warm Regards,
>>>
>>> Fred
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: dtb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org
>> [mailto:dtb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>>> Behalf Of rick watson
>>> Sent: Friday, February 13, 2009 7:15 AM
>>> To: 'Discussion of Digital Talking Books'
>>> Subject: Re: [Dtb-talk] National Federation of the Blind Responds to
>>> AuthorsGuild Statement on the Amazon Kindle 2
>>>
>>> Good morning listers,
>>> I would like to urge everyone to contact technical support for the
>> kindle
>>> and ask that the menus be made usable through the text-to-speech
>> engine.
>>> The technician whom I spoke with said that he would pass along this
>>> information. This is an opportunity for us as visually impaired
>> people to
>>> get access to a wide range of books. There are currently 230000
>> books
>>> available for purchase on kindle's site.
>>> Rick
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: dtb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org
>> [mailto:dtb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>>> Behalf Of Freeh, Jessica (by way of David Andrews
>> <dandrews at visi.com>)
>>> Sent: Thursday, February 12, 2009 10:38 PM
>>> To: david.andrews at nfbnet.org
>>> Subject: [Dtb-talk] National Federation of the Blind Responds to
>> Authors
>>> Guild Statement on the Amazon Kindle 2
>>>
>>> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
>>>
>>> CONTACT:
>>> Chris Danielsen
>>> Director of Public Relations
>>> National Federation of the Blind
>>> (410) 659-9314, extension 2330
>>> (410) 262-1281 (Cell)
>>> <mailto:cdanielsen at nfb.org>cdanielsen at nfb.org
>>>
>>> National Federation of the Blind Responds to Authors Guild
>>> Statement on the Amazon Kindle 2
>>>
>>> Baltimore, Maryland (February 12, 2009): The National Federation of
>>> the Blind, the largest organization of blind people in the United
>>> States, today responded to a statement put out by the Authors Guild
>>> advising its members to consider negotiating contracts prohibiting
>>> e-books to be read aloud by the new Amazon Kindle 2, which
>>> incorporates text-to-speech technology. The Authors Guild argues
>> that
>>> the reading of a book out loud by a machine is a copyright
>>> infringement unless the copyright holder has specifically granted
>>> permission for the book to be read aloud.
>>>
>>> Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind,
>>> said: "The National Federation of the Blind supports all
>> technologies
>>> that allow blind people to have better access to the printed word,
>>> including the ability of devices like the Kindle 2 to read
>> commercial
>>> e-books aloud using text-to-speech technology. Although the Authors
>>> Guild claims that it supports making books accessible to the blind,
>>> its position on the inclusion of text-to-speech technology in the
>>> Kindle 2 is harmful to blind people. The Authors Guild says that
>>> having a book read aloud by a machine in the privacy of one's home
>> or
>>> vehicle is a copyright infringement. But blind people routinely use
>>> readers, either human or machine, to access books that are not
>>> available in alternative formats like Braille or audio. Up until
>> now,
>>> no one has argued that this is illegal, but now the Authors Guild
>>> says that it is. This is absolutely wrong. The blind and other
>>> readers have the right for books to be presented to us in the format
>>> that is most useful to us, and we are not violating copyright law as
>>> long as we use readers, either human or machine, for private rather
>>> than public listening. The key point is that reading aloud in
>> private
>>> is the same whether done by a person or a machine, and reading aloud
>>> in private is never an infringement of copyright.
>>>
>>> "Amazon has taken a step in the right direction by including
>>> text-to-speech technology for reading e-books aloud on its new
>> Kindle
>>> 2," Dr. Maurer continued. "We note, however, that the device itself
>>> cannot be used independently by a blind reader because the controls
>>> to download a book and begin reading it aloud are visual and
>>> therefore inaccessible to the blind. We urge Amazon to rectify this
>>> situation as soon as possible in order to make the Kindle 2 a device
>>> that truly can be used both by blind and sighted readers. By doing
>>> so, Amazon will make it possible for blind people to purchase a new
>>> book and begin reading it immediately, just as sighted people do."
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ###
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> About the National Federation of the Blind
>>>
>>> With more than 50,000 members, the National Federation of the Blind
>>> is the largest and most influential membership organization of blind
>>> people in the United States. The NFB improves blind people's lives
>>> through advocacy, education, research, technology, and programs
>>> encouraging independence and self-confidence. It is the leading
>> force
>>> in the blindness field today and the voice of the nation's blind. In
>>> January 2004 the NFB opened the National Federation of the Blind
>>> Jernigan Institute, the first research and training center in the
>>> United States for the blind led by the blind.
>>>
>>>
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