[nfbmi-talk] FW: creative writing Kindle book reader fortheblind

David Andrews dandrews at visi.com
Sat Jul 31 02:22:56 UTC 2010


The authors consider the print or electronic book as one product, and 
any audio rendering of the same book as another, and want to be paid.

Dave

At 11:09 PM 7/29/2010, you wrote:
>I have a stupid question. Is there a store I could go to in order to check
>this out when its released? I don't understand how the authors would be
>losing money on a device that is used by everyone including blind folks. The
>only difference would be that it would b reading out loud with the same
>device. Also the books are purchased legally, so I really don't understand
>what the problem is.  I could just as easily purchase a scanner, the book,
>and have it read to me on my laptop or have it uploaded on to my book sense.
>The only difference between what we are doing and what a sighted person is
>doing, and that is  using a synthesizer voice, in order to read these books
>which sin't the best in any case. Also its not like they are modifying the
>book so much that it can't be used by sighted people who are purchasing
>these same books. I don't find it fair, that I should have to wait, while
>others can grab any book they want and read at their lesure.
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org]
>On Behalf Of Fred Wurtzel
>Sent: Thursday, July 29, 2010 10:16 PM
>To: 'NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List'
>Subject: Re: [nfbmi-talk] FW: creative writing Kindle book reader
>fortheblind
>
>Hi,
>
>Here is an article about the new Kindle.  If you read visually, it may be a
>little hard, but if you use a screen reader you won't have a problem.  Sorry
>for the formatting.
>
>Amazon Unveils New Kindle: $139 WiFi-Only Model, $189 With 3G, Available
>August
>
>                                       27th
>
>
>
>    By DEVINDRA HARDAWAR of [4]VentureBeat
>
>
>
>    If you were hoping for a Kindle hardware refresh, today's your lucky
>
>    day. Earlier this evening, Amazon unveiled [5]the latest generation
>
>    Kindle e-book reader -- which offers better contrast, improved speeds,
>
>    lighter weight, and double the storage and battery life, compared to
>
>    the previous model.
>
>
>
>    This time around, Amazon is offering two Kindle models: A $189 version
>
>    with 3G and WiFi to replace the Kindle 2, and a cheaper $139 version
>
>    that only features WiFi. The cheaper model is clearly a response to
>
>    [6]Barnes and Noble's $149 WiFi-only Nook, and it brings Amazon one
>
>    step closer to the magical $99 price-point. Amazon also ended up
>
>    dropping the Kindle's price to $189 back in June when Barnes and Noble
>
>    reduced their Nook 3G model to $199.
>
>
>
>    Both new models are slated for release on August 27th, and are
>
>    [7]available for pre-order now. The company will also release a UK
>
>    version of the device for ?109 and ?149 respectively on the same date,
>
>    and also announced a new UK e-book store.
>
>
>
>    The addition of WiFi is also new for the more expensive Kindle.
>
>    Previous Kindle models relied entirely on cellular data networks --
>
>    first with Sprint's EVDO, and then AT&T's 3G network for the newer
>
>    "international" Kindle 2. The addition will let owners of the new
>
>    Kindle take advantage of their faster home wireless networks, and it
>
>    will be particularly useful if they don't have decent cellular data
>
>    reception near their home or work.
>
>
>
>    The new Kindle will come in graphite (like the [8]Kindle DX) and white
>
>    colors, is 21 percent smaller, and will feature the same 6-inch E Ink
>
>    screen as previous models. While not much has changed with the basic
>
>    screen technology, Amazon promises that page turns will be faster. It
>
>    will run for a month with no wireless capabilities turned on, and 10
>
>    days with wireless. Since you won't always need wireless connectivity,
>
>    real-world battery life will rest somewhere in between those suggested
>
>    battery times. The Kindle's on-board storage has also been doubled from
>
>    2GB to 4GB, which will let it hold up to 3,500 books.
>
>
>
>    Both the Kindle's keyboard and five-way directional rocker have been
>
>    modified. "The rocker is now more compact and flush with the device,
>
>    and the side buttons have been modified in length to emphasize the
>
>    forward paddles, while the back buttons have been downsized,"
>
>    [9]according to Engadget, who had some hands-on time with the device.
>
>
>
>    Amazon also added an "experimental" web browser based on Webkit -- the
>
>    browser engine currently used in Safari and Google Chrome. It's
>
>    purportedly faster than the previous Kindle web browser, and it now
>
>    includes an "article mode" that lets users simplify web pages into
>
>    text-based versions better suited for the Kindle.
>
>
>
>    While the new Kindle's upgrades may seem minor, the most important
>
>    aspect of this release is the cheap $139 model. Only a few months ago,
>
>    the only available Kindle was $259. Soon, you'll be able to get one --
>
>    albeit without 3G internet -- for more than $100 less. It's a sign that
>
>    competition is keeping the e-reader market agile, and that even with
>
>    the advent of the iPad, it's far too early to write off these devices.
>
>
>
>    Check out a video below of Ian Freed, vice president of Kindle at
>
>    Amazon, showing off the new device to [10]the Seattle Times.
>
>
>
>    Tags: [11]ebooks, [12]ereader, [13]kindle
>
>
>
>    Companies: [14]amazon
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org]
>On Behalf Of Ann Petrous
>Sent: Thursday, July 29, 2010 9:01 PM
>To: 'NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List'
>Subject: Re: [nfbmi-talk] FW: creative writing Kindle book reader
>fortheblind
>
>I really hope so. I'm frustrated with the limited amount of books that I
>have access to. I'm a huge fan of books. I can forget about life for a
>while, and go off on adventures, while I'm reading. I love books where i can
>truly care about the characters. I reallyhope this goes through. I'm tired
>of only beign able to read part of a series or having to stop due to the
>poor quality of the books that were scanned.
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org]
>On Behalf Of Fred Wurtzel
>Sent: Thursday, July 29, 2010 7:58 PM
>To: 'NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List'
>Subject: Re: [nfbmi-talk] FW: creative writing Kindle book reader
>fortheblind
>
>Hi Ann,
>
>If things go as advertised, this will, indeed, allow faster and broader
>access to books from Amazon.  According to the release, the menus talk and
>the present inaccessible model would provide Text to Speech (TTS), so the
>new model should do the same.
>
>NFB, as part of the reading rights coalition is working on the copyright
>issue.  The Librarian of Congress just said that blind people must have
>access to all books.  So, J.J.'s point is correct, we will see, but I expect
>that we will see an improvement in access, even if it is an incremental
>gain.  If the machine works, as advertised, we will certainly have more
>books available than we do now.  The quality and quantity is the real
>question.
>
>Warmest Regards,
>
>Fred
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org]
>On Behalf Of Ann Petrous
>Sent: Thursday, July 29, 2010 6:50 PM
>To: 'NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List'
>Subject: Re: [nfbmi-talk] FW: creative writing Kindle book reader
>fortheblind
>
>I see. Well, I hope that it will give us the ability to use it like sighted
>folks. It would be nice to be able to purchase any book I want, and not have
>to wait forver to finish a series or to start one, only to have to wait half
>way through.
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org]
>On Behalf Of J.J. Meddaugh
>Sent: Thursday, July 29, 2010 6:40 PM
>To: NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List
>Subject: Re: [nfbmi-talk] FW: creative writing Kindle book reader
>fortheblind
>
>There's still a long way to go. We'll know more when it's released, but many
>
>publishers still disable TTS access for their titles.
>
>J.J. Meddaugh - ATGuys.com
>A premier Code Factory, KNFB Reader, and Sendero distributor
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Ann Petrous" <annpetrous at gmail.com>
>To: "'NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List'" <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org>
>Sent: Thursday, July 29, 2010 6:20 PM
>Subject: Re: [nfbmi-talk] FW: creative writing Kindle book reader for
>theblind
>
>
> > Does this mean that we will be able to purchase ebooks through amazon and
> > then we would be able to use the kindal? Woot woot and that is a great
> > price
> > this makes me very happy because I will no longer have to wait for books
> > to
> > be uploaded on to bookshare or the NLS website. If this means that I will
> > be
> > able to download and purchase any book I want even on the day of it
> > release,
> > I'm most excited, and say its about time.
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org]
> > On Behalf Of Fred Wurtzel
> > Sent: Thursday, July 29, 2010 5:21 PM
> > To: 'NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List'
> > Subject: [nfbmi-talk] FW: creative writing Kindle book reader for the
> > blind
> >
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: explorations-in-creative-writing at googlegroups.com
> > [mailto:explorations-in-creative-writing at googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of
> > Phil
> > Vlasak
> > Sent: Thursday, July 29, 2010 1:32 PM
> > To: explorations-in-creative-writing at googlegroups.com
> > Subject: creative writing Kindle book reader for the blind
> >
> > Hi Folks,
> > The new Kindle will be more blind friendly than the current version.
> > Kindle Wireless Reading Device,
> > Price: $139.00
> > Our all-new Kindle will be released on August 27th 2010.
> > Read-to-Me
> > With the Text-to-Speech feature, Kindle can read English newspapers,
> > magazines, blogs, and books out loud to you, unless the book's rights
> > holder
> >
> > made the feature unavailable.
> > You can switch back and forth between reading and listening, and your spot
> > is automatically saved. Pages automatically turn while the content is
> > being
> > read, so you can listen hands-free. You can choose from both male and
> > female
> >
> > voices which can be sped up or slowed down to suit your preference. In the
> > middle of a great book or article but have to jump in the car? Simply turn
> > on Text-to-Speech and listen on the go.
> >
> > Voice Guide
> > With Text-to-Speech, Kindle can read out loud to you. New Text-to-Speech
> > enabled menus allow customers to navigate Kindle without having to read
> > menu
> >
> > options. In addition to listening to books aloud, users now have the
> > option
> > of listening to content listings on the home screen, item descriptions,
> > and
> > all menu options.
> > Other features:
> > Wi-Fi, 6 inch Display,
> > Eight adjustable text sizes for comfortable reading
> > Battery Life of Up to One Month with wireless off,
> > Double the Storage - Up to 3,500 Books,
> > Storage approximately 3GB available for user content,
> >
> > Massive Selection,
> > Over 630,000 books,
> > including 109 of 111 New York Times Best Sellers,
> > plus audiobooks, periodicals and blogs.
> > Over 510,000 books are $9.99 or less, including 80 current New York Times
> > Best Sellers.
> >
> > Free, Out-of-Copyright Books
> > Over 1.8 million free, out-of-copyright, pre-1923 books are available such
> > as Pride and Prejudice.
> >
> > Listen to Music & Podcasts
> > Transfer MP3 files to Kindle to play as background music while you read.
> > You
> >
> > can quickly and easily transfer MP3 files via USB by connecting Kindle to
> > your computer.
> >
> > Audio 3.5 mm stereo audio jack, rear-mounted stereo speakers.
> > Content Formats Supported
> > Kindle (AZW), TXT, PDF, Audible (Audible Enhanced (AA, AAX)), MP3,
> > unprotected MOBI, PRC natively; HTML, DOC, JPEG, GIF, PNG,
> > BMP through conversion.
> >
> >

                         David Andrews:  dandrews at visi.com
Follow me on Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/dandrews920





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