[stylist] National Federation of the Blind Responds to Authors Guild Statement on the Amazon Kindle 2

[David Andrews]

The Kindle is a small electronic book reading device for the 
sighted.  You buy it $359.  You then purchase and download books 
directly to it from Amazon.com.  The books are in a proprietary 
format for the Kindle and can only be used on it.

The new version has text-to-speech to read its books aloud.  A blind 
person still couldn't use it though as there is no accessible way to 
control it, pick and download books etc.

Dave

At 09:57 PM 2/12/2009, you wrote:
>anybody familiar with Kindle?
>
>does one pay to access the book text before it is read?  I assume if 
>there is payment, some goes to publisher and author.
>
>anybody know if the reading using kindle  puts the text into a file 
>or some portable form?
>
>the release indicates that Kindle is not currently accessible to blind users.
>
>I personally dislike ordering from amazon anyway because their 
>website is so full of crap, adds, lists, it is hard to find the real content.
>jc
>
>Jim Canaday M.A.
>Lawrence, KS
>
>At 09:38 PM 2/12/2009, you wrote:
>>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.
>>
>>
>>_______________________________________________
>>Writers Division web site:
>>http://www.nfb-writers-division.org <http://www.nfb-writers-division.org/>
>>
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>
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