Kindle Review – Kindle Fire Review, Kindle 4 Review

Via TeleRead, here’s an excerpt of a letter that a collation of 9 disability organizations sent to publishers regarding Text To Speech (the highlights are mine) -

We are even more appalled to learn that Amazon, under pressure, would henceforth allow publishers and authors at their whim to withdraw mainstream access to electronic books for those requiring aural access.  This seems especially ironic in the wake of the proposed Google-AAP settlement, which guarantees mainstream access (including persons with disabilities) to all copyrighted books that are not currently offered for sale.  We are saddened to see that Random House has now instructed that text-to-speech be disabled for all devices that read electronic books.  For a terribly long time those with print disabilities have been consigned to alternative formats with limited choices on expensive special purpose machines.  Now that the opportunity for mainstream access to books on equal terms is possible, this community will not allow publishers and authors to deny them the right to read.

Let me be very clear that I am totally in favor of accessibility. It’s just that this letter completely misses the point -

1. Its really not fair to blame Amazon, especially given that they built the Text To Speech feature and that they’re making the Kindle 2′s navigation accessible. Amazon aren’t allowing anything – they have to honor audio-book rights, and can’t be expected to get into a huge legal battle for the feature. 
2. No idea why you would hold up Google as an example. Let me get this straight – Amazon has made a great reading device with great selection of books and text to speech. Plus they’re adding navigation accessibility and you’re chiding them and giving them the example of a company that has an ‘agreement’ that isn’t even court approved that MIGHT lead to accessible books.
3. That last sentence in the excerpt gets it wrong. Publishers and authors have copyright over their works and they don’t need you to allow them anything.

This letter from the collation of nine disability organizations totally misses the concept of win-win. Here are a few points they should consider -

1. Publishers are not going to allow Text To Speech rights until you show them what’s in it for them. Or take them to court. The former will obviously work better than the latter, and quicker.  
2. By attacking Amazon you’re showing people what happens to companies that actually do something to help you.

The Kindle 2 is a great, great opportunity for low vision and blind people and it’d be beautiful to see lots more people being able to read again. However, there’s no place for a sense of entitlement and the lack of appreciation for what Amazon is doing disappoints me.

Filed under: thoughts Tagged: | kindle 2, kindle 2 text to speech