Some news in the world of ebooks

I’m back to the world of e-publishing today.  Not too much has changed since my last post on the topic.  Here’s a rundown of the biggies:

If you haven’t yet heard, Amazon took a drastic (and highly suspect) step over the weekend against Macmillan, a publishing house.  Essentially, in a disagreement over the pricing of Macmillan ebooks on Amazon — Macmillan wanting to charge more than usual $9.99 — Amazon simply removed all Macmillan books from their website.

Ok, that’s a bit harsh, but so what, right?  Well, the plot the thickens.

After removing all these books from their store, Amazon proceeded to remove all copies of Macmillan samples from people’s Kindles.  In other words, if you had downloaded a sample chapter of, let’s say, Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game, then it would have magically disappeared by Sunday.  Um, does that sound illegal to anyone else?

I don’t know if it actually is illegal, but the invasion of privacy sounds to me like…well…  It sounds a bit sinister and sci-fi, don’t ya think?

In other news, the fabulous, new, life-changing — nay, world-changing iPad has been announced.  To be honest, I’m disappointed.  I was hoping for a device to rival the other e-readers on the market, but alas, it doesn’t even have the easy-reading technology.  It seems to be a glorified hybrid of an iphone and a laptop.  Well, I don’t need a phone, and I have a laptop.  I just want a device on which I can read all my ebooks and pdfs.  So, sorry iPad, but rather than wait for you, I will be getting a Kindle.

Yes, even though Amazon wishes to brainwash me and control my reading-content, I still want it more than an iPad.  Eye-strain…it’s a valid concern.

HOWEVER, it must be noted that Apple has made strides in terms of the ebook market.  In addition to having its own ebook store, the iPad will also be compatible with Kindle books (thanks to Kindle apps for iPhone).  But, I still think that the Kindle will be bought by book lovers (since we want a device for reading…that’s really it) while the iPad will go to all the other people (who want applications for other stuff).

Um, but there are probably more of those other people, right?  Well, no fear.  Amazon will find some way to combat the threat of fewer sales.

And just one more point: what idiot chose the name iPad?  Did no women step forward at Apple and say, “That sounds like a feminine product.”  It’s on the mind of every female: iPad looks way too much like Maxi Pad.

I’m just sayin’, is all.

-S.