I found the appropriate subject for the first post to Book Revu: I read here earlier today that the online mega bookseller Amazon.com is “yielding to concerns of authors by letting them selectively silence a read-aloud feature in Kindle 2 electronic book readers…”
The Authors Guild position is not unreasonable. While “talking books” may fill the needs of those who are unable to access print material because they are blind, visually impaired or maybe downright illiterate, Amazon’s Kindle 2 effectively audiomates copyrighted work without the prior consent and permission of the respective authors.
By allowing authors the choice of silencing Kindle 2′s “read to me” feature, Amazon can dull the criticism that it unilaterally sought to create an audio book, thereby bundling the latter with its multi-million dollar e-book business. There is also the question of spearheading another claim, print disability, under the Americans with Disabilities Act, however that is the subject of another post in a different forum.
