Well that was a surprise this morning to wake up to the news (via @guardianbooks on twitter) that Amazon.com had announced that you’d know be able to use the Kindle (their version of an ebook reader) in more than 100 countries. But and there is a but you can only order directly from their US store in dollars, which will make it interesting when it comes to exchange rates and shipping and duty. But even with that overcome, and why they can’t just have a few sat in a UK warehouse is anyone’s guess, there doesn’t seem to be a dedicated UK store.
The other issue with this plan is that most publishers take their territorial rights to books very seriously, which is a reason you can’t take advantage in the UK of Orbit’s $1 ebook deal every month.
I wonder how Amazon.com is going to get around that? How many books will be actually be able to buy in the UK?
Nice editions include subscriptions to The Times and Telegraph but still that’s going to be subject to a fluctuating exchange rate too, right?
Anyway here is the bit off Amazon.co.uk’s front page:
And here is the start of the piece by the bookseller that you probably want to read in full for more details.
Amazon.com has launched an international wireless version of its digital reading device the Kindle, with UK publishers including Atlantic Books, Bloomsbury, Canongate, Faber, Hachette, HarperCollins, and Penguin signed up to make their books available. Random House, however, appears not to have signed an agreement with Amazon.com for the distribution of its content internationally.
Any thoughts or comments?
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