The title that got removed was 1984, you can't make this stuff up

https://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/18/technology/companies/18am...

Totally agree that the optics on this were horrendous. And Amazon admitted as much 13 years ago.

The only slight thing I’ll say in their defense is that since the uploaded (it was through a self-service system) didn’t have the rights to upload those books (essentially, a third-party pirated the book, uploaded it to Amazon’s servers and then sold the book they didn’t have rights to), I understand the thought process that you’d delete and refund. It’s not like this was a legitimate book they removed. It was literally pirated. Removing books from purchaser’s devices was absolutely the wrong move and has created negative PR for Amazon for 13 years because of one bad decision. But Amazon has admitted it was the wrong move and to my knowledge hasn’t done it again.

In fact, there are a number of books I’ve bought from Amazon over the years that are no longer available on Kindle for a variety of reasons (sometimes publishers pull them, sometimes authors) that I can still download retroactively to any of my devices. So if I’m going to be locked into any ecosystem, and this is just me, I’d rather be locked into the ecosystem that has had its DRM cracked pretty succinctly (meaning I can use my purchases on non-Amazon devices or apps) and that has an insanely robust library of books. Oh, and that integrates with my Audible library.

Compare that to iBooks, where the DRM hasn’t been broken (at least, not the current scheme. Some people have had success using insanely old versions of iTunes and DRM rippers from more than a decade ago, but that’s not a reliable or approachable method) and I can’t read any of those books on my Eink devices, or Kobo, which doesn’t have as robust of a library and has always had that weird store-brand Frosted Flakes feeling, and I’m very happy to be inside the Kindle world.

Plus, my Kindle Oasis has truly been a treat. (I said I would never buy one and now have bought two, so jokes on me).

Yeah, which is pretty incredible from PR perspective and I can't believe Amazon let that happen in the first place.

I don't think Amazon actually had a realistic choice there.

The edition of 1984 in question was pirated. Amazon could either remove it, or face a massive fine for distributing pirated material.

Ah, right. Didn't know that!

That's what happens when you design systems with no humans in the loop.

Also, if you buy the one with ads (because it's cheaper), you can literally just go on amazon customer support chat and ask them nicely to turn them off. It's worked for the few kindles I've owned

Honestly, one time is enough.

Really? I guess you don't use Steam either then?

When Steam removes a game, it means they no longer sell it, but they don't remove it from your computer nor stop you from downloading it if you already adquired it.

Typically, yes - but they have also removed games from user libraries, preventing them from ever downloading the game again - exactly like Amazon has done in that one instance with an eBook.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2013/12/30/steam-remov...

My point is - OP said that "once is enough" - well by that metric, I'm asking if they also don't use steam, because Steam has done exactly this at least once in the past.

Can't believe there is such a thing of having an Ereader with ads. Ok it's cheaper but come on, that really shows us how low they think of us. I can understand for a free product but for something you pay ... like seriously!

They're only on the lock screen, never when you're actually reading. I've had the same ad for years (because I use the device with Wi-Fi off) and have no idea what's on it since I never paid any attention.

It's a very clear trade off - you get the device for less money, but you get ads. How is this "how low they think of us"?????

I think this trade off shouldn't exist in the first place.

I know, right? Poorer people should just suck it up instead of having the option to get it cheaper. Wait another month to buy it and don’t offend my aesthetics.

Can you at least upgrade or you get stuck with ads until the end?

You can pay the difference between the ad-supported and ads-free model to get rid of the ads at any point, yet.

Or maybe they could make it cheaper in the first place? They got a lot of profit from the ebooks already.

That's a different argument to the one you were making. And frankly the "why isn't this cheaper, hasn't the company profited enough" argument is never a very compelling one. Amazon isn't a charity.

Why? Do you think companies giving you 10% in exchange for signing up for their newsletter shouldn't be able to do so too?

It's the same thing - you get a discount for signing up to their ads campaign.

Well they already got profits on their bookstore, why would they need to make a version where you got ads on top of that. I guess if we follow your logic they could build phones, consoles and TVs with ads too. I can understand free books with ads but not the hardware/software that reads it.

So that you decide if you want to buy the one with ads (eww, gross!) or the one without ads (woohoo, I beat the system for a tenner!). Meanwhile Amazon are happy you bought one of them rather than deciding to buy one or not.

The ads are the front cover of some other book on the lock screen instead of the one you're reading. I dislike a lot of Amazon's methods but this one scenario is honestly a contender for least invasive advert still in use 2022.

You know, hardware isn't free, right? Each Kindle model requires R&D, design, testing, manufacturing, lots of work to product, beyond the ability to show books. Sure Amazon makes money off the books, too, but those files aren't free to store on a server (and the servers aren't free), or free to send to you over the Internet, and so on. Ads support hardware cost. If you don't want to see ads, buy the one without ads.

Again, if Amazon just said "hey you get £10 off your Kindle purchase if you subscribe to our newsletter", would that be any better?

>>why would they need to make a version where you got ads on top of that

Gee, to make a device cheaper for you.

>>I guess if we follow your logic they could build phones, consoles and TVs with ads too

I mean....yes. I'm just surprised this hasn't happened already.

It has - 5 or so years ago, non-smart TVs were more expensive than the same ones with "smartness".

Wait until you figure out printed books (paperbacks) come with ads too ...

They already do, especially like the travel guides, there are always some ads here and there :|

That was the point. You were being mocked for your naïveté.

Both Kobo and Kindle include ads on their home screen. Heck, they even have complete storefronts built in. While I realize this isn't what most people mean by ads, I'm a bit old fashioned and don't see much of a difference.

If you want something that is truly ad-free, try the KOReader software.