Interesting People mailing list archives
Re: Kindle 2.0
From: David Farber <dave () farber net>
Date: Mon, 9 Feb 2009 14:28:23 -0500
Begin forwarded message: From: "Michael Kende" <Michael.Kende () analysysmason com> Date: February 9, 2009 1:51:30 PM EST To: <dave () farber net> Cc: <zittrain () law harvard edu> Subject: RE: [IP] Kindle 2.0 Interesting question. In my view this should definitely not be limited by regulation, which in some ways would have a perverse effect. The device is aimed to access books, and only access books or other content downloaded from Amazon (or documents sent to the device by the owner). If there was a net neutrality rule requiring access to web sites, this could simply lead to shutting off all web browsing, rather than opening up the browsing, as browsing is clearly a secondary use of the device (indeed, if it is activated today, I haven't tried it). And is it a slippery slope to wonder whether net neutrality could then force open the interface to allow other content to be downloaded? Amazon does not hold itself out as an ISP, and the Kindle is not positioned as a web browser, so setting aside the general merits of net neutrality, I cannot see the benefits of applying it in this case. Michael -----Original Message----- From: David Farber [mailto:dave () farber net] Sent: Monday, February 09, 2009 1:27 PM To: ip Subject: [IP] Kindle 2.0 Begin forwarded message: From: Jonathan Zittrain <zittrain () law harvard edu> Date: February 9, 2009 12:23:23 PM EST To: dave () farber net Subject: Kindle 2.0 [for IP?] Amazon has just introduced its second-generation Kindle book substitute. As a reader, I'm intrigued -- I can download a bunch of books and apparently use it for days without a charge. Looking at the overall IT ecosystem, I'm also intrigued, but for opposite reasons. The downloading takes place over an "EVDO modem with fallback to 1xRTT; utilizes Amazon Whispernet to provide U.S wireless coverage via Sprint's 3G high-speed data network."[1] The connectivity needed to download books and browsing certain other sites is free of charge: "The Kindle Store enables you to download, display and use on your Device a variety of digitized electronic content, such as books, subscriptions to magazines, newspapers, journals and other periodicals, blogs, RSS feeds, and other digital content, [*]as determined by Amazon from time to time[*]."[2] ... "Amazon provides wireless connectivity free of charge to you for certain content shopping and downloading services on your Device. You may be charged a fee for wireless connectivity for your use of other wireless services on your Device, such as Web browsing and downloading of personal files, should you elect to use those services."[3] So there appears to be a more generic Web browser -- how locked down it is I'm not sure, but the overall platform does not allow third party apps, and I wonder if it even allows things like Flash -- and Amazon will charge fees TBD for going outside the sandbox. Suppose that Amazon does indeed get to (1) choose what Web sites its users can visit or (2) choose what Web sites will incur a wireless access fee (to the user). I'm curious whether people think either practice should be banned or limited by regulation, e.g. as a violation of network neutrality. If a standard ISP did this, would it be a problem? Does the fact that Amazon is both ISP and hardware provider make the situation better or worse? At some level a specialized device won't substitute for "standard" Net access and one wouldn't complain about limitations, any more than one complains that standard cable TV service doesn't allow Web surfing, even if the set top box can tune to a handful of specialized Web site front ends for "enhanced" content. (In fact, some televisions themselves now do this, along with Blu-Ray disc players.) On the other hand, it's clearly a platform convergent with everything else -- one could imagine bringing only a Kindle on a trip and managing web and primitive email access from it. I think we'll be faced with more and more of these hybrid Internet appliances. I'm worried about the end of the ethos of the mainstream hobbyist PC -- defined as the general public being able to define what code they want to run, without interference or undue shaping by gatekeepers -- and see appliances (and managed web services like the Facebook and Google apps platforms) as substitutes rather than complements.[4] Best, JZ -- [1] - <http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00154JDAI> [2] - <http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=200144530&#c ontent > [3] - <http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=kin2w_ddp?nodeI d=200144530&#wireless > [4] - <http://www.futureoftheinternet.org> Jonathan Zittrain Professor of Law Harvard Law School | Harvard Kennedy School of Government Co-Founder, Berkman Center for Internet & Society <http://cyber.law.harvard.edu> ------------------------------------------- Archives: https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/247/=now RSS Feed: https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/rss/247/ Powered by Listbox: http://www.listbox.comThis email is confidential and is protected by copyright. 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- Kindle 2.0 David Farber (Feb 09)
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- Re: Kindle 2.0 David Farber (Feb 11)
- Re: Kindle 2.0 David Farber (Feb 12)