Random House now disabling text-to-speech function of Kindle e-books

The much-touted and extremely controversial story of the text-to-speech function of Amazon's Kindle 2 could fill a very large e-book. The tale continues to get longer still, as at least one major publisher -- Random House -- has thrown the dreaded "kill switch" on about 40 of its titles, including authors such as Toni Morrison, and, ironically, Stephen King (who you will remember was part of the Kindle 2's launch). Random House disabled the function without much fanfare, or an official announcement, but you can be sure this isn't the final chapter.

[lxuke @ May 14th 2009 9:51PM]

READ ME A BED TIME STORY TOM!

[Gamoe @ May 14th 2009 9:53PM]

This is all pretty ridiculous and petty.

[fanman @ May 15th 2009 2:51AM]

Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the death of the entertainment industry volume two: return of the greed.

[Roman @ May 14th 2009 9:58PM]

so random of them..

[Forcewinder @ May 14th 2009 10:52PM]

+1 That made me chuckle.

[digitallysick @ May 14th 2009 10:02PM]

Of course, because blind people are a good market and if we just give them the book without charging extra for the reading feature, then we don't exploit them to their full potential

[Joseph @ May 14th 2009 10:35PM]

Show me a blind person using a Kindle 2. I want to see them browse the Amazon store, download a book, and use the text-to-speech feature.

[Richard @ May 14th 2009 11:19PM]

To be legally blind you don't have to be completely lights-out, just have really poor vision. So, there are many blind people using the Kindle. Many people that fit in that category were posting on the official Amazon boards about how happy they were to see a text-to-speech feature included for them or their relatives.

[Chris @ May 15th 2009 11:52AM]

You must not get around much. There are actually far more "legally blind" folks out there than totally blind. These people would already be drawn to the Kindle for it's ability to enlarge text (large text editions are hard to find and expensive - taxing people for their disabilities). These people would have plenty of need for TTS to take over for them when their eyes get tired or the headaches come.

The jerk at Random House who made this call should be taken to a public square and flogged.

[GadgetNut @ May 15th 2009 3:18AM]

They should at least make exceptions to legally blind Kindle owners since they cannot fully benefit from reading text. This is whacked!

[Elodie @ May 15th 2009 6:53AM]

But if you are blind enough for reading to be annoying, why on earth would you buy an ebook instead of an audiobook?

[Andrew Timson @ May 15th 2009 9:08AM]

@Elodie Many more books get ebook releases than audiobook releases (especially unabridged).

[Ethan @ May 14th 2009 10:04PM]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BD1TRm0cZ5k

All this hearing is really just reading for lazy people!

[insky @ May 14th 2009 10:15PM]

He made that show...the last season wasn't even the same without him. I can see why they decided to end it after that.

[Plothole @ May 14th 2009 10:09PM]

How long do you suppose it'll take before they're pressured into reversing this decision?

[CH3BURASHKA @ May 14th 2009 10:35PM]

Hopefully a week or less after the blind peoples' organizations start making noise.

[paul34 @ May 14th 2009 11:35PM]

Never. Publishers have continued unchallenged for many decades, possibly centuries. The time for someone to stand up to their bullying ways is long overdue. And there's no revenge like the free market taking you apart.

Once the e-book reader field gets more populated, we'll see more user hacks and then the publishers should REALLY have a fun time then (snicker).

[Harkonian @ May 15th 2009 11:37AM]

Attention Random House Asshats: I will not purchase another random house book or ebook until this decision is reversed.

[CraigJ @ May 14th 2009 10:28PM]

Are they going to send someone the the random blind person's house to put a gag in the mouth of someone reading a book to said blind person as well?

[CH3BURASHKA @ May 14th 2009 10:33PM]

Dicks. Yet another example of the dudes with the suits just not getting it.

[nDy @ May 14th 2009 10:37PM]

Don't sell one then.
Joking.
How about giving an option to add TTS for the books

Like
W/read
or not.

Audible should not be the only one that speaks.

[Gnaget @ May 14th 2009 11:08PM]

Because charging more to flip a bit saying a computer is allowed to synthesize a voice is just plain wrong. This should be a non-issue, and amazon should have fought it. It is ok to read a book out loud, but have a computer do it, and suddenly you are infringing upon copyright?

[John @ May 15th 2009 12:05AM]

Do you think Amazon doesn't know this is a load of shit? It just comes down to that the Author's Guild has all the leverage with this because Amazon has an unproven platform. Amazon's just repeating their line because it's all they can do. If Amazon ever gains an iTunes like grasp on distribution, then they'll have the leverage to improve things for users.

[h_2_o @ May 14th 2009 10:38PM]

who really uses the txt to speech function really, give the kindle a native pdf reader then progress will start to be made.

[Kevin @ May 15th 2009 12:38PM]

I use the tts feature. I do a lot of driving, so I pipe it into my car stereo. When I'm stationary I read it myself on the Kindle or iPhone.

[MonkeyHood @ May 15th 2009 5:08PM]

Legally blind people.

[juanlee337 @ May 14th 2009 10:41PM]

esting

[juanlee337 @ May 14th 2009 10:42PM]

test

[juanlee337 @ May 14th 2009 10:42PM]

wtf

[CraigJ @ May 14th 2009 10:50PM]

You're doing it wrong

[Tohe @ May 14th 2009 10:45PM]

Amazon should label those ebooks that have text to speech disable. I certainly would like to know before I buy an ebook for my kindle. Perhaps once publishers see their sales decline, they will come around.

[Tagbert @ May 15th 2009 10:37AM]

Amazon IS putting a label on the ebooks with TTS disabled.

[Tohe @ May 15th 2009 5:32PM]

Right now they have "tags" I'd like to see a proper label.

[drdonnaknight @ May 14th 2009 11:07PM]

Good! I'll be adding Random House to my publisher sh*t list. If they don't want my money, that's fine with me.

[K4Lic0 @ May 14th 2009 10:55PM]

Can someone explain to me why they would want to disable this feature? I haven't really been following this particular story. It seems pointless to want to disable this feature.

[Link2877 @ May 14th 2009 10:58PM]

Some BS about how it will cut into publishers audio book sales.

[Chris Are @ May 15th 2009 2:04AM]

Ok well attitudes like that aren't going to get anyone anywhere- as said before, it's a billion-dollar industry. I don't think it's right, but it's not "b.s." They're losing money on it. But I agree w/ an above comment: label them as such, and hopefully they'll lose a little money in sales.

[bjnicholls @ May 15th 2009 1:02AM]

I think this calls for a big ADA accessibility lawsuit on behalf of sight-impaired Kindle buyers who could really benefit from text-to-voice. Since it's the publishers who hit the kill switch, they should be taken to court.

[chris @ May 14th 2009 11:02PM]

You can buy it but you can only keep it here, and for this long, and only play it on this and not that.

I've tried to give them my money in the past but I find it much easier to just download it and do what I please.
Make it easy and I don't mind paying. Make it hard AND add BS terms of use then FU.

[Gnaget @ May 14th 2009 11:02PM]

Just bought my kindle today actually, will be getting it tomorrow. Now, I know what publisher not to buy. Rip me off, I rip you off, only fair

[Roger Bly @ May 15th 2009 12:08PM]

I'm a big kindle fan/user, but i'm not a big fan of the text-to-speech. I understand this is a big issue for the visually impaired. I use the text-to-speech in the car occasionally to read me newspapers and books, but honestly it gives me a headache after 30 min.

In the car, I much prefer audio books on the iphone.

[Richard @ May 14th 2009 11:21PM]

So... don't piss them off, make annoying posts like this, and try to stay on their good side.

[GregoryD @ May 15th 2009 1:30AM]

This is PURE double dipping. There's no other way to rationally describe it.

They want you to buy the book, and then buy the audio book if you want it read to you.

[jallis @ May 15th 2009 1:17AM]

i am legally blind and do to this crap i have to use audiobooks..ugh.... i was really disappointed in amazon for not standing up to the publishers. i guess the blind and the legally blind get screwed again. thanks amazon, thanks apple, thanks random house.
greed.... thats what it is all about...pretty sad

[Bill @ May 15th 2009 7:06AM]

Now you can buy all the Random House books you want for your Kindle, claim you're legally blind, and demand Amazon refund you on each because the text-to-speech feature is disabled on those books.

Lots of free books for Kindle owners with no scruples...

[Nicole @ May 15th 2009 8:13AM]

Not only is killing the text to speech program unreasonable for visually impaired people, think about seniors. And in fact, those with reading disabilities. I have a 14 year old son, that would benefit greatly from using a Kindle for textbooks and required reading. Technology like this would help him greatly, yet, once again, there's a barrier to getting these types of services.

[Walt @ May 15th 2009 8:25AM]

Very rarely, I like the opportunity to listen to a few pages of a book that I am reading on Kindle, such as when I am in my car. The synthesized voice is not great, so this has led me to purchase a couple of audio books, which I had never done before. However, I don't want to buy a $40 audiobook to just listen to 5 minutes of the book. Also, it is difficult to sync up an audiobook to the spot where you left off in the kindle.

This was a nice little feature that probably would have increased audiobook sales. Now Random House shoots itself in the foot. Using DRM to screw legitimate customers is a LOSE.

[Kevin @ May 15th 2009 12:43PM]

I agree. I will buy fewer books if this feature is not available. This is because I read in my spare time, and if I can't listen in the car I don't have that much spare time.

[Windhawk @ May 15th 2009 8:32AM]

SHAME on Amazon for caving. This is a bad precedent.

[Mojo_Yugen @ May 15th 2009 9:07AM]

Well I'm sure Random House will be lowering their prices to reflect the reduced value of their Kindle books. I mean they would have to be colossal douche bags not to.

Right?

Anyone?

Anyone?

Why are you all laughing?