Amazon powers publishers and writers to disable Kindle 2 text to speech function

Amazon powers publishers and writers to disable Kindle 2 text to speech function

Amazon.com has announced that they are changing a new feature introduced in the Kindle 2 ebook reader.

Publishers and writers can now disable the text-to-speech function on their books if they so desire.

This feature was criticized by the Authors Guild which claimed that Amazon had no right to convert their ebooks into audio books.

Paul Aiken, executive director of the Authors Guild had this to say: “They created a hybrid product. It was being used in a way they had not been given permission for.”

Amazon however said that the new change does not really mean that they agree with this sentiment.

Amazon said: “Kindle 2’s experimental text-to-speech feature is legal: no copy is made, no derivative work is created and no performance is being given. Nevertheless, we strongly believe many rights holders will be more comfortable with the text-to-speech feature if they are in the driver’s seat.”