I can't decide whether or not to buy an Amazon Kindle. Having replaced all my CDs with digital files on my iPhone and similar, it seems like a good idea to save shelf space (and trips to Ikea to buy the shelves) by using digital books, too.
But there's something a bit creepy about claims that Kindle 'phones home' to Amazon to report on a regular basis ... Apparently, it doesn't just record what I read, but how long I spend on each page of a book, and whether I highlight text, or make notes ...
And the new 'Silk' browser for the Amazon Kindle 'Fire' will know even more: not just about the books I read, but the web pages I visit, and the prices that others quote for the things I'm interested in, and which Amazon might want to sell to me...
It's true that other browser suppliers could do the same data-mining; but, so far, they haven't and - unlike Amazon - they don't already have my credit card details on file!
Here's a guide to e-book privacy.
How much loss of privacy is convenience and space-saving worth?
Get more like this
But there's something a bit creepy about claims that Kindle 'phones home' to Amazon to report on a regular basis ... Apparently, it doesn't just record what I read, but how long I spend on each page of a book, and whether I highlight text, or make notes ...
And the new 'Silk' browser for the Amazon Kindle 'Fire' will know even more: not just about the books I read, but the web pages I visit, and the prices that others quote for the things I'm interested in, and which Amazon might want to sell to me...
It's true that other browser suppliers could do the same data-mining; but, so far, they haven't and - unlike Amazon - they don't already have my credit card details on file!
Here's a guide to e-book privacy.
How much loss of privacy is convenience and space-saving worth?
Get more like this
