YOU DON’T HAVE A RIGHT
PRINT IS DEAD
February 2, 2009BEST ROBOTS OF 2008
February 18, 2009This is sort of interesting:
New Kindle Audio Feature causes a stir (WSJ)
Kindle 2 is smaller than the first version of the product.The new device also features a five-way navigation element, faster wireless service for downloading books and the ability to wirelessly sync between Kindles and cellphones.
Some publishers and agents expressed concern over a new, experimental feature that reads text aloud with a computer-generated voice.
“They don’t have the right to read a book out loud,” said Paul Aiken, executive director of the Authors Guild. “That’s an audio right, which is derivative under copyright law.”
An Amazon spokesman noted the text-reading feature depends on text-to-speech technology, and that listeners won’t confuse it with the audiobook experience. Amazon owns Audible, a leading audiobook provider.
Is reading a book a derivative work? How can we even make sense of ‘derivative works’ when dealing with digital technologies?
