Remote Kill Flags Surface In Kindle 630
PL/SQL Guy writes "The Kindle has a number of 'remote kill' flags built in to the hardware that, among other things, allow the text-to-speech function to be disabled at any time on a book-by-book basis. 'Beginning yesterday, Random House Publishers began to disable text-to-speech remotely. The TTS function has apparently been remotely disabled in over 40 works so far.' But what no one at Amazon will discuss is what other flags are lurking in the Kindle format: is there a 'read only once' flag? A 'no turning the pages backwards' flag?"
First post flag! (Score:5, Funny)
They asked for it (Score:5, Funny)
tags are in the books (Score:3, Funny)
Unless they upload a replacement, the book would have to have all the possible tags attached. I'm assuming the books are on the device itself. Obviously, I don't know enough about the Kindle2.
The Flag That Cannot Be Named (Score:5, Funny)
But what no one at Amazon will discuss is what other flags are lurking in the Kindle format: is there a "read only once" flag?
No. But there inside your home on your desk inside your kindle is a flag so vile, so full of hatred, so very <insert your opposing political party here> that when activated it will only let you read books from Oprah's Book Club.
Hey, it's me pot! Over here with kettle! (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Flags (Score:5, Funny)
Clearly you're new here - the "baseless speculation" bit is implicitly set on all stories.
Solution (Score:4, Funny)
Buy a real book and then have it read to you by your girlfr... oh, wait, this is Slashdot. Ignore me :)
Re:I'm done with Amazon (Score:5, Funny)
Sounds like canceling an AOL account in the '90s.
Re:tags are in the books (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Lawsuit? (Score:2, Funny)
Can't one of those Blind Advocacy groups sue them for discrimination?
They would if they could see the article.
And that's why my Kindle's flag... (Score:4, Funny)
And that's why my Kindle's flag will be a Jolly Roger.
You Don't Own MY Works. (Score:5, Funny)
This is my post. I wrote it. Is is a creative and inventive work which benefits society at large. Moreover, it is a concrete example of intellectual property. This post, that you are reading right now, belongs to me. It is mine.
This post is mine in the same way that my house, or car or clothes are mine. These words that I have written are given as much protection as freedom of speech or to vote. They need it. If just anyone is allowed to come along and copy them, or alter them, or include them in another work without my permission, then it will be as though my right to speak freely has been taken away, or I have been disenfranchised.
If someone else reads these words without paying me, or worse sells them to others to read, I will have been robbed. It will be as if my home was burned down, or my family sold into slavery. An injustice of the highest order.
These words need protections. Strong protections. This post needs to be defended, even as it is copied endless and effortlessly across millions of computers, each recopying it hundreds of times, at negligible expense. The worth of these words is worth more than all the bits it occupies in cyberspace. Indeed, their worth is worth more than the worth of cyberspace, and even society itself.
For if these words, if this post cannot be afforded the most stringent, uncompromising and sacred protection that our society has to offer, then our society will not be worth the bits it is represented on. The reality of digital worldwide transmission must not be allowed to compromise the most fundamental rights we have. The protection of this post is a challenge which our civilization must meet, or else our civilization must fall.
This post and all related materials, Copyright © ObsessiveMathsFreak 2009.
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memento flag (Score:5, Funny)
the memento flag:
you can only read the chapters once and in reverse order only.
the pulp fiction flag:
chapter order is randomized
the Bedazzled flag:
last page is missing in mystery novels
the pat robertson flag:
all naughty words like "gay" and "damn" are changed to "homo" and "golly"
they also introduced several modes:
leet speak mode:
so your p4r3nts can't read over your shoulder.
The beevis and bottomhead flag:
all accidental double entedres are bolded (heh heh).
Ascii art mode
speed reading mode: the words disappear from the page at defined rate.
Controverial undocumented ebonics and hot coffee modes.
Can we get a white flag? (Score:2, Funny)
Re:We need a "sensationalist" tag (Score:5, Funny)
Do we need a "sensationalist" tag? Is CmdrTaco abusing his power as editor? What's stopping him from using these powers to spy on your Slashdot viewing habits? Will he kill your family and steal your very soul through your nose? And what about his wife? Why don't we ever hear about her? What's she got to hide?
All very suspicious. Terrifying, you might say...
Re:tags are in the books (Score:3, Funny)
Yes. Great point.
If you have something against class action lawsuits or "ambulance
chasers" then feel free to have this stuff litigated on your own
dime. You will be paying something on the order of $200/hr - $500/hr
minimum and there will be lots of labor involved.
Re:First post flag! (Score:5, Funny)
I am kinda glad they are doing this remotely. I'd be upset if an Amazon SWAT team broke into my house and physically disabled my Kindle.
--
Slow Poke [pair.com]
Re:Flags (Score:5, Funny)
From his UID, I'd say he was half as new as you :)
Re:They asked for it (Score:3, Funny)
Phone books? I can't seem to find any other use for them other than kindling for my fireplace, and yet I continue to receive about 6 or 7 of them a year.
Re:They asked for it (Score:1, Funny)
Re:They asked for it (Score:1, Funny)
I guess then we'll have to fallback to "Son¥" right ?