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Amazon now offering Kindle ebooks update as opt-in

I just got this email today (Mike Cane received a similar one yesterday). What’s most interesting about this is that Amazon used to simply push the updated version of the ebook. They’ve never asked before.

Greetings from Amazon.com.

We’re writing about your past Kindle purchase of XXX (I’d rather not have you find out I read romance novels). The version you received contained some errors that have been corrected.

An updated version of XXX  is now available. It’s important to note that when we send you the updated version, you will no longer be able to view any highlights, bookmarks, and notes made in your current version and your furthest reading location will be lost.

If you wish to receive the updated version, please reply to this email with the word “Yes” in the first line of your response. Within 2 hours of receiving the e-mail any device that has the title currently downloaded will be updated automatically if the wireless is on.

You can find more information about Kindle related topics at our Kindle support site below.

http://www.amazon.com/kindlesupport

We apologize for any inconvenience caused and thank you for your business with Amazon.

Sincerely,
Customer Service Department
Amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com

Has anyone gotten one of these emails yet? Any ideas on Amazon changed their policy?

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Comments


Mike Cane January 20, 2011 um 9:22 am

I’ve had tweets and maybe even one Comment saying this isn’t new. I guess others have bought books that needed updating earlier and have already been getting such emails.


Dan January 20, 2011 um 9:26 am

I’ve gotten 3-5 of these kinds of emails in the past few months.


Chris January 20, 2011 um 10:51 am

As far as I can tell it’s been going on for several months, but it’s not being offered to authors/publishers who use Amazon’s Digital Text Platform. When I published a short story through DTP at the end of October 2010, I tested this by trying to push revisions out to those who had already purchased the title, and discovered that only *new* customers would receive the new edition; everyone else was stuck with the edition that was available when the purchase was made, even if you delete and redownload the book to your device.

In fact, and I think this may be a bug and not a feature, even if you delete the entire purchase from your purchase history so that you have to buy the book again, you still receive the older version of the title and not the newest one for sale. It’s messed up.


Caroline January 20, 2011 um 1:48 pm

This isn’t new; I’ve also gotten about four or so emails in the past few months about updated copies. To my knowledge, Amazon has never pushed an updated version of a book to my Kindle 2. I believe they always ask because the new copy won’t have the bookmarks or other annotations that the original had.

I’m sure this is also a CYA on Amazon’s part because of that 1984 debacle.


Tony Mason January 21, 2011 um 2:03 am

Yes I have had it done to me. But I opened the email the next day so the offer expired. Why not just leave the offer open


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