cherylf (5/14/2009)

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Universal Design people, Universal Design. The written word should be equally accessible to ALL people. Text to Speech technology is not just for the convenience of fully abled people but has completely revolutionized "reading" for a large population of people with physical and learning disabilities. People who are blind or who have any one of a long list a learning disabilities are finally able to enjoy the written word and folks want to charge those individuals more because the words are being read using technology. It's completely unfair. I would say that if this feature is not available free of charge, they would be opening themselves up to huge law suits under Section 508 of the Disabilities Act.

Jonathan Zittrain, a professor at Harvard Law School, said he doesn't see how the speech feature violates copyright law if no recorded copy of the book is created. Book publishers often license audio books separately than the text versions.

"The only right really that might be implicated is the so-called public performance," Zittrain said. "But what I want the thing to do is to read to me in the car. I don't see a copy being made so I don't see how this can be Amazon's problem."

bob.willsie (5/14/2009)

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Second, if the "oral" version of a book is created via a text to speech translator, I would view that as an "alternative form" of reading by the end user. Thus, Kindle "reading" the book to me is no different than having my friend or wife read it to me if I am blind.

However, if the "oral" version is created by recording the writer, in their own voice, that is a different issue. In that case, the writer is in fact, also a "performer", and should receive appropriate payment for the "performance of reading" just as an actor that does a voiceover for a cartoon or commercial would be paid.

Perhaps the best solution is for the writer to come to an agreement with the publisher before publication of the book.