Most of the time the things I write about on this blog are just things I want to write about. There’s not a particular theme. Sometimes it will be about something going on in my life, sometimes it will be about writing, and sometimes I’ll ask you to brainstorm with me on Facebook to suggest something you’d like to hear more about.
Other times, like today, it’s to address something of concern.
Louis Rossmann has a very popular YouTube channel, with his main purpose being “right to repair” – you should own your electronic device (or anything really), and have the opportunity and right to get that thing repaired how you see fit, rather than being forced to buy new or pay pricey repair fees because you can ‘only’ get your device repaired by the company that makes it.
He’s also good at calling out other companies (any company that ends up stealing from you or misrepresenting their product(s) to customers).
My post today is a little bit of both. Imagine packing for a trip and loading up your carry-on with 3-4 large paperback books you intend to read – it takes up a lot of space! Grab your tablet, phone, or e-reader and load it up with the same 3-4, and possibly more, because all you’ll need is the device, right?
One of Rossmann’s latest videos shines a light on a case where a U.K. resident is moving to the U.S. The person in question contacted Amazon to ask why they couldn’t access their e-books after the move. Amazon replied that the books were there – under the U.K. Amazon account. The user would have to log in to the U.K. site to be able to access the books. Simple.
The next bombshell comes when the user is told by Amazon to make another, U.S. account, once they move. They then inform the user that the content they purchased on the U.K. account will NOT be available in the U.S. account due to “geographical restrictions.” Amazon makes you jump through hoops, offering a lengthy process to change your region and port over your content. For this customer in particular, it included contacting U.K. customer service. It took over an hour and three customer service representatives before the customer was finally able to get access once again.
Please keep in mind this is not to be down on e-books, they have merit just as physical books do. But if you want to make sure you’re going to own your item wherever you go without strings, you may want to pack the physical copy.
Let’s talk more on Facebook!