My friend Peter had his Kindle 1 stolen last week. So first thing he did, as instructed, was to de-register it. Great!

Second, he asked Amazon to stop whoever had stolen his Kindle from  using it. That should be simple enough since each machine is electronically registered with a unique serial number. In other words, Amazon need only deny any new registration for a device that has been officially reported as stolen.

Turns out Amazon does not do that. Yes, they will insure that as a victim you don't get charged for more books, but they will also make sure that the dishonest owner becomes a new customer! 

For the now Kindle-less owner, Amazon has only one suggestion: Buy a new Kindle!

There is nothing wrong with wanting to sell more books and more devices, but, to allow that an illegally acquired Kindle be re-used in all impunity is uncool. 

Can't Amazon do anything about this?

Amazon has joined hands with Saudi-based Taufeer.com to sell its products in the Middle East. Arabian Business.com has more.

I stumble by accident on this fascinating story by Garth Hallberg first published in Slate.com last January.

In it, Mr. Hallberg goes about peeling off the veneer of Amazon's Top reviewers. A knowledge that he acquires first hand as he follows minute by minute the progress of his book's rating on Amazon,
A Field Guide To The North American Family.

I know very little about Garth Hallberg, except for the fact that I've since realized that I heard him read a fantastic story at the May 29 Literary Death Match. But that limited knowledge of him makes me trust every word HE writes.