« JungleScan | Main | Camera phones as bar-code scanners »
October 25, 2003
Amazon's Search Inside The Book
I've been waiting for this for a while. Amazon announced today that you can now do full text searches of nearly 120,000 books in the Amazon catalog.
Starting today, you can find books at Amazon.com based on every word inside them, not just on matches to author or title keywords. Search Inside the Book -- the name of this feature -- searches the complete inside text of more than 120,000 books -- all 33 million pages of them.
Wired has an article on this announcement that touches on a couple of the implications of this move from Amazon. It also ranges wider - drawing connections to ambitious attempts like Brewster Kahle's Internet Archive and the Gutenberg Project and commenting on why this move is strategic for Amazon:
This shifts power away from the people who own finite sets of copyrighted material and toward the people who offer access to information about where this material can be found. Information about books, not ownership of copyrights, becomes a new center of power...Amazon's Search Inside the Book is not an ebook project. It is merely a catalog. But a decade of Internet history proves that the catalog is exactly what you want to own.The contents of books may be the only publicly accessible data set with the potential to match Google's Web index both for size and utility. Search Inside the Book makes Amazon the sole guide to tens and ultimately hundreds of millions of pages of information. And while Google's business is vulnerable to any competitor that builds a better search engine, Amazon's book archive is the product of negotiated contracts with hundreds of publishers. Amazon has cornered the market on information that was once hidden away in books. The burden of the physical – the fact that the database Amazon uses is linked into a complex system involving real things – gives it a stunning, if perhaps temporary, advantage.
Elsewhere, Jon Udell notes that this search feature actually increases the value of the physical books that he owns, by making them searchable. Via Techdirt.
Posted by Narasimha Chari at 06:10 PM in Books, innovation, Web/Tech | Permalink
TrackBack
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d83455928b69e200d8345a485469e2
Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Amazon's Search Inside The Book:
» Vincent Van Gogh : The Drawings (Metropolitan Museum of Art Series) from The Books Blog
[Read More]
Tracked on Nov 30, 2005 11:45:39 AM
» Bush Calls for National Guard Troops at Border from Employers Should
ays Employers Should Be More Accountable for The People They Hire [Read More]
Tracked on May 25, 2006 5:14:46 PM
» Paris Hilton Releases Four Songs from "1 Crazy Party" from Tags - Paris
songs are even worse than we could have imagined. Ashlee Simpson sounds like Maria Callas in comparison. This isn't just mindless [Read More]
Tracked on May 26, 2006 7:57:44 AM
» Sutherland a major doubt for EU Championships from an eye injury
Hungary after suffering an eye injury in last Friday night?s senior international meeting with Russia. [Read More]
Tracked on May 27, 2006 7:37:27 AM
» Government backs home births from every encouragement
will be given every encouragement to give birth at home if that is their preferred option. [Read More]
Tracked on May 27, 2006 10:39:26 AM
» CIBER Provides Food and Beverage Industry Expertise for New Oracle JD Edwards Release from 2006 USER GROUP
Apr. 24, 2006 As a leading systems integrator with significant experience in [Read More]
Tracked on May 27, 2006 12:07:11 PM
» Inquiry into Rajasthan foeticides from in the Indian
state of Rajasthan investigate 21 doctors for alleged involvement in aborting female foetuses. [Read More]
Tracked on May 27, 2006 11:15:48 PM
» Small-Business Health Insurance Flops from small businesses
rejected a bill that would have let small businesses join together to buy lower-cost medical insurance for workers. [Read More]
Tracked on May 28, 2006 10:27:59 AM
» Court Clears Way for 2nd Trial for Ex-N.B.A. Star from appellate court
the shotgun blast that killed Costas Christofi at Mr. Williams's home in rural Hunterdon County. [Read More]
Tracked on May 28, 2006 4:07:28 PM
» No Big Surprises in the Playoffs... from will go 6 or
knotted at 1-1 it vital if the Lakers hope in winning this series. Regardless of their half time [Read More]
Tracked on May 30, 2006 4:44:25 AM
» Search for sushi draining Mediterranean's red tuna stocks
(AFP)
from may finish off
AFP - Too much demand for sushi from Japan may finish off stocks of red tuna running dangerously low in the Mediterranean owing to overfishing, [Read More]
Tracked on May 30, 2006 5:55:58 PM
» Critics Blast Al Gore's Documentary As 'Realistic' from global-warming
YORK The Al Gore-produced global-warming documentary An Inconvenient Truth is being panned by critics... [Read More]
Tracked on Jun 5, 2006 7:42:22 AM
» Ping-Pong Balls, Raptors Rise from the top pick
pick in this year's Draft, beat the odds when the winning combination of 4—10—11—13 surfaced from the hopper. [Read More]
Tracked on Jun 7, 2006 9:28:57 AM
» USAV Spearhead: Theater Support Vessel-1X from locations while
sits moored off Ford Island at Pearl Harbor as local military and civilian leaders receive a capabilities [Read More]
Tracked on Jun 8, 2006 10:31:40 AM
» Excerpts from the President's Immigration Address from in manpower and
On Border Security:
“Since I became President, we have increased funding for border security by 66 percent, and expanded [Read More]
Tracked on Jun 9, 2006 2:25:52 AM
» Pistons Stay Alive, Force Game 6 vs. Heat from in a convincing
again were rescued by Tayshaun Prince and their
defense in a convincing 91-78 victory [Read More]
Tracked on Jun 9, 2006 6:58:36 PM
» Formicary Forms Partnership With Parlano to Provide Value-Added Services in Persistent Group Messaging from the financial
deliver strategic and technical consultancy services to enterprises deploying Parlanos [Read More]
Tracked on Jun 9, 2006 8:04:55 PM
» Iran Roundup: "We Do Not Give a Damn..." from speedily.
..."Access
bought from North Korea, according to Israeli military intelligence.
Iran already [Read More]
Tracked on Jun 10, 2006 9:49:34 AM
» USPTO reveals updated Web filing system from the system sent
submitting material get an immediate acknowledgement that it was received. Older versions of the system sent confirmation postcards through [Read More]
Tracked on Jun 11, 2006 10:03:45 AM
» Second U.N. Official Expected to Depart from BC Investigation
BC Investigation Exposed Widespread U.N. Sexual Misconduct [Read More]
Tracked on Jun 12, 2006 8:50:41 AM
» Suns News from pts and 18 rbs
the Phoenix Suns right now, so I'll just break down each item:
Kurt Thomas - Has been playing with a stress fracture in his foot, but [Read More]
Tracked on Jun 12, 2006 4:36:31 PM
» Study Aims To Cut Deaths From Severe Infection In Hospital Wards from condition which
the extent of severe sepsis -- life-threatening bacterial infection -- in Scottish hospitals. [Read More]
Tracked on Jun 14, 2006 7:02:18 PM
» Study: Secondhand Smoke Fading from levels of cotinine
blood levels of cotinine " a marker for tobacco exposure " fell 70 percent from 1988 to 2002. [Read More]
Tracked on Jun 16, 2006 3:42:38 AM
» Personal Finance Calculators from sing Our Calculator
sing Our Calculators [Read More]
Tracked on Jun 16, 2006 11:33:26 AM
» Goldman Sachs ups offer for AB Ports from takeover offer
Sachs upped its takeover offer for the UK's biggest ports company as it attempted to head off a rival. [Read More]
Tracked on Jun 16, 2006 4:55:17 PM
» As Elections Approach, Bush Says Domestic 'Politics' Won't Alter Iraq Strategy from resident Follows
resident Follows Iraq Visit With Jovial Press Conference [Read More]
Tracked on Jun 17, 2006 7:56:18 AM
» Time-Barring Endowment Claims ? Shortfalls, Criticism and the Affects from (PRWEB Jun 15,
15, 2006)
Trackback URL: http://prweb.com/pingpr.php/VGhpci1Ib3JyLVRoaXItU2luZy1JbnNlLVplcm8=
[Read More]
Tracked on Jun 18, 2006 3:45:23 AM
» Expression Engine updates from in the comments.
little further investigation we found a little bug so I had to remove the fix again until we get that sorted out. One day later, everything [Read More]
Tracked on Jun 18, 2006 10:52:33 PM
» A Glance at Game 3 of the NBA Finals from DuPree of USA
DuPree of USA TODAY breaks down tonight's Game 3 of the NBA Finals in Miami. [Read More]
Tracked on Jun 20, 2006 3:32:25 PM
» The Ghosts of Haditha from dusty Iraqi town
one November morning in a dusty Iraqi town promises to haunt the hearts and minds of liberator and liberated alike [Read More]
Tracked on Jun 20, 2006 11:11:25 PM
» Hamas Tells U.N. It Wants Peace With Israel from for Hamas-led
Israel and renounce violence, the foreign minister for Hamas-led Palestinian gov't tells U.N. it looks forward to living side by side [Read More]
Tracked on Jun 21, 2006 10:26:21 AM
» Bush says Hungary example to Iraq in fight for freedom
(AFP)
from that former communist
long fight for freedom is an inspiration for Iraq as it struggles to solidify its democracy, in a ceremony on the 50th anniversary of the failed uprising [Read More]
Tracked on Jun 29, 2006 6:52:32 PM
» Report: Peja, Radmanovic Look to be on Move from will emanate
will emanate from Serbia, writes Marc Stein of ESPN.COM. Indiana forward Peja Stojakovic, widely considered a lock to re-sign with [Read More]
Tracked on Jul 3, 2006 8:19:41 AM
» Searcher from Full Catalog
Need some help with your search? Please click on How to search. ... Use the search criteria below to narrow your search. ... [Read More]
Tracked on Jul 15, 2006 3:41:01 AM
» Nicotine Speeds Lung Cancer from directly speeds
directly speeds the growth of lung cancer, University of South Florida researchers report. [Read More]
Tracked on Jul 24, 2006 1:56:44 PM
» Wallace Mentor Oakley Likes Bulls' Prospects from SUN-TIMES reports,
reports, Reaching the second round of the playoffs should be a cinch for the Bulls now [Read More]
Tracked on Jul 24, 2006 4:09:53 PM
» Doctors Now Ease Pain of Circumcision from techniques are
who are taught circumcision techniques are also now taught to take pain into consideration [Read More]
Tracked on Jul 24, 2006 8:31:56 PM
» As Other Asian Nations Have Moved to Control Bird Flu, It Is Rapidly Spiraling in Indonesia from the country hardest
hardest hit by avian flu, and experts say the situation is likely to get worse. [Read More]
Tracked on Jul 24, 2006 9:47:22 PM
» Atomic-resolution Structure Of A Ribozyme Yields Insights Into RNA Catalysis And The Origins Of Life from arranged and
ribozyme. The results show a ribozyme structure in which the atoms are uniquely arranged and poised for catalysis [Read More]
Tracked on Jul 27, 2006 8:33:14 AM
» Stojakovic Likes Hornets' Attitude from Two seasons
his third team since the start of last season, and the Hornets are projected to be a playoff-contending [Read More]
Tracked on Jul 31, 2006 5:34:52 PM
» Four Marines killed in Iraq from Brigade, 1st
the Marines -- three from the 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division and the other [Read More]
Tracked on Aug 1, 2006 2:22:17 AM
» Only Way to Turn Off Auto Pay With Yahoo! Search Marketing is Via Phone from a long time problem
funds your account when the funds are depleted, is by calling Yahoo!....
[Read More]
Tracked on Aug 1, 2006 7:36:37 PM
» New red flag from about the mysterious
new questions were raised about the mysterious sale of one of the ailing grande dame's most beloved paintings [Read More]
Tracked on Aug 7, 2006 10:42:52 PM
» Third tropical storm of 2006 brews near Leeward Islands
(AFP)
from AFP - The third
Chris, formed in the Atlantic near the Leeward Islands, the National Hurricane Center said. [Read More]
Tracked on Aug 8, 2006 10:00:13 PM
» Lynx daily from at Phoenix -
GAMEMinnesota at Phoenix - Tuesday, Aug. 8, at US Airways Center (7:30 p.m.)The [Read More]
Tracked on Aug 9, 2006 12:19:15 AM
Comments
I was getting orders for my two novels from amazon.com advantage until I sent my books to amazons Hot Springs Ark (Xerox Corporation) address for scanning through the "Inside the Book" program. I never heard a word from amazon on this issue and not one book has been sold since I sent the books for scanning.
Coincidence?
Do you have a possible answer? I'd appreciate it. It's a struggle trying to get work known. This amazon idea sounded great but didn't work.
Jack Gilroy
Posted by: Jack Gilroy | Aug 15, 2004 11:48:26 AM
Honesty, integrity and a persuasive mentality are the most important qualities of an elected official
http://himplasia.kadm.biz/index.php?qq=himplasia himplasia
See you
Posted by: speman | Jul 13, 2007 7:46:13 PM
Doctors should have, should not have the permission to end the life of a terminally ill patient
Posted by: ab art katya met | Aug 29, 2007 7:08:59 PM
The government should be persuaded to pay for all healthcare
Posted by: basic | Sep 8, 2007 6:39:54 AM
I feel like a fog, not that it matters. I've pretty much been doing nothing , but eh. Today was a loss. I haven't gotten much done for a while.
Posted by: brain | Sep 24, 2007 9:24:24 PM
Juvenile delinquents should be sentenced to bootcamp
Keyword work website blogs money online will read it later.
Posted by: online | Nov 27, 2007 8:09:53 PM
Vanity is not a valid reason for cosmetic plastic surgery
Posted by: teen for cash com | Dec 5, 2007 1:49:55 PM
A full body x-ray scan is an effective method of maintaining a high level of security
Posted by: visual dvd | Jan 1, 2008 12:42:14 AM
Not much on my mind right now. Today was a complete loss. So it goes. I've just been sitting around waiting for something to happen. I've basically been doing nothing , but I guess it doesn't bother me.
Posted by: her first big cock sherry | Jan 1, 2008 5:02:39 PM
Pour les 9 premiers mois de lÒannee, le chiffre dÒaffaires des echanges commerciaux entre les deux pays sÒeleve a 80 millions de dollars, accusant une hausse de 20 % pour les exportations bulgares vers Israel et de 10 % des importations en provenance dÒIsrael. (BTA).
Posted by: discount reality sites | Jan 3, 2008 12:25:56 PM
I've basically been doing nothing to speak of. Basically nothing seems worth thinking about. I feel like a void, but that's how it is. I've just been hanging out doing nothing.
Posted by: muscles men xxx | Jan 6, 2008 6:22:49 AM
Home schooling provides a better education, is worse for your child
Posted by: fling | Jan 6, 2008 11:50:49 PM
Honesty, integrity and a persuasive mentality are the most important qualities of an elected official
Posted by: liveprivates | Jan 9, 2008 12:38:40 AM
Restrict every household to 60 gallon can on trash a week
Posted by: huge big penis | Jan 21, 2008 2:44:33 AM
Cousin dating is, is not okay
Posted by: bang boat latina | Feb 4, 2008 3:10:11 AM
Not much on my mind right now. I haven't been up to anything. Today was a complete loss. That's how it is. Not much exciting going on these days.
Posted by: first time swallowing | Feb 6, 2008 4:10:39 AM
Needle exchange programs help to prevent
Posted by: gay tweenks | Feb 8, 2008 4:06:43 PM
Life begins at conception, at birth
Posted by: big gay sex | Feb 10, 2008 4:12:03 PM
Cousin dating is, is not okay
Posted by: xxx gay fetish | Feb 13, 2008 11:25:14 AM
