1. zenadventurer's Avatar
    Sent a letter to Amazon support regarding their ceasing support for the Playbook in Instant/Prime videos online. Crackberry Nation needs to make some noise on this...it's not that they can't support it. They supported it and then made the conscious decision to stop supporting it after I'm sure many of us purchased streaming content (that they also won't allow us to download). This is what I sent them. Join in the fun...let's make some noise:

    This is really the first time I've ever been truly disappointed with Amazon.com...and I would appreciate a thoughtful reply by a service manager and not a canned response from customer service.

    Your decision to not support The Blackberry Playbook and effectively make my video library - a library that I PAID for - unavailable to me on my tablet of choice borders on criminal. And it's not a matter of you not supporting the platform...it's a matter of you making the conscious decision to RETRACT SUPPORT FOR THE PLATFORM after I'd already purchased videos from you to stream on the Playbook. That's right...one day I can access my videos on the Playbook and the next day I can't.

    This is an unconscionable affront to not only me, a long time customer, but it is just not reflective of the moral service compass your company has followed since its inception. Does the Playbook compete with the Kindle Fire? It certainly does. But so does every other tablet out there. That the hardware, price point and potential market for the product are similar, this should not make a difference to a company with any kind of customer service ethic. Either you support your customers or you do not.

    I know it is not a technical issue, or a problem with the RIM system or some bogus incompatibility issue. It is a choice by Amazon to simply stop supporting a group of its customers vindictively and unjustly. I would have expected more of you than that and I am truly disappointed.

    I own a Kindle DX. I am an author of a book offered both on Amazon.com and on Kindle. I can't even begin to tell you how much I have purchased on Amazon.com over the years. I would expect to be treated better than this.

    Kindly reconsider the retraction of your support for streaming content for the Playbook and while you're at it, allow me to download there CONTENT THAT I OWN! You need to take the high road - in this and in offering a native Kindle app for the platform - and be confident enough in your own products and services that you don't abandon what is NOT an insignificant sector of your community.

    Thank you. Again, I DO NOT want a pat, canned response from customer service. I want this message forwarded to someone who can give it thoughtful consideration and a thoughtful reply. In other words, I would like this message shared with someone who actually has the power to do something. Forgive me if I come across as strident on this issue, but I really do feel this as a betrayal of your covenant with some very, very loyal customers. With love and respect,
    ssc13, rupam95, bbfan1040 and 5 others like this.
    02-26-12 09:08 AM
  2. Jean-luc_Picard's Avatar
    Your answer will be along the lines of "thanks for your input, but we have no current plans to support the PlayBook.". If they even give you that straight of an answer...
    02-26-12 09:16 AM
  3. zenadventurer's Avatar
    ...on how many complaints/letters they get. I think the one sticky issue is that I purchased content from them that they're not allowing me access to. It would be like buying a Japanese car in Detroit but them not allowing you to drive it because you didn't buy American. I would think it's a practice that can be challenged....I bought streaming content from Amazon to play on my Playbook. They then stopped allowing me to play it. That has to be challengable.
    02-26-12 09:21 AM
  4. rupam95's Avatar
    Sent a letter to Amazon support regarding their ceasing support for the Playbook in Instant/Prime videos online. Crackberry Nation needs to make some noise on this...it's not that they can't support it. They supported it and then made the conscious decision to stop supporting it after I'm sure many of us purchased streaming content (that they also won't allow us to download). This is what I sent them. Join in the fun...let's make some noise:

    This is really the first time I've ever been truly disappointed with Amazon.com...and I would appreciate a thoughtful reply by a service manager and not a canned response from customer service.

    Your decision to not support The Blackberry Playbook and effectively make my video library - a library that I PAID for - unavailable to me on my tablet of choice borders on criminal. And it's not a matter of you not supporting the platform...it's a matter of you making the conscious decision to RETRACT SUPPORT FOR THE PLATFORM after I'd already purchased videos from you to stream on the Playbook. That's right...one day I can access my videos on the Playbook and the next day I can't.

    This is an unconscionable affront to not only me, a long time customer, but it is just not reflective of the moral service compass your company has followed since its inception. Does the Playbook compete with the Kindle Fire? It certainly does. But so does every other tablet out there. That the hardware, price point and potential market for the product are similar, this should not make a difference to a company with any kind of customer service ethic. Either you support your customers or you do not.

    I know it is not a technical issue, or a problem with the RIM system or some bogus incompatibility issue. It is a choice by Amazon to simply stop supporting a group of its customers vindictively and unjustly. I would have expected more of you than that and I am truly disappointed.

    I own a Kindle DX. I am an author of a book offered both on Amazon.com and on Kindle. I can't even begin to tell you how much I have purchased on Amazon.com over the years. I would expect to be treated better than this.

    Kindly reconsider the retraction of your support for streaming content for the Playbook and while you're at it, allow me to download there CONTENT THAT I OWN! You need to take the high road - in this and in offering a native Kindle app for the platform - and be confident enough in your own products and services that you don't abandon what is NOT an insignificant sector of your community.

    Thank you. Again, I DO NOT want a pat, canned response from customer service. I want this message forwarded to someone who can give it thoughtful consideration and a thoughtful reply. In other words, I would like this message shared with someone who actually has the power to do something. Forgive me if I come across as strident on this issue, but I really do feel this as a betrayal of your covenant with some very, very loyal customers. With love and respect,

    Well written, finally this will bring some sense into Amazon!
    02-26-12 09:22 AM
  5. Dapper37's Avatar
    Kodos to the OP. People need to do a lot more of this. It's clear why Amazon did it.
    I have never used their service, I sure hope that the people who paid for it can though.
    02-26-12 09:23 AM
  6. bbfan1040's Avatar
    Its plain to me that I should NEVER buy Amazon! I definitely won't sideload any Amazon products - especially Kindle.

    Amazon is willing to sell to other competitors customers -Why not Blackberry?
    02-26-12 10:08 AM
  7. kerry6's Avatar
    RIM if your reading this. It is time to expand the video store and offerings, time to compete with the established. Maybe a partnership with MS to license content and collaboration software. This will surely bring in a newer bigger base. Please pay attention to what the other companies are doing,and work toward bb customer satisfaction. For me these other companies that intentionally block services for my device will no longer be used by me. Already canceled netflix and amazon...because of lack of consumer support. If your are reading the RIM the know this...more services means more revenue which for you is great and for your customers totally awesome. Sorry for my rant...
    kozmo68 likes this.
    02-26-12 10:08 AM
  8. Blkacesvf41's Avatar
    Amazon never stated that the PB was a supported device. As a matter fact, they don't even list Android either. They only list their Kindle. The PB happened to work because of its flash capabilities. Mine still works with most of their movies. I did get a refund for season's worth of a tv show that I couldn't watch anymore.
    02-26-12 10:25 AM
  9. FF22's Avatar
    Great letter. But like the others, unless you have a special address that gets attention, I'm not sure who you will reach with it.

    Cancelling service where they really poll why, might be the way to go.

    Even with rim, I had an issue with their rapid charging pod. Customer service was polite but useless. Then I got a survey from them on the support. I was very frank - nearly useless. I got a real phone call and eventually got some satisfaction.
    02-26-12 10:40 AM
  10. VerryBestr's Avatar
    According to this post, an Amazon support person explained the problem this way:

    "Due to Studio agreements, our videos are now using Adobe's Flash Access (FAX) DRM module. People with non-Windows 7 devices have experienced trouble playing back you needs [sic] to complain to Adobe to support FAX/DRM for your Flash plugins."

    If that is indeed the case, I think you should be pestering RIM instead, so that the PlayBook Flash support correctly supports Flash Access DRM. RIM announced that it would continue Flash support when Adobe announced that it was dropping Flash Mobile.
    02-26-12 11:14 AM
  11. Tomcat_Alley's Avatar
    since the Kindle Fire is only available in the US, this (and their lack of kindle app for the pb) screws over PB customers like myself who live in countries where the fire hasn't been released. im in the UK, not some third world country, i have access to the normal kindles, just not the fire, and Amazon haven't even come out with an estimated release date for the Fire over here yet. seems that Amazon are dropping support in general for Countries that aren't the USA.
    02-26-12 11:20 AM
  12. VerryBestr's Avatar
    Linux users are also having problems:


    | Things Linux: Amazon's New DRM-Enabled Flash Player

    On or about January 15 of this year, Amazon.com apparently re-encoded much of their instant video content so that a new DRM-enabled flash player is required to view it. ...


    | Amazon.com: Customer Discussions: Instant Video Player update breaks rights

    BTW, I just got off the phone with Amazon instant video support people, and they basically told me "You're on your own, check the forums."

    As an aside, I write for "Linux Journal", and also occasionally for "Linux Today" and Slashdot. I guess I'll write an article detailing this experience. It is a bit surprising to me that Amazon would decide to release this new DRM-enabled player that (oh, by the way) requires HAL, a deprecated package, without having first tested it thoroughly.
    02-26-12 11:33 AM
  13. alan510's Avatar
    I'm not one of those guys who sees conspiracies everywhere. The activities of these companies is inexplicable. I really wonder if the sharks think they smell RIM blood and believe they can finally be rid of a stubborn foreign competitor. It is certainly not above at least one of RIM's competitors to use their massive numbers and tonnes of cash to "suggest" to Amazon, Skype, Netflix and others that they may not want to support BlackBerry products.

    It would be nice if the legal and political machinery would investigate but given RIM is foreign and that other company likely spreads cash to politicians, an investigation is unlikely. This is another good reason for RIM USA.
    The USA has been experiencing a pretty bad recession for quite some time now. One thing Americans do very well is get behind their own companies, that includes the media getting behind US products. I think RIM is considered by many in the mobile world to be foreign and perhaps a US division would help it get a fair shake (and more apps).
    02-26-12 11:34 AM
  14. RunSilent23's Avatar
    I can't figure why some have access to Amazon's content and some do not. I don't have problems accessing movies, tv shows, and my kindle library.
    Last edited by RunSilent23; 02-26-12 at 11:55 AM.
    02-26-12 11:53 AM
  15. Economist101's Avatar
    I'm not one of those guys who sees conspiracies everywhere. The activities of these companies is inexplicable.
    It's readily explicable. There just haven't been that many PlayBooks sold. We'll see what RIM reports next month, but 850K shipments in the first 7.5 months (with 500K of that in the first six weeks of availability) isn't going to encourage a lot of developer support. Now, if RIM were shipping millions of devices a quarter you'd have an argument, but 100K a month isn't going to do it.
    02-26-12 12:01 PM
  16. dave1701's Avatar
    unavailable to me on my tablet of choice borders on criminal.
    You guys have got to be kidding me...
    02-26-12 12:05 PM
  17. Economist101's Avatar
    ...on how many complaints/letters they get. I think the one sticky issue is that I purchased content from them that they're not allowing me access to. It would be like buying a Japanese car in Detroit but them not allowing you to drive it because you didn't buy American. I would think it's a practice that can be challenged....I bought streaming content from Amazon to play on my Playbook. They then stopped allowing me to play it. That has to be challengable.
    The argument you have is that you purchased the content under one set of rules and that those rules have since changed. Granted, their EULA probably specifically disclaims any guarantee that a particular device will be supported, so you'd have to contend with that. They'd also argue that they never advertised PlayBook compatibility, and that support was never anything beyond "unofficial," and thus any reliance on your part is misplaced. But, in light of your position relative to Amazon, you might have a colorable argument on the "rule change" angle, despite any disclaimer.

    However, the one argument that will not work is that you "no longer have access" to content, since their argument would be that you can still access the content through a desktop browser. I'd be willing to bet that's the only method for which support is guaranteed, similar to what I noted previously.
    02-26-12 12:10 PM
  18. powellcrazy's Avatar
    The content is still easily accessible if you buy the kindle fire! Amazon is just doing what any business would do, promote there product.

    While I too am disappointed that there is very little software I like available for me on the Playbook, it is just something we must adapt to, or change devices to what serves our needs best. I absolutely love the playbook and bb, to bad developers and popular software companies dont
    02-26-12 01:05 PM
  19. Tre Lawrence's Avatar
    You guys have got to be kidding me...
    It is tragically funny...
    02-26-12 01:19 PM
  20. zenadventurer's Avatar
    I'm not literally saying what they're doing is illegal...it's a figure of speech. However, when they retracted my ability to access over $100 worth of videos, they didn't bother to either tell me or offer me a refund. Their reply was regret that they can't "solve the problem." A canned response. This issue deserves more than a canned response. They CAUSED the problem deliberately to begin with. It is not a compatibility issue - they insult me and embarrass themselves by saying that...amazon deliberately disabled the ability of customers who purchased an amazon product to access that product for petty marketing reasons. If they're that afraid of the Playbook as a competitive tablet, they shouldn't be in the game. Either Amazon provides streaming services to its customers or it doesn't...to deliberately disable service to Playbook customers (obviously the Playbook didn't prevent them from taking my money) is pure chickens%#t. I'm not usually this strident, but this is just not in alignment with the Amazon brand and I am frankly shocked. If the videos hadn't been working a couple weeks ago, hey, cool, I' buy it that they didn't want to support what they felt was a platform that wasn't that widely distributed...but they actually disabled the ability of Amazon videos to stream on the platform. An earlier post suggests that their changing the rules of their covenant with their customers AFTER receiving money from them, may in fact be illegal. At the very least, they owe us all an apology devoid of lame rationalizations and a refund for any videos we've purchased. Or they could do the right thing and support the products they sell.
    02-26-12 04:12 PM
  21. RunSilent23's Avatar
    I'm not literally saying what they're doing is illegal...it's a figure of speech. However, when they retracted my ability to access over $100 worth of videos, they didn't bother to either tell me or offer me a refund. Their reply was regret that they can't "solve the problem." A canned response. This issue deserves more than a canned response. They CAUSED the problem deliberately to begin with. It is not a compatibility issue - they insult me and embarrass themselves by saying that...amazon deliberately disabled the ability of customers who purchased an amazon product to access that product for petty marketing reasons. If they're that afraid of the Playbook as a competitive tablet, they shouldn't be in the game. Either Amazon provides streaming services to its customers or it doesn't...to deliberately disable service to Playbook customers (obviously the Playbook didn't prevent them from taking my money) is pure chickens%#t. I'm not usually this strident, but this is just not in alignment with the Amazon brand and I am frankly shocked. If the videos hadn't been working a couple weeks ago, hey, cool, I' buy it that they didn't want to support what they felt was a platform that wasn't that widely distributed...but they actually disabled the ability of Amazon videos to stream on the platform. An earlier post suggests that their changing the rules of their covenant with their customers AFTER receiving money from them, may in fact be illegal. At the very least, they owe us all an apology devoid of lame rationalizations and a refund for any videos we've purchased. Or they could do the right thing and support the products they sell.
    Since I haven't had the same problems as you, maybe it is the content or location that is causing Amazon to disable the content. I am a US Prime member. Is there some specific content that you want me to try to see if I have the same issue or can view it normally?
    02-26-12 04:24 PM
  22. zenadventurer's Avatar
    I'm a Prime member as well. But they don't allow non-fire customers to download the videos we buy and they don't allow non-fire customers to stream videos to their Playbooks (which is a change from a couple of weeks ago). We used to be able to log into our instant video accounts on amazon from the playbook and stream our movies. They've stopped allowing us to do that. It's not a compatibility issue...they've actually disabled service that customers have previously paid for because they made the decision to stop making their streaming product supported on the Playbook specifically. Thanks for the follow up.
    02-26-12 04:30 PM
  23. zenadventurer's Avatar
    I would love for Crackberry forum members to engage RIM in some manner of very official - and very loud - protest of these practices by Amazon to restrict access.
    02-26-12 04:33 PM
  24. RunSilent23's Avatar
    I'm a Prime member as well. But they don't allow non-fire customers to download the videos we buy and they don't allow non-fire customers to stream videos to their Playbooks (which is a change from a couple of weeks ago). We used to be able to log into our instant video accounts on amazon from the playbook and stream our movies. They've stopped allowing us to do that. It's not a compatibility issue...they've actually disabled service that customers have previously paid for because they made the decision to stop making their streaming product supported on the Playbook specifically. Thanks for the follow up.
    My wife and daughter have Kindle Fires. They each received a 30 day membership to Prime with their email account. I can tell you that I can stream all of my Amazon Prime content on my PlayBook. I don't know if the reason is that I logged in one time to my Amazon account on their Kindles or that it is something else. All I do know is that it is working fine for me, whether the content is a year old or recently purchased.
    Last edited by RunSilent23; 02-26-12 at 04:51 PM.
    02-26-12 04:47 PM
  25. zenadventurer's Avatar
    I'm currently trying to secure a name/mailing address for someone at Amazon to whom we can write about Amazon's retraction of Playbook support (actually, their deliberate disabling of Playbook Access to previously PURCHASED streaming content that used to be accessible on our PB). I will post it here when I get it. In the meantime, feel free to inundate the poor, hapless toadies at Amazon customer service. It's not their fault that they can't do anything about anything, but at least maybe we can inconvenience them with enough messages to at least get them to mention it to someone who might be able to do something.
    02-26-12 04:48 PM
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