When Canadians say (as one recently did) they “feel like a third world country,” you know they’re alienated. But are they complaining about agriculture? Industry? Nuclear capability? No, they’re complaining about Kindle. Oh, you can buy one – you just can’t use it.

Two issues have stymied the device’s introduction into their country. The first is that Kindle’s technological model relies on wireless delivery of content. Amazon has been quiet about any pending deal with a Canadian cell phone carrier for the Kindle’s whispernet service that carries Amazon’s ebooks to Kindle users.

The second is copyright. While a great many – probably the majority – of books published in the US and UK are cleared for distribution in Canada, that territory may be excluded in some book contracts. Figuring out which ones would be a nightmare. Rather than risk infringement claims, Amazon restricts distribution to the USA.

Though some dogged and resourceful Canadians have figured out how to access and download content into their devices (Amazon itself tells you how to do it), most Canadians questing after The Kindle Experience resign themselves to reading books made out of paper while waiting for the advent of an E-redeemer.

And now they have one.

Indigo Books Canada is reportedly in “final” discussions with a number of manufacturers to furnish e-book readers Canadians can call their own. Indigo developed a successful mobile app called ShortCovers and is now determined to satisfy an e-book starved nation. You can read about it in Kris Abel’s Indigo Books & Music To Launch E-Book Reader Device By End Of Year.

And by the way, the problem is not restricted to Canada. The same problems have kept Kindle out of England and Europe. Robert Andrews of Paid Content UK writes,

“The likely stumbling block to a UK Kindle is still Whispernet. Whilst in the US, Kindle’s over-the-air book and newspaper downloads are carried out over Sprint’s mobile network, the European picture is complicated by a fragmented market, UK execs have previously said.“

Amusingly, Andrews’ article is titled Kindle 2.0 Still Not Coming To Europe; But Amazon Will Happily Sell You A Sony

RC