Did Apple Save Us From the Clutches of Amazon.com?

Once upon a time in the dark ages of e-books, a domineering overlord reigned supreme. As the sole gatekeeper for the largest viable platform, everyone had to play by this tyrant's oppressive rules. This authoritarian ruler laid down the law of the land until a knight in shining iArmor rode in to save the day. How dare the despot boldly declare that no e-book would cost more than $9.99? Who did it think it was? Amazon.com (Nasdaq: AMZN Put up your dukesThe feds have recently charged a handful of alleged conspirators, including Apple and major publishers Hachette, News Corp.'s