The original PRS-500 came onto the scene with a splash here at MobileRead. But there are so many options, and many of the original PRS-500 owners have probably moved on and upgraded. Maybe even with the Sony 505 upgrade deal.

Now, with the conversion of the Sony e-book store to ePub, I'm wondering how many people with PRS-500 are affected. This poll will only pick up a few of us, but might be interesting nonetheless.

So if you still have a PRS-500, put in your vote and make yourself known!

I had one but traded it up for a 505 a year ago.

Had one but sold it after Sony quit supporting it. Now I have a good reader with good supporting firmware.

I was given the 505 as a gift. I didn't even know there was a 500 until after I joined MR.:)

Hi, I'm Joe. This is my first post after years lurking. I still have the 500 and it's still awesome. I do, however, want to get a 300. I've wanted a smaller Reader since before the 505 came out.

Hi Joe! Isn't it good to be "converted"! :)

The reader devices get better and better, but I am still somewhat attached to my good 'ole 500!

I had a 500. But when the 505 came out, I had to have it due to the Vizplex screen. I sold it to someone on MR and never looked back. My 505 is doing quite well.

I never had a 500.
I got my first reader in February - a red Sony 505 - and I love it!!

I still use mine everyday, and just love it. I bought mine the day Sony first made it available online. I never felt that upgrading to the 505 was really worth it since it wasn't really that much better then what I already had (which originally amounted to just a slightly better screen and more memory). Obviously the epub thing is a big deal, and will essentially force me to make a change (unless they offer a firmware update) since I get most of my content from the Sony store.

If they release a firmware upgrade I'll obviously use that, or if they give us a steep discount on one of the new models I would certainly consider it. The only other option I would consider would be the Kindle, but I'm not a big fan of being locked into yet another proprietary format.

Hi Joe! Isn't it good to be "converted"! :)

The reader devices get better and better, but I am still somewhat attached to my good 'ole 500!

I'm still very happy with my 500 that I use almost every day. It still works like the day I bought it (the day it came out) and until this whole fiasco with Sony dropping their BBeB I had no reason to upgrade.

If it turns out though that they won't release a firmware upgrade for epub then I will be upgrading to another company. I won't stay with Sony if they cut me off from their store.

I'm still very happy with my 500 that I use almost every day. It still works like the day I bought it (the day it came out) and until this whole fiasco with Sony dropping their BBeB I had no reason to upgrade.

If it turns out though that they won't release a firmware upgrade for epub then I will be upgrading to another company. I won't stay with Sony if they cut me off from their store.
If Sony does not do an ePub firmware for the 500, they will then be doing a trade-in. What other company would be doing even that much for you?

I have a 505. :)

I still have, and use, the Sony 500 as my main reader. With Calibre around, the current movement to epub creates no particular concern for me ... my backlog of LRFs is sufficient to hold me for some time. I do want a reader with a brighter screen, so am considering either the Sony 300 or the Astak PocketPro. Right now, the Astak is ahead because of the number of formats it will handle.

I bought the 500 a few months before the 505 came out, and then bought the 505 also.

I still have the 500, and even have a brand new cover for it (purchased from Sony) that's never been used, but I use the 505 exclusively. Love them both.

The PRS-500 was my first dedicated reader (after years of using PDAs and then phones), but I did the trade-up to a 505 earlier this year and have been very happy!

If you go to the Sony website you will find a list of questions in that list they state they will be doing a firmware upgrade for the 500.

500 still going (since 1/2007) after an abortive attempt to upgrade to a 700. Here's hoping the 600 fixes the screen issue, since my battery is starting to show its age.

Another long time lurker, first time poster.
I had my 500 two years ago and it still works fine, although I'm not using it daily. When Sony announced 700, it sounded like a dream come true (more levels of gray - useful for comics - and most importantly a backlight!) but after seeing it's horrible faint and reflective screen in Borders, I decided to wait. Now I might upgrade to the new 600 series when it comes out.

I've had a prs500 for several years now and use it for all reading not done on the computer. Since Sony started treating it as a persona non grata I've taken to trying to ignore what Sony does. I do think they have the best focus on selling a device and a service separately rather than the device as cost for entry into the service, but their tendency to drop support is also why I stopped using their phones, game systems and everything else except the reader.

The least they could do is publish whatever information might be necessary to allow others to develop epub support since they obviously don't care about the product anymore.

I still have my PRS-500 as unique reader, but since in Italy we don't have an ebook market this is not a problem: I wouldn't have ePub to read anyway.

If Sony does not do an ePub firmware for the 500, they will then be doing a trade-in. What other company would be doing even that much for you?

Hey, if I can trade my 500 in for a new reader I'll take it all back but I'm sure they'll want that and even more of my money. I've invested a considerable amount of time and money in Sony's format. And this isn't like a format war, they can support multiple formats if they wanted to, there's no reason to just drop support for a format you already own and that you've spent three years encouraging people to use.

Basically, I'd prefer to stick with a company that won't screw me over like this in the future.

I still have a PRS-500 as my one and only e-ink reader (though I've seen and tried various other Kindles and later Sonys), and will probably upgrade it once the new firmware arrives.

I haven't turned the PRS-500 on in months, though, because I do all my e-reading in the varied ebook apps installed on my iPhone 3G. A dedicated reading device wound up being just too much grief to carry around.

For that matter, I like a dim house, and dim light is e-ink's Achilles heel. Simple paper does better, but for me backlit is best.

My 500 broke soon after the 505 came out, so I upgraded.

I never had a 500; just the 505 (blue) which I'm handing off to my Dad as soon as UPS gets here with my new RED 505. :D

I recieved my 500 in 12/2007, as it was a gift it seemed mean spirited to upgrade to the 505 within the first year and I was able to purchase most not all the ebooks I wanted...but I am planning on upgrading to the 600 once it is made available and I read a few postings...it will probably take a few extra days or weeks before it is available in Canada..

I started with a 500 in 2007. I got a 505 last Christmas and use it as my main reader. But I keep the 500 as a back-up and use it in the kitchen loaded with recipes.

The 500 was my first dedicated Ebook device. I've since purchased a 700 , a Kindle 1, and I have an EZReader Pocket Pro on preorder. I gave it to my wife and got her hooked on ebooks. It's still going strong even after several hard falls.

My husband got the PRS-500 when I bought a PRS-505 a few months after it came out.

I had a 500 for about a year before buckling under and upgrading to the 505. The 500 went to a dear friend with kids (and therefore, less disposable income) who is enjoying it daily!

I got a 505 after I broke my 500 by dropping it once too many times. But since then, I've also bought an iPod Touch which I currently use more often than the 505. I also actually read p-books now and then too.

I bought my PRS-500 off of a friend who got it free with her laptop. Since I only paid $50 for it, I'm not too inclined to upgrade to the 505 right now.

I've gotten to play with a 505 in a store, and the only things about it that attract me is the ePub format (which is nice, but not necessary. Calibre converts the files for me), and PDF Re-Flow (no one seems to have nailed disassembly of PDFs quite right).

What would get me to upgrade is if Sony made a new model that had OS X support. Right now, I'm syncing my PRS-500 with Calibre on my Mac, and booting up Windows in VMWare to download ePub books from Google or the Store. That's rather annoying, but I don't do it too often, and frequently the same content is on Project Gutenberg anyway.

If Sony does not do an ePub firmware for the 500, they will then be doing a trade-in. What other company would be doing even that much for you?

It's nice that Sony is doing a trade-in option, but we'd still be paying $100 more (at least) for marginal benefits. Then again, this is Sony, so the fact they brought in another media format that's incompatible with their older devices (Hi-MD, MD Uncompressed, UMD for example) is no surprise. But the trade-in concept certainly is a nice bonus.

I'd much rather pass along my ole 500 to someone who has no e-reader at all, but if the trade-in is really tempting, who knows?

Man, converting 2 gigs of LRF to some new format, though! Kind of why I waited til now to upgrade, hoping a DRM-free standard would have emerged.

Sure hope ePub is the cat's meow after all.

Have the 500, still my main reader. I'm not located in the US so a trade wouldn't really do anything for me. But then, I'm not buying any books from Sony either so it's fine :)
I am looking for another reader, but my current reader would probably go to my husband and/or do kitchen duty. It is, after all, still perfectly serviceable.

Hey, if I can trade my 500 in for a new reader I'll take it all back but I'm sure they'll want that and even more of my money. I've invested a considerable amount of time and money in Sony's format. And this isn't like a format war, they can support multiple formats if they wanted to, there's no reason to just drop support for a format you already own and that you've spent three years encouraging people to use.

Basically, I'd prefer to stick with a company that won't screw me over like this in the future.
Who said they're dropping support for anything? They're switching to EPUB in the shop, but LRF will continue to be supported by all models. Did you see specs for PRS-300 and PRS-600? They clearly state "BBeB" in supported formats list.

2all: we don't know if Sony will be doing trade-in, firmware update or something else. I think you shouldn't comment on Sony's decision when they didn't make it yet.

Hi,

New to forums and first post, I still own the Sony PRS-500 and since I have not seen or used anything else, unfortunately, not much to compare to. I do enjoy it though.
:)

Still using my PRS-500!
Australia doesn't have a huge ebook market however I'd be able to buy books here in .au easily with a PRS-500 firmware upgrade supporting ADE/EPUB..

mine died on day 366 of the one year warranty and Sony told me I was screwed.

mine died on day 366 of the one year warranty and Sony told me I was screwed.

It *was* a leap year in 2008... just saying :)

If you go to the Sony website you will find a list of questions in that list they state they will be doing a firmware upgrade for the 500.

Do you have a reference URL?
I found this http://news.sel.sony.com/en/press_room/consumer/computer_peripheral/e_book/release/41343.html:
Sony will also provide an update path for owners of the first edition Reader, model PRS-500, so early adopters of the Reader will be able to enjoy this benefit as well.
This could merely mean a trade-in offer. But if you have more information, please share it with us. I really desire a firmware upgrade! :)

Holla, I still have my PRS-500. It was my first, it broke my cherry. However, I have moved on because I found bigger is better so I now use my Iliad and DS1000S. I remember the good times with my PRS-500 though and occasionally I read a book on it

Hi Bob! I don't think I could ever read a pbook again. I use my 500 everyday. I have to say it's probably the best purchase I've ever made. I am really looking forward to the release of the 300, though. One thing that I always loved about the 500 is how the screen took up most of the device. There's just enough bezel left for the buttons. I wish they would have continued that kind of design. The 300 could be so much smaller.

I have a 500 but the screen broke. :-( I have since upgraded to the Kindle and Kindle 2 and never looked back. It think Amazon has had a more solid product but it looks like the 600 and a future wireless Sony Reader may change that.

I've ordered an 505 ;)
It should arrive today! =D

I've ordered an 505 ;)
It should arrive today! =D

Congratulations!
This thread is more related to dedicated early adopters but glad to see more people jumping on board!

Still happily using my 500 (had it, umm, just over two years?) I have phases of reading from paper, but at the moment I'm having a major ebook binge and it's used daily.

I have both 500 and 505 in family and personally mainly use 500. Yes, 505 better in many ways but 500 is ok so I will use it for some time more.
The only thins I missing there:
1. Ability to connect to Vista x64
2. Delete book functionality
3. Ability to go to specific page not percents.
Page turning a bit slow sometimes but I guess this is ok.

*sigh* One month ago I could have said yes... but alas, I've upgraded to PRS-505 just a few days ago.
One thing I miss about 500 is the left side page turning buttons as opposed to 505 on the right side.
It feels awkward using the bottom page turning button when I hold and read the device with my left hand. In that sense, 500 was perfect for me.

I upgraded to a 505 when I lost my 500 in Madrid airport, but my mother still has her 500, which I bought at the same time as mine (November 2006 ). I have completed the poll on her behalf :D

My wife and I each have a 500. Great reader, but I am tempted by the 600.

I still use mine from time to time. I like to refer to myself as an ereader device collector so I hold on to every device I buy. I still have my original Rocket ebook reader and it performs like a champ.

Ellen

Well, I've had an ebookwise for several years now and decided that there was nothing out there with better ergonomics and with a backlight.
But 2 weeks ago I passed through Heathrow airport in London and couldn't resist the Sony 505. So consider me a convert.
I'm still trying to figure out how everything works but I'm sure I'll be alright (or I know where to bug someone for help ;))

It looks as though lots of people here have made their loved ones very happy by giving them the 500 when they updated to a 505.
I wonder whether there will be a similar spate of generosity when the new Sony devices are launched?

I bought mine in 2007 and I am still happy with it, although the battery is starting to show its age. I think I've read more paper books than ebooks in this period, but that's because I don't like to buy books with DRM.

Still have mine. Works fine. I bought it when it was still full price, about 2 months before PRS-505 came out :)

Also have DX

I have mine and still love it. If they will update the firmware to epub i'll stay a happy customer and keep it. Although I Have a lot of ebook store books (LRX). I will probably look for a new ebook reader somewhere else if the prs 500 does not get the epub support. I am still pretty angry that the prs500 did not get the epub support when it became available in the prs505 update.

I still had my 500 when I got my 505. Originally we wanted to keep it as a reader for commuting, but seeing it side by side with the 505, I decided to sell it immediately. The 505's screen is MUCH BETTER.

I also use my PRS-500 for daily reading, and the news that Sony maybe be thinking of a firmware update to allow epub on my device makes me very happy, indeed !

So happy that I will probably opt for Sony when buying an e-ink device for my wife around Xmas later this year... !

I still use my PRS-500 weekly thanks to Calibre. Ready for someone to give me a new one though :-)

Perhaps Sony will (as I thought I read) release firmware to make the 500 ePub compatible?

The 500 is still my main reader. I don't use it often anymore as much of my reading has become technical and the screen is simply too small. I still buy the occasional book (well, did) but accept that the device is soon to be useless. I became frustrated with Sony's stance on support some time ago and won't be "upgrading" to another Sony product. The expectation with Sony is that you are not purchasing a device for the lifetime of the electronics, but for the period of time that they decide you can have it before needing to pay them more money.

I won't be buying a Kindle either, as Amazon's treatment of users is despicable. I liked Amazon before the Kindle, now it seems like they are a poster child for the draconian policing of books. As far as I am concerned investing in a Kindle is handing money to those who would destroy the free market on written words in order to make a quick buck in the process.

My experience with e-readers has opened my eyes to the problems of handing over control of my reading habit to any company that wants to make money off of it. Sure, there will almost always be a publishing company between me and the authors I read, but no single publisher has control over my access to books in the way that an e-book manufacturer does, intentionally or incidentally. I have lost almost all interest in dedicate reading devices, and will make a laptop with an PixelQi screen my next direction for electronic reading. Sure it won't be as small or light, and the battery won't last weeks, but I will be able to read on it as I damn well please.

-FDP

I still have a 500 ($60 new from the Sony credit card deal), but it is now my gf's main reader. I have been using a 505 for about 1.5 years. SHe may get the 505 upgrade if I get a 300 soon....

When I finally decided to buy the 500, I searched everywhere for it. None of the stores around here had it, stores I called didn't know what I was talking about. I searched the internet, but everyone was sold out. I finally found *ONE* on Circuitcity.com, and ordered it. Then, about 20 minutes later, I found out that the 505 had just come out, and no stores had it yet, but I could purchase it direct from Sony, with no shipping charge. So back to Circuitcity, canceled the order, and ordered the 505 from Sony.

And the rest is history! I've had my beautiful blue 505 for almost 2 years now, and love, love, love it!

Sayhello

My PRS 500 was my first (amd so far only) electronic book reader. I bought from that store in New York online not long after it was released in the states as I didn't want to wait until an eventual launch in the UK.

I use it every day and it is my very favourite techy gadget - if my house was on fire and I could only grab one item, it would be my PRS500.

I just hope that whatever the upgrade path will be, Sony wont forget about those of us whp imported our devices early (and in a small way helped prepare the ground fro the launch of devices in the UK).

I have had and used my 500 since about a month after they launched in the US. I still use it on a daily basis and it performs so well I wasn't even tempted by the 505. I did a side-by-side with the 700 and it was less clear than the 500 (although the menus were better.)

I have about one and one-half lifetimes of LRFs to read (both from the MR library and self created.)

Now Bob, I do not think you will ever get rid of your 500. You will keep it at least for that fine case Yvan made. (Think of it as art.)

I have had and used my 500 since about a month after they launched in the US. I still use it on a daily basis and it performs so well I wasn't even tempted by the 505. I did a side-by-side with the 700 and it was less clear than the 500 (although the menus were better.)

I have about one and one-half lifetimes of LRFs to read (both from the MR library and self created.)

Now Bob, I do not think you will ever get rid of your 500. You will keep it at least for that fine case Yvan made. (Think of it as art.)Yep, I will likely be keeping the case longer than the Reader itself! It's definitely a highly valued item. And the dock is also a reason to keep the 500. It's not a necessity, but a nice luxury that I wouldn't pay for again in the future.

Plus, I bet I'm not the only one with a strange emotional attachment to the 500. Maybe not unlike the feeling some people have about paper books. So even if I do upgrade, I'm not sure I want to trade in the old one. That will be a very painful decision if Sony offers a large credit for a 500 trade-in! I might still have to consider keeping the 500 for sentimental reasons. If it's a good offer from Sony, that will be a very tough call.

I switched from my PRS500 to this:
download the book from TPB and similar torrent sites, print it in the office

still the best way IMO

I have had and used my 500 since about a month after they launched in the US. I still use it on a daily basis and it performs so well I wasn't even tempted by the 505. I did a side-by-side with the 700 and it was less clear than the 500 (although the menus were better.)

I have about one and one-half lifetimes of LRFs to read (both from the MR library and self created.)

Now Bob, I do not think you will ever get rid of your 500. You will keep it at least for that fine case Yvan made. (Think of it as art.)Aw, the bubinga one, that was my favorite!

Yep, I will likely be keeping the case longer than the Reader itself! It's definitely a highly valued item. And the dock is also a reason to keep the 500. It's not a necessity, but a nice luxury that I wouldn't pay for again in the future.

Plus, I bet I'm not the only one with a strange emotional attachment to the 500. Maybe not unlike the feeling some people have about paper books. So even if I do upgrade, I'm not sure I want to trade in the old one. That will be a very painful decision if Sony offers a large credit for a 500 trade-in! I might still have to consider keeping the 500 for sentimental reasons. If it's a good offer from Sony, that will be a very tough call.There you are! Fleeing us again? :laugh4: Nice to see you Bob.

I still use the 500 as my main reader. I will keep it and maintain it as long as it will work, the I'll put it in its box and berry it... in a cupbord somewhere, just like a picture album. This reader I was procured with came from good friends here, I can never forget that...

I was thinking of getting the Opus soon but my car and computer show signs of old age, just like that guy I keep seeing in the mirror every morning. :rolleyes:

It's remarkable to see how many people in the poll have either kept the original PRS-500 Sony Reader, or have moved on to another Sony Reader. That seems like a lot of customer loyalty for such a new market category with other famous options like the Kindle.

If that holds across the market with many of the early adopters, that would seem to be incentive for Sony to treat these folks well and keep them as Reader customers for life.

In my case, I don't think I can remain faithful to Sony. It is still not available in Quebec after all that time, but Bookeen is... The little Opus has all I need, that's enough for me to switch.

It's remarkable to see how many people in the poll have either kept the original PRS-500 Sony Reader, or have moved on to another Sony Reader. That seems like a lot of customer loyalty for such a new market category with other famous options like the Kindle.

If that holds across the market with many of the early adopters, that would seem to be incentive for Sony to treat these folks well and keep them as Reader customers for life.

I couldn't agree more. Hopefully, Sony will take note. It's not like the old days where build quality and features alone could lead to a win. Now, you have to have all of that AND focus on building a community around your product line. That should be inherently obvious from the whole system-based approach of hardware-software-content as a package, but it hasn't been to a lot of companies.

And just to be able to say that I did address the topic: I'm still using my 500 every day. The 300, however, has a definite appeal for the subway commute.

still using the 500

I passed my 500 to my oldest son, when I upgraded to the 505. I recently bought another 505 and passed the older one to that son, and the 500 went to my younger son. Now the wife wants one too, so I am off to pick up another 505 at Costco.

The prs-500 is my only reader. I kind of wish I waited to buy one of the newer models though.. I spent a lot on it and didn't start using it very much until recently.

It's remarkable to see how many people in the poll have either kept the original PRS-500 Sony Reader, or have moved on to another Sony Reader. That seems like a lot of customer loyalty for such a new market category with other famous options like the Kindle.

If that holds across the market with many of the early adopters, that would seem to be incentive for Sony to treat these folks well and keep them as Reader customers for life.

I certainly hope that Sony will do the right thing and provide a firmware update. I'm currently holding off purchasing books from their store until their intentions become known.

Been tempted by the Kindle, waited till the DX and then was completely disappointed by the pricing.

Would love to have a larger screen than the 6 inchers but not interested in paying over say $300 for it.

Wish that the Sony store offered the same magazines/newspapers as the Kindle.

So I'm still waiting to see if Sony or someone else is going to deliver...

Plus, I bet I'm not the only one with a strange emotional attachment to the 500. Maybe not unlike the feeling some people have about paper books. So even if I do upgrade, I'm not sure I want to trade in the old one. That will be a very painful decision if Sony offers a large credit for a 500 trade-in! I might still have to consider keeping the 500 for sentimental reasons. If it's a good offer from Sony, that will be a very tough call.

Granted it's not a RocketBook, but for me it is in a sense one of a kind, the first ebook reader I purchased. It'll be interesting to see what sort of value it will have 25 years from now...

Three days ago I have been given a 500 by Pilot Bob (thank you, thank you, thank you!). It is my first e-book reader, and I love it! It works perfectly and suits all my reading needs, so I don't think I'll be even thinking about an upgrade as long as it keeps working (for years, I hope).

Three days ago I have been given a 500 by Pilot Bob (thank you, thank you, thank you!). It is my first e-book reader, and I love it! It works perfectly and suits all my reading needs, so I don't think I'll be even thinking about an upgrade as long as it keeps working (for years, I hope).I was wondering when you'd turn up here.:)

I answered the poll a few days back but didn't elaborate here. To my unending embarrassment, I ordered a 505 back when Sony offered the $100 for sending in their 500. Guess who forgot to send it back?

Actually, it was more a matter of me thinking I had sent it back when I hadn't. And when did I discover this? March 2! :smack:

I ordered a 505 back when Sony offered the $100 for sending in their 500. Guess who forgot to send it back?To be honest, you got to keep a 500 for only $100. That seems like a pretty good deal to me!