As promised, we've got some answers for your Sony Reader questions (http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7165). Sony's product manager tried to hit as many of these as he could. Wiki (http://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/Sony_Portable_Reader): I added Sony's answers and the original questions that we had sent to Sony.

So here it is in full glory, for you to hopefully find most of your question answered:

To the Readers of Mobileread,

It has been a pleasure following this website. We have learned many things from all of you and we thank you for that. We would also like to thank you for your questions. We appreciate the points you have raised and we combined the questions from Mobileread as well as a few other websites and blogs into this lengthy note. Please understand that while we were unable to answer every question, we are now better aware of the issues on the minds of our consumers and will endeavor in future communications to answer more of your questions as appropriate.

While we can’t thank everyone by name there are a few people that we should thank. First of all Alexander has given us the chance to talk to you directly and has created a great website. Rmeister, dugbug, and diabloNL-- thank you for your many questions both directly to use and in the regular forums. NatCh-- thanks for doing the digging that you do, and for being right far more often than not. And to all the other active members of this site, thank you.

File Formats

Q) What File formats are supported natively and can be put directly on a Memory Stick or SD memory card?
A) With the Sony Reader you can take a file from your PC to an SD or Memory Stick™ media card and read on the Sony Reader the following file types:

TXT
RTF
PDF (Unencrypted)
BBeB (Encrypted and Unencrypted)
JPEG
GIF
BMP
PNG
MP3 (Unencrypted)
AAC (Unencrypted)


We recommend using the CONNECT™ Reader Software to import and transfer files to the Reader, as it will enable faster page turns and re-sizing on the Reader itself. We have also included the ability to import Microsoft Word files to the device. The CONNECT Reader will convert the Word document to RTF during the import process as long as the user has Microsoft® Word on the PC (this happens behind the scenes).

Q) How do these files show font sizes? Will we have the ability to increase or decrease the fonts? Is this limited only to DRM content or will it apply to the others as well?
A) Text files on the Reader (both unencrypted and encrypted) have the ability to have their font sizes changed from standard (100%) to medium (125%) to large (150%). PDF documents may not always have three font size changes due to their sometimes complex nature. Please see below to understand how we deal with PDFs.

PDF Files

Q) If the Reader supports PDF natively, can it handle PDF files with lots of graphics? Can it zoom or rotate the page?
A) Remember that most PDFs in the US are created with the intention of printing on a standard 81/2 x 11-inch piece of paper. Since the Reader’s screen is smaller than 8 1/2x11inches, the page will be scaled to fit on the screen and that will in most cases compromise readability. That is just a fact of life when using a page layout format with an on screen display. We hope to create some FAQs for how to optimize PDFs for the Reader. Anyone want to suggest how best to do this?

We do have the ability, by holding down the “size” button for five seconds to rotate the screen. This will allow you to see the top half of the PDF on one page and the bottom half on another and will allow you to view the document with an effectively increased page width.

As far as images go, if they are in the PDF they should show on the Sony Reader.

RSS Feeds

Q) Will Readers be able to view RSS feeds and can users save feeds or is it all overwritten automatically?
A) You will be able to go to the CONNECT e-book store and get your feeds manually and save them to your PC and Reader. Files will not be overwritten so you can save what you want.

Audio capabilities

Q) Can I listen to audio while Reading?
A) Audio can be played while reading a book as long as the audio is in MP3 or AAC unencrypted formats. You simply have to start the audio playback and then switch to the book that you wish to read. Please note that audio playback decreases the battery life faster than just reading.

Q) Why do you support MP3 and AAC unsecured files but not audio tracks that were purchased?
A) The Sony Reader is designed primarily as a reading device, not a full-featured music player. We consider MP3 playback a “bonus feature.”

DRM

Q) How does the DRM content work, can I share books?
A) The DRM rules allow any purchased eBook to be read on up to six devices (at least one of those 6 must be a PC). Although you cannot share purchased eBooks on other people’s devices and accounts, you will have the opportunity to register five Readers to your account and share your books accordingly.

Q) If the Sony Reader breaks, what will it take to move DRM-protected content to a replacement machine?
A) If the Sony Reader or your PC breaks, you can always log-in to your CONNECT account and “re-download” your purchased eBooks to a new PC, and transfer them again to a new device, as long as the six device rule still holds true. Customer support will be able to clear broken devices and PCs from your list of six if you cannot access the older Reader or PC.

Q) Why does Sony sell books?
A) We want to offer our customers an integrated and easy-to-use experience. Developing a Sony-managed download service accessed from within the desktop PC application was a key aspect of offering this integrated experience.

Q) Will there be time-expiring DRM/protected content on the new reader?
A) At this time there are no plans to introduce time-expiring books in the U.S

Q) How will the Sony Reader support files with no DRM?
A) As long as the file is in one of the formats that we can support natively and are unencrypted they will work on the Reader.

Power

Q) What type of batteries does the Reader use?
A) The Reader uses an internal Lithium Ion battery

Q) What is the Reader’s battery life?
A) The Reader, on a full charge, will allow up to 7500 “page turns” on a single charge. We measure the battery endurance in page turns due to the bistable nature of the E Ink display. This battery life does depend on usage patterns and auxiliary functions like audio playback will drain the battery faster.

Q) How does the Reader charge?
A) The Reader can be charged by either the AC Charger that can be plugged directly into the Reader (or through the cradle), or it can be charged through the USB port.

Operating Systems and Browsers

Q) Will Sony provide software and support for customers using Macs or Linux?
A) Currently our application has been designed for Microsoft® Windows XP®. External media such as Memory Stick and SD cards provide content transfer functionality from non-Windows based PCs, but you will not have the ability to buy books or enjoy the benefits of managing your content and Reader through the application. We are aware of the desire of non XP customers to have support and are considering how and when we can support them.

Q) If I use Firefox instead of Internet Explorer can I buy books?
A) The bookstore is not based on Internet Explorer and in fact is accessed through the Connect Reader desktop application. As such, you do not need to worry about which Internet browser you have installed on your PC.

Content

Q) Is Sony aware of the hacking/modding community? What does Sony think of it? Will it have its API opened up for third party developers?
A) Sony’s Librie eBook which launched in Japan enjoyed a great global fan base who worked together to provide translated menus and other offerings. We enjoyed watching the evolution of Librie applications, and the community’s feedback helped us define what the U.S. product should be. We are currently studying how we might support third party content developers. Please stay tuned.

Q) Can authors create and sell books on CONNECT? Can different blogs or websites sell or distribute their content there?
A) A) We are currently signing publishers big and small to offer their eBooks for sale. Please contact publisher_sign-up@sonyconnect.com for more information.

Other Questions

Q) When will the Sony Reader become available in other countries? Europe? Asia?
A) Sony does not have any current plans to expand distribution of the Reader outside the U.S.

Q) Has the Sony Reader gone through a beta test stage?
A) Sony always extensively tests our products before they ship. The Sony Reader will not be an exception. All aspects of the Reader will be fully tested before it is released. We want all customers to have a great experience with our products. In other words the Sony Reader will not be released in a beta form and will only be released when it is ready.

Q) When will the Reader be released for sure?
A) We will announce an exact date as we get closer to the fall season.

Q) Has Sony experienced any issues with “ghosting”?
A) Please refer to the FAQs on the E Ink web site (www.eink.com) to understand the causes and effects of “after image” (ghosting). While our engineering objective is to minimize the after image effect through clever control waveform design, after image is an inherent characteristic of the E Ink technology and is not a sign of a defective or degraded display.

Q) Has Sony tested firmware updates? How are they delivered to the end user?
A) Yes, Sony will offer the capability to download firmware updates and install them on the Reader. More information to come.

Q) Can I bookmark a location in a book and return to it later?
A) The Reader has a button called “Mark” that enables you to bookmark any page and, in fact, multiple pages. You can view your bookmarks through a menu option or by simply holding the “MARK” button down for five seconds.

Q) Can I "jump" forward/backward while reading by something other than one page (chapter, 10 page jumps, etc)?
A) Here are a couple of ways to navigate through a book:

Hold the “Page Forward” or “Back” button for five seconds and the page will jump 10 pages in the direction of the button.
The row of numbered buttons can help here as well. “1” brings you to the start of the book. “2” brings you to 20% of the book. “3” to 30% and so on. So if you wants to open to about half way in the book simply hit “5


Conclusion

Once again, we would like to thank you for your time and interest in the Sony Reader. While we were unable to write answers to every question, we did read the questions. We have passed on your concerns and desires to our product management and we will take everything into consideration. We hope that you find these answers useful and will continue to ask us, push us, and inspire us.

The Sony Reader Team.

Q) Has the Sony Reader gone through a beta test stage?
A) Sony always extensively tests our products before they ship. The Sony Reader will not be an exception. All aspects of the Reader will be fully tested before it is released. We want all customers to have a great experience with our products. In other words the Sony Reader will not be released in a beta form and will only be released when it is ready.

Ha ha! That's a not-so-subtle dig at Irex! Anyway, I know the beta phase is starting soon (or maybe it has already started) as I've been contacted by them to become a beta tester.

The only questions answered were the ones with a positive answer or those clarifying points already mentionned in the brochures.
Typical marketing ploy. Never say no and don't divulge r&d features and don't accept ideas because the issuer might sue.
All in all it confirms a nice little machine.
Can't wait to get my hands on it...Thanks Sony !

The only questions answered were the ones with a positive answer...
Can you blame the Sony guy who was responsible for the answers? :cool:

Q) Will Sony provide software and support for customers using Macs or Linux?
A) Currently our application has been designed for Microsoft® Windows XP®. External media such as Memory Stick and SD cards provide content transfer functionality from non-Windows based PCs, but you will not have the ability to buy books or enjoy the benefits of managing your content and Reader through the application. We are aware of the desire of non XP customers to have support and are considering how and when we can support them.


Well... Now I'm glad I bought an illiad...! I wouldn't have been able to buy any books for the Sony Reader on either my Mac laptop or Ubuntu desktop. Btw, do companies still think this way...? Whatever happened to online stores...?

I appreciate Sony's attempt to reach for us. It's a big step for a company who hasn't done much in the past to get closer to its customers.

What I don't get is why they stick to the idea that everyone on this planet uses Windows XP? Is it really so difficult to hire a student with a major in Computer Science and to have him code a Mac OS conduit for the Reader?

What I don't get is why they stick to the idea that everyone on this planet uses Windows XP? Is it really so difficult to hire a student with a major in Computer Science and to have him code a Mac OS conduit for the Reader?

Why bother coding a Mac conduit...? The deskop application could be written in Java, or you could just use an standards based online store. Safari is quite good at rendering HTML.

Transfer the books over through SD card or make the Reader show up as a USB drive when plugged in.

I think Sony have shot themselves in the foot with this... At lot of early adopters are Mac users. And they've just locked them out of buying the Sony Reader...

I'm quite happy with the answers and I decided I will buy an Sony Reader. Thanks Alexander and Sony for this informing thread!

Q) Has the Sony Reader gone through a beta test stage?
A) Sony always extensively tests our products before they ship. The Sony Reader will not be an exception. All aspects of the Reader will be fully tested before it is released. We want all customers to have a great experience with our products. In other words the Sony Reader will not be released in a beta form and will only be released when it is ready.
Ha ha! That's a not-so-subtle dig at Irex!
Actually, I think that's more aimed at us, to encourage us to be patient while they deliver a product that won't ignite an inferno of wailing and teeth-gnashing ... okay, fine, yes: like we're doing over the iLiad. :happy2:


At lot of early adopters are Mac users. And they've just locked them out of buying the Sony Reader...
Nah, all they've locked them out of is using the Connect Software -- MacUsers just can't buy content from Sony. Okay, they also can't use the software to "optimize" their content to: "enable faster page turns and re-sizing on the Reader itself." They can still load content via USB drive, SD Card, etc. If that's what a MacUser wants from his reader, he's still in. :rolleyes5 Though I agree that most MacUsers probably won't go this route.


I'm quite happy with the answers and I decided I will buy an Sony Reader.
And here I thought (from your avatar) that you'd decided that a while back! :beam:

And here I thought (from your avatar) that you'd decided that a while back! :beam:

lol I still was doughting a little bit. :happy2:

dabloNL, will you import it or will you visit the States?

Did nobody elese notice the littel fact, that it will not be possible to zoom PDF documents?

Now that is really bad!

Did nobody elese notice the littel fact, that it will not be possible to zoom PDF documents?

Now that is really bad!
I would do anything to convert the PDF to something more usable like HTML before putting it on the Reader.

As a student, mac user, and utterly impatient future purchaser of an e-reader I am left with an uneasy feeling in my stomach (although that may just be the coffee).

First,
No mac support? ITunes seems like the perfect distribution for e-books on both mac and Windows (Ahh, but who wants to sell themselves to Steve Jobs). It seems that like the iPod, the economics of e-books is such that selling books will not be where the money lies but selling the e-reader itself.

Second,
There was no discussion of highlighting text or making margin notes:

1) Will we be able to highlight text by switching the contrast on selected portions of text - and thereby bookmark that highlighted section?
2) Will we be able to make notes, either in margins or in connections with specific highlighted areas?
3) Is there any indication that text book distributors will make their materials available for use on e-readers?

I can't wait for a wide adoption of e-readers! Viva la e-reader!

2) Will we be able to make notes, either in margins or in connections with specific highlighted areas?
It's probably difficult to make notes since the screen is not touch-enabled (unlike the iRex iLiad).

Html is not on the list unless it's in an other name. I'd go with Rtf , Word is available on every platform.

I don't plan on using the connect store, I'll go the Mac way.

The reader is not even on the canadian site. Sony does not plan to sell in Canada, don't they know we're cousins ? I live only 50miles away !!!

Wow, HTML not on the list! Could that be a mistake?

When you finish reading an RSS feed on the Reader, what happens? Does it get erased? Can you do anything to prevent it from being erased?

Wow, HTML not on the list! Could that be a mistake?
I wonder the same. Specs of the Sony don't seem to mention HTML either (http://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/E-book_Reader_Matrix).

He did'nt even mention anything on inputs aside from markers. The tool has a USB plug, so have most keyboards. Simple software must be easy to write for it.

I wonder the same. Specs of the Sony don't seem to mention HTML either (http://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/E-book_Reader_Matrix).

I thought it was already settled that it doesn't support HTML. Anyway, it doesn't.

Is there an PC emulator for the reader software? I'm an author and want to see how it renders. Is the only way to do this to buy the hardware?

As a UK citizen and a Mac user Looks like I'm SOL on buying content anyway so I'll just import the device or time a convenient holiday sometime after launch.

Well no html support is a little disappapointing but also a little confusing, how are RSS feeds stored on the reader? It's no biggie though, Word has that nice "Save As" feature.

There is a Sony store in a mall on my way to work, whenever it comes out I'll just leave a bit early and pick one up.

Did nobody elese notice the littel fact, that it will not be possible to zoom PDF documents?
You can do a 90° rotation on PDFs and view sections of each page at a time -- that should give, what about 2X zoom?

Of course, if you have control of the PDF creation, you can make the pages the size of the screen in the first place. And there's the cropping trick that's been discussed at length in the iLiad forum which should help some too.


@KNatoli -- since Sony wants you to buy books from their Connect store, I'm pretty sure that deals with iTunes aren't real high on their agenda at the moment -- besides, like you said: "who wants to sell themselves to Steve Jobs"? :happy2:


Interesting bit here, I've seen some small indications that they may explore MacPuter support for the Connect software in the future. Not something to base a decision on, but it's a sign that they seem to be interested in playing better with others.


As to notation/highlighting -- the Sony Reader, as it stands today, doesn't have any entry methods supported (no stylus/keyboard or such), so there isn't any built in way to make notes/highlights, as several have noted already. But it does have a (mini) USB jack (also mentioned by others), and it does run an open source OS, and they indicated a somewhat favorable view of hacking their Readers (at least) here. I've also seen some indications that they're looking at perhaps releasing some sort of SDK, but nothing reliable yet. Who knows what we mere users might get up to once the devices are in our hot little hands? :shy:

As Laurens said, there's definitely no native HTML support, that's been known for a good while now. The Connect store must be converting their RSS feeds to a supported format (BBeB, maybe). And it's been expressly said, both above an elsewhere, that content won't expire, so you should be okay keeping whatever you want to keep on your Reader for as long as you want to keep it. (yippee!)

All in all I'd say it looks like they've learned some things from the Librie' experience. :happy2:

I'm a little disappointed that RSS conversion relies on their Connect server. On the bright side: I'm still planning on writing a Sunrise-like application for the Sony Reader and it will make that application all the more useful.

Well... Now I'm glad I bought an illiad...! I wouldn't have been able to buy any books for the Sony Reader on either my Mac laptop or Ubuntu desktop.

This just proves Sony still doesn't grasp their customer base for this product:

1. Prius owners, already proving they will spend $12,000 more to drive a car that costs more CO2/petroleum to make (vs a non-hybrid) than it will save in emissions/petroleum...
2. Early Adopters that actually read books (rather than web content.)
3. High powered executives whom will buy it precisely because it is so economically impractical, but "cool".

No one else is going to pay $$$ for the Reader at this point. I mean Sony will give a 20% discount off list for their DRM'd ebooks and Amazon will sell you the paper version for 30% to 50% off?

How large a percentage of that market are Mac users?

I'd put the percentage at around 50%, so in effect they just kissed off half their potential customer base for the product. :rolleyes5

How large a percentage of that market are Mac users?

I'd put the percentage at around 50%, so in effect they just kissed off half their potential customer base for the product. :rolleyes5

Honestly, that number is likely closer to zero.

Just look at the millions of business travellers reading on planes. All they need is to promote the readability, battery life, and ability to carry lots of books in a small lightweight space, and its a hit.

I would like to thank sony for the replies. Here is a little feedback for sony:

Im interested in the user interface to the reader. Please consider before you release it to make some of the user interface configurable through the pc connect software. For example, I may not want to hold the "next page" button down for five seconds before it jumps forward.

Also, make sure your connect software runs on vista!

-d

After yesterday people won't be taking these on planes any more.

Anyway, I for one cannot wait for the Sony to be released (and I work at Microsoft so the WIndows XP-only support doesn't bother me - Mac users should snap up copies of Virtual PC while they're still available ;-) ). The iRex is just too expensive, and the Hanlin may never be properly distributed here. I'm champing at the bit; I'm tired of struggling with a 770...

BTW for those concerned about lack of HTML support, you can use HTMLDOC to convert to PDF. This has the added benefit of giving you a lot of control over how the PDF is formatted. Most of what I want to read is either native PDF or HTML converted to PDF. The support for tables is pretty broken but otherwise HTMLDOC does a good job.

I'm very pleased that Sony is including the ability to rotate the screen, as much of what I read is technical papers or books and I suspect that they would suffer at 600x800 portrait. On the Nokia 770 I read in landscape more and its acceptable; the extra lines (from 480 to 600) will be a boon on the Sony.

What would be even better would be if Sony supported PDF reflow but that is probably expecting too much. I wonder what would happen if you used the Adobe PDF reader on a VGA enabled Pocket PC and reflowed the PDFs, then put them on the SOny? That would be an interesting experiment.

I wonder what would happen if you used the Adobe PDF reader on a VGA enabled Pocket PC and reflowed the PDFs, then put them on the SOny?

Nothing much. Reflow, as it's implemented by Adobe, does not change the PDF document, only how it is presented. Saving a reflowed document saves the original document, by and large.

What would be even better would be if Sony supported PDF reflow but that is probably expecting too much. I wonder what would happen if you used the Adobe PDF reader on a VGA enabled Pocket PC and reflowed the PDFs, then put them on the SOny? That would be an interesting experiment.

AFAIK, reflowing is not supported by the Sony Reader.

dabloNL, will you import it or will you visit the States?


If it is possible I will import it. Otherwise I have some friends in the US and many colleagues who fly to the US regulary. But I expect to find some online shop who will ship to The Netherlands.

Amazon ships overseas.

Amazon ships overseas.


I know but Amazon doesn't ship all of their products overseas and also it depends of which country your from. Let's hope so!

You guys are way ahead, Sony says december but judging by the way they promised before it's more like march 2007. Maybe they'll open market on a broader scale...if you continue begging enough.

After yesterday people won't be taking these on planes any more.

luckly for us US folks thats only in the uk (restriction on electronics). Imagine no ipod or phone...


http://www.cnn.com/2006/TRAVEL/08/11/US.airline.security.rules/index.html

Imagine if consumer devices have to have removable batteries that can be surrendered to the flight crew to be securely locked away or they must travel checked.

I think this a much more likely development.

After all, Business people don't need to use their notebooks and cellphones in flight. They just need to know the notebook and cellphone will not be lost or damaged when they get off the plane. Notebooks and cellphones have removable batteries. The batteries are what the bad guys abuse to set off bombs.

Devices like Sony Reader will travel checked, devices like Sony Librie can fly carry on.

But the first gadget impacting development I expect? Removal of Empower from plane seats. You don't need an iPod to power up a detonator if you have 15V at a couple amps sitting right there in your seat.

You guys are way ahead, Sony says december but judging by the way they promised before it's more like march 2007. Maybe they'll open market on a broader scale...if you continue begging enough.
Sony never said December: folks who apparently think that "Holidays" can only mean "Christmas" or perhaps "New Years" said December -- there's a difference between those two things. :rolleyes2:

The indications I have seen are that we will most likely see the launch some time in October, with some hints that it might be as early as the end of September. Indications similar to those that I've mentioned here in the past on other details (which have since proved to be true).

But then, I suppose you won't be disappointed if you insist on believing December. :happy2:

I cannot find
1. How fast does the Sony Reader turn or rotate a PDF page?
2. How can an user add the TOC into those native document?

Those are important to me.
Thanks.

I think they said you rotate a page by holding the zoom button for a few seconds

I cannot find
1. How fast does the Sony Reader turn or rotate a PDF page?
2. How can an user add the TOC into those native document?


I don't think Sony has said anything about 1, but since it means redrawing the entire screen, it doesn't seem impossible that turn/rotate time = redraw time.

As for the second ... you get Adobe Acrobat or equivalent tool. Don't expect the tools included with Sony Reader to be authoring tools.

Thanks for your fast replies.
I think I should describe my second question more clearly:

We know a paper book often has a "Table of Content" which helps a reader finds some chapter fast.
Similiarly, in my opinion, an ebook should support the TOC for convenient reading, too. (Iamgine a 1000 pages ebook has "no" TOC...)

An user can bulid a TOC in either a PDF (or a DOC) file by PC.
Can the Sony Reader natively read the built-in TOC of a PDF file?
Or we need "convert" or "rebuilt" the a special TOC format for the Sony Read by some edition tool?

In addition, we know TXT, RTF, JPG... does not support the TOC on PC.
When I use them as an "ebook" for Sony Reader, I wonder this ebook have a TOC (whehter the converted BBeB, or the native files).
So,
will Sony provide the edition tool for Sony Readre users to add TOC, add/delete pages, edit pages with different file format (i.e. p1~10 are rtf, p11 is jpg...), etc?

Is there an PC emulator for the reader software? I'm an author and want to see how it renders. Is the only way to do this to buy the hardware?
I think that the Connect software itself may "emulate" on the PC, but I don't think you can get that without the Reader. Of course, once it's out, I'm sure there will be any number of home-grown PC emulators in about 15 minutes. :happy2:

I also know that files formatted for a Librie' (such as those available from Manybooks.net (http://www.manybooks.net) -- the "Librie (beta)" format) look really good on the Sony Reader -- no surprise there -- so the Librie' PC emulators should give you some idea. Unfortunately, I'm not sure where to get those, nor which ones would be worth messing with, but it's something to look into....

This is a wild guess i.e. hope.
If the Connect software works like Itunes, you'll have a library to store your books in and a software patch that converts them in the reader's language(BBeB). The only issue left would be formatting.

Honestly, that number is likely closer to zero.

Just look at the millions of business travellers reading on planes. All they need is to promote the readability, battery life, and ability to carry lots of books in a small lightweight space, and its a hit.

You underestimate the techno-fear/fear-of-the-new some people have... People on carry laptops because they've had them setup for them, and have been instructed how to use them. I once worked for a CEO... After five years using PCs he hadn't figured out that "File" -> "Open" could be used instead of double clicking on email attachments. No-one had ever shown him how, and he didn't want to break his computer by experimenting...

Who will show them how to use a Sony Reader...?

You underestimate the techno-fear/fear-of-the-new some people have... People on carry laptops because they've had them setup for them, and have been instructed how to use them. I once worked for a CEO... After five years using PCs he hadn't figured out that "File" -> "Open" could be used instead of double clicking on email attachments. No-one had ever shown him how, and he didn't want to break his computer by experimenting...

Who will show them how to use a Sony Reader...?

I don't understand the relevance. Board a plane and look around. about 30% are laptop-equipped business users. I think they know how to do file->open :)

Fear is not what is going to hold the Sony reader back. The fact that the economics of ebooks makes no sense is what will stop people from buying it. $350 is a lot of money for a one-use device.

Most people don't have any electronic books they can repurpose for this device like they did for digital music players.

I don't understand the relevance. Board a plane and look around. about 30% are laptop-equipped business users. I think they know how to do file->open :)

You'd be suprised...!

Fear is not what is going to hold the Sony reader back. The fact that the economics of ebooks makes no sense is what will stop people from buying it. $350 is a lot of money for a one-use device.

Most people don't have any electronic books they can repurpose for this device like they did for digital music players.

It is a fact that Sony being as big as It is, overprices all they sell.
And as you say people will think hard before buying a one use device, specially since this one, contrary to music players, requires that you fully concentrate on it.

This is a wild guess i.e. hope.
If the Connect software works like Itunes, you'll have a library to store your books in and a software patch that converts them in the reader's language(BBeB). The only issue left would be formatting.
I'm not entirely sure that I'm answering what you asked, so tell me if it's not. :smiley2:

The Connect store will keep track of which books you purchase there, so that you can download them again later as you like (for as long as the Connect store operates, of course). Kind of like the "Your Books" function at Baen, or the "My Bookshelf" function at FictionWise. All of those books will be formatted to work on the Sony Reader (it's their store, after all!).

If you're asking if you can upload your own content to the Connect store, I don't know it, but I'm pretty sure the answer to that will be 'no.' :happy2:

I noticed that my question on the underlying technology for the connect store was not answered. To understand how bad it was check out this page:

http://news.com.com/How+Sony+failed+to+Connect%2C+again/2100-1027_3-6078659.html

The Sonicstage software that I was using at the time to go to minidisc was just horrible. Based on the continued dalays of the Sony reader, and the non-replaceable battery, it is a decent thing that Jinke is shipping evaluation units now. Not to the general public, but to their business partners according to the last email I recieved. And the battery is user-replaceable! I used to love Sony. But since Morita died, the downhill path has been quick and fast. Rootkit DRM's, lousy software, lower quality in manufacturing trying to save a buck and live on the name

If you're asking if you can upload your own content to the Connect store, I don't know it, but I'm pretty sure the answer to that will be 'no.' :happy2:

I'm sure they won't NatCh! Sony will never bother with something as trivial as a personnal collection.Imagine the server space needed!
If you are familiar with Itunes, there is a library in which you store the IDs of any media you collect except text based. Most media computer dependant accessory you buy has software that helps catalog your content for easier reference. I was hoping that the Connect store software would be complemented in such a way.
Also in Itunes, any music you have in whatever format or sampling rate is automatically reconverted to fit in your Ipod as soon as you download to It.
If such software was offered for the PRS-500 or the Iliad for that matter, the use of such a tool would be greatly simplified. :wink:

If you are familiar with Itunes, there is a library in which you store the IDs of any media you collect exept text based. Most media computer dependant accessory you buy has software that helps catalog your content for easier reference. I was hoping that the Connect store software would be complemented in such a way.
Also in Itunes, any music you have in whatever format or sampling rate is automatically reconverted to fit in your Ipod as soon as you download to It.
If such software was offered for the PRS-500 or the Iliad for that matter, the use of such a tool would be greatly simplified. :wink:
Hmm. I'm afraid I'm not familiar with iTunes, hence my guessing at what you were asking. :rolleyes5 I'm not much of a music person, I'm afraid, I like music just fine, I just don't seek it out nearly enough to justify an iPod level expense for myself, is all. I don't think they let me use iTunes to put music on my Palm.

Reading, now, that's a totally different price point. :wink:

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find/figure out too much detail how the Connect software that you install on your PC works. We may have to wait and see on it. The few details I've scraped up could suggest that it does something like what you're looking for.

We know that the access to the Connect Store is through the Connect Software. We know that they store a record of what you've bought somewhere, I assume on their servers rather than my PC. We know that their aim in creating the connect store is to gather content for the PRS500 and make it easily available to the non-geek market (like my 62 year old mother, who thinks this is all simply a grand idea, but has only recently "gotten" what a flash drive is).

You can see that those tidbits might add up to what you're looking for, but they might not too. (shrug)



@ exvaxman: yeah, that article does suggest some serious past issues with the Connect store, but it also seems to suggest that they are mostly dealt with. Certainly the web side of the Connect store is up for music, even if I do have to use IE (mutter) to see it. The Connect Software for the PRS500 is supposed to be a self contained conduit to the book side of the Connect store, not going through a browser at all, so who knows what difference that might make? I haven't been able to find anything other than that article to suggest that the Connect store is ... disconnected. I'm also wondering if that Kinoma business would necessarily have any effect on e-books -- doesn't it deal with multimedia?

While I see your concern, I've decided to wait and see on that one. Probably our only real option anyway. :rolleyes:

Lack of HTML support is disappointing, but not surprising. I have zero interest in buying DRM content, but was looking forward to having a better medium to read online content offline, only a fraction of which is in PDF.

Hopefully Sony will include an updated equivalent of Toolbar for Librie, an IE add-on which did a great job of converting HTML pages to BeBB in one click. If not, and if the existing version of TFL produces incompatible pages, then I'll pass. Time to reconsider the iLiad.

Hopefully Sony will include an updated equivalent of Toolbar for Librie, an IE add-on which did a great job of converting HTML pages to BeBB in one click.
Or someone else will do so. :happy2:

It's not a viable option for everything, but the Sony Reader will display rtf, so some things could converted to that format....

Will the Sony give any capability of printing out pages? What about storing text in a clipboard (for quoting, etc).

rj

Will the Sony give any capability of printing out pages? What about storing text in a clipboard (for quoting, etc).

rj
Dunno, but I really doubt it -- it's really aimed as a reader only. However, I suspect that the screen may be good enough to use one of those line-scanner pen things to capture text. :happy2:

Or someone else will do so. :happy2: I'm looking forward to a devoted, open source developer community coming to the rescue to make the device usable, as they did with the Librie.

It's not a viable option for everything, but the Sony Reader will display rtf, so some things could converted to that format....I got a lot of mileage out of the Librie with just txt. Sony's preliminary information on what the Reader can and can't do has been discouraging, but as a former Librie owner, I know that just having the Librie's capabilities and an all-English interface makes it an attractive proposition in spite of everything.

rmeister0,
Economics certainly can/will make sense, but may take some time. Consider newspapers whose lifespan is 1-5 days! The cost of paper and printing is far greater than electronic delivery to a reader, so at some point newspapers will offer significant discount for e-delivery to a reader. Books individually may be cheap, but at least half of them are thrown away and/or collect dust in the basement. There is also the hassle of storing them, etc. Depending on the number and type of books one consumes, svaing from e-delivery can add up. Once again, publishers will eventually have to pass on a lot of the savings onto consumers (from not having to print, distribute, etc.) which may not be happening right now. So it may take time.

Keep in mind that there is also tangible benefit (that has certain $ value) of having quick and easy access to a library without computers and networks. You just cannot carry around many reference volumes in printed form, but you can carry them in a reader. For some/many professions that capability alone can be worth hundreds of dollars.

I agree that the fixed battery that cannot easily be replaced is a major. If I build a library of content on it over several years then I don't want to throw it away just because I cannot replace battery!?!?! It is very annoying to say the least. There should be a fairly simple procedure to be able to replace battery.
Also not mentioned is that battery looses its charge even while device is idle. If one can turn 7500 pages on a single charge over the course of 24 hours, that doesn't mean you get the same 7500 turns over the course of 1 year for instance. Even if you don't use it at all, between 6 and 12 months battery will be mostly empty. Not a big deal.

I don't mind an "end-user friendly DRM" that enables Sony and others to make money so long as non-DRM formats are also supported. Also would be nice to have a "backup to local computer hard disk" option as I don't want to depend on any remote store 100%. Also e-books pricing has to reflect the savings. For instance, if e-book version of a novel costs about the same as printed and I don't intend to keep it for a long time, then I would still purchase paper version.

Lack of HTML support is unfortunate but I hope will be fixed in the future.

Seems like a nice gadget, even if overpriced may be worth it. Still, I may wait for version 2 if they don't fix the major problems (battery replacement). Also I'd like to ensure that built-in memory is sufficient for a decent size library.

I was pretty excited about the Sony product. I have a Rocket ebook 1100, and have enjoyed using it, but since I am a stinkin' Mac user, interface has been a hassle.

I had really hoped that Sony would consider Mac users in its marketing and design, but it looks like we are excluded again.

I suppose eventually, I will have to surrender and buy a Windows machine. I think I'd rather quit using a computer altogether than do that, but I will have to have a computer for my work, just as I had to break down and get a cell phone.

But I intend to stay Mac as long as I can, just as I stayed cell-free as long as I could manage it. This means no Sony ebook for me...too bad, so sad, etc.

It *also* means I don't talk up the Sony product to people who would see me using it in public. But this is no big deal for Sony, as I am just one person, and they don't need *my* business.

Oh, well.

I had really hoped that Sony would consider Mac users in its marketing and design, but it looks like we are excluded again.
Did you intend to buy books from Sony's Connect Store?

Because if not, you don't lose much by being on a Mac. The only thing the (non-Macpatible) software does for you is allow connection to Sony's Connect Store. It also may speed up rendering of your own texts if you run them through it, but the Sony Reader can handle several common file types natively without using the Connect Software at all. If you just want to read texts from other (non-Sony) sources, you should be fine. You can xfer them on SD or via the USB connection.

There have also been rumors that Sony *may* be considering portalling the Connect Software to run on MacPuters. I wouldn't recommend basing a decision on that, however. :rolleyes5

I suppose eventually, I will have to surrender and buy a Windows machine. I think I'd rather quit using a computer altogether than do that, but I will have to have a computer for my work, just as I had to break down and get a cell phone.

Oh, well.

Never surrender cause the devil is always around the corner to catch you when you're down :happy2:

Actually you are caught in a longstanding feud between Apple and Sony.

Sony as the longtime inventor of the walkman was the music leader .And when Apple stole the ball away, not being able to get it back, It has desperately been trying for a good while to find an alternate "aftersale" market. Hence the old yet uncrowned e-book market.

NatCh has pertinently pointed out that there is always a way around a software "lock". Believe him. Writing to mobileread was your best move. We are many Mac users around here, by all means keep your Mac and continue enjoying it.
I would suggest adding a used PC to your repertoire, because it will multiply the available software possibilities you can use. :wink:
Diversity is the spice of life

I picked up an old iMac last year for about $25, I've used it maybe twice but it's good to have around

Never surrender cause the devil is always around the corner to catch you when you're down :happy2:

Actually you are caught in a longstanding feud between Apple and Sony.

Sony as the longtime inventor of the walkman was the music leader .And when Apple stole the ball away, not being able to get it back, It has desperately been trying for a good while to find an alternate "aftersale" market. Hence the old yet uncrowned e-book market.

NatCh has pertinently pointed out that there is always a way around a software "lock". Believe him. Writing to mobileread was your best move. We are many Mac users around here, by all means keep your Mac and continue enjoying it.
I would suggest adding a used PC to your repertoire, because it will multiply the available software possibilities you can use. :wink:
Diversity is the spice of life

More generally, I suggest that (at some point in the future) you move up to an Intel-based Mac. That way, if -- heaven forbid -- you absolutely positively must have a windows box, you can simply run Windows under Parallels Workstation or some equivalent product without abandoning your Mac. And with the Mac market share rising, you may not find it necessary to do even that.

Xenophon
(posting from my G4 Powerbook)

...with the Mac market share rising....
So, what is the Mac market share up to these days? It's been a while since I saw any numbers on it.

rmeister0,
Economics certainly can/will make sense, but may take some time. Consider newspapers whose lifespan is 1-5 days! The cost of paper and printing is far greater than electronic delivery to a reader, so at some point newspapers will offer significant discount for e-delivery to a reader. Books individually may be cheap, but at least half of them are thrown away and/or collect dust in the basement. There is also the hassle of storing them, etc. Depending on the number and type of books one consumes, svaing from e-delivery can add up. Once again, publishers will eventually have to pass on a lot of the savings onto consumers (from not having to print, distribute, etc.) which may not be happening right now. So it may take time.

But that newspaper costs an end-user fifty cents to a buck, and not everybody keeps big stacks of paperbacks in their basement. In addition, bandwidth, server infrastructure, and the staff to keep all these things working cost money too, so there really aren't cost savings to electronic distribution until volume hits a certain tipping point. What that point is, I don't know, but I don't think we'll ever reach it until we have the MP3 equivilant of electronic text. (We *should* have that already, either in html or pdf, but neither seems to have hit that critical mass yet.)


Keep in mind that there is also tangible benefit (that has certain $ value) of having quick and easy access to a library without computers and networks. You just cannot carry around many reference volumes in printed form, but you can carry them in a reader. For some/many professions that capability alone can be worth hundreds of dollars.

I agree that this is major, and there can be big wins in a lot of education markets. But except for college students (who can be forced to shoulder the costs themselves) education markets are badly cash-strapped. My comments were mainly directed to "pleasure reading" consumers, which is where the mass market (rather than specific, niche or vertial markets) is.

I use O'Reilly's Safari system for books I want to be able to access from time to time for technical reference without having to buy them, but it would be great to be able to access them when I don't have internet access. But I don't know if that ability is worth $350 or $700 in addition to the $20 a month I pay for that service.

I don't mind an "end-user friendly DRM" that enables Sony and others to make money so long as non-DRM formats are also supported. Also would be nice to have a "backup to local computer hard disk" option as I don't want to depend on any remote store 100%.

I think that would really be key. One of the things that made iPods popular was the ability to repurpose music you already owned, and ebook manufacturers seem to not understand that. The Gemstar fiasco is still prominent in the early adopter's minds, I think.

Lack of HTML support is unfortunate but I hope will be fixed in the future.

I really hope so. The fact that it doesn't, frankly, astounds me.

One of the things that made iPods popular was the ability to repurpose music you already owned, and ebook manufacturers seem to not understand that. The Gemstar fiasco is still prominent in the early adopter's minds, I think.
I don't think this is true of the current crop of e-ink devices, they all three allow non-proprietary file types (RFT/TXT/PDF). Or am I missing what you're trying to say?

There is a nuance NatCh. Of the three only TXT is non proprietary.

Sony said that RTF is available only if the Connect software detects Word when you install. I guess it will check for the several Pdf creating applications also, the rights are Adobe's and licensed .

Sony said that RTF is available only if the Connect software detects Word when you install. I guess it will check for the several Pdf creating applications also, the rights are Adobe's and licensed .
I don't think that's correct, yvanleterrible, if you have a citation for where you saw it I'd be real inerested in seeing though. :uhoh2:

I'm not trying to argue, but the indications I have are very clear that you will be able to put RTF, TXT or PDF files on a memory card, insert it into the slot and open those files. I don't see how it could check your system for anything in that scenario. :happy2:

In fact, you don't even have to install the Connect Software to use the Sony Reader.

Maybe you're thinking of this?

------------ Quoted from the Sony website (http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en/-/USD/SY_DisplayProductInformation-Start;sid=7HtRN7PBn6tRe_cv7kJbPPzO2AyjB6qJ6Zo=?Cat egoryName=pa_pdr&ProductSKU=PRS500&TabName=specs&var2=) --------------
Media Formats Supported
Unsecured Text - BBeB Book,Adobe® PDF, TXT, RTF, & Microsoft® Word (Conversion to the Reader-requires Word installed on your PC)
Secured Text - BBeB Book
Unsecured Audio - MP3192 and ACC
Image - JPEG, GIF, PNG and BMP

----------------------------------------------------------

MacroHard Word is required for the Connect Software to automatically convert MS Word files to RTF for transfer to the Reader, but I think that's just an indication that the Connect Software won't handle the conversion internally, but rather leans on M$Word for that. Of course, there are a number of non-M$ apps that will let you do it manually. :)

The PDF thing makes even less sense -- I think the Sony PDF reader is supposed to be by Adobe, so you already have a licensed Adobe PDF reader there (I'm assuming you meant to say it looked for PDF reading software, rather than creating). Besides, Adobe has become what it is by not being restrictive about letting people read files in their format, why would they 180 that now? It just doesn't hold water for me. :happy2:

Go back to the begining of this thread.
This is what Iwas referring to...

------------------------------------
We recommend using the CONNECT™ Reader Software to import and transfer files to the Reader, as it will enable faster page turns and re-sizing on the Reader itself. We have also included the ability to import Microsoft Word files to the device. The CONNECT Reader will convert the Word document to RTF during the import process as long as the user has Microsoft® Word on the PC (this happens behind the scenes).

-------------------------------------------------

I know there is a workaround, there always is. All I meant is that RTF and PDF are proprietary. When they say things happen "behind the scenes", they've been snooping around. How many times while you install software do you see "Please be patient while(such and such software) looks for software installed on your computer"

You can't let yourself be blind to this fact; they know every bit of software that's installed on your machine, specially if you have a permanent connection to the web.
They'll never admit to it because they don't have the right to do so. It would incriminate them on "breach of privacy". This might feel paranoïd but big money is.

Ah, now I see what you're talking about -- the way I read that is "if you have MS Word, and you use the Connect Software to put files on your PRS-500, the Connect Software can use MS Word to convert Word files to RTF before loading them onto the Reader, and this will be transparent to the user. But if you don't have MS Word, you'll have to convert your Word files to RTF yourself."

That interpretation fits with the other indications I've seen on the subject, and with question number one on the list (from right before the part you referenced):

Q) What File formats are supported natively and can be put directly on a Memory Stick or SD memory card?
A) With the Sony Reader you can take a file from your PC to an SD or Memory Stick™ media card and read on the Sony Reader the following file types:

1. TXT
2. RTF
3. PDF (Unencrypted)
4. BBeB (Encrypted and Unencrypted)
5. JPEG
6. GIF
7. BMP
8. PNG
9. MP3 (Unencrypted)
10. AAC (Unencrypted)



The recommendation that you use the Connect software to load files has to do with taking advantage of some sort of pre-rendering function, not with checking up on you to see if you have a right to have a given file type. :happy2:


That being said, I do get what youre saying, and agree with you completely that the Connect Software must look to see if you have MSWord -- otherwise it wouldn't know whether or not you had Word available as a resource for it to use to convert Word files to RTF.

Does it also take a full system inventory of all the software you have installed (and maybe report it back to a darkened office somewhere in Tokyo)? It could, and we very well might have a hard time even noticing if it did.

On the other hand, I'm hoping that they learned something from the "root-kit debacle" -- Sony is under U.S. Federal investigation for that, they're facing a number of civil suits, they pulled the offending CD's and it was the Entertainment division that did it in the first place (the divisions are, by all accounts, pretty insular). I think it'd be too stupid for even a big corp like Sony to (exactly) repeat that error. They could always try something else, of course. :(

I'm not claiming to know what they will or won't do, you understand, just sharing my reasoning on the matter, so salt to taste.

Remember, I have been accused (http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showpost.php?p=35596&postcount=5) of being an optomist.

I like optimism too, that is the best tool we have to fight the violent options :)

I have had a bad experience with a software company and I was at fault, and wish to never renew the experience. Nowadays software on your computer can communicate with the "head center". Take for instance(in a good way) virus software, cookies, and at the opposite; spammers, spyware and others. It's become very hard to distinguish the good from the bad. :rolleyes5

Many companies do a very good job of controlling piracy in such a subtle way that it betrays knowlege, intimate knowledge let's say...

Away with that c..p.

So! when's that reader hitting the shores ?
Ain't here yet ? You said thanksgiving ? :indian_br

So! when's that reader hitting the shores ?
Ain't here yet ? You said thanksgiving ? :indian_br
Ain't Thanksgiving yet ... in the U.S. anyway. :D

Seriously, though, PCMag (http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6982) said October, for all I can tell, they're probably closer to right than wrong. Well, unless you accept CCDMan's interpretation of when the "holidays" are, of course. :happy2:

What? Did you want to start a pool or something? I suppose we could do it for bragging rights. :mad:

I don't deal with pools anymore.

I always manage to drown in them. and it's not in cash ! :happy2:

The first date Sony set was somewhere around my birthday. I thought I'd get a cool gift. I did... a snowblower ! :happy2:

I don't think this is true of the current crop of e-ink devices, they all three allow non-proprietary file types (RFT/TXT/PDF). Or am I missing what you're trying to say?

Well, I think I'm trying to say several things at once, and it is getting muddy.

The iLiad supports HTML and PDF, but neither in a what I would call a superb way. As for the Sony device, we won't really know until we have them in people's hands; I'm unwilling to take anything Sony says at face value until I can test it for myself.

Irex clearly is not getting into the content business, but just about every one of Sony's endeavors in the past 10 years has been all about leveraging content to own the operating platform. Nevermind that said strategy has been hurting them pretty badly, I still see no real evidence that that mindset is changing. (The current issue of Wired has an interesting article on this very thing, discussing the poor fortunes of the PS3 as a case in point.)

Most consumers had piles of CDs lying around they could rip onto their mp3 players; but converting printed text is a lot more difficult. So while the ability to repurpose existing content is critical, by itself it will not make the device a mass market product, if by mass market we mean the millions and millions that Sony's CEO says he wants.

I think the real potential for the next five years or so is going to be vertical markets. Rolling this out to end consumers as a recreational reading device will probably be the last application of eInk.

So to sum up: Electronic book devices cannot be closed ecosystems otherwise early adopters won't take to them; there has to be a network of content providers with enough material to entice consumers; the cost of entry has to come down a lot to become mass market; the cost of content will have to be lower than the paper editions, particularly if heavy DRM usage turns purchases into rentals; and manufacturers and publishers will have to show great patience because this is a market that will take a lot of time and effort to develop.

Unfortunately, I am only seeing baby steps on the first two points and very little on the rest.

Ah. Now that, I followed. :happy2:

I'm unwilling to take anything Sony says at face value until I can test it for myself.
Heh -- I like the looks of the Sony (okay, I like them a lot), but I have also added a folder to the SD card I use to carry stuff around, and filled it with files expressly for testing all the various file types the first time I can lay hands on one of the rascals. :)

...just about every one of Sony's endeavors in the past 10 years has been all about leveraging content to own the operating platform. Nevermind that said strategy has been hurting them pretty badly, I still see no real evidence that that mindset is changing.
Granted, but I think in this case, they may actually have a point. What have been the two major obstacles to e-reading? I think it's pretty well established that they can be summed up as hardware, and content availability (which rolls up a whole bunch of stuff, formats, DRM, just getting texts, etc.).

Hopefully, e-ink will address the former, but that still, as you point out, leaves the latter.

In effect, what Sony's Connect Store is doing (regardless of what Sony may be aiming to do) is to provide a pool of books that can be easily put on the hardware (I'll get to DRM in a moment, hang on :happy2: ). I was explaining the general e-reader concept to my 62 year old, mildly technophobic mother, and she thought the harware and Connect Store sounded good to her.

Being able to click on the book she wants, and having it show up on a screen she can read easily (and enlarge the text) without hassling with conversion and such is just exactly what she wants. She doesn't care about DRM, because she only reads books once and then gets rid of them.

However, I think in the event, she'd be annoyed that she couldn't pass some of them along to others. But the point is that they've identified a way to reach a demographic that is outside the 'geek' set. Face it, there are a lot more middle-aged women readers than there are geeks. :vulcan: I think that kind of connection will do a lot toward making e-reading mainstream.

The DRM (told you I'd get to it) is something that a lot of publishers are going to insist on for the time being -- they believe they'll get robbed blind by piracy without it. I happen to agree that most folks are going to pay for such things if the price is reasonable (BAEN's example certainly seems to indicate that this is so), but the issue here is what they believe, not the reality.

I don't like DRM, but if it allows me to sell or give away my e-book, just as I can a paper book, I think I could live with that. The pubs will eventually realize that if I can't give away an e-book, I can't buy one as a gift for someone else -- gifts add a fair amount to my total book purchases.

I think that we'll eventually have some sort of industry standard for formats, as the publishers get on board. If I have to have DRM I'd prefer to see something that ties the text to something like an SD card (I bet 1Mb SD cards would be cheap enough to be viable), so that I could lend or give away my book without copying it.

I think about all the SciFi stories with book readers mentioned in them, they all seem to have the 'book' tied to a physical token, a tape, a chip, a cube, whatever. I don't see any reason that couldn't work for real.

I see the whole thing being tied up together, the hardware drawing the content, the content driving the hardware, and hopefully DRM getting mostly ground beneath the wheels. Call me an optomist, but I really think the advent of usable reader hardware (especially after the prices come down), at a time when the public is generally accepting of e-reading as a suppliment to p-books, will mark the point where the dam went from cracking to water beginning to run through those cracks.

You may be (perhaps, probably are) right that this will mostly penetrate the corporate world first, but so did PC's, and non-dot-matrix printers, and how many other things? The corps have more money to spend on things like this, and they'll do it if they smell a cost savings. :greedy:

But on the other hand, this one may just surprise us. Call me an optimist, it's been done before, and maybe this will end up just one more disappointment on a road that's much longer than any of us would like it to be, but I'll hold onto the dream of being able to read anything I choose electronically. :mad:

The fact that folks had CD's lying around to be ripped to mp3 files did very much increase the mp3 player taking off the way it did. And the fact that books don't currently come digitally for transferring to a reader does mean that e-readers can't take off as fast as iPods did (and you're right that the more open the pubs are the less that will be a factor). On the other hand, there are a lot of products that are perfectly viable that didn't have the 'perfect storm' of circumstances that mp3 players in general have enjoyed. A product doesn't have to be the greatest commercial success in living memory to be successfull. Sony's Connect store may not be 'open,' but it is making a good claim at easy accessibility (okay, except for requiring XP).

As has been noted before, people regard books differently than they do music, the music models don't translate. The key is to make an e-reading situation that fits most people's view of what reading should be. That's what mp3 players have done for music, and when the e-reader manages to get into that range, then it'll do well enough. :happy2:

Well yes and no. There are several book user types (old/young, technical/leisure,...) as well as several book categories (free - public domain / copyrighted, entertainment/technical/....)

For instance, there is a lot of free public domain content (see Google books (http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060830-7623.html) ) that can be used now without any limits on any device. I would imagine that students can find a lot of useful material right there. There are all sorts of technical manuals that are also free.

Even the worst DRM scheme may be suitable for books that are read once and simply discarded; leisure type stuff. You may not be able to pass it on to a friend like printed, but if it is cheap enough friend can buy his own.

I think that both of these will persist and exist for a long time, free unencumbered PDFs and TXTs as well as a plethora of DRMs. Of course, most of the books fall into the gray zone between these extremes. They are not free and probably have some sort of DRM, but not cheap and you'd like some privileges (keep it for a long time, pass/borrow to a friend, etc.) Hence the battle will rage for many years in this grey zone.

The obvious fatality will be these, first e-reader devices. They are doomed just like the first palm device, Apple Newton. Wonderful design, excellent features, but expensive. In this case the price is high relative to the lack of content, of course. From their ashes will rise simpler cheaper designs and only after they flood the market will there be significant pressure on publishers and they'll start trying to resolve the mess seriously. In summary, yes it will take a long time to achieve simple ubiquotous e-book availability, but no we don't have to wait as there are already many public domain e-books.

Hey, gang -

Just wanted to say hello, as I've just found this forum; I'm a Mac user eagerly awaiting the long-delayed Sony Reader. I've had experience at getting the short end of the stick by manufacturers, as I'm still occasionally using my original Rocketbook. (Yep, the battery still works!)

As long as the Reader supports the formats Sony states it will, I'll have no difficulty using it effectively - far more easily, in fact than the Rocketbook, which is orphaned by both the lack of connectibility to modern Macs and by OSX. The Mac will readily convert HTML to PDF files, and there's always text.

I know I'm preaching to the choir, but every time I hear about the failure of e-books to catch on, I just have to shake my head. People just aren't all that interested in DRM-based content; we really want a device that will let us load our own content (web, text, pdf) and go. Not because we want to pirate content, but (I believe) because much of what we want on our readers is non-commercial, or legitably available for free on the web.

Anyway, I'm really looking forward to things heating up here when the Reader is released, and I look forward to sharing tips & techniques with other Mac users. And to the PC crowd - I come in peace! :)

Hey, randyman, welcome to the forum! Don't worry, PC'ers around here are generally okay with you MacUsers. :rolleyes5

Well it's September, and no news from Sony.
I wish we could get an update.

Welcome to the boards :)

[QUOTE=bob_ninja]rmeister0,
Books individually may be cheap, but at least half of them are thrown away and/or collect dust in the basement.

But you can still read the books your grandfather may have stored in his basement. Do you think our grandchildren will be able to read our ebooks? Can you remember the 8-Track Tape Player, Beta VCRs, the original Video Laser Player? :scholar:

On another subject, I keep wondering if you can have increased text size by making the RTF file with a larger font size. This would be a great benefit to people you are vision impaired.

A Mac user! Fresh meat!

A Mac user! Fresh meat!

Is this humour ? :guitarist

No, its HUMOR :)

Hey, gang -

Just wanted to say hello, as I've just found this forum; I'm a Mac user eagerly awaiting the long-delayed Sony Reader. I've had experience at getting the short end of the stick by manufacturers, as I'm still occasionally using my original Rocketbook. (Yep, the battery still works!)

As long as the Reader supports the formats Sony states it will, I'll have no difficulty using it effectively - far more easily, in fact than the Rocketbook, which is orphaned by both the lack of connectibility to modern Macs and by OSX. The Mac will readily convert HTML to PDF files, and there's always text.

I know I'm preaching to the choir, but every time I hear about the failure of e-books to catch on, I just have to shake my head. People just aren't all that interested in DRM-based content; we really want a device that will let us load our own content (web, text, pdf) and go. Not because we want to pirate content, but (I believe) because much of what we want on our readers is non-commercial, or legitably available for free on the web.

Anyway, I'm really looking forward to things heating up here when the Reader is released, and I look forward to sharing tips & techniques with other Mac users. And to the PC crowd - I come in peace! :)

Then you must be happy to know that you can run RBMake utilities on OSX and upload and manage books from your OSX

Honestly, that number is likely closer to zero.

Just look at the millions of business travellers reading on planes. All they need is to promote the readability, battery life, and ability to carry lots of books in a small lightweight space, and its a hit.

I would like to thank sony for the replies. Here is a little feedback for sony:

Im interested in the user interface to the reader. Please consider before you release it to make some of the user interface configurable through the pc connect software. For example, I may not want to hold the "next page" button down for five seconds before it jumps forward.

Also, make sure your connect software runs on vista!

-dIt doesn't. :-( I've tried. I even installed a Virtual PC with XP, but the reader won't recognise in the Virtual PC.
I'm SOL until they one day decide to grace Vista with their sub-standard software. *sigh*

It doesn't. :-( I've tried. I even installed a Virtual PC with XP, but the reader won't recognise in the Virtual PC.
I'm SOL until they one day decide to grace Vista with their sub-standard software. *sigh*


Use both PC and Mac... The Reader is not setup to look like medial to a computer... Kind of like a Canon camera. So the best would be a SD card { small ok } tranfer and a card reader...

Tiger sees the Reader but that it. Even my Cowon A2 in Host modes tell me its a Sony Reader but hangs after that.

Wonder if a widigit could be made to manage the reader... Basically a PC programmer and just getting into Mac stuff...

Anyone know how I can delete the factory-installed book excerpts?

You'll need to use the Connect software. While the Reader is connected, you just select the Sony Reader on the left hand side tree, and the book you want to delete on the RHS tree. Then hit the delete key and you should be done after maybe a confirmation dialog box.

If you put books on an SD card, you can manage the contents directly with an SD card reader also, but remember that the indexing is slow on the Reader, but almost instant with the desktop software.

I created a collection "Included Books" in my library before doing any deleting, and copied the Reader default contents into that collection first.

Anyone know how I can delete the factory-installed book excerpts?
You have to connect your reader to your computer and use the connect software.

You can delete content in the Library.

Click "Library" in the Source view, then click (List view).

The View area is switched to the List view and all the content in the Library is listed.

Hints
When you click "Books," "Audio" or "Pictures" in the Source view, only the respective content types are displayed.

By clicking (Thumbnail view), content can be displayed as thumbnails.

Select the content you want to delete from the list.

To select multiple content, click the content while holding down the Ctrl key.

Click "Delete" on the "Edit" menu.

A confirmation dialog box appears.

Click "OK."

The content is deleted.

Hint
You can also right-click on the content in the View area and select "Delete" to delete it.

Delete will not affect the actual file it was referred to.

I made the mistake of buying a Sony Reader in Borderes while over in the US on holiday.
I could put up with the PC only - I could even manage the only one PC at a time stricture but no credit cards outside the USA? What's all that about? And Sony's customer services are a laughing stock. No wonder Macs and iPods have wiped the floor with them. Next time I return to the US the Reader is going back to Borders. Shame because the hardware is great - the marketing is useless and the customer support is terrible. I suppse we'll have to wait until Mac comes up with something that wipes the floor with it.

I made the mistake of buying a Sony Reader in Borders while over in the US on holiday.
I could put up with the PC only - I could even manage the only one PC at a time stricture but no credit cards outside the USA? What's all that about? And Sony's customer services are a laughing stock. No wonder Macs and iPods have wiped the floor with them. Next time I return to the US the Reader is going back to Borders.
I only have one book on it now 1984 - 349 dollars for a badly scanned classic?
Shame because the hardware is great - the marketing is useless and the customer support is terrible. I suppse we'll have to wait until Mac comes up with something that wipes the floor with it.

At least make use of the $50 credit before returning (no credit card needed). Also, some people here can buy gift codes for you if you need to buy more. And you can read non-DRMed books in TXT and RTF (e.g. from Baen (http://www.baen.com/library/)).

I could put up with the PC only - I could even manage the only one PC at a time stricture

There is no such stricture. Simply log on your multiple machine with the same Connect account.

but no credit cards outside the USA? What's all that about?

Almost certainly legal issues with book distribution rights. CDs generally have a single world-wide publisher. Books aren't like that - distribution rights are country specific and, for example, many books have different publishers in the US and UK. I'm sure that Sony will roll out the Connect Store internationally over time, just like Apple did the iTunes store which, I'm sure you recall, was also initially US-only.

And Sony's customer services are a laughing stock.

I must respectfully disagree. I am now on my 3rd Sony laptop computer. The reason I keep buying them is precisely because their customer support are so excellent. I'm sorry to hear that you've had a poor experience, but I certainly don't believe it's generic.

I only have one book on it now 1984 - 349 dollars for a badly scanned classic?

That's your choice. There are 10s of thousands of books available in the public domain. Go, for example, to http://www.manybooks.net and you can download some 15,000 books in Sony Reader format.

In addition, I have an Australia credit card, but I did not have any particular difficulty creating an account and purchasing books through Connect. Given that the "address" is entirely redundant with electronic distribution, I just created a dummy address.

The $US 50 offer was great as I got to purchase books that I would otherwise not have done so as well as experimenting with the Sony "bookstore".

There is still a lot of improvement that Sony can make to the store and I hope that they become more flexible with their model. In particular I hope that in addition to a "bookstore" they consider setting up a subscription model where you can "borrow" books like a library.

Regards,
Michael Tam

Considering that the possibility that I will ever have a computer capable of installing Sony's Connect software is roughly equal to the chance that Sony will drop the hardware price to $1.50 per unit, is there a way for me to give away the $50 "free" ebook credit?

I hate to encourage them in their belief that DRMed books are a viable market, but I'd also hate to see them get off scott-free on an obligation. That's probably what's going to happen, but...

is there a way for me to give away the $50 "free" ebook credit?


I don't believe so, in that no matter what machine you download it on, it'll only be readable on your Reader. The credit is "associated" with a Reader, rather than with a PC.

Only if you could find someone else with a Reader, and register your unit to their account. They'd get the credit and keep it even after you de-registered it. I'd recommend that you do de-register it, just to keep your options open. :nice:

Several people have seen mine and are interested in one of their own, but none that expect to act before the deadline.

So it looks like Sony gets to keep its $50 "bonus."

I must respectfully disagree. I am now on my 3rd Sony laptop computer. The reason I keep buying them is precisely because their customer support are so excellent. I'm sorry to hear that you've had a poor experience, but I certainly don't believe it's generic.

I don't know if it has changed much in the last month or so but my wife and I found Sony support for the Reader to absolutely be a laughing stock!

The online phonebot didn't know what a Sony Reader or a PRS-500U or PRS-500 were. Once you got a human, they didn't know what it was either! We found ourselves being run in a ring around 3 different departments.

We eventually wound up returning our defective Reader for credit because it was impossible for us to get Sony to replace it.

Fortunately for Sony I was able to go to Border's... I've purchased 4 units from Border's and with all the deals they have going on I'm glad I went to them for the $$$ savings as well as the superior customer service.

Quite frankly I don't think I'll ever risk buying from the Sony Online Store ever again.

I have had good success with Sony support. Not sure what number you were calling but the number they provided was 1-866-919-SONY (7669) and pick 2 from the first menu. They said to call from 9AM to 8PM Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, and from 10AM to 3PM Eastern Time Saturday and Sunday. Hope this helps.

for a good deal borders is nice! I had a $20 off anything over $100 plus my 10% shopping day and I still had like $8 in credit left (you earn credit as you buy stuff) so I got a little over $60 off the price of my reader! 10% IS 35$ !! and the $20 coupon specified it was combinable with shopping day and earned credit !! nice ! so I grabbed the Green cover (stiffer nicer and more colorful than the boring black it comes with. (really wish they had orange :-)

I think the personal shopping day is only good till dec30 though so get out there! (I am not sure how you get it IE sign up for the borders card and Ask about it. Not sure if all members get them at the appropriate times or if you "earn" them. thats $35 off! like getting a cover for free! (and its off your ENTIRE purchase so buy some bargain bin books while your shopping :-) hehe

Chris Taylor
http://www.nerys.com/

Hi Alexander...

I'm in Thailand and was wondering what the best way is to get a Sony reader here? Sony doesn't seem to sell them here...

thanks
love
I

The Reader is currently only sold in the USA. One way is to buy one from eBay - that's the way that I got mine.

Or read this thread: http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9393

thanks, i'll try both...
I

You'll need to use the Connect software. While the Reader is connected, you just select the Sony Reader on the left hand side tree, and the book you want to delete on the RHS tree. Then hit the delete key and you should be done after maybe a confirmation dialog box.

If you put books on an SD card, you can manage the contents directly with an SD card reader also, but remember that the indexing is slow on the Reader, but almost instant with the desktop software.

I created a collection "Included Books" in my library before doing any deleting, and copied the Reader default contents into that collection first.

How does one do it on a Mac? Should I just click on the file and trash it?

I finally decided to get the Sony 505 last Monday and so far, I’m very happy with it. It is a bit of a risk as I live in Hong Kong and it is therefore a parallel import. It is being sold here at HK$3880.00, with the reseller taking responsibility for shipping the device to the USA for the warranty. This is my first try at an ebook reader device and neither am I a geek at these things. I’m a Mac user and it was very easy to transfer all my ebooks to the 505. I have loads of PFD’s but I converted them all into rtf format using the Adobe Acrobat Professional so it is not a problem. I found the manual frustrating because it is just geared for a Windows user and not a Mac one. Somehow, the transferring of files seem to take a lot of steps if you are a Windows user than if you are a Mac.

BTW, thank you to HarryT for answering my original question regarding the transfer of files using the USB cable.

How does one do it on a Mac? Should I just click on the file and trash it?If you mean deleting files, yeah, that should do what you want. :nice:

Keep in mind that the questions and answers in this thread are all from the 500 model (and over a year old at the moment), and don't necessarily apply to the 500. You can find more current information in some of the newer threads in the Sony Reader forum. :yes:

The reason the manual is geared to windows users is that Sony hasn't quite gotten around to noticing that non-PC folks exist. :sad:

On the bright side, as you've discovered, the 505's functioning as a USB Drive means that MacUsers et. al. don't have the hassles that 500 users did, so I guess that's a step in the right direction. :pleased: