I share the pain. Two weeks ago I charged my reader and after charging the bottom half of the screen was all white and blotchy with vertical and horizontal lines running from edge to edge. I called Sony's 800 support number and was surprised to find myself talking to a guy in Manila. I live in Guam and have an office in Manila so we had a nice chat and I ended up sending the reader back to San Diego, I am now waiting for the replacement. If you need help, send me an email, I am a little closer to you than the mainland U.S.
dbdguam@yahoo.com