Quote:
Originally Posted by Solicitous
Actually there is the Eco Reader (sold by DaDirect) for $299 IIRC. 6" reader, and they own www.readwithoutpaper.com (aussie ebook site). They were actually the first (and at the time they were $450 initially), but not really advertised at all and is sold retail through a few different places, mainly in Melbourne but not many. Kobo is the first Australia ereader that was actively advertised and sold retail throughout Australia and supported by a couple of big national chains. Additional to that is Kobo IS the first sold and supported ereader in Australia that for lack of a better phrase is a total solution ie: Kobo reader, desktop syncing software (for purchasing and syncing ebooks, firmware updates etc). They certainly made it easy for new people to the ereader scene.
I've read myself about the hint that the Kobo may drop to $99 by xmas, but I'd be very surprised if the pricing drop filters down to here in Australia. Perhaps when (if) Sony release their readers and ebookstore here in Aus things might change. $199AUS is still a damn good price for an electronic reader. $299 like the Eco Reader is pushing the boundaries and for that price I'd want something more than a simple reader. |
The Ecoreader has come down in price a great deal but only dropped in price well after the Kobo was released. Prior to that, it was virtually double the price as you mentioned. The Illiad sold by Dymocks online, even more at around AU$670 IIRC.
I purchased overseas due to the high costs of ereaders here in Australia, with the only alternative being the Kindle 2.