"I'd like to sell a hell of a lot more than we're selling" says Sony Rep

Fugubot · 10-12-2007, 03:28 PM

CNET blog

"More money for e-books, but market still slow"

http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-979...g=2547-1_3-0-5

Short article compliments Liviu_5's recent post.

NatCh · 10-12-2007, 03:36 PM

Interesting. I'd sure like to know the context of the quote — the way it's presented there, I can't really tell if what it seems to say is really Glasgow's opinion, or more that of the article's writer.

JSWolf · 10-12-2007, 03:43 PM

That article reads like it's written by someone on downers.

Quote:

Sony has sold some, but not a lot of these devices.

That quote is almost totally meaningless.

Nate the great · 10-12-2007, 03:51 PM

Where is the rest of the article? It currently makes no sense.

Quote:

Investors put in $16 million more into E-Ink in the latest effort to get the e-book ball rolling.

Into what?

JSWolf · 10-12-2007, 03:54 PM

My guess is they put the $16 million into making eink displays.

jamesdmanley · 10-12-2007, 03:56 PM

hardware price was the biggest deterrent for me. if it werent for the sonycard offer id never have considered buying a reader. $300 will buy a lot of paper and toner.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate the great

Where is the rest of the article? It currently makes no sense.

Into what?

marketing?

Bob Russell · 10-12-2007, 04:08 PM

I wonder if Stan Glasgow was trying to say that this is only the beginning, and that compared to the future, this is only a small trickle. Maybe it's more about the potential and the desire to move there, rather than criticizing the current sales. After all, we know that Sony is happy with sales and that they beat expectations.

Goes to show that you just can't trust the press.

No, we don't really know what Stan meant. But seriously, that may just be either a misunderstanding or a writer who needed to spin it that way to make his point interesting in the article.

vivaldirules · 10-12-2007, 04:08 PM

My recollection is that the $16 million is the latest infusion of venture capital into the E-ink manufacturer with a total of $150 million to date. I think I read that in an article that was cited here somewhere. But you're right, it's a pretty poor excuse for an article. Typical.

NatCh · 10-12-2007, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Quote:

Sony has sold some, but not a lot of these devices.

That quote is almost totally meaningless.

All it means to me is that the writer of the article thinks that not many Readers have been sold. Without some sort of documentation, it's just an ... uninformed opinion in my book. Such is the present state of "reporting."

NatCh · 10-12-2007, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vivaldirules

My recollection is that the $16 million is the latest infusion of venture capital into the E-ink manufacturer with a total of $150 million to date.

Hang on ... could that $16 Million be referring to Phillips' latest investment in iRex? The number matches ....

Fugubot · 10-12-2007, 06:39 PM

I didn't read it too negatively, particularly since there isn't any context. I thought it was a good sign that they were pushing for more sales.

I can't see how he would be discouraged given the limited number of retailers (really 1 chain) that distributed the PRS-500, the limited expectations voiced during its initial release last fall and nearly no advertising before this past summer's ads.

The new model, I believe, will have more Big Box retailers and presumably new money for a new round of advertising. Seems hopeful.

ebookie · 10-21-2007, 12:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamesdmanley

hardware price was the biggest deterrent for me. if it werent for the sonycard offer id never have considered buying a reader. $300 will buy a lot of paper and toner. marketing?

So I hear you on this, however would you pay $99 if you also had to sign for a two year subscription to an electronic newspaper at $30/month ?

This was the model that cell phones used fairly effectively to jump start a desirable, but for many (I know most of you were born with cell phones in your crib but I was one of those old guys who knew I time when they didn't exist! ) unnecessary luxury. I remember my friends saying "Why carry around a bulky phone like that when anyone I want to talk to can easily page me and I can get back to them?" Phones were $1000 and pagers were $20.

So an electronic newspaper can share the burden with you, they will post you a paper (and yes it will have advertisements in it) and you get a cheap e-book that you can use for lots of stuff besides reading the paper. If their subscriber base is over 50,000 they can sell adds to make up the difference between your subscription fees and their costs.

--Chuck

HarryT · 10-21-2007, 04:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ebookie

So I hear you on this, however would you pay $99 if you also had to sign for a two year subscription to an electronic newspaper at $30/month ?

Personally, no; I get my news from the BBC News web site.

jamesdmanley · 10-21-2007, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ebookie

So I hear you on this, however would you pay $99 if you also had to sign for a two year subscription to an electronic newspaper at $30/month ?

This was the model that cell phones used fairly effectively to jump start a desirable, but for many (I know most of you were born with cell phones in your crib but I was one of those old guys who knew I time when they didn't exist! ) unnecessary luxury. I remember my friends saying "Why carry around a bulky phone like that when anyone I want to talk to can easily page me and I can get back to them?" Phones were $1000 and pagers were $20.

So an electronic newspaper can share the burden with you, they will post you a paper (and yes it will have advertisements in it) and you get a cheap e-book that you can use for lots of stuff besides reading the paper. If their subscriber base is over 50,000 they can sell adds to make up the difference between your subscription fees and their costs.

--Chuck

nope. i didnt have a cell phone till my company gave me one either. i find them kind of tacky and burdensome. people have no manners when they are on the phone. now if i could get the magazines i read regularly at a discounted rate in electronic form i might change my tune, but news is easily accessible online and on the radio (which i listen to while at work pretty much all day) for free and i dont have the need or desire to carry it with me.

10-12-2007, 03:28 PM	#1
Fugubot Connoisseur Posts: 64 Karma: 10558 Join Date: Nov 2006 Device: Sony Reader	"I'd like to sell a hell of a lot more than we're selling" says Sony Rep CNET blog "More money for e-books, but market still slow" http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-979...g=2547-1_3-0-5 Short article compliments Liviu_5's recent post. Last edited by Fugubot; 10-12-2007 at 03:30 PM.

10-12-2007, 03:36 PM	#2
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,605 Karma: 926222 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Nook STGR	Interesting. I'd sure like to know the context of the quote — the way it's presented there, I can't really tell if what it seems to say is really Glasgow's opinion, or more that of the article's writer. __________________ ΨΦ! "Torg, why do you have emergency pants?" -- Riff

10-12-2007, 03:54 PM	#5
JSWolf Mobile Reader Geek Posts: 34,226 Karma: 13801376 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Sony Reader PRS-650, iPad	My guess is they put the $16 million into making eink displays. __________________ Jon 2013 Reading List

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10-12-2007, 04:08 PM	#7
Bob Russell Gadget Fan Posts: 5,217 Karma: 545637 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad, Droid Charge	I wonder if Stan Glasgow was trying to say that this is only the beginning, and that compared to the future, this is only a small trickle. Maybe it's more about the potential and the desire to move there, rather than criticizing the current sales. After all, we know that Sony is happy with sales and that they beat expectations. Goes to show that you just can't trust the press. No, we don't really know what Stan meant. But seriously, that may just be either a misunderstanding or a writer who needed to spin it that way to make his point interesting in the article.

10-12-2007, 04:08 PM	#8
vivaldirules When's Doughnut Day? Posts: 9,843 Karma: 12304195 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Houston, TX, US Device: Sony PRS-505, iPad	My recollection is that the $16 million is the latest infusion of venture capital into the E-ink manufacturer with a total of $150 million to date. I think I read that in an article that was cited here somewhere. But you're right, it's a pretty poor excuse for an article. Typical.

10-12-2007, 06:39 PM	#11
Fugubot Connoisseur Posts: 64 Karma: 10558 Join Date: Nov 2006 Device: Sony Reader	I didn't read it too negatively, particularly since there isn't any context. I thought it was a good sign that they were pushing for more sales. I can't see how he would be discouraged given the limited number of retailers (really 1 chain) that distributed the PRS-500, the limited expectations voiced during its initial release last fall and nearly no advertising before this past summer's ads. The new model, I believe, will have more Big Box retailers and presumably new money for a new round of advertising. Seems hopeful.


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