PRS-650 Sony ran out of Pearl screens?

[haiyeekayakee]

I'm in Ireland and bought a 650 in a Sony shop about two weeks ago. I went back yesterday to buy another as a Christmas present only to be told they're all out of stock, and it's a nationwide problem (they're getting calls from people from all over the country for 650s).
They have 350's left though and the salesman said people are after the 650 just because of the sd slot. Beats me why though, I had had a play of the 350 and it's really, really nice so I got one of those instead.

[JSWolf]

If you want a black 650 ... http://www.borders.com/online/store/...u=027242805149

If you want a red 650 ... http://www.borders.com/online/store/...u=027242805163

[Seabound]

Sony is reporting that the Touch Edition is almost sold out in Japan. Plenty of 350, though. From Ubergizmo:

http://www.ubergizmo.com/15/archives..._in_japan.html

.

[Lyn2012]

I've just managed to find a a black 650, I had to try lots of shops and different area Sony Stores to get it though. Strangely enough, even though red wasn't originally available in the UK, that's the colour it's easiest to find here now. It is available at quite a few PC World and Currys stores in the Beds/Bucks area.

I was going to get the red one, but when I actually saw it, didn't like the outside silver rim and non-matching red shiny buttons. I much prefer the matching ones on the black version. Not that it really matters for me as I've just ordered a skin from Decalgirl.

I'm watching a 650 on Ebay and it's going for £206 so far - the price direct from Sony with the VAT back offer is only £170!

[grissley]

Originally Posted by Lyn2012

I'm watching a 650 on Ebay and it's going for £206 so far - the price direct from Sony with the VAT back offer is only £170!

Recently, I was checking the prs350 prices across the world (trying to get it somewhere in reasonable price and before Christmas).
The prices in UK are killers!

[WendyH]

It is almost impossible to get a 650 in Sydney. I got my red one at Sony Central last month, then last week we went to Borders to get a black one for my daughter and they had plenty. This week when we wanted to buy one for my husband for Christmas they had sold out and so had every other Borders and Sony store. We managed to track one down at a Myer department store, but it was the last one they had and I had to get them to hold it for me. The Sony website shows them but you can't click on the page to buy one and it doesn't say when they will be back in stock. Everyone I have rung has said they won't have any until February 2011. The Borders website says back in stock February 2011. It seems there is a world wide shortage of the 650. We feel very fortunate to have three of them in our household.

[rhadin]

Maybe this indicates that on a worldwide basis Sony is competing (hardware sales-wise) with Amazon and that it is only in the U.S. that the Kindle device dominates. If true, I bet Bezos isn't happy.

[Fastolfe]

When I bought mine, I showed it to my mom who immediately wanted one too - a red model with a red lighted sleeve. So I went back a week ago to the store I had purchased mine, but they were out of 650s, red or otherwise. After calling up several places in town, I finally located one at a Sony Center store. When I went pick it up, they told me I was lucky, it was one of the few remaining units, as they had shifted over 65 in a week almost immediately after receiving them.

I guess Sony Readers must be really popular

[tech_au]

Originally Posted by rhadin

Maybe this indicates that on a worldwide basis Sony is competing (hardware sales-wise) with Amazon and that it is only in the U.S. that the Kindle device dominates. If true, I bet Bezos isn't happy.

I was also thinking that was true. As the rest of the world has gone epub I would expect that epub readers would sell more than Kindles. Somehow I don't like to fact that when you buy Kindle ebooks you purchase them in US dollars wherever you are and get slugged an International transaction fee. I am quite impressed that I get charged $AUD when I buy from Kobo even though they are in Canada
Maybe the sales of the Sony 650 has ben unexpectedly high for Sony or maybe they are going to add Wifi into it to compete with Amazon. Who knows ?
Kindles are also sold out until Jan sometime.

[kartu]

What has one to do, to discover, that Amazon Kindle exists? (in any country, not only US, by the way I don't get why situation in EU is any different from US as far as Kindle's market share goes) Visit amazon. Nearly all active readers go to www.amazon.<whatever> from time to time.
What has one to do, to discover, that Sony Readers exist? Be interested in ereaders and read a number of reviews, maybe one out of 6 reviews would mention Sony Readers.

So kindle has huge advantage and you can't blame it on marketing dept.

[SeaBookGuy]

Originally Posted by tech_au

I am quite impressed that I get charged $AUD when I buy from Kobo even though they are in Canada

Check your credit card statement - I get charged an international fee from them for my $USD purchases.

[tech_au]

Originally Posted by SeaBookGuy

Check your credit card statement - I get charged an international fee from them for my $USD purchases.

That's Weird,
After checking my CC Statement online I can confirm that I don't get charged an International fee when I purchase from Kobo but I have been charged it when I have purchased from other US and UK ebook stores.
It's usually about 30 to 40 cents per ebook but It adds up and when the exchange rate moves adversely it will make purchases less attractive.

[JSWolf]

I just took a look at Sony Style's website and the 650 is showing as in stock for black and out of stock for the red.

[pete_1967]

Still available in UK
Black:
ChiwawaUK selling through Amazon UK has them (at bit inflated price): http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-eBook-R...5131770&sr=8-2
Looks like Cheapelectricals have them too: http://www.cheapelectricals.co.uk/ac..._prs-650b.html

Silver:
purelygadgets: http://www.purelygadgets.co.uk/Sony-...ew/33735-SL/10
Power-on: http://www.power-on.co.uk/ProductDet...roductID=13220
Electromania: http://www.electromania.co.uk/produc...789#googlebase
we are electicals: http://dropship.weareelectricals.com...k-readers.html

Red:
Broadbuyer: http://www.broadbuyer.com/SONY-PRS-6...161245116.html

Just some from the top of search results, look for more shops: http://www.google.co.uk/products?q=p...=next&start=10

[astra]

Originally Posted by pete_1967

Still available in UK
Black:
ChiwawaUK selling through Amazon UK has them (at bit inflated price): http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-eBook-R...5131770&sr=8-2

Broadbuyer: http://www.broadbuyer.com/SONY-PRS-6...161245116.html

Amazon - PRS-600

Broadbuyer is an iffy website. It locks your browser window. You cannot go back. Even if you open history and click on a link of what you had before it would not leave Broadbuyer. Only closing down the window/tab helps. Being control freak it is a very frustrating experience when website takes control of my browser.