Sony: Will History Repeat?

[mlbspike]

Originally Posted by Fitzwaryn

I've been using the Sony Reader for 14 months and have read a couple thousand books on it.

Not to complain, but ... 14 months ... round it to 70
weeks. If a couple thousand books means a minimum of 2000. Round things off, and call it 4 books a day? If you read 12 hours a day, that means a book ever 3 hours. Not impossible ... but certainly impressive. And here I thought I was a quick reader. You are definitely getting your money's worth out of your reader ... even if it was a couple hundred, I'd have been impressed.
- Mike

[Kolenka]

I personally think that Sony could beat out the Kindle (or both could win in a sense) depending on what Sony does. If both remain closed ecosystems (proprietary formats for DRM and DRM-free HTML-based eBooks), then it is possible that the Sony device would die out and be replaced by Amazon's better ecosystem. But if Sony moves quickly on ePub support, and ePub DRM is standardized, then we suddenly have a new ball game.

Even though the iPod ecosystem was the first to 'get it right', it wasn't completely closed. You could still bring in your MP3s and have it play on the iPod if you didn't care for the iTunes store. With eBooks, we have yet to see a true 'MP3' of eBooks beyond ePub, which is still gaining ground. If we do see an open format (in the sense that it is possible for anyone to make it with common tools) take hold on the leading devices, then it will be harder to snuff out Sony simply because Amazon's ecosystem is better...

I bought the Kindle as my first reader, and have now converted over to the PRS-505 and intend to sell the Kindle. The PRS-505 has better support for the content /I/ want, and with my growing ePub library, I can convert for both the Sony and Kindle. Once I stop having to convert, it will be even better. I have even been trying to make what purchased content I have into ePub to keep it into a format that I can still crack open and muck with or convert 2-3 years from now easily.

In the end, it is better for the consumer if we get a standard format that is open to consumers and publishers, and a series of devices from multiple vendors that support the standard format. It then allows us, the consumer, to decide which is the better device by merit, and let the niche guys get niche devices without losing out on the ecosystem (I can't see myself buying an iLiad, but I certainly don't want to see cool devices like it dying out just because people can't sit down and agree on a format).

[taoistpunk]

Originally Posted by taoistpunk

I was around for betamax, and minidisc, and mylo, and I still bought the PRS-505. I know sony's history, but with great opensource software(thanks Kovid!), I don't see the device losing its value to me anytime soon. I have a huge library of ebooks (that grows daily), and it's unlikely I'll run out of reading material anytime soon.

When it comes down to it, I bought sony for look, feel, and functionality...the kindle is ugly and has a horrendous UI (IMHO). My sony reader looks and feels, not to mention works, beautifully.

They may not be the brighstest when it comes to Formats(although with WARNER on board for Blue Ray, HD-DVD might be losing the war...good thing I haven't invested in a player yet), and they love their closed world (sony memory stick, minidisc, beta), they make some really elegant hardware, and have an awesome design team.

No, I can't buy a book anywhere over the kindle network, but I don't really need to. With over 100 books on my reader, it's unlikely I'll run out of material while "on the road"

enjoy whatever reader you have...if it works for you, that is all that matters.

My god...could I have been MORE wrong? Has the world gone, as I have feared for so very long, completely mad? Blue Ray the Winner?

I know my premise was sound...let's see...

Betamax
Minidisc
Memory Stick (PRo/Duo)
UMD

all pretty much total failures.

I guess the fifth time, and a great deal of marketplace fear(read: P2P/torrent), have finally given Sony the edge they need.

I'm not going to buy a blueray player anytime soon, but I am extremely happy with my 505, and since I can convert from so may formats to the reader's native, I'm not too worried about running out of media, a question that I'm sure HD DVD early adopters are wondering about this very moment.

[NatCh]

I don't see that four "failures" doesn't mean nothing Sony does will succeed.

Any more than four successes (such as Playstation, PSP, Viao, Walkman) would mean Sony can never fail.

To have gotten as big as they are, I'd think they pretty much have to be right more often than wrong.

[Penforhire]

Well, don't forget that even in the face of all those media failures Sony tends to persist in serving their loyal market for quite a while beyond the point of obvious failure (Betamax was in commercial use many years after it "failed"). Most of their "failed media" are STILL supported by Sony.

And hey, Blu Ray is angling to be a winner, moving in for the kill on HD-DVD as we speak.

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by NatCh

I don't see that four "failures" doesn't mean nothing Sony does will succeed.

Any more than four successes (such as Playstation, PSP, Viao, Walkman) would mean Sony can never fail.

To have gotten as big as they are, I'd think they pretty much have to be right more often than wrong.

Sony has been quite successful, thank you, in creating products. They fall down badly in creating standards.
______
Dennis

[NatCh]

Well, with that limitation, you have a much stronger point.

[Astropin]

Even if Sony gets out of the ebook business altogether it does not make my 505 useless. With the ability to convert .LIT files it will keep going and going and going.

BTW....I'm sure glad i bought a blu-ray player