Interesting piece on failure of Sony to market its ereaders

[Bookworm_Girl]

Originally Posted by petercreasey

B, Interesting!

I don't think I have ever used WiFi on my 950 except to test it.

I am hard pressed to think of what I might want to access on my 950 via WiFi!?!

Here are a few uses for you to consider.

I read lots of nonfiction and historical fiction. I like to double-tap a word and then hit the wikipedia button in the dictionary menu to supplement my knowledge of what I am reading. BTW - other ereader brands have links in the dictionary lookup to both Wikipedia AND Google. I have even used it to check new postings on the MobileRead forum on a few occasions. Also, I have used it to access Goodreads (see the list of 950 default links) and look for books to read or update my library there. I haven't travelled with it yet outside of my home to test out the Wi-fi on the go. However, as Natasha points out, if you don't have a smartphone, then it would be nice to have quick internet access.

Another area where the 950 lacks functionality is that weblinks in ebooks don't launch the browser! I find it extremely frustrating and a major missing feature for me. My other ereaders do that! I would like to click on weblinks in ebooks to go look up an article that the author has sourced. Also, I love calibre's fetch news service for both news and blogs. I wish I could launch the browser for those links too and read the original or additional articles that are referenced!

[hidari]

Originally Posted by lilac_jive

I love my 505 still, and if god forbid something happens to it, I'll buy another Sony. I think Sony relied very heavily on word of mouth for the Readers, first when they came out as it was a mostly new product, then later they were possibly content to ride on the Kindle's coattails. It's possible they don't see the need to push it if sales are good enough.

And since I love their product, I keep supporting them by buying through their bookstore (that's not a dig on those who don't purchase from them, just so you know )

Good point Lilac. I loved my 505 and reluctantly sold it to a friend Now, I have the Hanlin V5 and the PB360 which are better for me. However, I often recommend the 350 and 650 to people as Sony readers are simple out of the box and reliable. Now that they are in Japan, I recommend them even more....

In fact I would buy a 350 now...but my wife would kill me if I had 3 readers.....2 is enough...

Wireless.... As stated above.... Most people do not need it but better to have it as an option to please the reviewers and appleal to more people....

[natasha_fawn]

Originally Posted by SeaBookGuy

Natasha:

We're taking exception to the writer's assumption that wireless is a "must include" feature (or the device is a "failure").

And I understand that. My response was meant to address the implication in some posts that wireless is not an important utility in an ereader. (Hence my reference to the "radio in a washing machine" comment. ) For a lot of people it's not, and may even detract from the product. But I wanted to point out that for me, and some others, it is a "must include" feature. For me to make the jump to an ereader, which is already a luxury item, it had to have that extra functionality that dead tree books don't have. I would not have bought any Sony reader if there hadn't been a model with wireless. (Coulda done without the 3G, but I'll just leave it off.)

I certainly wasn't agreeing that the readers are somehow "failures," but even though he trashes the lack of wireless, he might not have considered them "failures" if the other 4 points weren't at least semi-accurate.

P.S. - If I hadn't had the at-home experience with the nook, I probably wouldn't have had a strong opinion about wanting wireless in my ereader either way.

[Bookworm_Girl]

Originally Posted by doreenjoy

I think Sony is focusing on the European market. Any perceived failures in the US may be deliberate.

How's that for armchair quarterbacking? :lol:

You just couldn't resist!

Sony did just relaunch their product line in Japan so they must have some commitment to expanding their market share. Although from the postings here, it seems it hasn't been with much fanfare in the stores.

Sony must value their European market if they are offering free cases and screensavers per the other thread posted today. I have been to Waterstones and WH Smith and seen the ereaders on display there. They are big supporters of Sony. I have even taken brochures from their displays to share with my English friends. However, so far I have only been able to convince one of them to purchase an ereader, and he bought the Kindle 3 Wi-fi. He's not very gadget savvy. Although ironically he doesn't have Wi-fi at home and has to side-load his Amazon purchases since he didn't get the 3G model. His reasoning was 1) K3 was cheap compared to the Sony; 2) the advertising on the front page Amazon UK about how great their product is; and 3) no ebooks in his local library (only audio). I'm still working on my other friends in the UK. Maybe I'll convert another one to digital books yet!

[gmw]

Originally Posted by Bookworm_Girl

Here are a few uses for you to consider.

I read lots of nonfiction and historical fiction. ...

Despite having a definite preference for the non-Internet 650, I can certainly appreciate this aspect. I recently worked my way through Moby Dick and there were several items for which the built in dictionary had insufficient detail or for which the author's spelling did not match the dictionary. eg: skrimshandering. However for my circumstances such problems tend to be the exception rather than the norm, so I still prefer the added security of no Internet connection.

As for browsing from book links etc ... I do all my interactive work at my computer. So far I've not put any books on my reader that expect me to interact with the web - those sorts of books (manuals etc) tend to stay on the computer where I spend a large part (read: too much) of each day.

[boxcorner]

Originally Posted by Bookworm_Girl

...They finally have Wi-fi and a browser in the 950, but it seems like an afterthought just to appease ... People want value for their dollars. ...

It seems to me that it's mostly people in North America who want WiFi. I haven't seen many posts from people demanding better value for their pound sterling, yen or Euro, etc.

Originally Posted by Bookworm_Girl

... I like to double-tap a word and then hit the wikipedia button in the dictionary menu to supplement my knowledge of what I am reading. BTW - other ereader brands have links in the dictionary lookup to both Wikipedia AND Google ...

I think I would find constant tangential departures looking things up in WikipediA and Google far too distracting. I prefer to make notes and look things up using my PC, later. That way I don't lose the tread of what I'm reading at the time. However, each to their own. It would be a boring world if everyone was the same and the choice of e-readers was limited to the one-type-fits-all model.

[Geppetto]

Originally Posted by kartu

Sony Readers get next to no media coverage.

Who cares?

Almost everybody who's buying an ereader is buying a Sony, here in Europe. The rest is buying a Kindle.

Look at ereaders' prices in Europe: they're all plummeting, except Sony's.

[kartu]

Originally Posted by doreenjoy

I don't think the lack of press is necessarily a death knell. The iPod didn't kill the market for all other MP3 players.

But it basically killed walkman. They exist, are superior to ipods in any regard, but when "walkman" is mentioned in media, they mean ancient tape device.
GG Sony.

Originally Posted by Geppetto

Almost everybody who's buying an ereader is buying a Sony, here in Europe. The rest is buying a Kindle.

I'm not sure about that. Most people buyng Sony's that I know already were Sony Reader owners. Most of thew "new customers" that I know, learned there is such thing as Kindle and bought one.

Look at ereaders' prices in Europe: they're all plummeting, except Sony's.

The same situation is in US, this doesn't mean Sony sells more.

[doreenjoy]

There are some consumers who want to buy the most popular device; they think it is the safest choice. And that's fine.

I don't think the people at Sony are idiots. Yes, they've mismanaged some things, as have other e-reader companies. No company gets everything right.

[astra]

Originally Posted by starrlamia

I do all of that before buying/downloading the book, and I use calibre to note which part in a series the book is. I dont have a smartphone either, or anyway to check the net away from a computer, and I cant complain at all, I spend 90% of my time on the web/computer so not having them is a nice change.

Before I read any series I do a full research on the Internet and acquire all the books in the series. I number them before uploading the books to the reader. I spend too much time with computers, so not having the Internet access is a relief for me

ETA.
I don't have a smartphone.

[astra]

Originally Posted by Bookworm_Girl

Here are a few uses for you to consider.

I read lots of nonfiction and historical fiction. I like to double-tap a word and then hit the wikipedia button in the dictionary menu to supplement my knowledge of what I am reading. BTW - other ereader brands have links in the dictionary lookup to both Wikipedia AND Google. I have even used it to check new postings on the MobileRead forum on a few occasions. Also, I have used it to access Goodreads (see the list of 950 default links) and look for books to read or update my library there. I haven't travelled with it yet outside of my home to test out the Wi-fi on the go. However, as Natasha points out, if you don't have a smartphone, then it would be nice to have quick internet access.

Another area where the 950 lacks functionality is that weblinks in ebooks don't launch the browser! I find it extremely frustrating and a major missing feature for me. My other ereaders do that! I would like to click on weblinks in ebooks to go look up an article that the author has sourced. Also, I love calibre's fetch news service for both news and blogs. I wish I could launch the browser for those links too and read the original or additional articles that are referenced!

I think that people who read non fiction would like to have the Internet. I fully understand it. I don't need it because I read fiction only. Mostly Fantasy and a bit of Sci-Fi. If I were to read non-fiction I would want/need to have the Internet.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by rhadin

You might find interesting my blog articles Will You be a Googler? and The Google Wars: Taking the First Step.

I think the natural fit would be the Google eBookstore and the Sony devices. Each would be complementary to the other and fill missing gaps.

Interesting. Thanks for that!

[Bookworm_Girl]

Originally Posted by Bookworm_Girl

Another area where the 950 lacks functionality is that weblinks in ebooks don't launch the browser! I find it extremely frustrating and a major missing feature for me. My other ereaders do that! I would like to click on weblinks in ebooks to go look up an article that the author has sourced. Also, I love calibre's fetch news service for both news and blogs. I wish I could launch the browser for those links too and read the original or additional articles that are referenced!

Yes, I'm replying to myself... Big news of the day (for me) is that Sony just released a firmware update for the 950 that adds hyperlink capability. It will make the Wi-fi much more useful now. That makes me very happy this morning!

According to the firmware details:
* Hyperlink
Tap a link within text to jump to the web page via Wi-Fi®.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by meerkat

I'm just the opposite, a reader WITH wifi will give me a pause.

My criteria of selecting ereader is no wifi, to force me concentrate on reading, not browsing the web.

Exactly. I don't want wireless at all in my book reader.

[Entu]

I really couldn't care less about this article, i bought my 650 to be free not tied to any specific store and for great build quality of Sony ereaders, i don't need 3G or WiFi i'm always got PC or laptop at my hand for this and one thing i can say, 650 its excellent for what i bought it and its........ book reading, i really don't need any of those shiny gadgets in my reader.

I'm only add one thing if in future i will buy another ereader this will be from Sony unless they won't be on this market anymore.