Giving up on e-books.

[Taylor514ce]

My enthusiasm is gone.

None of the new devices seems to offer any improvements over my Sony PRS-505, at least none that appeal to me.

More importantly, the general bull-headedness of publishers in regard to understanding and pricing e-books, has completely disillusioned me in regard to purchasing any e-books, from any publisher or retailer. DRM is still an issue, formats are still not standardized... the list goes on.

My PRS-505 is gathering dust, and I'm thoroughly enjoying my trips to Chicago's fantastic public libraries to check out my books.

[Pookeysgirl]

Originally Posted by Taylor514ce

My enthusiasm is gone.

None of the new devices seems to offer any improvements over my Sony PRS-505, at least none that appeal to me.

More importantly, the general bull-headedness of publishers in regard to understanding and pricing e-books, has completely disillusioned me in regard to purchasing any e-books, from any publisher or retailer. DRM is still an issue, formats are still not standardized... the list goes on.

My PRS-505 is gathering dust, and I'm thoroughly enjoying my trips to Chicago's fantastic public libraries to check out my books.

I thought you can borrow books from the library on Sony readers through Overdrive?

[JSWolf]

You can borrow eBooks from the library to use with a 505.

[neilmarr]

Sorry to see you've lost your enthusiasm for e-reading, Taylor. The attraction of treebooks never goes away, though -- bit like your first girlfriend, I guess. Something will more appealing will come up soon, I think, that will lure you back into the fold. Ebooks ARE here to stay. You know it makes sense. Very best wishes. See you soon, I'm sure. Neil

[bill_mchale]

Originally Posted by Taylor514ce

My enthusiasm is gone.

None of the new devices seems to offer any improvements over my Sony PRS-505, at least none that appeal to me.

More importantly, the general bull-headedness of publishers in regard to understanding and pricing e-books, has completely disillusioned me in regard to purchasing any e-books, from any publisher or retailer. DRM is still an issue, formats are still not standardized... the list goes on.

My PRS-505 is gathering dust, and I'm thoroughly enjoying my trips to Chicago's fantastic public libraries to check out my books.

I am just curious, what sort of improvements do you want to your ebook reader? There are readers with wifi, touch screens, etc. The latest Sony readers combine the best screen yet with an excellent touch screen.

Of course, part of your problem might be that the PRS-505 was such a good reader to start with. Even now, there are more than a few readers out there that could do worse than copy the PRS-505.

As for the availability of ebooks? Yeah, the Publishers refuse to recognize economic reality. That being said, you must be interested in new books? There are thousands of free Public Domain books available; enough to keep you reading forever.

--
Bill

[Mike L]

I'm also sorry that you've become disillusioned, Taylor, although I can understand your reasons.

But you way: "None of the new devices seems to offer any improvements over my Sony PRS-505". Isn't that an argumentn for staying with the PRS-505, rather than abandoning the entire ebook scene?

Either way, I hope you don't turn your back entirely on the forum.

[jbcohen]

Originally Posted by Taylor514ce

My enthusiasm is gone.

None of the new devices seems to offer any improvements over my Sony PRS-505, at least none that appeal to me.

More importantly, the general bull-headedness of publishers in regard to understanding and pricing e-books, has completely disillusioned me in regard to purchasing any e-books, from any publisher or retailer. DRM is still an issue, formats are still not standardized... the list goes on.

My PRS-505 is gathering dust, and I'm thoroughly enjoying my trips to Chicago's fantastic public libraries to check out my books.

Doesn't the PRS 350SC have a new and improved display? I read somewhere that sony had retooled their displays and raised prices for the readers. Aren't publishers bull headed about printed books as well? I thought that epub is a standardized ebook format.

[ManosHandsOfFate]

Originally Posted by Pookeysgirl

I thought you can borrow books from the library on Sony readers through Overdrive?

The selection here in Chicago is pretty grim.

[Grimm]

Hmmmm... isn't it about the reading for the most part?

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by ManosHandsOfFate

The selection here in Chicago is pretty grim.

So request they get eBooks you want. I do that sometimes.

[ManosHandsOfFate]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

So request they get eBooks you want. I do that sometimes.

But you live in Roslindale! It's awesome there.

- Former West Roxbury Resident

[Ravensknight]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

So request they get eBooks you want. I do that sometimes.

Ha! I live in a small New England state. Our library has to pool with the other X number of libraries in the state and they ALL decide which ebooks they are going to get.

I've asked. Will continue to ask. But I'm not hopeful.

As for the original "giving up", I don't really understand. Sure, things aren't flowing smoothly in Ebookland, but they ARE flowing. My 505x2 looks just as good to me now as it did over a year ago. And I'm praying that when it does kick the bucket that I'll be able to pick up something better. I'm in no rush

[Angst]

I can't give up on my ereader. I still have 100 books on my TBR list I need to read first.

I can upgrade my reader though.

Hmmmmm...

[CazMar]

Much the same thing happened with music when MP3 players came out - everything was tied up in DRM and people complained of losing whole music libraries when they flushed their Ipod down the loo or some such disaster. Now public demand had forced a lot of music distributors to open up formats, make a better quality product and reduce the prices. It only takes one big distributor or publisher to really decide to open up the market and the others just follow. Just remember, there were people out there who objected to the introduction of the printing press because it would open up literature to the "masses"; how dare a "lower class" person receive an education! I think this spirit is alive and well and living in a lot of large publishing houses!

[jbcohen]

As Easy Reader from the Electric Company (Morgan Freeman) once said it best "I have got to read." So much so there is no longer any room to move around in my basement. EReaders have managed to spare my home of never ending clutter, the books were threatening to take over my living room in addition to the basement, which they have already over run.