Sony eBook Library cuts prices and adds titles

sirmaru · 02-18-2008, 06:25 PM

I usually only read non-fiction books which I had purchased in MS Reader format.

However, I looked at Sony eBook Library and picked 7 books I'd like to read for the rest of the year. All were published from 1997 to 2007. Prices for most were reduced to $ 8.96. A few were priced up to $ 11.20.

Most were not available in MS Reader format. One which was available in that format was cheaper by $ 1.00 in the eBook Library.

It appears Sony is now competing agressively with Amazon Kindle in books available and in price.

I usually read two books at one time - one in eBook Library and the other in MS Reader format. I've decided both of my two selections will now be in eBook Library format.

I do most of my reading on my 24" HD Monitor on my PC and only SUPPLEMENT it with occasional reading on my Sony PRS 505 Reader.

Amazon does not allow their books to be read on a PC. That is a significant flaw for someone with my reading habits.

JSWolf · 02-18-2008, 07:32 PM

That is nice to find out that Sony is agressive with prices and seems to want to succeed. Go SONY!

charlieperry · 02-18-2008, 08:22 PM

Good luck trying to reverse that long term retinal decay

JSWolf · 02-18-2008, 10:02 PM

Charlie, what the heck do you mean?

charlieperry · 02-18-2008, 10:42 PM

Reading books on a backlit monitor can't be good for your eyes. I'm not an ophthalmologist though so I could be wrong.

snookums · 02-19-2008, 12:41 AM

Staring into a light source like a monitor can dry your eyes out because you don't blink as often. Other than that, the old saw about sitting too close to the tv is just a myth.

Donnageddon · 02-19-2008, 02:48 AM

I am looking tonight at some books I had my eye on... but the prices still seem a little steep.

I am hoping that Sony feels a little more pinch from the Amazon Kindle and either decides that eBooks really do require a heck of a lot less overhead than traditional paper publishing, or convince the publishers of the same and get better contracts.

I think the Kindle price point of $10 for the most expensive books is a win-win deal for the publishers, authors and the eRetailers. I imagine this will work toward that soon, the eBook is not going away.

On the other hand I could be wrong.

HarryT · 02-19-2008, 03:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donnageddon

I think the Kindle price point of $10 for the most expensive books is a win-win deal for the publishers, authors and the eRetailers.

The Kindle does not have a "price point of $10 for the most expensive books"; that's the price point for "best sellers". There are many books that are more expensive than that, and need to be due to production costs and limited sales potential.

m-reader · 02-19-2008, 05:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by charlieperry

Reading books on a backlit monitor can't be good for your eyes. I'm not an ophthalmologist though so I could be wrong.

Hey Charlie, would you think that reading on my PDA would have a similar effect? I am looking for an excuse to ditch it

DMcCunney · 02-19-2008, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m-reader

Hey Charlie, would you think that reading on my PDA would have a similar effect? I am looking for an excuse to ditch it

I read on a Palm OS PDA, because I need a device that does other things besides read ebooks.

I've never found a problem reading with a backlight save outdoors, where sunlight washes out the screen. Fortunately, when I turn the brightness all the way down, my device turns the backlight off, which makes it perfectly readable in direct sunlight.

Some Palm models won't turn the backlight completely off from the brightness control, but there's a freeware third party program to do it.
______
Dennis

safjazz · 02-19-2008, 07:53 AM

My ophthalmologist was quite impressed with the Reader's display and thought it would be great for his patients. We didn't discuss backlit screens, but is that enough of an endorsement for you to ditch your PDA, m-reader?

I ditched my PDA in December, and it was a great decision. I do think it's better for my eyes because I can enlarge the font more while still having a reasonable number of lines on the page compared to a PDA's display.

Cthulhu · 02-19-2008, 12:31 PM

May we pry and ask the title of these seven newly affordable texts?

Must confess a fondness for non-fiction, but CONNECT is beset with a plethora of self-help texts, which I hesitate to call non-fiction, but would rather label "conjectural truth."

sirmaru · 02-19-2008, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by charlieperry

Reading books on a backlit monitor can't be good for your eyes. I'm not an ophthalmologist though so I could be wrong.

I've been reading books on a PC Monitor for 20 years. I'm 73 now. My last visit to my Ophthamologist 8 months ago revealed I have 20 / 20 vision in both eyes, no glaucoma and no cataracts.

Since my life exectancy is no more than 7 years, my eyes don't really have to last longer than that. The latest CDC tables shows that of 100,000 white males born in my decade of the 1930's only 46,000 are alive at age 70; 34,000 alive at age 75; 20,000 alive at age 80; and only 10,000 alive at age 85. 50% of those surviving over age 85 have Alzheimer's Disease.

I think my reading habits beat most folks born in the 1930's. Sorry, pal.

DaleDe · 02-19-2008, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cthulhu

May we pry and ask the title of these seven newly affordable texts?

Must confess a fondness for non-fiction, but CONNECT is beset with a plethora of self-help texts, which I hesitate to call non-fiction, but would rather label "conjectural truth."

I love that category.

Dale

sirmaru · 02-19-2008, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cthulhu

May we pry and ask the title of these seven newly affordable texts?

Here is my Reading List:

1. The End of Faith by Sam Harris - $ 8.96 - Published 2005
2. Hitler's Willing Executioners by Goldhagen - $ 8.96 - Published 1997
3. Witnesses of War by Stargardt - $ 8.96 - Published 2007
4. Fear by Gross - $ 9.00 - Published 2007
5. How Hitler Could Have Won WW II by Alexander - $ 11.16 - Published 2001
6. Infidels by Wheatcroft - $ 8.96 - Published 2005
7. Cry Havoc by Lankford - $ 11.20 - Published 2007

These are all MODERN books many of which were on the Non-Ficton best seller lists. Most are NOT available for MS Reader. All appear to be priced way under the Print Book versions.

I usually read two at one time. Currently I am reading Pearl Harbor by Gingrich and The End of Faith by Harris.

02-18-2008, 06:25 PM	#1
sirmaru Wizard Posts: 2,426 Karma: 6561538 Join Date: Nov 2007 Device: Kindle PW 2013, HDX 2013, Galaxy S5 2014	Sony eBook Library cuts prices and adds titles I usually only read non-fiction books which I had purchased in MS Reader format. However, I looked at Sony eBook Library and picked 7 books I'd like to read for the rest of the year. All were published from 1997 to 2007. Prices for most were reduced to $ 8.96. A few were priced up to $ 11.20. Most were not available in MS Reader format. One which was available in that format was cheaper by $ 1.00 in the eBook Library. It appears Sony is now competing agressively with Amazon Kindle in books available and in price. I usually read two books at one time - one in eBook Library and the other in MS Reader format. I've decided both of my two selections will now be in eBook Library format. I do most of my reading on my 24" HD Monitor on my PC and only SUPPLEMENT it with occasional reading on my Sony PRS 505 Reader. Amazon does not allow their books to be read on a PC. That is a significant flaw for someone with my reading habits.

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02-18-2008, 07:32 PM	#2
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,887 Karma: 128597114 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	That is nice to find out that Sony is agressive with prices and seems to want to succeed. Go SONY!

02-18-2008, 08:22 PM	#3
charlieperry Connoisseur Posts: 89 Karma: 174 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Sydney Device: Sony PRS 505	Good luck trying to reverse that long term retinal decay

02-18-2008, 10:02 PM	#4
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,887 Karma: 128597114 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Charlie, what the heck do you mean?

02-18-2008, 10:42 PM	#5
charlieperry Connoisseur Posts: 89 Karma: 174 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Sydney Device: Sony PRS 505	Reading books on a backlit monitor can't be good for your eyes. I'm not an ophthalmologist though so I could be wrong.

02-19-2008, 12:41 AM	#6
snookums Connoisseur Posts: 81 Karma: 100 Join Date: Jan 2008 Device: Kindle	Staring into a light source like a monitor can dry your eyes out because you don't blink as often. Other than that, the old saw about sitting too close to the tv is just a myth.

02-19-2008, 02:48 AM	#7
Donnageddon Now you lishen here... Posts: 2,494 Karma: 479498 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Seattle-ish Device: Sony PRS-650. Kobo Touch, Kindle Fire	I am looking tonight at some books I had my eye on... but the prices still seem a little steep. I am hoping that Sony feels a little more pinch from the Amazon Kindle and either decides that eBooks really do require a heck of a lot less overhead than traditional paper publishing, or convince the publishers of the same and get better contracts. I think the Kindle price point of $10 for the most expensive books is a win-win deal for the publishers, authors and the eRetailers. I imagine this will work toward that soon, the eBook is not going away. On the other hand I could be wrong.

02-19-2008, 07:53 AM	#11
safjazz Member Posts: 12 Karma: 20 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Georgia Device: Sony Reader PRS505	My ophthalmologist was quite impressed with the Reader's display and thought it would be great for his patients. We didn't discuss backlit screens, but is that enough of an endorsement for you to ditch your PDA, m-reader? I ditched my PDA in December, and it was a great decision. I do think it's better for my eyes because I can enlarge the font more while still having a reasonable number of lines on the page compared to a PDA's display.

02-19-2008, 12:31 PM	#12
Cthulhu Technologist Posts: 488 Karma: 585237 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: I'm between Cities Device: SONY Reader PRS-500	May we pry and ask the title of these seven newly affordable texts? Must confess a fondness for non-fiction, but CONNECT is beset with a plethora of self-help texts, which I hesitate to call non-fiction, but would rather label "conjectural truth."