09-01-2011, 10:05 AM | #46 |
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Page turn buttons are in the same place they have been on the -600, -650, and -350. And probably all the others of the x50 and x00 generation.
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09-01-2011, 10:07 AM | #47 |
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Why? Considering how had it was to find Sony readers for sale most of teh year, Sony is selling as many as they can make. And if youa re selling as many as yuo can make, you do NOT need to compete on price.
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09-01-2011, 10:53 AM | #48 | |
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I only purchased a PRS-350 as it was on special offer at Waterstones. I'd have opted for a Kindle otherwise. I'm glad I got the Sony, but I can see why a high price point would put potential customer's off. There was talk of Sony directing most of its Readers to the Japanese market, but that is unsubstantiated conjecture. Truth is, we don't know what the rationale or reason was/is behind the lack of Readers available from Sony. |
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09-01-2011, 11:35 AM | #49 |
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K1's and K2's had long periods of times, months, where they were not available. The K3 had a period of time where it was hard to find in Europe.
This move indicates that Sony stands to make more money selling a larger number of readers at a lower price. Which is something that a lot of people on this board and other boards have been shouting for a long time. The occassional outage of Sony readers means that Sony was not good at projecting sales and did not stock enough e-readers. There have also been times where they were sold out because the e-readers went on sale and dropped to more reasonable prices. Kind of like the HP Tablet. I have a feeling that the change in material and the lack of the others sizes is going to annoy a decent number of Sony's current members since most of the Sony fans I know have touted the metal casing, lack of WiFi, and the 5 and 7 inch screens. But the price drop and addition of WiFi brings the Sony more in line with the Nook and Kobo. Realisticly, the Sony is still priced to high to compete with the Nook and Kobo. People who read bad reviews regarding the Kobo can look at the Sony and the Nook. Both do the same things, Nook reads books from more stores and costs $25. Why buy the Sony? I think they are banking on the Harry Potter tie in. While I am sure the Harry Potter e-reader will do well I have a feeling that it is not going to be that big of a deal. Unless they do what Apple did with the U2 IPod, load all the books on the device, then I don't see too many parents going "Sure we will buy you a $140 electronic device that you are only going to use to read books that you already own in paper back not to mention the movies." Frankly, I don't see too many adults who are huge Harry Potter fans buying a themed e-reader just because it is Harry. There will be a good number but I doubt that number is going to be as large as some folks are thinking. It might be that people who are thinking of an e-reader and are Harry Potter fans will pick up the Sony HP e-reader but I can't see a Harry Potter fan who is normally not interested in an e-reader buying one. |
09-01-2011, 11:35 AM | #50 |
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Product shortages do not always imply high demand; it can be due to bad logistics, bad planning, component shortages, earthquakes...
The best test of the general desirability of last year's Sony readers comes from Sony itself: two models cancelled without announced replacement, one redesigned for price reduction. Also note that the two specialty models that appeal to enthusiasts, the ultra-portable 5" and larger 7" are the cancelled ones, while the T1 is clearly aimed at the price-sensitive mass market, what with its focus on library and free Google books. So, does Sony need to compete on price? *They* think so. |
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09-01-2011, 12:08 PM | #51 |
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Meh... plastic >_> Sony's gone soft.
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09-01-2011, 01:30 PM | #52 |
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[QUOTE=ProfCrash;. ....................This move indicates that Sony stands to make more money selling a larger number of readers at a lower price................
I think they are banking on the Harry Potter tie in. .............. There will be a good number but I doubt that number is going to be as large as some folks are thinking. It might be that people who are thinking of an e-reader and are Harry Potter fans will pick up the Sony HP e-reader but I can't see a Harry Potter fan who is normally not interested in an e-reader buying one.[/QUOTE] _________ Considering the spec's and alleged price of the T1, I have a feeling that Sony might be regarding the Potter bit as more of an extra sales fillip/marketing move, more of a sideshow than I initially thought, anyway - but obviously being A Good Thing for them. It looks to me that they are finally taking the ereading business, and the competition, seriously, with the Sony "name" bridging whatever gap there may be between them. But the price may be their saviour.... But will I get one ? Well, I'm not a device collector, and can't at the moment see any huge advantage - but I'm sure my offspring will........ |
09-01-2011, 02:35 PM | #53 | |
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Zooming by pinching is nice but I have yet to read a novel that I require the ability to zoom in and out to enjoy. I suppose one coulds say that compared to the 505/600/650 the T1 is evolutionary and a bit better (assuming that the lack of wifi vs. having wifi is a number 1 problem, which it isn't to me), but evolutionary doesn't strike me as sufficient to cast aside otherwise excellent and working devices. No, I don't see anything to capture me and my money. Perhaps the worst part is that because Kobo Touch and Nook Touch have "caught up" to the T1, I would look at the Nook if I needed to replace my 505 or 950 because I prefer to shop at B&N. Previously, I wouldn't have considered a Kobo or Nook because the Sony was light years ahead of either. The T1 is just one of the pack. |
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09-01-2011, 02:39 PM | #54 |
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Given that they've dropped the other sizes and went to just 6" (which is what they started with), I take it that they realized that most people prefer the 6" and are just more price conscious. Of the previous two generations, the 5" line sold the most, because it was the cheapest, but when you look at over all ereader sales from all companies the 6" models win out. If size was that big of a deal, Sony would have cleaned house last couple years. According to this IDC study, Sony sold 800,000 readers last year and was still in 5th place overall world wide, behind Hanvon, B&N, Pandigital, and Amazon (listed in ascending order). There was a reason they started with 6" readers, there is a reason the competition is mostly 6" readers. I'm sure that they just didn't randomly make that size without doing consumer and ergonomics studies, even if it wasn't the manufacturers of the devices but rather the display manufacturers.
Knock size out of the mix, and you're left with the difference being price. On all counts, Sony was way more expensive than their competition. MSRP started out at $179 for the 350, and it was the lowest priced Sony, where as it was going up against $139 Kindles, Kobos, and nooks. I mean, why would Sony release a product to the market when their competition already had their products priced at $40 cheaper. It isn't like Sony released the 350 at $179, and Amazon and Kobo uncut them afterwards. Kindle, Kobo, and nook were $139 for months before the Sony x50 line launched. |
09-01-2011, 03:36 PM | #55 |
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09-01-2011, 03:42 PM | #56 | |
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Then again, I love U2 and managed to not buy the U2 IPod which had the new album and a discount on all U2's songs if you purchased it. |
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09-02-2011, 07:05 AM | #57 |
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It is incredible to witness once more that most people lack basic understanding of finance.
I wrote before that considering how historically high the Japanese Yen is nowadays, it is impossible for Sony to compete on price. It is a miracle that they manage to sell this new model (which includes 12 dictionaries) at such a price. |
09-02-2011, 07:23 AM | #58 |
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I am a fan of the 5" reader and am disapointed that Sony will not offer that going forward. The PRS-350 was the best 5" reader out there. It will be a sad day when and if I have to replace my PRS-350.
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09-02-2011, 07:33 AM | #59 | |
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Sorry for the OT... |
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09-02-2011, 08:03 AM | #60 |
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I don't even think its on sale here in Japan yet!
... we just make it LOL |
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