12-12-2008, 08:45 PM | #1 |
Enthusiast
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Location: Hereford UK
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Waterstones: Not Impressed So Far
Bought a 505 on Monday from my local shop. The advertised 2.5% reduction in VAT was not deducted but I didn't make a fuss, I just wanted to get out of there. When I got to my car I had a look at my purchase and found that I had not been given a 505, they had given me the cover with light wedge instead. I went back and sorted things out without a problem, but, not a good start.
I will not be opening the box until xmas morning so a couple of questions: 1. What version software will it have out of the box? 2. I was told by the sales assistant that the 100 free books were pre installed on the reader, not on a CD. Is this true. First post by the way. Hello everyone. Mick |
12-12-2008, 08:55 PM | #2 |
Sir Penguin of Edinburgh
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Welcome to MobileRead.
I don't know about your first question, but I can answer the second. Most people have found that downloading the 100 "free ebooks" is not worthwhile. All of the free ebooks are in the public domain and can be found in many other places on the Web, including here at MobileRead. https://www.mobileread.com/forums/ebooks.php?forumid=126 |
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12-12-2008, 10:12 PM | #3 |
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Welcome!
1. Not sure about the software version where you are - the last person I know who bought one got version 1.1, but it was purchased here in the States. 2. The only version of the free ebooks I've seen have been downloaded from the Sony site. Again, that was in the States - not sure about how they handled elsewhere. |
12-12-2008, 10:13 PM | #4 |
Grand Sorcerer
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12-13-2008, 06:16 AM | #5 |
Wizzard
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The reader will be 1.2 (in the UK) - you can download a copy of the Sony Windows software, no need for the CD. (Maybe the US one, not the UK, but not significant a diffference). Get the free books from here (https://www.mobileread.com/forums/ebooks.php?forumid=126) rather than the Sony site (better conversions here)
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12-13-2008, 06:18 AM | #6 |
Roger Wilmut
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No. I bought mine a few weeks back in John Lewis and the CD was included in the box. As said, all the books are readily available from Gutenberg et al.
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12-13-2008, 06:29 AM | #7 |
WWHALD
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Location: Mitcham, Surrey, UK
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I got mine from Waterstones, and the free ebooks were on a CD, not already on teh reader. Having said that, if you want to keep those versions, it's easy enough to transfer them. Or you can get far better formatted copies from here (the ebooks link above).
You can also buy ebooks from places like booksonboard.com and fictionwise.com - which are both cheaper and easier to use than the Waterstones site! And welcome I'm sure you'll enjoy the 505! |
12-13-2008, 07:16 AM | #8 |
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Thanks for the replies. So, the 2.5 ver will work on a UK 505, I need this as I am on Vista 64 and don't fancy workarounds. Is ver 2.5 a software or firmware upgrade?
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12-13-2008, 07:21 AM | #9 |
eBook Enthusiast
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It's the "eBook Librarian" software you install on your PC.
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12-13-2008, 07:54 AM | #10 |
Grand Sorcerer
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The titles that come with your purchase are titles that, for the most part, are indeed available from Gutenberg and many from MobileRead - just to name two sources.
Those books, however, are formatted by Sony and formatted the way they want them formatted. This is, or is not, a good thing depending on your personal preferences. Whether they come pre-loaded on the Reader or they are on a CD is one only of convenience; but again, depending upon your personal preference. If you don't like their formatting and the titles are on CD, then you're in luck. Put the CD away and forget about it, since you won't be putting them on your Reader, anyway. Remember, also, that you will have access to your free books through their library whenever you want them. I'm a hoarder, so I like to have different versions of the same title, even though I personally feel that they're formatting is inferior (but only on these $1.99 classics.) But always -- and this is the important part - HAVE FUN! Don |
12-13-2008, 12:24 PM | #11 |
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OK, I'll junk the CD. I've downloaded some titles from Feedbooks and installed Adobe Digital Editions. Now, have I got this right, the act of placing the books into ADEs library folder and from there to the 505 automatically formats them for the 505?
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12-13-2008, 12:48 PM | #12 |
Connoisseur
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If the books are already in .lrf format, I don't think they need to go into ADE, I think you can download them to any folder. I have done this & transferred them using the Sony library software. I've only used ADE for the couple of books that I've bought so far from Waterstones (using the points accrued from buying the reader, so effectively free )
I downloaded the US software, so that I could access the Sony US store - even if you don't buy from there, I think it is worth doing. You don't need the UK version to buy from Waterstones, and in the couple of months I've had the reader, I've downloaded quite a few free ebooks following tip offs on here The free books were on a CD, rather than pre-loaded, although there were a few things (mainly samples) pre-loaded. Enjoy your reader |
12-15-2008, 10:18 AM | #13 |
Junior Member
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A different gripe about Waterstone's: why are ebook prices higher than for a paperback?
C J Sansom's "Revelation" is priced at £6.49 for paperback on their website (£5.84 at Amazon incidentally) and an outrageous £10.40 for the ebook version! With such high prices I'm not likely to buy many new ebooks and that can't surely be in Waterstone's long term interests. Nearly all the books on my PRS 505 so far are free from Gutenberg through Manybooks. |
12-15-2008, 10:55 AM | #14 |
WWHALD
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Location: Mitcham, Surrey, UK
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As much as I'd like to support UK businesses, you're far better buying ebooks from places like booksonboard.com and fictionwise.com - they have better pricing and easier to search sites.
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12-15-2008, 04:07 PM | #15 | |
Wizard
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Quote:
So at some point I may have to give Waterstones a try; the ADE DRM is what is mainly putting me off. |
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