My 30 hour with the Reader - Page 2

coolblue · 11-03-2006, 07:20 PM

I agree with you tcv, My problem is not with the Reader as a product and as a new experience, my problem is indeed with Sony. Mainly in the area of 1) sonystyle.com ordering process (still messed up ordering status); 2)poorly writing Connect software; 3) Lock of support of this product, I still don't know what is the category of the Reader amount the choices Sony gives me; and 3)Sony's quality control of the Reader. If I didn't have any of my problem, I would give rather glowing review indeed. Because of Brand name Sony product carries, we generally hold it for a higher standard, and most of us are willing to pay higer price for it's products. I can't help but compare Sony with Apple in terms of Ipod and Reader. Granted that the Reader also incorportate e-ink, which still at it's early stage and early potential. So some failures are expected for us early adaptors. If the failure rate is low, then what is Statistic that I get the short end of the stick, I guess the chance of getting one bad product has no bearing of getting the next one, the serial numbers are about 3000 units apart, so I don't thing the two are siblings.
I would be happier if Sony can provide a more direct path to us early adaptors, not some electronic voice behind the supportline.
On the somewhat technical side, I think the white line is due to a malfunction in the controller chip, which drives the e-ink display. And on the Reader Connect issue, all I can think of is some USB/digital problem that connect sw failed to authenticate. Maybe it's a security issue. I'm just guessing here. My only debate is whether or not I should lug my notebook with me when I'm returning my Reader tonight so I can check out the next Reader( if still available) or just patiently wait until Rev2 of the Reader and Rev100 of the connect software to come out before I take another plounge. What do you guys think?

NatCh · 11-03-2006, 07:43 PM

Regarding the Quality Control on the Reader: I agree you're having a rough time with it, coolblue, and I don't mean to minimize that at all. But consider that your two Problem Children units represent two of the, what? 5~6 reported hardware issues here on the forum, out of over 130 units (according to the Reader Counter, anyway). That's a pretty low incidence, particularly if you compare it to the trials and tribulations that the poor iLiad folks have gone through (fortunately, iRex seems to have outgrown that problem!).

True, the Connect software is ... rudimentary, to put it generously, and the phone support has been ... spotty, and it is depressing that you (or anyone) would have trouble with two in a row. But part of the discontent is that we do tend to hold Sony to a higher standard.

coolblue · 11-03-2006, 08:26 PM

Sony should thanks me for collecting two of their defeative units. This ways, instead of having (potentially) two unhappy customers, they only have me. ;-) . However, I don't think ~5% defect is all that good, imagine that if they sell one million units, that would be 50K units of bad returns, not all that great, although I hope thing will improve as you rampup. Also, a customer with bad experience will tell lot more people than the other way around. In all honesty, Sony have to depend on enthusists (from this forum and others) to spread the words. When I was at Sony Style store in San Diego, I didn't see many people there and I was the only one looking at the Reader. At Borders, it was the same case. I have two coworkers looking over my shoulder and guess what do I have to tell them. For Sony to be successful on Reader, it has to sell like IPODs, not AIBO pets.

NatCh · 11-03-2006, 11:09 PM

AIBO pets. Heh.

coolblue · 11-03-2006, 11:53 PM

OK, I just returned my 2nd Reader back to Borders. Of the six Reader they got, I just returned one and I counted they still have the other five in the glass shielf + one display unit.

yvanleterrible · 11-04-2006, 11:16 AM

We must remember that eink is in its infancy. Hardware reliability has to be proven. Responsible companies like Sony will correct themselves.

The connect site is a new one. Every site, software, or even service, as a matter of fact, is liable to encounter bugs and mishaps. The proven seriousness of this company will iron out glitches as they appear.

coolblue · 11-14-2006, 01:42 AM

Just an update on my side. I have just finised returning my sony reader back to Sonystyle. It took awhile for them to process the status from cancelled to normal which I could return it. Despite what the rep at sonystyle told me that they will foot the shipping bill, I didn't get such offer. I paid my own shipping. So, I'm not going back to sonystyle.com ever again, bunch of liars.
For the time I had with Reader, I have the following comments. e-Book from connect store worked mostly as adverstized, with exception of the book with graphics, which does not scale well. Otherwise the experience is excellent.
On the other hand, going from pdf to Reader, or from Word to Reader, etc have proved too difficult for me. The connect sw, when importing my pdf file, actually striped part of my plots out. Going from Word to Reader is also problematic, because it does not support tables.

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11-03-2006, 07:20 PM	#16
coolblue Member Posts: 12 Karma: 11 Join Date: Nov 2006	I agree with you tcv, My problem is not with the Reader as a product and as a new experience, my problem is indeed with Sony. Mainly in the area of 1) sonystyle.com ordering process (still messed up ordering status); 2)poorly writing Connect software; 3) Lock of support of this product, I still don't know what is the category of the Reader amount the choices Sony gives me; and 3)Sony's quality control of the Reader. If I didn't have any of my problem, I would give rather glowing review indeed. Because of Brand name Sony product carries, we generally hold it for a higher standard, and most of us are willing to pay higer price for it's products. I can't help but compare Sony with Apple in terms of Ipod and Reader. Granted that the Reader also incorportate e-ink, which still at it's early stage and early potential. So some failures are expected for us early adaptors. If the failure rate is low, then what is Statistic that I get the short end of the stick, I guess the chance of getting one bad product has no bearing of getting the next one, the serial numbers are about 3000 units apart, so I don't thing the two are siblings. I would be happier if Sony can provide a more direct path to us early adaptors, not some electronic voice behind the supportline. On the somewhat technical side, I think the white line is due to a malfunction in the controller chip, which drives the e-ink display. And on the Reader Connect issue, all I can think of is some USB/digital problem that connect sw failed to authenticate. Maybe it's a security issue. I'm just guessing here. My only debate is whether or not I should lug my notebook with me when I'm returning my Reader tonight so I can check out the next Reader( if still available) or just patiently wait until Rev2 of the Reader and Rev100 of the connect software to come out before I take another plounge. What do you guys think?

11-03-2006, 07:43 PM	#17
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	Regarding the Quality Control on the Reader: I agree you're having a rough time with it, coolblue, and I don't mean to minimize that at all. But consider that your two Problem Children units represent two of the, what? 5~6 reported hardware issues here on the forum, out of over 130 units (according to the Reader Counter, anyway). That's a pretty low incidence, particularly if you compare it to the trials and tribulations that the poor iLiad folks have gone through (fortunately, iRex seems to have outgrown that problem!). True, the Connect software is ... rudimentary, to put it generously, and the phone support has been ... spotty, and it is depressing that you (or anyone) would have trouble with two in a row. But part of the discontent is that we do tend to hold Sony to a higher standard.

11-03-2006, 08:26 PM	#18
coolblue Member Posts: 12 Karma: 11 Join Date: Nov 2006	Sony should thanks me for collecting two of their defeative units. This ways, instead of having (potentially) two unhappy customers, they only have me. ;-) . However, I don't think ~5% defect is all that good, imagine that if they sell one million units, that would be 50K units of bad returns, not all that great, although I hope thing will improve as you rampup. Also, a customer with bad experience will tell lot more people than the other way around. In all honesty, Sony have to depend on enthusists (from this forum and others) to spread the words. When I was at Sony Style store in San Diego, I didn't see many people there and I was the only one looking at the Reader. At Borders, it was the same case. I have two coworkers looking over my shoulder and guess what do I have to tell them. For Sony to be successful on Reader, it has to sell like IPODs, not AIBO pets.

11-03-2006, 11:09 PM	#19
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	AIBO pets. Heh.

11-03-2006, 11:53 PM	#20
coolblue Member Posts: 12 Karma: 11 Join Date: Nov 2006	OK, I just returned my 2nd Reader back to Borders. Of the six Reader they got, I just returned one and I counted they still have the other five in the glass shielf + one display unit.

11-04-2006, 11:16 AM	#21
yvanleterrible Reborn Paper User Posts: 8,616 Karma: 15446734 Join Date: May 2006 Location: Que Nada Device: iPhone8, iPad Air	We must remember that eink is in its infancy. Hardware reliability has to be proven. Responsible companies like Sony will correct themselves. The connect site is a new one. Every site, software, or even service, as a matter of fact, is liable to encounter bugs and mishaps. The proven seriousness of this company will iron out glitches as they appear.

11-14-2006, 01:42 AM	#22
coolblue Member Posts: 12 Karma: 11 Join Date: Nov 2006	Just an update on my side. I have just finised returning my sony reader back to Sonystyle. It took awhile for them to process the status from cancelled to normal which I could return it. Despite what the rep at sonystyle told me that they will foot the shipping bill, I didn't get such offer. I paid my own shipping. So, I'm not going back to sonystyle.com ever again, bunch of liars. For the time I had with Reader, I have the following comments. e-Book from connect store worked mostly as adverstized, with exception of the book with graphics, which does not scale well. Otherwise the experience is excellent. On the other hand, going from pdf to Reader, or from Word to Reader, etc have proved too difficult for me. The connect sw, when importing my pdf file, actually striped part of my plots out. Going from Word to Reader is also problematic, because it does not support tables.

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