Reasons I'm not getting a Kindle but the Sony 505 instead.

[rflashman]

Honestly, I much prefer Sony hardware. But it doesn't matter how bad the Kindle is, it is its unique wireless experience that drives me to it. So I now carry it everywhere along with my Franklin Planner. It is revolutionary not in any feature, but in the sum of its parts.

What I'd love to see? Sony sell its connect store to Amazon, license their approach, support older readers through the new combo store, and create a new PRS-600 wireless model to work off their store. But that's just my fantasy.

[jasonkchapman]

Originally Posted by rflashman

What I'd love to see? Sony sell its connect store to Amazon, license their approach, support older readers through the new combo store, and create a new PRS-600 wireless model to work off their store. But that's just my fantasy.

I'm sorry, but that just makes way too much sense to ever happen. This industry is all about making people go "WTF?"

I still think you're more likely to see Sony invest in Borders and try to fold the whole thing into the media side of their business in much the same way Time Warner became a multi-channeled media business. All they'd need is a print publisher to complete the set.

[tklaus]

Originally Posted by solitarywolf

5. I like the ability to convert any text into the Reader format and read it.

6. Of the 90,000 titles that Amazon has, how many do they have of the books I read? Not many I can tell you. I also seek out books that are no longer in print or hard to find. Believe it or not, you can find these titles on the internet in a text form. For example, Martin Pipin in the Apple Orchard.

You know you can do this with the Kindle too, right?

[edsohsmith]

actually there was an interview question to that effect. Apparently they (amazon) have the same model for ebooks as they do their store at large. They take a loss on popular ebooks and make it back on specialty ones. So you can find best sellers that are 9.99, significantly lower than what the publisher charges amazon. This is to "draw" you into their store. It works pretty well but you have to have a big selection to get the money back on books the publisher agrees to big discounts on.

Sony did not (does not) have the negotiation leverage nor the size (or gumption?) to make that happen. Amazon is vastly bigger than Sony's book entry. The scales are unimaginably in amazon's favor.

But the prices on Sony's Connect store have come down quite dramtically on many popular titles since the release of the Kindle.

What I am saying is, I think the Connect store is benefitting from Kindle's leverage. Amazon leverages the publishers to drop their prices (effectively to all re-sellers). This allows Sony to sell the ebooks for less.

Since Sony is not willing to sell at a loss, often titles are $2-3 more on Connect than on Amazon.

[Alisa]

Originally Posted by edsohsmith

But the prices on Sony's Connect store have come down quite dramtically on many popular titles since the release of the Kindle.

What I am saying is, I think the Connect store is benefitting from Kindle's leverage. Amazon leverages the publishers to drop their prices (effectively to all re-sellers). This allows Sony to sell the ebooks for less.

Since Sony is not willing to sell at a loss, often titles are $2-3 more on Connect than on Amazon.

Do we know if this leverage has, in fact, dropped prices to all sellers and not just Amazon?

[NatCh]

Originally Posted by Alisa

Do we know if this leverage has, in fact, dropped prices to all sellers and not just Amazon?

I don't know if it's exactly this leverage, nor do I know it's all stores, but Connect, fictionwise, and Mobipocket all showed price drops a couple of days after Kindle launched, and the prices were all to bring their prices closer in line to what Amazon was showing.

Come to think of it, the speed of the price drops probably says something in itself.

Anyway, there's some more info on the matter here: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16810

Wait, nevermind, that's not what you were asking at all.

No we don't know if this had any effect on what suppliers are selling e-books for across the board. I don't know that we even know that Amazon is getting them more cheaply than other stores were in the first place (which suggests a number of interesting possibilities, dunnit?).

[Alisa]

That's what I was wondering. It seems we're all assuming that there's been a price drop where it just may be that Amazon's taking a big loss and the other stores have no choice but to do the same if they want to keep any sort of foothold. Certainly if Amazon has leveraged any price cut, I would think they'd try to keep that exclusive.

[Astropin]

Originally Posted by vdospec

Anyone want to buy a Brand New PRS-505? I have 2 of them, I bought 2 of them, one for me one for my wife, we just do not have the time to use them. I see on Ebay they are going for over $300, must be because of christmas, I will sell for $275 each..$7 shipping anywhere in US and I have a business so I can take a credit card or google checkout. I do not sell ebooks however.

I just purchased mine (the blue one) brand new and in stock for $279.....shipped.

[vdospec]

Originally Posted by Astropin

I just purchased mine (the blue one) brand new and in stock for $279.....shipped.

Thats if yours comes, they would not be on ebay for over $350...And the blue one looks really bad to me, Silver is the way to go, I had the Black 500 even and it still does not look as sophisticated as the Silver and Tan, thats a cool look.

Anyway I sold one, so I have one left and to top that $250 shipped Priority Mail Free...Contact mikenbrenda@gmail.com or here..

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by sfernald

I strongly suggest for anyone considering an ereader to buy the Kindle. I own both the Sony PRS-505 and the Kindle and really there is no comparison. The Amazon "service" makes the Kindle superior to the Sony Reader in many ways, hands down.

I'm afraid the Sony product will now die a slow death like their MP3 players. Now that the profit margins are gone with the Connect store, I expect it will be shuttered in less than a year and Sony will move onto the next great "high-margin" gadget (that is the Sony way).

Get the Kindle or regret it! It's a no-brainer really.

I disagree. I have a 505 and I would get a 505 over the Kindle. I am not too find of the Kindle overall. I do think Sony can compete especially if they come out with the 505 in other countries.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by sfernald

I guess what I'm saying is that as an elite consumer electronics company, Sony will focus on unique high-margin products, not commoditized, low-margin ones. I would expect Sony to slowly leave this market over the next year or two if the profit continues to get sucked out of the market. Amazon is showing that the ebook biz is mostly going to be a battle of services and software and high-volume, low-margin sales. Sony will lose that battle any day and knows it. They can't compete on software or services. Look at how weak the ebook connect store is to this day - or the PS3 store - or whatever they try to do. They just aren't any good at it. What they are good at is building high-quality electronic gadgetry with state of the art functionality.

I disagree that the Connect Store is weak. Sony has done a pretty good job at improving the store. Granted, it wasn't all that much when it first started, but now it is pretty good. On a par with a lot of other dedicated ebook shops. The PS3 was a problem because of how late it was when it was released with nothing really special vs the XboX 360 and the price was ridiculous. One thing I have been seeing with Sony is that since the Kindle launched, two major fiction books were available on the day the hardcovers were released but go to Amazon and the were not available. Have you taken a recent look at the Connect Store?

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by sfernald

Yeah, I agree. But I think you should try the Kindle before you consider anything else, for the same reason that I didn't know I couldn't live without a TiVo until I had one. The service makes the device. If you like TiVo over normal cable DVRs, or if you like the iPhone over the typical phone, trust me you will appreciate the value and ease-of-use offered in the Kindle's product/service bundle.

What does a TiVo do that my cable DVR cannot do? I managed to get a cable DVR free when I had my cable box upgraded due to that one being the only working upgraded box the cable guy had. I've used the DVR to time-shift things. It's really easy to use. Has two tuners so I can record one thing and watch another. And it records in HD as well.

[rflashman]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I disagree that the Connect Store is weak. Sony has done a pretty good job at improving the store. Granted, it wasn't all that much when it first started, but now it is pretty good. On a par with a lot of other dedicated ebook shops. The PS3 was a problem because of how late it was when it was released with nothing really special vs the XboX 360 and the price was ridiculous. One thing I have been seeing with Sony is that since the Kindle launched, two major fiction books were available on the day the hardcovers were released but go to Amazon and the were not available. Have you taken a recent look at the Connect Store?

Connect Store still doesn't work on my Windows Vista 64. Sony as far as I know has no plans to support me.

[rflashman]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

What does a TiVo do that my cable DVR cannot do? I managed to get a cable DVR free when I had my cable box upgraded due to that one being the only working upgraded box the cable guy had. I've used the DVR to time-shift things. It's really easy to use. Has two tuners so I can record one thing and watch another. And it records in HD as well.

It's my ReplayTV that I miss. A product that four years ago could record all shows, let you network/download the recorded show to your PC, let you connect/share recorded shows with any ReplayTV anywhere in the planet, etc. Today no DVR product comes close in features and capability (with the exceptions of adding HD and multiple tuners).

[tklaus]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

What does a TiVo do that my cable DVR cannot do?

Automatically record shows that it thinks you might like, based on your viewing habits (and does a remarkably good job at it)

Automatically record based on search terms, like "Woody Allen movies" or "Giants baseball" on any channel where they appear (wishlists)

Mine also records in HD on dual tuners (DirecTV)