Advice: do not buy a sony reader. Battery issues and support sucks

[kazbates]

If you use the menu options a great deal, you will deplete the battery faster, as it does when using an external memory card. There are a whole host of reasons for the battery to discharge more quickly than the specs imply. I've have 2 Sony readers and read on average 5-6 hours a day and generally charge my reader once a week and that's with the reader showing that it still has a half full charge.

[Kolenka]

Originally Posted by Dave W

Since the microprocessor must use power, Sony should specify both page turn and run time limits for those of us who don't go through 7500 pages within the run time limit.

That's just it... they /do/...

The catch is that it seems they say it in the overview and feature pages, and not the tech specs page for the 600. And on the 900, they used to say it on the overview, but now only says it in the features page.

[Dave W]

I guess I missed that spec on the web page. However, it's still a little foggy on exactly what Sony means by "up to 2 weeks" on one charge. The footnote explains the 7500 page turns, but the way the feature is worded it implies that I can take up to 2 weeks to compete the 7500 page turns. I don't get anywhere near that. It does say "continuous page turns," but then what does the 2 weeks mean? I'd accept the claim if they said that the batter would last 2 weeks in the "hold" mode.

Dave W

[ggareau]

Only because I see this come up every once in a while...

FWIW, refurbished is not the same thing as used. Yes, a refurbished unit *can* be previously owned, but that is not necessarily the case. US law dictates that if a unit is taken off the shelf for an order, even if the order is cancelled, that unit needs to be labelled as a refurb.

via wikipedia:

"Refurbished", in reference to computers or laptops, means that the equipment was returned to the manufacturer either because the customer simply didn't want it or a minor problem was found. Before re-selling the equipment, manufacturers fix and certify the unit and sell it at a discount.
Refurbished products cannot be sold as new products in the US, which is why they are relabeled as refurbished or refreshed units even if they are good-as-new (if, for example, the unit was returned for some reason unrelated to the product itself, i.e., the customer changed their mind about the color). Refurbished items may have scratches, dents or other forms of cosmetic damage which do not affect the performance of the unit.

I worked at Dell support for a while and ran into this complaint a lot. My understanding from head office was that if the order was cancelled after the part serial numbers had been tagged as belonging to a specific order it was immediately a refurb. Unsurprisingly, Dell -- working almost exclusively over the internet -- has a lot of refurb parts.

[Kolenka]

Originally Posted by Dave W

I guess I missed that spec on the web page. However, it's still a little foggy on exactly what Sony means by "up to 2 weeks" on one charge. The footnote explains the 7500 page turns, but the way the feature is worded it implies that I can take up to 2 weeks to compete the 7500 page turns. I don't get anywhere near that. It does say "continuous page turns," but then what does the 2 weeks mean? I'd accept the claim if they said that the batter would last 2 weeks in the "hold" mode.

Dave W

It means the device can last up to 2 weeks. The 505 had this same claim, and it'd easily last 2 weeks on a charge with regular reading. Even the 900's claim of 2.5 weeks is pretty close. I gave up trying to kill the battery after two weeks with the wireless off under heavy reading while on Christmas break. It was something on the order of over a half-dozen books during the 2 weeks, 2-3 periodicals a day, and the thing still didn't die before 2 weeks. And I was annotating the heck out of one of them for proof-reading.

[JSWolf]

When you charge via USB, the more eBooks you have on the Reader, the more battery it uses scanning the eBooks. So if all you are doing is charging, you will use up battery when it's unplugged. But if you use an AC adapter, you won't use any extra battery when you unplug it from being charged. So USB charging could be part of the problem with a shortened battery.

[Harry001]

hey dubyajay,

if you are so dissatisfied with the sony 600 - give it up for adoption (fleemarket) and buy a new one.
i guess that someone who is technically fit is able to change the battery and you would have a new functionally reader
just my 2 ct

keep reading
harry

btw - my 505 runs around 1500 pages before i have to chare, but i use the largest fonds to avoid glasses

[icemncmth]

I really do find this an interesting thread. Any product can have "issues" and some are just plain junk. Even Sony makes a bad product every once in a while.

What I find interesting is Dubyajay has 14 post all most all of them are on this thread..a couple are on a thread about the battery..

If this is a "true" post then Sony does need to step up but sometimes you can't make the person happy.

If you took a poll on this forum and see who was happy with their Sony or not..I am sure that most are happy.

I have had issues with Apple and my Ipod ...but I don't go around flaming Apple over it. I know I am dealing with people on the phone and sometimes you just have to get the right person to get anything done.

Just my 2 cents

[clunney]

Now I have to go through the hassle of getting it to the hazardous waste facility to throw it out.

Rather than throwing it away (which seems like a really stupid waste), why not offer it for sale? Knowing how many people here are VERY happy with their Sony readers, I'm sure you could recoup at least some of your cost.

Heck, I'll send you $100 by PayPal right now to ship it to me. You won't have to worry about hazardous waste disposal fees, and you'll be $100 further towards buying that Nook. Just send me a private message, and I'll get you my contact info and shipping address. You can have that PoS reader off your hands today!

[Tony Hoyle]

It doesn't seem to matter how many pages you read - mine is dead in 5 days from a full charge, just sat there doing nothing. Asked Sony and they said that it was normal.

It's made worse by the stupid stupid requirement that you plug it into a PC running the Sony software to charge it.. a normal USB charger won't work. What were they thinking? If I go on holiday and want to take my ebook reader I *also* have to take my PC with me to keep it charged? lol.

[lilac_jive]

Originally Posted by Tony Hoyle

It doesn't seem to matter how many pages you read - mine is dead in 5 days from a full charge, just sat there doing nothing. Asked Sony and they said that it was normal.

It's made worse by the stupid stupid requirement that you plug it into a PC running the Sony software to charge it.. a normal USB charger won't work. What were they thinking? If I go on holiday and want to take my ebook reader I *also* have to take my PC with me to keep it charged? lol.

No, you can buy a charger for it. They make one for the Readers, but a PSP charger will work. All iPods are the same way, for example.

Your 600 shouldn't die in five days, unless you were using it a lot. Sounds like you have a defective battery or unit.

[gwynevans]

Originally Posted by Tony Hoyle

It's made worse by the stupid stupid requirement that you plug it into a PC running the Sony software to charge it.

Strictly, it needs to be a PC, not specifically a PC running the Sony software, but the simple option is a generic PSP-compatible (i.e. a barrel connector) charger, which will charge it quickly & without stopping you reading while it charges.

But yes, 5 days is rather short unless it didn't get a full charge to start...

[Bremen Cole]

Originally Posted by clunney

Rather than throwing it away (which seems like a really stupid waste), why not offer it for sale? Knowing how many people here are VERY happy with their Sony readers, I'm sure you could recoup at least some of your cost.

Heck, I'll send you $100 by PayPal right now to ship it to me. You won't have to worry about hazardous waste disposal fees, and you'll be $100 further towards buying that Nook. Just send me a private message, and I'll get you my contact info and shipping address. You can have that PoS reader off your hands today!

I made the same offer on Monday, the OP seems to be MIA.........

[chainring]

Originally Posted by Riocaz

I tried it with my 600 when I first got it (which also had a defective battery as it happens).

I got 6600 full page turns (defined as a full flash, not just skipping from page to page) up until I got a battery warning, and was over 10000 when I gave up.

As JSwolf mentioned above. Dubya, still hasn't answered a question from the 1st page.. Which is how long was it between charges? We seem to be getting stuck on the "pages" issue.

You, sir, are an absolute trooper. When in the process of trying the same thing, my mind was feeling a bit numb from the monotonous actions, so I stopped very early on. Granted, I didn't have the time to sit and do that many page turns either, but I got to around 600 without a single bar being dropped.

[astra]

Didn't Gandalf say that trolls smell bad?