Wired on the Sony Portable Reader

[Colin Dunstan]

Wired's Dylan Tweney contemplates whether the forthcoming Sony Portable Reader will shake up the e-book biz.

In the end, whether the Sony Reader winds up kick-starting the e-book market depends more on Sony's marketing and pricing decisions than on the sexy E Ink technology, according to Gartenberg. "The technology looks like it's in place. What it comes down to is if they can deliver enough content at a reasonable price," Gartenberg said. Books have been written on sheets of dried, mashed plants for about five millennia. Paper is a cheap, relatively durable and versatile technology. Sony's new Reader will not spell the end of that long history, but it could be the opening of an interesting new chapter.

[via Teleread]

Related:
Will Sony help the e-book market to grow?
Sony Reader CES roundup
Sony reveals pricing for its Portable Reader PRS-500
Sony's new e-book reader officially announced

[rmeister0]

You know the other thing I haven't seen yet?

Will the software necessary to interface this device with the on-line store or convert your existing content be available for only Windows, or for Mac OS X as well?

It's probably a given that Linux support will not come from anywhere but the user community, given past experience with...just about everything, actually.

[Jaapjan]

Judging from the presentation on the sony site, where the software is displayed in a screenshot, I only say 'Windows'. In fact, I did not see any mention of operating systems beyond windows. If I saw windows.

[Colin Dunstan]

Unless my memory deceives me there was also no Mac support for the Sony Librie. *bummer*

[Jaapjan]

However, they are rumored to open up their format...I heard somewhere. That should mean it becomes possible to make home content. We will have to wait and see.

Originally Posted by rmeister0

...be available for only Windows, or for Mac OS X as well?

You need Windows 98 or higher and Explorer 5.5 or higher to access their http://musicstore.connect.com/ where the content is to be sold. Using anything else gives you"

"We appreciate your interest in the Connect music store, but our store currently only works with Internet Explorer 5.5 and above. You don't seem to be using that particular browser at the moment, so, unfortunately, we'll have to part ways until we support the browser you're currently using or you upgrade to the latest version of Internet Explorer."