I'm undecided....shocking, I know!

[PsyDocJoanne]

Hi everyone,

Well, the Kindle is coming today! But, it may end up going back. I was finally able to see a Sony in person at my local Sony store, and I was totally blown away by how it looks and feels.

Whether it's my impression or a fact (or a combination of both), it seemed much thinner and lighter than the Kindle (my sister in law has one, so I've seen a Kindle in person). I like that it's symmetrical, as opposed to the wedge of the Kindle. The cover fits, feels, and looks great, too. And the aesthetic really appealed to me...all the buttons seem very well placed and intuitive.

And Sony has a great deal right now, I think--$299, free shipping, $199 credit for classics through the Connect store (which I know are mostly free through Gutenberg, but the convenience is nice), and $40 off if you purchase an accessory and an extended service plan.

So I'm going to test drive the Kindle, and probably pick up the Sony to try as well. Does anyone know Sony.com's return policy? My local Sony store charges a 15% restocking fee if it's returned opened, which is the only thing that held me back from purchasing last night.

Joanne

[PsyDocJoanne]

Oh, and just in case anyone was wondering why I don't just check the Sony website for the return policy, I did, and couldn't find it anywhere. Granted, it was late last night and I was a little brain dead *lol*, but I really couldn't find it!

[Lilly]

Originally Posted by PsyDocJoanne

Hi everyone,

Well, the Kindle is coming today! But, it may end up going back. I was finally able to see a Sony in person at my local Sony store, and I was totally blown away by how it looks and feels.

Whether it's my impression or a fact (or a combination of both), it seemed much thinner and lighter than the Kindle (my sister in law has one, so I've seen a Kindle in person). I like that it's symmetrical, as opposed to the wedge of the Kindle. The cover fits, feels, and looks great, too. And the aesthetic really appealed to me...all the buttons seem very well placed and intuitive.

And Sony has a great deal right now, I think--$299, free shipping, $199 credit for classics through the Connect store (which I know are mostly free through Gutenberg, but the convenience is nice), and $40 off if you purchase an accessory and an extended service plan.

So I'm going to test drive the Kindle, and probably pick up the Sony to try as well. Does anyone know Sony.com's return policy? My local Sony store charges a 15% restocking fee if it's returned opened, which is the only thing that held me back from purchasing last night.

Joanne

Wow Joanne, glad I dont have your problem. I saw the Sony reader on December 1st, loved it so I searched for information on it online. That's how I came across this website. I also found out about other readers (The Kindle had just came out), but I was in love with the Sony. I ordered it 2 days later and I can honestly say, I would make the same decision today. I love my Sony.

[desertgrandma]

Cool thing about the Kindle? Its easy to return.......no questions asked!

Enjoy whichever one you decide to keep!

[PsyDocJoanne]

Yay!

I just got off the phone with Sony, and the person I spoke to was super helpful. The reason my store charges a 15% restocking fee is because they are a SonyStyle outlet. They sell refurbished as well as new merchandise (like the reader, which was new stock and the same price as retail), so I guess it makes some sense.

He was able to locate another one for me locally (at a lower price than Sony retail!), and I'm going to try and pick it up tonight. He also assured me I could still take advantage of the offer for the $199 credit for books. I can't do the $40 credit for the accessory/service plan bundle, but the lower retail price nearly identically offsets the savings through the website.

BTW, Sony.com's return policy is 30 days, no questions asked, no restocking fees...just in case anyone was curious.

So tonight should be fun with the Kindle and hopefully the Sony to play with!

Joanne

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by PsyDocJoanne

BTW, Sony.com's return policy is 30 days, no questions asked, no restocking fees...just in case anyone was curious.

I'm curious about what stores in the US actually do with all these "returned" products? Here in the UK, one doesn't generally have any legal right to return a product unless it is faulty.

[PsyDocJoanne]

Hi HarryT,

I would imagine what happens to a returned product depends on a lot of factors, not the least of which are 1) how much profit margin the product has built in to it, 2) if there's anything actually wrong with the product besides customer dissatisfaction, and 3) overall sales figures.

Thinking in general terms, not specifically ebook readers, I know there are some retailers (like cafepress.com) who don't even ask for a product to be returned to them, they just send you a new one and tell you to keep or discard the old one. I would imagine cafepress makes a healthy profit on each piece of apparel, so there's not much, if any, financial gain to getting the unwanted product back.

Nordstrom (a US department store) is known for its extremely liberal return policy. You can return anything to Nordstrom, any length of time after you bought it, and without a receipt. Even things like worn shoes, and clearly worn or stained clothing. I know very well what happens to Nordstrom returns--in my area, we have both a Nordstrom Rack and a Last Chance Outlet (owned by Nordstrom). Overstocks and new-condition returns go to the Rack, at a savings to the consumer anywhere from 25-75% off, and worn, questionable, or old stock returns go to Last Chance, where products are discounted even more heavily (50-90% off).

For electronics, many companies sell returns as refurbished or open box items (like Best Buy does, or like the SonyStyle outlet). Often times, the prices aren't even that much lower than retail, depending on the condition of the returned product.

In addition, some companies use returned and refurbished items to replace other consumer's items that failed or broke while under manufacturer's warranty.

Companies in the US know that in order to satisfy us picky, materialistic, deal-hunting Americans <insert sarcasm here>, customer service has to be a priority, and being able to make easy returns is a big part of that. Companies know that if they don't offer easy returns, consumers will take their business elsewhere. So I think many are willing to eat a bit of a loss in order to keep their customer base happy, and there are always people willing to buy a used or returned item to save some cash.

[PsyDocJoanne]

So I tried out the Kindle last night. With it in hand, I was able to formulate some solid opinions about the device, and now the last step is waiting on the Sony, which I ended up ordering online (the local one found for me by Sony turned out to be an inventory error--the store was, in fact, out of them).

Here's where I'm at with the Kindle. I downloaded a book (The Hellbound Heart, by Clive Barker), and I tried out NowNow. I read on the device, both in and out of the cover, for about 2 hours last night.

Here are my pros, cons, and neutrals (caveat: these are only my opinions!):

Kindle Pros: It's really easy. Search, sample, download, read. No syncing, no PC (I knew all this, of course, but nice to see how easy it is in action). Easy navigation; intuitive menus. Works great with my book light.

Kindle Cons: The shape. What's with the wedge, really? I spent some time looking at it and thinking, and I couldn't really come up with any design advantage to the wedge. The buttons: I'm left handed, and found that I like to use the left "Next Page" button. That felt awkward with the cover on and open, so I had the cover folded back, which added to the bulky feeling. I also hit the right "Next Page" button many times accidentally while trying to find a comfortable position to hold it. The overall aesthetic: not nearly as refined as the Sony. My husband called it "cheesy looking"...that's a little harsh, but I mostly agree. Which brings a question: do we know what company actually manufactures the Kindle?

Kindle Neutrals: Reading experience. I put this as a neutral, because I would imagine any eInk device provides a similar experience. I really liked it, though. Super easy to read, liked the adjustable font size, comfortable on the eyes.

The Sony should be up to bat sometime early next week. Hopefully, I'll make a final decision before my trip to Japan.

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by PsyDocJoanne

Which brings a question: do we know what company actually manufactures the Kindle?

The design team is at Lab126, see Robert Brunner - Meet the designer of Amazon's Kindle.

[desertgrandma]

Originally Posted by PsyDocJoanne

So I tried out the Kindle last night. With it in hand, I was able to formulate some solid opinions about the device, and now the last step is waiting on the Sony, which I ended up ordering online (the local one found for me by Sony turned out to be an inventory error--the store was, in fact, out of them).

Here's where I'm at with the Kindle. I downloaded a book (The Hellbound Heart, by Clive Barker), and I tried out NowNow. I read on the device, both in and out of the cover, for about 2 hours last night.

Here are my pros, cons, and neutrals (caveat: these are only my opinions!):

Kindle Pros: It's really easy. Search, sample, download, read. No syncing, no PC (I knew all this, of course, but nice to see how easy it is in action). Easy navigation; intuitive menus. Works great with my book light.

Kindle Cons: The shape. What's with the wedge, really? I spent some time looking at it and thinking, and I couldn't really come up with any design advantage to the wedge. The buttons: I'm left handed, and found that I like to use the left "Next Page" button. That felt awkward with the cover on and open, so I had the cover folded back, which added to the bulky feeling. I also hit the right "Next Page" button many times accidentally while trying to find a comfortable position to hold it. The overall aesthetic: not nearly as refined as the Sony. My husband called it "cheesy looking"...that's a little harsh, but I mostly agree. Which brings a question: do we know what company actually manufactures the Kindle?

Kindle Neutrals: Reading experience. I put this as a neutral, because I would imagine any eInk device provides a similar experience. I really liked it, though. Super easy to read, liked the adjustable font size, comfortable on the eyes.

The Sony should be up to bat sometime early next week. Hopefully, I'll make a final decision before my trip to Japan.

I'm a left hander also. I like reading the Kindle "nekkid" Lightweight, easy to hold. I don't think using it for one evening qualifies you to accurately base your opinion. It took me just a short while to figure out where to put my hands/fingers so that I didn't hit the next key acccidentally. Using it when I'm out, with the cover on, and folded back, gives a nice "ledge" to rest your fingers on.
as for the ongoing "Wedge' arguments.......I personally find it attractive. I certainly don't find it "cheesy looking" . I do not, on the other hand, care for the looks of the Sony, and see nothing "refined" looking about it. Thats MY personal opinion. Botton line, you will choose the reader you are most comfortable with. I somehow, dont' see someone who finds the Kindle "cheesy looking" and not "refined" choosing it to read on, regardless of its other great attributes.

[igorsk]

Originally Posted by wallcraft

The design team is at Lab126, see Robert Brunner - Meet the designer of Amazon's Kindle.

They designed and developed it, but the actual manufacturing is done by Foxconn.

[lindnet]

A bit of history on my search for a reader.....I started out trying the Kindle. I liked it, but was having a hard time justifying the price to myself. So I tried the eBookwise 1150. The unit I got had a battery issue, which was just as well since I didn't really like the screen. Next I tried the Sony PRS-505. I liked it, but found myself really missing things about the Kindle. So.....I'm waiting for my new Kindle #2 to arrive now.

I thought many of the same things as PsyDocJoanne did about the Kindle at first, but I have to agree with DesertGrandma....give it a few days. I read the Kindle "naked" too, and I feel it's shaped just right for that. I tried reading the Sony without the cover, and was afraid I would drop it because it was so slick! The Sony shows fingerprints on the case, the Kindle doesn't. But mostly, I missed all the features like search, dictionary, wikipedia, and the 6 font sizes.

Heck, that's why they make different devices to choose from, we all have different wants and needs, right?

[PsyDocJoanne]

Hi desertgrandma,

Thanks for the comments!

Clearly, everyone has differing opinions, and that's why (for now, at least) the market can support more than one manufacturer.

I hope that my post didn't come across as slamming on the Kindle, because that wasn't my intent (I know sometimes inflection and tone are hard to read in a post or email). I was simply commenting on my impressions, most of which don't agree with yours--it's clear from your responses that you're a big Kindle fan, and you dislike the Sony.

Let me address a few of your comments:

>I don't think using it for one evening qualifies you to accurately base your opinion.

Fair enough, which is why I'll keep reading on it for a couple of weeks and try the Sony out as well. However, I do feel that now I can form MUCH more solid opinions with the device in hand, vs. all my speculations based on pictures and posts.

>It took me just a short while to figure out where to put my hands/fingers so that I didn't hit the next key accidentally.

It's possible this will happen for me as well, but I can say that for the couple of hours I read, I had trouble getting comfortable with it. I like devices that don't require me to do a lot of adjusting to them. Is Sony that device? I don't know yet.

>as for the ongoing "Wedge' arguments.......I personally find it attractive. I certainly don't find it "cheesy looking"

Different strokes for different folks, I guess.

>I do not, on the other hand, care for the looks of the Sony, and see nothing "refined" looking about it. Thats MY personal opinion.

Again, people like all different kinds of aesthetics. It's not a wrong vs. right...it's just what appeals to you as a consumer. I think the Sony looks thin and slick, and yes, much more refined than the Kindle. Obviously, Kindle folks feel differently, and I appreciate that.

>I somehow, dont' see someone who finds the Kindle "cheesy looking" and not "refined" choosing it to read on, regardless of its other great attributes.

I guess that remains to be seen. I've made purchases in the past that I wasn't 100% certain about, and they grew on me over time. I've also done that exact same thing, and been sorely disappointed. My goal is to read books on a reader that has the functions that I need, provides the content I want, and it would be a nice bonus if it also looked appealing to me.

I think the ebook reader concept is great...and to that end, I support ALL devices, because I think that in the long run, consumer demand (regardless of platform or file format) will drive and grow the market. Some folks are Kindle folks, some are Sony folks, and some are Cybook, Hanlin, etc. folks. We all have similar goals....so your love for the Kindle is my love for the Kindle, it just may not be the device for me.

[PsyDocJoanne]

Oh! And I mentioned it, but didn't elaborate...this should have gone under the "pros" for the Kindle.

I tried the NowNow service. I asked, "Can you buy a Japan Rail pass online?". I had previously done some light web surfing to see if I could buy it online, and was coming up empty.

Within a few minutes, I had two responses, one titled "Seems not" and the other, "Of course you can!".

Admittedly, the person who said no was incorrect; however, the other answer pointed me to a website that, sure enough, allowed me to buy the rail pass online. Nice!

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by PsyDocJoanne

I hope that my post didn't come across as slamming on the Kindle, because that wasn't my intent (I know sometimes inflection and tone are hard to read in a post or email). I was simply commenting on my impressions, most of which don't agree with yours--it's clear from your responses that you're a big Kindle fan, and you dislike the Sony.

It didn't come across that way to me. BTW: I have both a Sony (500) and a Kindle.

Both devices take a little while to learn the best few ways to hold it with each hand and be able to turn the pages. If you have small hands I can see the Kindle being a problem.

I use it without the cover and usually hold it in my left hand with my thumb near the top of the key board. My fingers are angled up along the back so it won't feel top heavy. When holding it in my left hand I usually use my right hand to turn the page, very much how I hold a book. I can also hit the next page button on the left side with my left thumb if my other hand is "busy".

I hold it in my right hand similarly and then use my left hand to turn the page... or I can use my right index finger to hit the right side next page button.

I only use the case when traveling to protect the screen.

As I said, it took me a week or so of using the Sony to find the most comfortable positions too.

Both are great readers and as you said, it is great to be able to have the choice!

BOb