Links to fresh Sony Reader reviews - Page 2

Bob Russell · 10-01-2006, 09:38 PM

Here's one in Spanish. I don't know what it says.

http://cristianocn.blogspot.com/2006...r-prs-500.html

Bob Russell · 10-06-2006, 11:16 AM

Another article. This one critical of how Sony has fallen into a sidelines player...
http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/f...2854ed&k=53600
They say Sony has invested big in the eReader, but didn't do so well with the Librie.

Bob Russell · 10-06-2006, 11:20 AM

USA Today joins the parade...
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columni...y-reader_x.htm

And the Washington Post...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...100500863.html
They like it and how it's easy on the eyes, but the store doesn't thrill them.

lordvetinari2 · 10-06-2006, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Russell

Here's one in Spanish. I don't know what it says.

http://cristianocn.blogspot.com/2006...r-prs-500.html

That's Portuguese. Anyway, it doesn't say anything interesting, he mainly complains about the price.

Bob Russell · 10-06-2006, 02:51 PM

Here's one from the About.com "guide"...
http://portables.about.com/od/otherd...nyreaderfl.htm

Bob Russell · 10-06-2006, 08:26 PM

One from IT Week... Sony Reader gives e-books a boost
"Has paperback publishing found its very own iPod?"
"It normally takes months to evaluate the success of new products in the US and Japan before we can decide whether to roll them out in Europe," a spokesman told vnunet.com. "We have no plans for a European launch of the Reader at all."

Business Week... Gutenberg 1, Sony 0
"Its reader is hurt by clunky software and a clueless bookstore."
This guy has no problem spotting weaknesses! But it's the store he really doesn't like.

Bob Russell · 10-07-2006, 09:30 AM

IWR Blog says, in Will Sony Reader launch spark ebook tipping point? , that...

"But it's digital rights management issues that still remain unresolved, and until they do, the ebook industry is unlikely to take off. Consumers will want to be able to move ebooks around, swapping a book from one device to another – which could open up the way for Napster style peer-to-peer 'piracy' to emerge.

There may be some scope for developing DRMs that take into account library loans or time-limited "browsing" of a title, but in general the publishing industry and digital book consumers are at loggerheads. And that isn't going to change soon."

John Sanders at TheKansasCityChannel says...

"I have to admit I'm a little skeptical about reading books on anything but good, old-fashioned paper, but the reviews of this new product are enough to make me think twice."

Alexander Turcic · 10-10-2006, 01:32 PM

The paper version of The Times has a story called "Reading a book: aids and alternatives in gizmo form" on the Sony Reader today.

The good: 7,500 page turns on a single charge; screen isn't glaring, stores about 80 books.
The bad: It's a lot of money to pay for a good read.
Verdict: Sony's eBook is about to be launched in the US and a backlog of orders has built up already.
Score: 4/5

TadW · 10-12-2006, 05:47 AM

Sony Reader - Will this revolutionary new e-book reader become the iPod for bookworms?

Last January, Sony declared it would be the company to finally launch a successful e-book reader, dubbed — how about this for originality? — the Reader. Combined with a well-stocked e-book store, the device would have the potential to be a literary iPod. The product was delayed for months, but now that it has arrived, I'm excited by its performance and its potential. I love a good hardbound book, but if we're ever going to move on from pulped-tree matter, Sony is looking in the right direction.

http://www.time.com/time/business/ar...545102,00.html

bobl · 10-12-2006, 07:05 PM

Sony still insists on proprietary, dangling the vision of opening up later. They have thrown out this lure in many technologies along the way, but are slow to move away from proprietary standards.

Sony aspires to replicate Apple's iTunes success with e-books with their Connect Store. That design limits the market and further limits opportunities for (1) new publishers, (2) new authors and (3) new resellers to champion books.

The Treo and Windows Mobile devices can carry as many or more books without the limits of Sony, for less money and in a smaller package. Sony's reader costs less than $40 to manufacture at mature volumes so why is it being so greedy on margin and greedy with proprietary standards. Take out Sony's software and hardware for managing its proprietary store and the cost could go sub $25. Market needs a good, paperback sized sub-$50 device that people can put in Christmas stockings along with an SD card loaded with new books.

Slava · 10-12-2006, 07:08 PM

Bob,

are you going to post the very same thing in each and every thread? Just wondering

bingle · 10-12-2006, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobl

The Treo and Windows Mobile devices can carry as many or more books without the limits of Sony, for less money and in a smaller package. Sony's reader costs less than $40 to manufacture at mature volumes so why is it being so greedy on margin and greedy with proprietary standards. Take out Sony's software and hardware for managing its proprietary store and the cost could go sub $25. Market needs a good, paperback sized sub-$50 device that people can put in Christmas stockings along with an SD card loaded with new books.

Err... I don't think you're correct in that assertion. I'm fairly sure for a number of reasons that Sony could not manufacture this device for anywhere near that cheaply.

And your comparison to other handheld devices misses the point of eink - a technology that has a number of benefits over other devices.

The size of the Reader *is* disappointing to me... I wish it were bigger! I've tried reading books on PDA screens, but the screen size is far too small for me. I'd really like a device the size of the Iliad...

I won't dispute that a $50 device would do wonders for the ebook market, but I think it's impossible to price an eink device that low. It would even be hard for a more PDA-like device!

NatCh · 10-12-2006, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slava

Bob,

are you going to post the very same thing in each and every thread? Just wondering

Well, I don't plan to post the same response to him in every thread.

bobl · 10-12-2006, 07:45 PM

No intention to have multiple posts. My first time out here so I have a small learning curve. Re: costs -- I've worked as a partner with Sony on hardware development in a past life and have recently costed a similar device. Unless you're holding the actual bill of material, you can't be completely certain of the cost -- and even then negotiation can move parts cost -- but my cost estimates are within the ballpark.

NatCh · 10-13-2006, 12:22 AM

No worries, bobl.

Full response over here -- it seems to fit better there.

10-10-2006, 01:32 PM	#23
Alexander Turcic Fully Converged Posts: 18,163 Karma: 14021202 Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Switzerland Device: Too many to count here.	The paper version of The Times has a story called "Reading a book: aids and alternatives in gizmo form" on the Sony Reader today. The good: 7,500 page turns on a single charge; screen isn't glaring, stores about 80 books. The bad: It's a lot of money to pay for a good read. Verdict: Sony's eBook is about to be launched in the US and a backlog of orders has built up already. Score: 4/5

10-12-2006, 07:05 PM	#25
bobl BooksOnBoard Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2006 Device: Cybook, iPAQ, Sony Reader, Iliad	Cost too high and proprietary NOT good Sony still insists on proprietary, dangling the vision of opening up later. They have thrown out this lure in many technologies along the way, but are slow to move away from proprietary standards. Sony aspires to replicate Apple's iTunes success with e-books with their Connect Store. That design limits the market and further limits opportunities for (1) new publishers, (2) new authors and (3) new resellers to champion books. The Treo and Windows Mobile devices can carry as many or more books without the limits of Sony, for less money and in a smaller package. Sony's reader costs less than $40 to manufacture at mature volumes so why is it being so greedy on margin and greedy with proprietary standards. Take out Sony's software and hardware for managing its proprietary store and the cost could go sub $25. Market needs a good, paperback sized sub-$50 device that people can put in Christmas stockings along with an SD card loaded with new books.

10-12-2006, 07:45 PM	#29
bobl BooksOnBoard Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2006 Device: Cybook, iPAQ, Sony Reader, Iliad	Sorry for the double post -- the costs No intention to have multiple posts. My first time out here so I have a small learning curve. Re: costs -- I've worked as a partner with Sony on hardware development in a past life and have recently costed a similar device. Unless you're holding the actual bill of material, you can't be completely certain of the cost -- and even then negotiation can move parts cost -- but my cost estimates are within the ballpark.

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10-01-2006, 09:38 PM	#16
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	Here's one in Spanish. I don't know what it says. http://cristianocn.blogspot.com/2006...r-prs-500.html

10-06-2006, 11:16 AM	#17
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	Another article. This one critical of how Sony has fallen into a sidelines player... http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/f...2854ed&k=53600 They say Sony has invested big in the eReader, but didn't do so well with the Librie.

10-06-2006, 11:20 AM	#18
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	USA Today joins the parade... http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columni...y-reader_x.htm And the Washington Post... http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...100500863.html They like it and how it's easy on the eyes, but the store doesn't thrill them.

10-06-2006, 02:51 PM	#20
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	Here's one from the About.com "guide"... http://portables.about.com/od/otherd...nyreaderfl.htm

10-06-2006, 08:26 PM	#21
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	One from IT Week... Sony Reader gives e-books a boost "Has paperback publishing found its very own iPod?" "It normally takes months to evaluate the success of new products in the US and Japan before we can decide whether to roll them out in Europe," a spokesman told vnunet.com. "We have no plans for a European launch of the Reader at all." Business Week... Gutenberg 1, Sony 0 "Its reader is hurt by clunky software and a clueless bookstore." This guy has no problem spotting weaknesses! But it's the store he really doesn't like.

10-07-2006, 09:30 AM	#22
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	IWR Blog says, in Will Sony Reader launch spark ebook tipping point? , that... "But it's digital rights management issues that still remain unresolved, and until they do, the ebook industry is unlikely to take off. Consumers will want to be able to move ebooks around, swapping a book from one device to another – which could open up the way for Napster style peer-to-peer 'piracy' to emerge. There may be some scope for developing DRMs that take into account library loans or time-limited "browsing" of a title, but in general the publishing industry and digital book consumers are at loggerheads. And that isn't going to change soon." John Sanders at TheKansasCityChannel says... "I have to admit I'm a little skeptical about reading books on anything but good, old-fashioned paper, but the reviews of this new product are enough to make me think twice."

10-12-2006, 05:47 AM	#24
TadW Uebermensch Posts: 2,583 Karma: 1094606 Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Italy Device: Kindle	Sony Reader - Will this revolutionary new e-book reader become the iPod for bookworms? Last January, Sony declared it would be the company to finally launch a successful e-book reader, dubbed — how about this for originality? — the Reader. Combined with a well-stocked e-book store, the device would have the potential to be a literary iPod. The product was delayed for months, but now that it has arrived, I'm excited by its performance and its potential. I love a good hardbound book, but if we're ever going to move on from pulped-tree matter, Sony is looking in the right direction. http://www.time.com/time/business/ar...545102,00.html

10-12-2006, 07:08 PM	#26
Slava Addict Posts: 285 Karma: 129 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: New England Device: PRS-500 · iPad · K3	Bob, are you going to post the very same thing in each and every thread? Just wondering

10-13-2006, 12:22 AM	#30
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	No worries, bobl. Full response over here -- it seems to fit better there.

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