Sony Reader vs. Amazon Kindle - 5:1 for Sony?

[TadW]

My Spanish is rusty, but thanks to Google Translate I was able to decipher the following bit of news from El Mundo, the second largest daily in Spain (Sunday edition - June 15, 2008):

Según los últimos datos que llegan de EEUU existen actualmente unos 50.000 lectores de libros electrónicos; editores como Simon & Schuster o Penguin, que trabajan con ellos, declaran que venden entre el doble y cinco veces más este formato que en años anteriores; Amazon lleva vendidos unas 10.000 unidades de su lector Kindle desde que empezó a comercializarlo el pasado mes de noviembre y Sony Reader ha colocado en el mercado unos 50.000 del aparato de su marca.

What it says:

• In the US, currently around 50'000 users read e-books
• Simon & Schuster and Penguin sell 2x to 5x as many e-books as in previous years
• Amazon sold around 10'000 Kindle units since interception
• Sony sold around 50'000 Portable Reader units since interception

I don't know where the journalist got these numbers from, but there are totally different from what I've heard elsewhere (where the suggested number of sold Kindles was a lot higher).

[pagansoul]

I believe the Sony readers have been around a bit longer than Kindle (under a year old). I read that Kindle sales are more in the line of 10k monthly, not since interception. Also Sony is Worldwid while Kindle is only US. I know tha Amazon does not give out numbers and some are using screen production numbers as a base. Who knows.

[bbusybookworm]

Huh? While Sony might be a worldwide company, it only sell the Reader in the US (and canada in the last month or so), so the comparative market still stands i believe.

while I do agree, that the Sony has been around longer, which would give it an edge in total numbers sold, keep in mind that the sony is the only E-ink reader available in a retail store. A lot of people don't like to order some thing without first having a look at it.

[daffy4u]

Originally Posted by bbusybookworm

while I do agree, that the Sony has been around longer, which would give it an edge in total numbers sold, keep in mind that the sony is the only E-ink reader available in a retail store. A lot of people don't like to order some thing without first having a look at it.

As many times as I've been in my local Borders, I have yet to see a Sony Reader. It is not promoted within the store so I've never even known to look for it.

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by daffy4u

As many times as I've been in my local Borders, I have yet to see a Sony Reader. It is not promoted within the store so I've never even known to look for it.

Frys also has the Sony and I believe Costco had the 500 but I am not sure about the 505.

Dale

[pagansoul]

Sony has had a showcase in Fry's for years.

[Ervserver]

10,000 Kindles per month? hard to believe

Originally Posted by pagansoul

I believe the Sony readers have been around a bit longer than Kindle (under a year old). I read that Kindle sales are more in the line of 10k monthly, not since interception. Also Sony is Worldwid while Kindle is only US. I know tha Amazon does not give out numbers and some are using screen production numbers as a base. Who knows.

[daffy4u]

Borders is less than a mile from me. Fry's is a bit a drive but next time I'm out that way, I'll take a look.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by bbusybookworm

Huh? While Sony might be a worldwide company, it only sell the Reader in the US (and canada in the last month or so), so the comparative market still stands i believe.

Well, I know for a fact, just from reading this forum that people in Europe, Asia and Australia have Sony Readers.

BOb

[Gameboy213]

I got my 505 at Target. Would have tried a Kindle but the 505 was easier to check out first..... And I love it.

[KamikazePanda]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Well, I know for a fact, just from reading this forum that people in Europe, Asia and Australia have Sony Readers.

BOb

But people in other countries also have kindles, the point is they are both only *officially* sold in the US (and recently canada for sony) so if you buy it anywhere else you're not buying from an official reseller, thus Sony does not have to provide warranty or support.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by KamikazePanda

But people in other countries also have kindles, the point is they are both only *officially* sold in the US (and recently canada for sony) so if you buy it anywhere else you're not buying from an official reseller, thus Sony does not have to provide warranty or support.

There is a fundamental difference, however. Although, as you quite rightly say, the Sony is only "officially" sold in North America, there are a number of dealers who sell it internationally, and there's no problem at all using it internationally - it's very easy to buy books for it no matter where you live.

The Kindle, on the other hand, is sold only through Amazon and they won't ship it outside the USA. Moreover, the features that really makes it stand out from the crowd - the Amazon bookstore and wireless content delivery - cannot be used outside the USA, so there's really little point in owning a Kindle is you live elsewhere.

[pilotbob]

Yes, what Harry said was basically my point.

BOb