Quote:
Originally Posted by NatCh
... As for a trade in scheme, yeah, it would be nice (speaking as a 500 owner myself), but I don't see how a vendor is under any obligation to upgrade hardware that was sold in good faith.
...I can't think of too many things that would more greatly encourage them to exit the e-book hardware business than this sort of expectation from their customers.  |
and vice versa - i.e. the appearance shifting formats and and lack of an upgrade path may encourage tepid ebook adopters to leave the market.
I agree with you that Sony is certainly certainly under no legal or moral obligation to help out 500 owners; if we were talking about a 1080p HDTV I'd be with you 100%, but I think this case may be a little different.
Given that Sony is trying to create a new market and product area, and that the initial buyers of the 500 could be considered "evangelists", or "opinion shapers" or whatever, there
may be some logic in tossing us a bone to keep up positive buzz about a still fragile market.
I think a huge variable is whether this is a simple software port or not. Maybe Jim Lester can discuss the hardware requirements?
If the hardware is a limitation (or the software would require a major rewrite), I could see Sony doing something like offering $150 credit on a 500 towards a 505. That would keep the cost high enough that someone wouldn't take advantage of the offer just to get a fresh battery, but low enough (for me, anyway) to keep the early adopters talking up the product.
Regards,
Bob