A Sony Cover for a Sony Reader is not just protecting your Reader. It's there to give you a
better feeling and
more comfort while holding the deveice in your hands.
And Sony is doing an excellent job with this. At least I like it and several other people like that, too. If you don't like the Sony Cover: no problem. Nobody is forcing you to buy one.
I have to admit that these covers are expensive. But I think they're well done in general.
Old Sony Reader T2:
New Sony Reader T3: