The reader arrived today in an official sealed "Sony Refurbished" box. In pristine condition, looks like it's never been touched! I've charged and tested it, no problems at all though the firmware is an older version. I'm just waiting for it to fully charge before I update it!
I'd highly recommend buying a refurbished model from Expansys (almost half the price of a new one!) assuming they're all in the same condition as mine
/Tripitaka