Well - some people in Northern Alabama know what they are - I know four people with them (me included) and I get asked about mine fairly often.
The last time I was in Birmingham, I noticed several at the coffee shop I stopped in at, although they were mostly Kindles.
If you know anyone up in Huntsville looking for a slight deal on one, Unclaimed Baggage in Scottsboro usually has 505s and Kindles, and the 505s run between $125 (on a lucky day) and $225. (Before they really knew what they were, they sold one for $75. - yeah, my dad is a lucky b%#%#$)
The $225 ones have books on them - thus the increased price - just read the books before connecting the reader to a computer, because once you connect to the Sony Book Store and create an account and authorize your reader, it will lock you out of the pre-loaded books.
I love my 505!! I carry it everywhere - last week, I went to an auction with my parents - I had mine, but mom doesn't really carry hers around (despite the nice M-Edge case) and she was wishing she had brought hers.
Maybe next time she'll remember it!
(and yes, I ended up demonstrating my reader for four people at the auction.)
Mare