MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Epub coming to the Sony Store on 11 December

hmgreen · 12-11-2009, 11:55 AM

Well, I got up early, crossed my fingers and downloaded 3.1. First it gave me an installation error in Vista saying that I needed admin rights to complete the file copy (I am logged on as an admin). It rolled back the changes but left vers 2.5 partially deleted and non-functional (although the folder and icon was still there).

I rebooted, reinstalled 2.5 and found that now the Sony store will not let you in through vers 2.5, holding you at a message screen, unless you go online and download and install the 3.1 software (which up to that point I couldn't install (see above))! Catch 22.

I then said OK, let's try an uninstall from Control Panel. I started that and it warned me to de-authorize the computer from the Sony Store first before uninstalling (which of course I can't do because 2.5 won't let you INTO the Sony Store!) - Catch 22b.

Giving up I tried the installation of 3.1 again. Miracle of miracles - this time it went through!

What a comedy.

Now that it is up these are my impressions:
1. Reading .lrx version so the books still work but they must do an internal conversion first because after the initial selection the softwware freezes for as much as 2-3 or more minutes before bringing up the book (after which it is fine). The computer is also locked during this process unless you switch apps via alt-tab .

2. I downloaded an ePub version of one of my purchased books.
a. The software is not smart enough to replace the original .lrx version, so you wind up with 2 copies of the book - .lrx and ePub (which as you will see is a good thing).
b. Clicking on the ePub version is ALSO slow to respond but not as slow as .lrx. Certainly MUCH slower than vers. 2.5 was.
c. Side-by-side comparisons: the lrx version has nicer formatting (not THAT's a surprise) including page headers, etc. However overall most books take half as much space on the computer and the Reader as their .lrx counterparts (probably because of the lack of formatting). More books can fit on the device as a result, but the reading experience is less professional and "book-like".

3. As has been mentioned above a number of my books are not available. I am presuming this will improve over time and that they didn't have time to convert everything before launch since the new PRS-900 needs this release and that is the hard stop date for the launch. I also noticed that a few current novels that were offered as new releases this week before the conversion are no longer available (the new Laurell K. Hamilton novel is a case in point). This leads me to believe that my observation is correct because they would not enter into an agreement with a publisher on a new release and pull it within 3 days if it was a permanent removal.

So overall the user experience is pretty terrible (wonky installs, delays in getting books, SLOW response times, unpleasing formatting) but at least my Reader(s) (505 and 600) are not bricks, and my library is still accessible. Overall a grade of C-. (Pretty sad when a new rev of a product gets ANY kudos simply because it didn't destroy, delete, or render unusable your data and initial purchase - you'd think this was a Microsoft product).

Will I continue to buy Sony books? Probably but less frequently. Will I buy another Sony Reader in the future? Depends on if they fix all these issues. If I was in the market today these experiences would tilt me to a Kindle or a Nook.

Oh well......

12-11-2009, 11:55 AM	#76
hmgreen Enthusiast Posts: 41 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2007 Device: Sony PRS-505, -600, -900, Kindle 2, Touch, PW1 (all gone), PW2, Voyage	Conversion efforts Well, I got up early, crossed my fingers and downloaded 3.1. First it gave me an installation error in Vista saying that I needed admin rights to complete the file copy (I am logged on as an admin). It rolled back the changes but left vers 2.5 partially deleted and non-functional (although the folder and icon was still there). I rebooted, reinstalled 2.5 and found that now the Sony store will not let you in through vers 2.5, holding you at a message screen, unless you go online and download and install the 3.1 software (which up to that point I couldn't install (see above))! Catch 22. I then said OK, let's try an uninstall from Control Panel. I started that and it warned me to de-authorize the computer from the Sony Store first before uninstalling (which of course I can't do because 2.5 won't let you INTO the Sony Store!) - Catch 22b. Giving up I tried the installation of 3.1 again. Miracle of miracles - this time it went through! What a comedy. Now that it is up these are my impressions: 1. Reading .lrx version so the books still work but they must do an internal conversion first because after the initial selection the softwware freezes for as much as 2-3 or more minutes before bringing up the book (after which it is fine). The computer is also locked during this process unless you switch apps via alt-tab . 2. I downloaded an ePub version of one of my purchased books. a. The software is not smart enough to replace the original .lrx version, so you wind up with 2 copies of the book - .lrx and ePub (which as you will see is a good thing). b. Clicking on the ePub version is ALSO slow to respond but not as slow as .lrx. Certainly MUCH slower than vers. 2.5 was. c. Side-by-side comparisons: the lrx version has nicer formatting (not THAT's a surprise) including page headers, etc. However overall most books take half as much space on the computer and the Reader as their .lrx counterparts (probably because of the lack of formatting). More books can fit on the device as a result, but the reading experience is less professional and "book-like". 3. As has been mentioned above a number of my books are not available. I am presuming this will improve over time and that they didn't have time to convert everything before launch since the new PRS-900 needs this release and that is the hard stop date for the launch. I also noticed that a few current novels that were offered as new releases this week before the conversion are no longer available (the new Laurell K. Hamilton novel is a case in point). This leads me to believe that my observation is correct because they would not enter into an agreement with a publisher on a new release and pull it within 3 days if it was a permanent removal. So overall the user experience is pretty terrible (wonky installs, delays in getting books, SLOW response times, unpleasing formatting) but at least my Reader(s) (505 and 600) are not bricks, and my library is still accessible. Overall a grade of C-. (Pretty sad when a new rev of a product gets ANY kudos simply because it didn't destroy, delete, or render unusable your data and initial purchase - you'd think this was a Microsoft product). Will I continue to buy Sony books? Probably but less frequently. Will I buy another Sony Reader in the future? Depends on if they fix all these issues. If I was in the market today these experiences would tilt me to a Kindle or a Nook. Oh well......