Nice devices, sony, but what about support?

omk3 · 10-06-2010, 06:40 PM

I looked at the new sony readers today and I must say I was briefly tempted. But then I got angry at sony, and got over it.

I've previously bought both a prs-505 and a prs-600. Now, barely a year later, here's the 605, with a much better screen, and *some* issues corrected. Of course I don't expect sony to replace my screen. But there's really no reason to not provide the new firmware for the older device. Full justification, the ability to search in the dictionary without being inside a book, the ability to browse the dictionary even if the double-tapped word is not found, the existence of more dictionaries, is that too much to ask? I read somewhere that there won't be any firmware update for the older readers. If it's true, then that's sony essentially saying "tough luck, buy the new device if you want those features, sucker". Nice.

And even those improvements which I now find alluring, are half-hearted at best. Still no option to load more dictionaries. Still no option to change fonts. Still no support for greek fonts (among many others). So I was briefly tempted, but I don't think I should continue to reward this disregard for their customers. I wonder why they bother to make probably the toughest built devices out there, if they are not going to support them to justify their longevity. Oh well.

CazMar · 10-06-2010, 07:23 PM

I was already losing interest in the Sony as they did not deem Australia "important" enough to even provide information about their readers here let alone sell the things until a month or so ago. I bought a Kobo (cheap & basic) and I must say the service from Borders (who sell them here) was very good. The first unit had a problem and they just changed it over right away.

yts06mgr · 10-06-2010, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CazMar

I was already losing interest in the Sony as they did not deem Australia "important" enough to even provide information about their readers here let alone sell the things until a month or so ago. I bought a Kobo (cheap & basic) and I must say the service from Borders (who sell them here) was very good. The first unit had a problem and they just changed it over right away.

This is my understanding that Sony decided to sell their Readers in Australia earlier than their home country Japan. An enough evidence that Sony values Australian customers. Also, I doubt Sony treats their customers any less at least from my experiences because I have both a Sony Reader and a Kobo.

doreenjoy · 10-06-2010, 09:02 PM

I've never expected a company to provide firmware updates for all their previous products. I don't get that on my cell phone, on my MP3 player, or on my DSLR....so it never occured to me to expect it for my ebook reader.

Mike_73 · 10-07-2010, 01:33 AM

I never expected that either, but then I got a Zune from Microsoft which brought new FWs that also added functionality to my 1st gen zune, a PSP where FW-updates also add stuff (I wonder why Sony adds to the PSP but not to their readers), an iPad where you get new functionality, etc.

So even if I don't really expect that Sony does this, I wonder why they don't. They don't have to add all the bells and whistles of new devices, but maybe reading what's in the forum and then add the most wanted stuff. This would keep customers more happy.

I bought my PRS505 because it was the only available device here. I then bought a PRS600 because it added more PDF-functionality. I now have an iPad, too and competition in eInk grows bigger. So if I replace my PRS600 anytime, it won't be a Sony anymore, now that there are different devices on offer in stores.

omk3 · 10-08-2010, 06:22 PM

Ironically, updating the firmware of my old reader would make me more rather than less willing to buy a new reader from sony. The new readers are smaller, lighter, with crisper screen. Enough selling points as it is. It's not like they would lose their value if they shared aspects of their firmware with older devices.
Now I know that even if I caved and bought another sony reader, all the little things that are sure to frustrate me, like the inability to load more dictionaries, the inability to properly display certain languages, and so on, will only have a chance to be corrected if I buy the next model. And the one after that. And so on. Buying a whole new device just to get the ability to access the dictionary without being in a book, for example, well, it seems a little wasteful to me.

10-06-2010, 06:40 PM	#1
omk3 Wizard Posts: 1,454 Karma: 37243 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Europe Device: pocketbook 360, kindle 4	Nice devices, sony, but what about support? I looked at the new sony readers today and I must say I was briefly tempted. But then I got angry at sony, and got over it. I've previously bought both a prs-505 and a prs-600. Now, barely a year later, here's the 605, with a much better screen, and some issues corrected. Of course I don't expect sony to replace my screen. But there's really no reason to not provide the new firmware for the older device. Full justification, the ability to search in the dictionary without being inside a book, the ability to browse the dictionary even if the double-tapped word is not found, the existence of more dictionaries, is that too much to ask? I read somewhere that there won't be any firmware update for the older readers. If it's true, then that's sony essentially saying "tough luck, buy the new device if you want those features, sucker". Nice. And even those improvements which I now find alluring, are half-hearted at best. Still no option to load more dictionaries. Still no option to change fonts. Still no support for greek fonts (among many others). So I was briefly tempted, but I don't think I should continue to reward this disregard for their customers. I wonder why they bother to make probably the toughest built devices out there, if they are not going to support them to justify their longevity. Oh well.

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10-06-2010, 07:23 PM	#2
CazMar Book Geek Posts: 596 Karma: 1499085 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Adelaide, Australia Device: Kobo Touch, Asus MemPad 7" tablet, Nexus 5, Asus 10" tablet	I was already losing interest in the Sony as they did not deem Australia "important" enough to even provide information about their readers here let alone sell the things until a month or so ago. I bought a Kobo (cheap & basic) and I must say the service from Borders (who sell them here) was very good. The first unit had a problem and they just changed it over right away.

10-06-2010, 09:02 PM	#4
doreenjoy 01000100 01001010 Posts: 1,889 Karma: 2400000 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Polyamorous	I've never expected a company to provide firmware updates for all their previous products. I don't get that on my cell phone, on my MP3 player, or on my DSLR....so it never occured to me to expect it for my ebook reader.

10-07-2010, 01:33 AM	#5
Mike_73 Guru Posts: 750 Karma: 1323 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: PRS-505, PRS-600, iPad 16GB Wifi, Kindle Voyage, Nexus 6, Razr HD	I never expected that either, but then I got a Zune from Microsoft which brought new FWs that also added functionality to my 1st gen zune, a PSP where FW-updates also add stuff (I wonder why Sony adds to the PSP but not to their readers), an iPad where you get new functionality, etc. So even if I don't really expect that Sony does this, I wonder why they don't. They don't have to add all the bells and whistles of new devices, but maybe reading what's in the forum and then add the most wanted stuff. This would keep customers more happy. I bought my PRS505 because it was the only available device here. I then bought a PRS600 because it added more PDF-functionality. I now have an iPad, too and competition in eInk grows bigger. So if I replace my PRS600 anytime, it won't be a Sony anymore, now that there are different devices on offer in stores.

10-08-2010, 06:22 PM	#6
omk3 Wizard Posts: 1,454 Karma: 37243 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Europe Device: pocketbook 360, kindle 4	Ironically, updating the firmware of my old reader would make me more rather than less willing to buy a new reader from sony. The new readers are smaller, lighter, with crisper screen. Enough selling points as it is. It's not like they would lose their value if they shared aspects of their firmware with older devices. Now I know that even if I caved and bought another sony reader, all the little things that are sure to frustrate me, like the inability to load more dictionaries, the inability to properly display certain languages, and so on, will only have a chance to be corrected if I buy the next model. And the one after that. And so on. Buying a whole new device just to get the ability to access the dictionary without being in a book, for example, well, it seems a little wasteful to me.

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