Hi, and a message about the sony book store

[garygibsonsf]

Hi - I'm based in Scotland, about to spend quite some time in Taiwan, hence my current interest in buying a Sony Reader, probably once I'm over there.

I've been researching ereaders for quite a while, and until Kindle's aren't rare enough they might as well be sitting on a stone pedestal in an Incan temple waiting for Indiana Jones to appear, the Sony looks the best deal in price and features.

However, since I'm not in the US, I can't take advantage of the Sony Connect store - or can I? I found the following comment in the wikipedia entry for the Sony Reader;

"The Sony Connect eBook store is only available to US residents. However, if you imported the Sony Reader yourself and have received the standard Sony credits, you will be able to use the credits for books at the Sony Connect eBook store, even if you are not a US resident."

There isn't much context to understand how this would work, but it's certainly intriguing if it's right in suggesting I might have an option to get the book-buying credit. By 'importing it yourself', does that mean 'buying it on ebay'?

[AnemicOak]

There's a member here 'Leaping Gnome' who has helped folks get gift cards in the past. If you look in the Flea Market section you'll see a post from someone else that has some available right now.

The wiki post refers to using the promo credits Sony issues with the purchase of a Reader. Right now it's the 100 free classics, sometimes they do a $50 credit on anything, that kind of stuff.

[garygibsonsf]

Thanks for the info anemic, I'll check that out.

[HarryT]

You should also consider the CyBook Gen3. There are over 200 retailers selling MobiPocket-format eBooks and none of the faffing around that's required for the Sony store if you're not a US resident.

[garygibsonsf]

Harry - I'd consider the Cybook if I could find it. I'm in the UK, and it appears impossible to track down, even on Ebay. The website I mentioned above where I can find/buy the Sony was a real find, but if you or anyone else know where I might be able to find the Cybook and be able to order it internationally at a good price I'd very definitely be taking a good look.

[HarryT]

www.bookeen.com

[JSWolf]

To get content on the 505 is very easy f you have a Windows based computer. Once you have an activated copy of MS Reader, you can purchase MS Reader format ebooks. Use ConvertLIT to remove the DRM and then use lit2lrf to convet. It's very easy once you have all the software in place.

[garygibsonsf]

I think I might already have taken a look at the cybook website at some point - if I didn't, I don't know how I might have missed it - but my main problem was finding someone who could actually sell it to me. I did just trip over the NAEB link which is useful, but reveals to me that the Cybook is quite a bit more expensive than the Sony.

The Sony still feels like a better bet because of the lower cost, and even despite the hassle of occasional drm issues. It's just a question of how much trouble you're prepared to put up with to get the optimal experience with the books you want to read, and my personal tolerance levels are actually quite high. It reads pdf's and text files and so forth, and I say this DESPITE being a Mac owner (although I should have access to a PC in taiwan, depending on how annoyed its owner gets about it). After all, there is now some software out there that can run on OSX and talk to a Sony Reader, which for the moment is good enough for me. Further, Sony is kind of a known name, in the sense that it's less likely to disappear out of existence than, I might imagine, the manufacturers of the Cybook, in a few years time, if they get taken over or forced out of business by the developing reader market.

[JimV]

Just got home from a local Costco store, don't know if they are out of the U.S. but they are selling the Sony PRS-500 (not the new model) for $129 and it comes with the $50 gift plus the 100 classics. Don't know if they sell them through their internet site though.

[garygibsonsf]

Originally Posted by JimV

Just got home from a local Costco store, don't know if they are out of the U.S. but they are selling the Sony PRS-500 (not the new model) for $129 and it comes with the $50 gift plus the 100 classics. Don't know if they sell them through their internet site though.

I just checked their site, and unfortunately they're only shipping to Canada and the US, so it's out for me at least.

Mind you, this might be an apposite point at which to mention I read somewhere - perhaps here - that Sony are, I believe, finally releasing their Reader in the UK, starting at the London Book Fair later this year.