First ever Harry Potter e-books tied to new Sony reader - Page 3

ucfgrad93 · 08-16-2011, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ilovejedd

I just think it's not a very nice move on Rowling's part to further add an artificial wait time for fans who have been wanting to purchase Harry Potter in ebook format for quite a while.

Agreed. If true, I don't like it at all.

EowynCarter · 08-16-2011, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carpetmojo

Well, nobody in UK does - we don't have a choice, 'cos we havent got it !

(Is it available elsewhere in Europe ?)

I do. (Though not sony user) Because the Sony store is one of the few US store where you can bypass geo-restrictions. UK websites are locked to us french since the agency mess. Ah well....

Kobo will provide some books to us, so I buy from them when i can.

emilikins · 08-16-2011, 02:46 PM

The books are not Sony only. They'll be made available on all devices, you just have to go to Pottermore to download them. They'll have a digital watermark, so it is a DRM of sorts, just not the ones we're familiar with via Kindle, B&N, etc.

anamardoll · 08-16-2011, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by emilikins

The books are not Sony only. They'll be made available on all devices, you just have to go to Pottermore to download them. They'll have a digital watermark, so it is a DRM of sorts, just not the ones we're familiar with via Kindle, B&N, etc.

There is a link in the original post. I recommend it -- it's very interesting reading.

xg4bx · 08-16-2011, 03:09 PM

and people wonder why piracy exists.....

Andrew H. · 08-16-2011, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ilovejedd

I just think it's not a very nice move on Rowling's part to further add an artificial wait time for fans who have been wanting to purchase Harry Potter in ebook format for quite a while.

To be fair, it may not be an artificial wait time. It's quite possible that Pottermore just won't be up until 2012. After all, Sony isn't getting early access to Pottermore; Sony has only gotten permission to preload HP on its new devices.

(Assuming that the story is accurate at all, of course).

Dulin's Books · 08-16-2011, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xg4bx

and people wonder why piracy exists.....

because some people think stealing is preferable to waiting?

Fbone · 08-16-2011, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EowynCarter

I do. (Though not sony user) Because the Sony store is one of the few US store where you can bypass geo-restrictions. UK websites are locked to us french since the agency mess. Ah well....

Kobo will provide some books to us, so I buy from them when i can.

And the Reader Store has a shopping cart. This makes it easy to select all the freebies in one swoop.

anamardoll · 08-16-2011, 04:47 PM

Can we please NOT do the Piracy Dead Horse argument all over again?

FACT: This move will ensure that the pirate versions are available before legal versions.

The implications of that fact have been discussed ad nauseum elsewhere.

ilovejedd · 08-16-2011, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew H.

To be fair, it may not be an artificial wait time. It's quite possible that Pottermore just won't be up until 2012. After all, Sony isn't getting early access to Pottermore; Sony has only gotten permission to preload HP on its new devices.

(Assuming that the story is accurate at all, of course).

From the article:

Quote:

Sony will bundle its next generation e-reader with the entire series of Harry Potter stories from November, The Register has learnt.

The bespectacled wizard debuts in digital format in October – the same time as the Sony-sponsored Pottermore "online reading experience" goes live – according to well-placed sources in the vendor's retail channel.

But for richer Potterites who can hang fire for a month, a second bundle will be released including all seven books in the series, a letter from author JK Rowling, subscription to Pottermore and a themed carry case.

Beta testing for Pottermore opened yesterday; in time Potter e-books will be sold via the site (rather than through etailers such as Amazon) but this won't happen until 2012. Until it does, the only way to buy digital-format wizardry will be with a Sony device.

The way I interpret it, come October, the Pottermore site will go live and either the Harry Potter ebooks will be available for online reading or bundled with a plain vanilla version of the Sony Reader. In November, a Harry Potter Special Edition bundle will be available (costing more bucks) and in 2012, you'll finally be able to buy just the books from the Pottermore website. Assuming the article is correct, I would consider not being able to buy the ebook versions until 2012 to be an artificial wait.

SensualPoet · 08-16-2011, 06:21 PM

It is certainly a coup if this launches in the way the Register states. Did I get this right?

Oct - Pottermore digital reading online experience opens
Nov - Sony releases a themed ereader with 7 ebook Potter collectible bundle
2012 - Individual Potter ebooks to be sold through the Pottermore site

It makes a very nice holiday gift -- no question about that -- and I suppose sales of the individual ebooks when released in 2012 won't really be hurt. This is a fine concession Sony Digital Media was wrought from Rowling as sponsor of her website.

I agree this bundle is unlikely to be cheap: this sort of DVD / Blu-ray marketing is standard fare at the holiday season. Sony's latest ereaders are almost certainly going to be closer to the $139 price point ... then "inflated" up over $200 with this special gift bundle -- good value for those interested in the collectible nature.

My understanding was Sony was planning only a single ereader and two tablets; I wonder if they are planning a Pottermore Tablet tie-in as well?

JSWolf · 08-16-2011, 07:11 PM

We don't know if Sony is planning one or more Readers. Ever since the 300 & 900 were released, we've had 3 different sizes. So no reason yet not to expect the same.

SensualPoet · 08-16-2011, 07:55 PM

Two sizes, actually; and a third unit only available in the US. But we'll see, hopefully in the next two to six weeks.

Arrghus · 08-16-2011, 08:52 PM

I've become a little jaded with this whole Pottermore thing of late. I signed up for early beta access, but I'm likely to have to wait some more time yet to use the site as I registered on the fourth day of magical quill challenges, and now I'm reading that it is possible that I won't be able to read the eBooks in October after all - even though I already own a recently purchased Sony Reader. Bugger.

How else can the books be a Sony exclusive without DRM, if it isn't through bundling? Which leads me to believe this article is correct, although confusingly expressed.

Ultimately, these books will be up on the Pirate Bay before the readers even officially ship. More people will download from sites like TPB because they cannot purchase copies for themselves legally.

Kali Yuga · 08-16-2011, 09:28 PM

I'd take any unsourced rumors like this with a massive grain of salt.

Pirated copies of the HP books have been available for ages.

People will pirate these books regardless of windowing, exclusivity, watermarking or anything else.

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08-16-2011, 02:46 PM	#33
emilikins Short One in the Stacks Posts: 142 Karma: 198348 Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Midwest Device: HTC Flyer; Kobo WiFi	The books are not Sony only. They'll be made available on all devices, you just have to go to Pottermore to download them. They'll have a digital watermark, so it is a DRM of sorts, just not the ones we're familiar with via Kindle, B&N, etc.

08-16-2011, 03:09 PM	#35
xg4bx Are you gonna eat that? Posts: 1,633 Karma: 23215128 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Phillipsburg, NJ Device: Kindle 3, Nook STG	and people wonder why piracy exists.....

08-16-2011, 04:47 PM	#39
anamardoll Chasing Butterflies Posts: 3,132 Karma: 5074169 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: American Southwest Device: Uses batteries.	Can we please NOT do the Piracy Dead Horse argument all over again? FACT: This move will ensure that the pirate versions are available before legal versions. The implications of that fact have been discussed ad nauseum elsewhere.

08-16-2011, 06:21 PM	#41
SensualPoet Wizard Posts: 2,302 Karma: 2607151 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Toronto Device: Kobo Aura HD, Kindle Paperwhite, Asus ZenPad 3, Kobo Glo	It is certainly a coup if this launches in the way the Register states. Did I get this right? Oct - Pottermore digital reading online experience opens Nov - Sony releases a themed ereader with 7 ebook Potter collectible bundle 2012 - Individual Potter ebooks to be sold through the Pottermore site It makes a very nice holiday gift -- no question about that -- and I suppose sales of the individual ebooks when released in 2012 won't really be hurt. This is a fine concession Sony Digital Media was wrought from Rowling as sponsor of her website. I agree this bundle is unlikely to be cheap: this sort of DVD / Blu-ray marketing is standard fare at the holiday season. Sony's latest ereaders are almost certainly going to be closer to the $139 price point ... then "inflated" up over $200 with this special gift bundle -- good value for those interested in the collectible nature. My understanding was Sony was planning only a single ereader and two tablets; I wonder if they are planning a Pottermore Tablet tie-in as well?

08-16-2011, 07:11 PM	#42
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,796 Karma: 146391129 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	We don't know if Sony is planning one or more Readers. Ever since the 300 & 900 were released, we've had 3 different sizes. So no reason yet not to expect the same.

08-16-2011, 07:55 PM	#43
SensualPoet Wizard Posts: 2,302 Karma: 2607151 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Toronto Device: Kobo Aura HD, Kindle Paperwhite, Asus ZenPad 3, Kobo Glo	Two sizes, actually; and a third unit only available in the US. But we'll see, hopefully in the next two to six weeks.

08-16-2011, 08:52 PM	#44
Arrghus Zealot Posts: 143 Karma: 5002 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Llandudno, Wales Device: Kindle PW2; Nexus 5X	I've become a little jaded with this whole Pottermore thing of late. I signed up for early beta access, but I'm likely to have to wait some more time yet to use the site as I registered on the fourth day of magical quill challenges, and now I'm reading that it is possible that I won't be able to read the eBooks in October after all - even though I already own a recently purchased Sony Reader. Bugger. How else can the books be a Sony exclusive without DRM, if it isn't through bundling? Which leads me to believe this article is correct, although confusingly expressed. Ultimately, these books will be up on the Pirate Bay before the readers even officially ship. More people will download from sites like TPB because they cannot purchase copies for themselves legally.

08-16-2011, 09:28 PM	#45
Kali Yuga Professional Contrarian Posts: 2,045 Karma: 3289631 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Kindle 4 No Touchie	I'd take any unsourced rumors like this with a massive grain of salt. Pirated copies of the HP books have been available for ages. People will pirate these books regardless of windowing, exclusivity, watermarking or anything else.