Why Sony discountinued PRS-x50 line?

[Tony1988]

Originally Posted by Yar-PocketBooker

maybe an off-top... after all this discussion... I still believe that PRS-X50 is the best model line of e-readers))

i think they are definitely asthetically more pleasing. The T1 has a few options the x50's do not. But nothing that major at all. Pinch to zoom seems to be the biggest upgrade, but the x50's have a slider zoom feature so i dont really see that as a big incentive. Processor and font/margins are also minor upgrades that I do not believe constitutes anyone to upgrade from their x50's.

Again if one has a x50 and it works fine its just best to stay with it. I dont see the reason for them to buy one unless they just have an impulse /addiction persona when it comes to buying tech items.

For those who do not have an x50. Go for it.

[Pinecone]

I agree.

And IMO, is Sony was smart, they would have ADDED the T-1 to the line, and not dropped any of the others.

Or maybe upgrade them to a x60 with a faster processor. Which is the ONLY thing the T-1 has that I would like on my 650.

[seabee]

Originally Posted by Ashjuk

As the old saying goes - "Buy cheap, buy twice!"

Which is why I'm only on my third Sony TV in past 20 years and my third Sony Hi-Fi in the past 30+ years.

I have always been a believer in buying the best quality I can afford. Like most here I'm saddened by the thought of Sony cutting quality to try to compete with the likes of Amazon on price.

They should have continued the x50 line for those premium users who appreciate something a little better than the mainstream offerings.

Only 3 ? And you think it's extraordinary ? My grand parents had the same TV set for 20 years ! And the same fridge for 40 years (still ok when replaced, but the sealing was disintegrating).

On the other way, I had a Sony TV set that had a component failure (a power transistor, I saw it when it was repaired at my home) just before the end of the 5 years extended warranty I paid for, and again one year later (out of warranty, replaced it with a low cost one that is still ok 10 years after).

[Ashjuk]

Originally Posted by seabee

Only 3 ? And you think it's extraordinary ? My grand parents had the same TV set for 20 years ! And the same fridge for 40 years (still ok when replaced, but the sealing was disintegrating).

On the other way, I had a Sony TV set that had a component failure (a power transistor, I saw it when it was repaired at my home) just before the end of the 5 years extended warranty I paid for, and again one year later (out of warranty, replaced it with a low cost one that is still ok 10 years after).

Yes, but they were not replaced because of failures, just upgrades. The 28" CRT model that I replaced with my current LCD one I passed onto my nephew, and that is still going strong.

I suppose anything can fail and conversely anything can last a lifetime, so perhaps the saying does not hold up with consumer goods.

But I'm a craftsman by trade and there is no way would I ever dream of buying cheap tools, they just don't last and the majority of them are not worth the money.
I am using tools I bought 30+ years ago that would have needed to have been replaced many times if I had bought cheap ones.

[SeaBookGuy]

Originally Posted by Pinecone

I agree.

And IMO, is Sony was smart, they would have ADDED the T-1 to the line, and not dropped any of the others.

Or maybe upgrade them to a x60 with a faster processor. Which is the ONLY thing the T-1 has that I would like on my 650.

I think the T1 is OK as a replacement model for the 650 (discontinuing that one); discontinuing the 950 could have gone either way. They should have kept the 350 though.

[ScalyFreak]

Originally Posted by Ashjuk

I am using tools I bought 30+ years ago that would have needed to have been replaced many times if I had bought cheap ones.

That's not really a good comparison though. A hammer today functions exactly the same way a hammer did when the pyramids were built. TV broadcasts, gadgets, computers and other electronics from ten years ago are not even close to the same as the ones that are made today. In fact, it can easily be argued that the main reason for replacing electronics is to stay current, not to upgrade or to replace a failed device.

Your points are absolutely valid. The pain of buying low quality lasts a lot longer than the brief joy of buying something at a low price, that's one of the main reasons I wanted a Sony eReader. But the comparison to tools is a bit off.

[Ashjuk]

Originally Posted by ScalyFreak

That's not really a good comparison though. A hammer today functions exactly the same way a hammer did when the pyramids were built. TV broadcasts, gadgets, computers and other electronics from ten years ago are not even close to the same as the ones that are made today. In fact, it can easily be argued that the main reason for replacing electronics is to stay current, not to upgrade or to replace a failed device.

Your points are absolutely valid. The pain of buying low quality lasts a lot longer than the brief joy of buying something at a low price, that's one of the main reasons I wanted a Sony eReader. But the comparison to tools is a bit off.

True perhaps this was not a good analogy, one has to compare apples to apples.

But I stick to my original statement that buying cheap can often turn out to be expensive in the long run.

[charleski]

I think the real problem was the x50 line was that Sony simply stopped making them (certainly the 650 and 950) quite early on in the product's life. No-one knows why that happened, though many have guesses. I think there's little doubt that if Sony had kept the assembly lines running they'd have made a lot more off this line, and to many they're still very desirable, even at the higher price.

But when it came to launching a new product line Sony did the right thing to go for lower cost while retaining most of what made the x50s so good. The compromises are unfortunate, and I'm sure there are many who'd rather pay an extra $50+ for a 650, but in terms of gaining wider market penetration this was the right route to take.

Originally Posted by ScalyFreak

Neither does Apple, and they're doing very well.

[OffTopic] Actually, for the past 18 months Apple very definitely has been competing on price. The iPad's $499 headline price was a huge shock and competing tablet makers are still unable to beat it (obviously I'm talking about tablets that actually work here rather than the ultracheap Chinese models that are barely functional). Likewise, the Macbook Air offers a mixture of form-factor and price that up until very recently was unmatched among Windows laptops. Apple isn't rushing to the bottom-end, and some of its models are still wildly over-priced, but its current success is based on using its supply-chain clout to offer mid-range entry-level devices that are extremely competitive.

[CommonReader]

Perhaps I could convince myself that the cheaper price justifies the plastics. However, if Sony has really ditched support for .lrf and .rtf then I am going to be seriously angry. This would be a huge downgrade for me. This would also induce me to look for other makes when buying a reader for my daughter.
Perhaps I am lucky to pick up a 350 at a bargain price once the shops sell them off.

[Yar-PocketBooker]

Originally Posted by Pinecone

I agree.

And IMO, is Sony was smart, they would have ADDED the T-1 to the line, and not dropped any of the others.

Or maybe upgrade them to a x60 with a faster processor. Which is the ONLY thing the T-1 has that I would like on my 650.

agree 100%

[Hellmark]

Originally Posted by vxf

Yes, but no other company has the tendency to downgrade their products as often as SONY.

The new PRS T1 is a step-down compared to the 950. Smaller screen, no 3g, separate stylus, no metal casing...

Kind of what they did with the ps3 - stripping down features to make it cheaper and cheaper.

That is what irks people. Replace it with a superior model... no-one will complain. But when you replace it with something which is no better, and arguably worse...

Yes, it is a smaller screen, by an inch, and no 3g, and no metal casing, however the stylus is optional. From what I've seen on it in various demos, the stylus is entirely optional.

Sales had dropped off compared to previous years, with 800,000 being sold in 2010, compared to 1.1million in 2009. Compared to competition, they'd dropped to 5th place. At a stock holders meeting they skipped over the ereader section of the company, and wouldn't discuss it. Also, so far for 2011, they've refused to discuss number, unlike previous years. Either they weren't happy and didn't want to share what they felt shame over, or something else drastically changed within the company.

Originally Posted by Pinecone

Sony sold all the PRS-x50 devices they made.

At times, they were selling for WELL above the retail price.

So why would you want to compete on price?

Does Ferrari compete on price?

You've claimed this numerous times, yet to have shown any proof. Also, you can sell out of something, but only because you make very few of them. If you charge ferrari prices, you can get away with it, because you're more than making up the per unit costs, but the ereader market can't really afford Ferraris, and Sony is no Ferrari. Ferrari offers leagues better performance, insane build qualities and extremely luxurious features that the competition doesn't. What did Sony offer that was leagues better than the competition? Collections for organizing, and aluminum housing? That is mimimal for the the price they charged compared to their competitors. I love my Sony, and only Sony has really interested me in the ebook market, but I have to admit their faults.

Also, I've yet to see the x50 line sell for more than MSRP. I've seen a couple of screwball people on ebay mark the starting bid price for over MSRP, but not actually sell (one guy has been relisting the same auction for months, and hasn't had a sale since he raised his price back in December).

Originally Posted by SeaBookGuy

I think the T1 is OK as a replacement model for the 650 (discontinuing that one); discontinuing the 950 could have gone either way. They should have kept the 350 though.

But the question is could they have made the 350 at enough of a price difference to make it worth while. You have to remember the 350 was selling for more than the T1. Why would people pay more for a device that does less, for slightly smaller size?

[Kolenka]

Originally Posted by Hellmark

But the question is could they have made the 350 at enough of a price difference to make it worth while. You have to remember the 350 was selling for more than the T1. Why would people pay more for a device that does less, for slightly smaller size?

Yup, the mass market tends to frown upon "more expensive for less". Especially from a single manufacturer. I remember Apple getting flak from the average individual for charging more for the iPod Touch vs the iPhone. Not realizing that subsidies play a huge role there.

What I can see Sony doing is bringing back the 5" model by pushing into the sub-100$ range. Don't know how feasible it really is, but it is a price barrier that has been hard to reach. I could also see a 7" Wifi+3G model as being a premium model that would actually have a market, but it's also possible that Sony is following B&N by assuming the tablet space will eat up any e-reader bigger than 6" and spit it out.

[Hellmark]

Originally Posted by Kolenka

Yup, the mass market tends to frown upon "more expensive for less". Especially from a single manufacturer. I remember Apple getting flak from the average individual for charging more for the iPod Touch vs the iPhone. Not realizing that subsidies play a huge role there.

What I can see Sony doing is bringing back the 5" model by pushing into the sub-100$ range. Don't know how feasible it really is, but it is a price barrier that has been hard to reach. I could also see a 7" Wifi+3G model as being a premium model that would actually have a market, but it's also possible that Sony is following B&N by assuming the tablet space will eat up any e-reader bigger than 6" and spit it out.

The biggest barrier I guess would be the display costs. Most eInk displays are 6", so those will be the cheapest since they're the most plentiful. I can only think of one other 5" reader, and I'm unaware of any 7".

If they made a version of the T1 with a smaller screen, and I guess strip out wifi and other "frills" they may push towards the $100 mark. It'd be tricky though.

[jaxx6166]

When I originally saw the T1, I assumed that they were different sizes 5,6,9 respectively. Maybe it's just a trick of my eyes or the fact that I'm getting old, but when seeing that they area all 6" and don't really do much aesthetically for me, I'm disappointed.

Now my biggest fear is breaking my 350 or 650 and not being able to replace the Cadillac of eBooks.

I can understand Sony's reluctance to mention the X50 line, eReaders are kind of the bastard child of tablets now, which are the new shiny.

And even mentioning an eBook and not bowing down to Bezos' evil empire is kind of like stabbing yourself with a hot poker, in the eye, sixteen times.

I've been a loyal PRS fan ever since the 505. And I've spent way too much money on them over the years, this T1 thing hits in the wrong kind of way.

Unfortunately, I have to agree with all of you though. It all comes down to the almighty dollar. Amazon made a name for itself by undercutting the competition and offering the Kindle and its books at far below market value. It kind of came down to put up or shut up with all of the other alternatives, and you're seeing them fall in line like dominos now to sit right where the Kindle sits in terms of build quality and cost.

Books as entertainment have slowly gone the way of the dinosaur since the mid-90's. Author advances don't fall nearly into where they used to, distribution is way down, and even though the digital market is blossoming, it's still a losing gamble to a lot of folks in suits and ties.

The eReader market in the USA alone is kind of a strange beast too right now. Tablets have really screwed things up. Now almost every hardware designer needs to have an "App" feature or some games to please the ADHD Americans.

Remember when the 1st nook came out with chess?
Then Kindle had its word games.
Then the nook color.

Sony had stuck to its guns and made an EBOOK READER, which unfortunately doesn't seem to be as cool as they used to be.

I was on a bus about two months ago watching somebody play hangman on his Kindle. Not reading. Hangman.

So yeah. I wouldn't be surprised if the T1 is the last reader we get from Sony

But until the zombie apocalypse, I'm going to keep my X50. Because they're the best damn readers I've ever owned.

[Analogus]

As mentioned in another posting:

My fear is that Ebook-reader will end up as multifunctional gadgets. With colour-screen, games, apps, wifi, 3g, 4g, bluetooth, multi-touch-screen, mp3-player, video-player, tv-receiver, ...
Oh, they already exist and are called TABLETS.

Tablets are cooler and can/could do everything you ever need (more or less). Thats why they sell better than ebook readers.

Same thing years ago with cellphones. In the beginning they had black and white screens. Perfect readable under sunlight. But colour is cooler than just b&w. Then every cellphone have been delivered with colour screen. Even "outdoor" cellphones. Which have been unable to use in sunlight...

Cooler but unusable for the purpose they have been produced for.

A.