Why Sony discountinued PRS-x50 line?

[jerryprism]

Yep, Sony is discontinuing the PRS line altogether, it looks like. The new ereader will be on the market later this month. DOn't know how it differs much except that it has wi-fi. I have the PRS 300 & love it. Not to concerned with fingerswiping the page turns, but love the pocket size and the metal casing. Lots of the older models will be on ebay for a while, Im sure

[frahse]

I never had a Sony eReader. I typically used to read books on my computer. Usually a 23" desktop monitor and a 15" notebook with a phone card in it. Then as the eReaders evolved, and got WiFi, and 3G, I evolved and got a Kindle 3G.

I actually like the size of the Sony eReader. It has less width than most modern readers. It could actually fit in some of my shirt pockets, unlike my Kindle, but I will never get one without 3G. WiFi is just not available some places, not yet anyway.

But I am really here to commiserate with you on Sony discontinuing products. I liked the Sony automobile GPS units. They stopped making them for the US. I pondered getting the one made for Japan, but decided not to swim against the current and just got a Garmin instead.

[Hellmark]

Personally, I don't see the drastic need to have 3G. I've never been somewhere and been like "I must have the book now, and I don't have wifi".

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by Hellmark

Personally, I don't see the drastic need to have 3G. I've never been somewhere and been like "I must have the book now, and I don't have wifi".

I'm with you, but as I currently understand things it does have one big advantage - the automatic delivery of daily, weekly or monthly purchased periodicals.

[Kolenka]

Originally Posted by dwanthny

I'm with you, but as I currently understand things it does have one big advantage - the automatic delivery of daily, weekly or monthly purchased periodicals.

WiFi can do the same, as it is more of a 'poll' from the device than a 'push' from the servers. And you can't do 'push' over 3G in any way that you can't do over WiFi as well.

This just means that automatic delivery will only work when you get in range of a known WiFi point, like the Nook. For the regular commuter, that does the job quite well. I can't speak to more frequent travelers though. I'd imagine hotspots at hotels and the like aren't very enjoyable.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by Kolenka

WiFi can do the same, as it is more of a 'poll' from the device than a 'push' from the servers. And you can't do 'push' over 3G in any way that you can't do over WiFi as well.

Having little experience or need for 3G or Wifi with my current 950 it's nice to know what options there are, should I wish to take advantage of them.

Thanks for the insight.

[ScalyFreak]

Originally Posted by Kolenka

I'd imagine hotspots at hotels and the like aren't very enjoyable.

Or the one at work, that severely limits which websites can be visited. Not to mention that it monitors all traffic and saves the logs on the company servers for years. If I could surf on 3G it would not only be faster, but my employer wouldn't have a list of the websites I've gone to, or the files I'm downloading.

[kartu]

Sony wasn't gaining market share with x50 devices. Price gap between kindle and sony readers was too big. x50-s were "selling well" but mostly to users upgrading from older versions of sony readers.

[Pinecone]

Originally Posted by Hellmark

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.

Then make more, if you are able. Selling everything you make and then complaining that you did not sell more, is a bit insane.

If Sony only made 800,000 and sold 800,000, at their asking price, above the price of other readers, and is unhappy about selling only 800,000, they need more help than a cheaper reader.

If they want to make more money on readers, make more, or sell the ones made at a higher price.

And you obivously have not been around Ferraris. They offer better performance than many cars, but not leagues better than many cars that cost less. Insane build qualities??? If by insane you mean stupid. Used Ferraris are fairly inexpensive, because the maintenance costs are so high. And luxury? If you want luxury, you buy a luxury car, NOT a Ferrari. They are actually quite stark interiors and the ride is NOT comfortable.

What Ferrari offers is an image. Yes it is very high performance. But most people who own one never drive them near their capability and in fact most are not able to. But they do attract women, insanely beautiful women.

[Phil_C]

I like the 350 and its pocket size so much that I just purchased a second one (grossly over-paying for a luscious blue model). I read only novels, so a bigger screen does nothing for me. But the ability to carry it easily in a pocket makes my day.

The T1 will likely be very nice, but I will stay with my 350s until (if?) Sony or whoever comes out with a model comparable in size. And maybe beyond.

[murraypaul]

Originally Posted by Pinecone

Then make more, if you are able. Selling everything you make and then complaining that you did not sell more, is a bit insane.

It isn't hard to sell everything you make, just stop making them and wait for them to sell out. That doesn't mean you have a successful product.
Sold all they made, or made only as many as they could sell?

[Yar-PocketBooker]

Originally Posted by Phil_C

I like the 350 and its pocket size so much that I just purchased a second one (grossly over-paying for a luscious blue model). I read only novels, so a bigger screen does nothing for me. But the ability to carry it easily in a pocket makes my day.

The T1 will likely be very nice, but I will stay with my 350s until (if?) Sony or whoever comes out with a model comparable in size. And maybe beyond.

If the touchscreen is not on a list of high priorities to you, have a look at Pocketbook 360Plus - it's also a 5" reader with a snap-off hard cover, that makes this babe really carrieable in a pocket

[Kai Winters]

I can understand the desire for the "all in one" device.
I love my 300 ereader but to have the convenience of being able to use a wifi hotspot or 3g to check email, send an email, browse the net, check out an app and/or read a book in a nicely put together unit is pretty nice imo.
But I can do all the above, including read a book, on my iphone 4 so why bother.
I'd just as soon buy a nice 350 and use it.

[NickC42]

Originally Posted by 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.

Sony have done similar with cameras, they've made a waterproof camera that has a touchscreen so can't be used properly when wet!

I'd disagree with others who say the 350 couldn't sell as it would be giving less for more. I'd argue that it's givinig more - pocketability - than the T1.

Nick

[ScalyFreak]

Who need "pocketability" though? Some of us carry purses, you know.