Sony closes USA and Canada ebook store - Page 3

VydorScope · 02-06-2014, 02:36 PM

KOBO's page on this confirms... NO MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTIONS will transfer and NOT ALL BOOKS will transfer either.

http://www.kobo.com/sony
(see FAQ #2, and #4)

Back up your books while you still can... who knows what will and will not survive.

benham · 02-06-2014, 02:38 PM

I received the email today. As of March 20 the Reader Store for US and Canada will be shut down. We will get a link in late March to transfer our library to Kobo and have a month to download them, as I understand it. Presumably, if you don't do it within that time frame, you lose the books. I would like to know if the books that are already on our readers will need to be re-downloaded. I have a 505, but they said we would be able to use the usb cable for transfers, so that shouldn't be an issue.

This cannot be a good thing. Buy outs almost never are. I used to love my Palm and upgraded several times to the TX I currently have. From the early days, I used it for an ereader as they were ahead of the curve in that regard. Then along came HP, and I basically haven't been able to use the TX since. Maybe there is a way to wirelessly upload files, but HPs service was so bad, it wouldn't matter.

I do not expect the Sony transition to be any smoother, especially since I have already had issues with Kobo. Maybe they have gotten better. Hope so.

VydorScope · 02-06-2014, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

Cool enough. I wouldn't be surprised but the article I saw said they were closing the bookstore which is different then discontinuing the e-reader.

From the Kobo FAQ

Quote:

Can I keep using my Reader from Sony to read eBooks, or will I need to get a Kobo eReader?
You can continue using your Reader to enjoy your favorite reads, and soon, you’ll have access to 4 million eBooks in the Kobo Store.

So your reader will still work,but you will lose any 3G functionality at the end of April.

SRC: http://www.kobo.com/sony

benham · 02-06-2014, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OtterBooks

I don't think the device category was a good fit for Sony.

Sadly, you are right, but it used to be. It was Sony and Kindle.

My PRS 505 still works great.

benham · 02-06-2014, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VydorScope

So I wonder... those of you that are Sony customers, what will you do? Will you follow Sony to Kobo - or abandon the platform completely for something new? (i.e. Kindle, Nook, etc).

They said we can opt out of this transfer process, but never mentioned what we could opt out to. Can we transfer our library to Cool Reads or something? I read digital books almost exclusively on my tablet and use the ereader on long trips.

Kobo claims to have over 4 million books, but I have looked for authors on there that they don't have, but are available on Kindle.

Somebody, asked about formats. Apparently, you will be able to choose your format when you sign up. They didn't mention about those of us who are already signed up.

petercreasey · 02-06-2014, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by simplyparticular

900/950 owner - the 3G will be cut off.

S, I'm glad to be an owner of multiple 950s. I never used the wireless connection anyway so I'll just stick with wired connectivity if/when I want to access Kobo.

. . . . Pete

cfrizz · 02-06-2014, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VydorScope

So I wonder... those of you that are Sony customers, what will you do? Will you follow Sony to Kobo - or abandon the platform completely for something new? (i.e. Kindle, Nook, etc).

I will continue to use my T1 and the reader software to manage my books. I will not transfer over to Kobo, since I never bought books from Sony.

I have always sideloaded my books on to my reader and will continue to do so. For me nothing is changing.

I always figured that the T1 would be my last eink machine. I do the majority of my reading on my Note 2, my N7, or my pc. I expect my T1 will keep going for quite a few years yet.

nosnoop · 02-06-2014, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jswinden

JThis is so typical of Sony. They charge into a market area, create really good hardware, but then fail to follow through and be competitive in the market. For years the Sony eReaders were tops, but they were way too expensive.

But that's the problem. eReader becomes unprofitable when there is practically zero profit margin. Amazon and others are not making much if any profit from hardware; so hardware-centric company like Sony cannot compete.

pdurrant · 02-06-2014, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by benham

They said we can opt out of this transfer process, but never mentioned what we could opt out to. Can we transfer our library to Cool Reads or something? I read digital books almost exclusively on my tablet and use the ereader on long trips.

I suspect that if you opt-out you just lose access to your ebooks when the Sony ebook store closes.

pdurrant · 02-06-2014, 03:50 PM

I wonder what they'll do with those of us outside the US who have US accounts?

I also have a UK store account, and I haven't received a notice that the UK store is closing. No doubt it will happen soonish.

thomasn75 · 02-06-2014, 04:02 PM

I have gone from Sony t1 to kobo aura. Apart from one software freeze the kobo has been great. I can normally find the books i want in kobo store.

benham · 02-06-2014, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

I suspect that if you opt-out you just lose access to your ebooks when the Sony ebook store closes.

Maybe we could copy the files to our hard drive or SD card?

Avalona · 02-06-2014, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VydorScope

So I wonder... those of you that are Sony customers, what will you do? Will you follow Sony to Kobo - or abandon the platform completely for something new? (i.e. Kindle, Nook, etc).

I've only used the Sony Reader store a few times, and I like my T1, but I've also always had a Kobo. I sideload onto both devices, so nothing is going to be majorly lost (except for buttons when my T1 dies), other than another choice of where to buy books. Once the T1 dies, well, I guess I stay with Kobo (but. buttons). :/ It was nice having another option, though, while it lasted.

BearMountainBooks · 02-06-2014, 04:06 PM

That's interesting and I guess good news for me as a writer. I sold fairly well via Sony until the last month or two and I put that down to the fact that everyone knew they were closing/changing. I actually have an account at Kobo even though I only use it to get deals and read on the PC at this point. I am glad they did something to transition the customers and frankly I think the pricing of the books is better on Kobo because of the coupons.

BearMountainBooks · 02-06-2014, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by benham

They said we can opt out of this transfer process, but never mentioned what we could opt out to. Can we transfer our library to Cool Reads or something? I read digital books almost exclusively on my tablet and use the ereader on long trips.

Kobo claims to have over 4 million books, but I have looked for authors on there that they don't have, but are available on Kindle.

Somebody, asked about formats. Apparently, you will be able to choose your format when you sign up. They didn't mention about those of us who are already signed up.

Were those authors available on Sony (the ones you said were on Kindle but not Kobo)?

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02-06-2014, 02:36 PM	#31
VydorScope Wizard Posts: 3,418 Karma: 35207650 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: iPad	KOBO's page on this confirms... NO MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTIONS will transfer and NOT ALL BOOKS will transfer either. http://www.kobo.com/sony (see FAQ #2, and #4) Back up your books while you still can... who knows what will and will not survive.

02-06-2014, 02:38 PM	#32
benham Guru Posts: 882 Karma: 5565888 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Townsend, WI Device: Palm TX, PRS-505 (BLUE)	I received the email today. As of March 20 the Reader Store for US and Canada will be shut down. We will get a link in late March to transfer our library to Kobo and have a month to download them, as I understand it. Presumably, if you don't do it within that time frame, you lose the books. I would like to know if the books that are already on our readers will need to be re-downloaded. I have a 505, but they said we would be able to use the usb cable for transfers, so that shouldn't be an issue. This cannot be a good thing. Buy outs almost never are. I used to love my Palm and upgraded several times to the TX I currently have. From the early days, I used it for an ereader as they were ahead of the curve in that regard. Then along came HP, and I basically haven't been able to use the TX since. Maybe there is a way to wirelessly upload files, but HPs service was so bad, it wouldn't matter. I do not expect the Sony transition to be any smoother, especially since I have already had issues with Kobo. Maybe they have gotten better. Hope so.

02-06-2014, 03:50 PM	#40
pdurrant The Grand Mouse 高貴的老鼠 Posts: 73,989 Karma: 315160596 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Norfolk, England Device: Kindle Oasis	I wonder what they'll do with those of us outside the US who have US accounts? I also have a UK store account, and I haven't received a notice that the UK store is closing. No doubt it will happen soonish.

02-06-2014, 04:02 PM	#41
thomasn75 Groupie Posts: 170 Karma: 1085592 Join Date: Nov 2011 Device: kobo aura h2o v2, kobo Aura, sony prs t1	I have gone from Sony t1 to kobo aura. Apart from one software freeze the kobo has been great. I can normally find the books i want in kobo store.

02-06-2014, 04:06 PM	#44
BearMountainBooks Maria Schneider Posts: 3,746 Karma: 26439330 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Near Austin, Texas Device: 3g Kindle Keyboard	That's interesting and I guess good news for me as a writer. I sold fairly well via Sony until the last month or two and I put that down to the fact that everyone knew they were closing/changing. I actually have an account at Kobo even though I only use it to get deals and read on the PC at this point. I am glad they did something to transition the customers and frankly I think the pricing of the books is better on Kobo because of the coupons.