Why Such High Sony E-reader Prices?

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by Richwood

More reasonable prices listed too which is why I wonder about the ridiculous ones. I got my T1 for $45 including shipping and have a 950 with a ding in the screen on the way for $50. Replacement screens still available per ebay listings at reasonable prices if I decide to replace the screen on it. Also a semi reasonable priced NOS T2 on the way.

I've thought about getting a T1 at times, but have managed to resist the temptation (T2 is really close). I bought a PRS-300 recently (cheap) and should have a PRS-600 on the way by Monday or so – I was hoping they would have shipped it Friday or Saturday, but they didn't.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by rcentros

I guess because they're getting rarer and people are collecting them. When I bought my T2s (sold one later), they were factory refurbished on Tiger Direct for (I think) about $30. But you can still find them fairly inexpensively used ($60-$70 range) on eBay if you keep watching. As for the older Sonys, PRS-300s and 600s can be downright cheap. I don't think they made a lot of the PRS-950s, so that's probably why their prices are so high.

The 600 and 900 and 700 are garbage. The touch layer is awful. The 700's light is awful as well. Don't buy any of those models.

If you do want to buy a Sony, the 650 is OK because you can replace the batter. The 950, I don't know of a battery replacement. The T1, T2,& T3 can still have a good enough battery.

Any Sony older than the x50 series is too old, too slow, and the version of RMSDK is too old.

But remember, when buying a Sony Reader, the battery could be in need of replacing. So only get one where you can replace the battery if need be.

https://www.newpower99.com/SearchRes...x=0&Search.y=0

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by rcentros

I've thought about getting a T1 at times, but have managed to resist the temptation (T2 is really close). I bought a PRS-300 recently (cheap) and should have a PRS-600 on the way by Monday or so – I was hoping they would have shipped it Friday or Saturday, but they didn't.

Why on Earth would you buy a 600? It's horrible.

[Richwood]

Originally Posted by rcentros

Not to you, but others' opinions differ. I wouldn't pay $100 for a Sony eReader either. Of course, the most I've ever paid for an eReader is $75, and that was for my first one, a Nook Simple Touch (new) in 2011.

At the same time some ebay sellers are stubborn optimists who keep a listing going for months at a high price while the same item is being sold by other sellers for far more reasonable prices. Surprises me as it is easy enough to look and see what others have listed at BIN prices much lower or watch auctions and see what items are selling for. If a ebay listed item does not sell in 2 months it is probably overpriced I would think. Things are only worth what someone is willing to pay.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Why on Earth would you buy a 600? It's horrible.

I wanted to try it out. It's not like I'm marrying it. It cost $16.50 ($10.50 in s/h). If it turns out I can't stand it, I'll sell it or donate it.

EDIT: Now that I think about it, I think I may have bought one of these in a pawn shop for $10 or $15 at one point. And I didn't like it, so I sold it. If I remember right, I think I didn't like the shiny screen. Ah well, live and learn – or, in my case (apparently), don't learn.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by Richwood

At the same time some ebay sellers are stubborn optimists who keep a listing going for months at a high price while the same item is being sold by other sellers for far more reasonable prices. ...

Apparently some of them don't care if they sit on their inventory for a while. Every now and then I see something go for a ridiculous price and I think, "Well, I guess that's why they do it."

[Ghitulescu]

There are two reasons:
1. the known (or so I thought, but since nobody here seems to heart about I'll explain it shortly) trick - set a huge price in the first place (taking advantage of some ebay conditions) - this has two favourable effects: 1. the other sellers would follow your price (nobody wants to sell his for 5€ when they see one listed for 400€, would you?), 2. you have the chance to close a deal for less than 400 but definitely better than 5.
2. Sonies are good, and noble in design. A Kindle would look like stone age near a Sony.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by Ghitulescu

...A Kindle would look like stone age near a Sony.

Body? Yes. Screen and O/S? No.

I have a Sony 505 with a lighted case at home. It's neat. But I couldn't imagine trying to use the thing.

There's a reason I wasn't interested in e-readers before the Nook STwG came out.

[rem736]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

Body? Yes. Screen and O/S? No.

I have a Sony 505 with a lighted case at home. It's neat. But I couldn't imagine trying to use the thing.

There's a reason I wasn't interested in e-readers before the Nook STwG came out.

but the sony has one built-in feature that others have to be hacked for it to work. this feature is the ability to use your own images as the standby screen. i actually planned to use one older device (prs-500) for a door sign or a static photo display with this feature.

the other use for this, especially the smaller prs 300/350, is to hold images of shopping cards with bar codes so that i don't have to carry all these cards.

seriously, what is the problem with this feature that kobos/nooks/kindles don't include it built-in?

[JSWolf]

Actually, with a Kobo, all you have to do is put whatever image you want as the cover for the book you are currently reading and you'll get that as the sleep image.

[Philippe D.]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Actually, with a Kobo, all you have to do is put whatever image you want as the cover for the book you are currently reading and you'll get that as the sleep image.

Well, I don't exactly remember which line in some config file I had to change, but originally when I got my Kobo it would display the logo of the retailer I got it from ("fnac") when in sleep or off mode. It was, however, just a matter of changing some flag in the proper config file to change it to what you describe.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Philippe D.

Well, I don't exactly remember which line in some config file I had to change, but originally when I got my Kobo it would display the logo of the retailer I got it from ("fnac") when in sleep or off mode. It was, however, just a matter of changing some flag in the proper config file to change it to what you describe.

Yes, it is fnac.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by rem736

but the sony has one built-in feature that others have to be hacked for it to work. this feature is the ability to use your own images as the standby screen.

The original Nook had this feature, also.

[Pablo]

Originally Posted by rem736

I actually planned to use one older device (prs-500) for a door sign or a static photo display with this feature.

The PRS-500 and 505 displayed a blank screen when powered off, so they are not fit for your purpose.

[PatGIV]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Sony Readers are not worth $100.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, so I disagree w/you. Have a T1 bought in 2011 @ Walmart for $100, still working. Also purchased a T2 refurb unit for $35 from Tiger Direct in 2012 which I'm presently using. Guess the bargains are in the eyes of the beholder.