Sony Reader with embedded ads soon?

Alexander Turcic · 05-13-2009, 10:22 AM

Thanks to an anonymous contributor for pointing out this little info tidbit which claims that we might soon see third-party advertisement enriching our reading experience on the Sony Reader. The article referred to Steve Haber, president of Sony's Digital Reading Business Division, who indicated that ads would be possible as "more publishers come on board."

It remains open to speculation, though, how advertisement would be delivered. Wireless connectivity, anyone?

zelda_pinwheel · 05-13-2009, 10:23 AM

hm... wireless connectivity + embedded ads = subscription model with subsidised pricing for readers ???

AprilHare · 05-13-2009, 10:28 AM

They first have to sell me one first - then sell me some sort of content too

sirbruce · 05-13-2009, 10:30 AM

I remember the old days when they use to include a cardboard insert of cigarette ads in every paperback.

vivaldirules · 05-13-2009, 10:33 AM

I will be most unhappy if ads on my Sony (enriching my reading experience??) appear prior to a firmware update that allows me to read epubs with full justification. Come on, Sony. It's been many months and we're still waiting for this.

lilac_jive · 05-13-2009, 10:33 AM

I'm trying to find reports on Nell's speech at IDPF, but all I can get is twitter reports. He discussed them working on wireless, and more ePub as well.

DixieGal · 05-13-2009, 10:39 AM

Instead of any expensive (to them) changes to firmware, wouldn't you imagine that they would just insert ads into free books? Maybe every 20 pages or so, press the page turn button, and an ad shows up, then back to the book with the next page turn?

That would be fine with me, unless I had paid full price for the book.

Sweetpea · 05-13-2009, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DixieGal

Instead of any expensive (to them) changes to firmware, wouldn't you imagine that they would just insert ads into free books? Maybe every 20 pages or so, press the page turn button, and an ad shows up, then back to the book with the next page turn?

That would be fine with me, unless I had paid full price for the book.

I wouldn't even read that book if they gave it to me...

lilac_jive · 05-13-2009, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DixieGal

Instead of any expensive (to them) changes to firmware, wouldn't you imagine that they would just insert ads into free books? Maybe every 20 pages or so, press the page turn button, and an ad shows up, then back to the book with the next page turn?

That would be fine with me, unless I had paid full price for the book.

Yeah, I could do it if they gave me a discount.

I'd much prefer, if they are coming out with a wireless, at the end of a book, links to other books you might like (rest of series, similar titles, etc).

rhadin · 05-13-2009, 10:57 AM

As I read the article, it seems that the ad reference is not to books but to periodicals, where most readers currently expect to see ads. I'm not clear on how this segued into ads in books.

FWIW, paperbacks that have included ads have been intermittently published over the years, so this isn't exactly something new. Plus I can envision an increasing number of authors signing product placement deals, just like the movies. It was done experimentally a couple of years ago. Instead of the hero drinking coffee, s/he could have a Starbucks latte while trying to determine whether the deceased was and is truly deceased or just metamophosing into a new form before eating a Nathan's hotdog.

rcuadro · 05-13-2009, 11:01 AM

I think it is a load of BS... unless there is an option to get the reader at a substantial discount... Even then I think I would just wait to get one on eBay and avoid add all together...
Not that there will be some kind of hack out there to get rid of the adds

owl123 · 05-13-2009, 11:06 AM

Adobe was developing a similar solution for its PDFs but discontinued it after some beta testing back in January 2009.

TadW · 05-13-2009, 11:07 AM

I don't think it's BS. What if what Haber had in mind was indeed a device with wireless capability? Perhaps one with a larger screen comparable to the Kindle DX.

I could think of this scenario:
- every e-book you purchase from Sony has metadata that describes a book and perhaps the kind of person who is most likely to read it
- Sony will offer some kind of newspaper subscription service, comparable to Amazon
- as the user fetches his favorite newspapers, ads will blend in. These ads will be context relevant. Sony could, for instance, send anonymous information to their ad hosting server, about the kind of books you have stored on your device, allowing them to make a profile of the user, which will help them to send related ads to the device.

What do you think? Just crazy?

Greg Anos · 05-13-2009, 11:17 AM

Ah! The model, the humor, the brilliant intelligence.....Here's my view....

One - it would be in DRM'ed books. That way the publisher thinks the average Joe/Jill can't remove it.

Two - They'll charge $150 - $200 for advertizing per back list book. Why, because that about what it cost to digitize and proof a typical book.

Three - The author with get a hushpuppy of his usual royalty percentage rate of the $150-$200 one time only advertizing fee.

Four - Front list will be all the market can bear. Imagine the advertizing rate you could charge for a Harry Potter e-book....

(But the way, the ads in the paperback books (without authorization) is what led to the infamous Ellison gopher incident.)

ChrisR1970 · 05-13-2009, 11:22 AM

What are Epubs with full justification? I have version 1.1.00.18040 the update said it had Epub support. I have about 80 Epub format books on my 505 and have never had any trouble with them. Are there different kinds of Epubs?

05-13-2009, 10:22 AM	#1
Alexander Turcic Fully Converged Posts: 18,175 Karma: 14021202 Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Switzerland Device: Too many to count here.	Sony Reader with embedded ads soon? Thanks to an anonymous contributor for pointing out this little info tidbit which claims that we might soon see third-party advertisement enriching our reading experience on the Sony Reader. The article referred to Steve Haber, president of Sony's Digital Reading Business Division, who indicated that ads would be possible as "more publishers come on board." It remains open to speculation, though, how advertisement would be delivered. Wireless connectivity, anyone?

05-13-2009, 11:17 AM	#14
Greg Anos Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,546 Karma: 37057604 Join Date: Jan 2008 Device: Pocketbook	Ah! The model, the humor, the brilliant intelligence.....Here's my view.... One - it would be in DRM'ed books. That way the publisher thinks the average Joe/Jill can't remove it. Two - They'll charge $150 - $200 for advertizing per back list book. Why, because that about what it cost to digitize and proof a typical book. Three - The author with get a hushpuppy of his usual royalty percentage rate of the $150-$200 one time only advertizing fee. Four - Front list will be all the market can bear. Imagine the advertizing rate you could charge for a Harry Potter e-book.... (But the way, the ads in the paperback books (without authorization) is what led to the infamous Ellison gopher incident.) Last edited by Greg Anos; 05-13-2009 at 11:24 AM.

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05-13-2009, 10:23 AM	#2
zelda_pinwheel zeldinha zippy zeldissima Posts: 27,827 Karma: 921169 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Paris, France Device: eb1150 & is that a nook in her pocket, or she just happy to see you?	hm... wireless connectivity + embedded ads = subscription model with subsidised pricing for readers ???

05-13-2009, 10:28 AM	#3
AprilHare Wizard Posts: 2,981 Karma: 11862367 Join Date: Apr 2008 Device: Sony Reader PRS-T2	They first have to sell me one first - then sell me some sort of content too

05-13-2009, 10:30 AM	#4
sirbruce Provocateur Posts: 1,859 Karma: 505847 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Columbus, OH Device: Kindle Touch, Kindle 2, Kindle DX, iPhone 3GS	I remember the old days when they use to include a cardboard insert of cigarette ads in every paperback.

05-13-2009, 10:33 AM	#5
vivaldirules When's Doughnut Day? Posts: 10,059 Karma: 13675475 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Houston, TX, US Device: Sony PRS-505, iPad	I will be most unhappy if ads on my Sony (enriching my reading experience??) appear prior to a firmware update that allows me to read epubs with full justification. Come on, Sony. It's been many months and we're still waiting for this.

05-13-2009, 10:33 AM	#6
lilac_jive Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,870 Karma: 27376 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Pennsylvania Device: PRS-505	I'm trying to find reports on Nell's speech at IDPF, but all I can get is twitter reports. He discussed them working on wireless, and more ePub as well.

05-13-2009, 10:39 AM	#7
DixieGal Hi There! Posts: 7,473 Karma: 2930523 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft Lauderdale Device: iPad	Instead of any expensive (to them) changes to firmware, wouldn't you imagine that they would just insert ads into free books? Maybe every 20 pages or so, press the page turn button, and an ad shows up, then back to the book with the next page turn? That would be fine with me, unless I had paid full price for the book.

05-13-2009, 10:57 AM	#10
rhadin Literacy = Understanding Posts: 4,833 Karma: 59674358 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: The World of Books Device: Nook, Nook Tablet	As I read the article, it seems that the ad reference is not to books but to periodicals, where most readers currently expect to see ads. I'm not clear on how this segued into ads in books. FWIW, paperbacks that have included ads have been intermittently published over the years, so this isn't exactly something new. Plus I can envision an increasing number of authors signing product placement deals, just like the movies. It was done experimentally a couple of years ago. Instead of the hero drinking coffee, s/he could have a Starbucks latte while trying to determine whether the deceased was and is truly deceased or just metamophosing into a new form before eating a Nathan's hotdog.

05-13-2009, 11:01 AM	#11
rcuadro Wizard Posts: 1,686 Karma: 874275 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Device: Kindle DX	I think it is a load of BS... unless there is an option to get the reader at a substantial discount... Even then I think I would just wait to get one on eBay and avoid add all together... Not that there will be some kind of hack out there to get rid of the adds

05-13-2009, 11:06 AM	#12
owl123 Addict Posts: 234 Karma: 214 Join Date: Nov 2008 Device: Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy NotePro 12.2, InkBook	Adobe was developing a similar solution for its PDFs but discontinued it after some beta testing back in January 2009.

05-13-2009, 11:07 AM	#13
TadW Uebermensch Posts: 2,583 Karma: 1094606 Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Italy Device: Kindle	I don't think it's BS. What if what Haber had in mind was indeed a device with wireless capability? Perhaps one with a larger screen comparable to the Kindle DX. I could think of this scenario: - every e-book you purchase from Sony has metadata that describes a book and perhaps the kind of person who is most likely to read it - Sony will offer some kind of newspaper subscription service, comparable to Amazon - as the user fetches his favorite newspapers, ads will blend in. These ads will be context relevant. Sony could, for instance, send anonymous information to their ad hosting server, about the kind of books you have stored on your device, allowing them to make a profile of the user, which will help them to send related ads to the device. What do you think? Just crazy?

05-13-2009, 11:22 AM	#15
ChrisR1970 Member Posts: 17 Karma: 2660 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Illinois Device: Sony 505	What are Epubs with full justification? I have version 1.1.00.18040 the update said it had Epub support. I have about 80 Epub format books on my 505 and have never had any trouble with them. Are there different kinds of Epubs?