Brick-and-Mortar Store Thread

[HelenB]

The Borders in Dallas, TX at West Village had 5 in stock yesterday - they sold out of their first shipment of 5.

I liked the device when I saw it, but I am still hesitant to purchase due to the fact that Sony chose yet another proprietary format, BBeB, adding to the Tower of eBabel

[Peregrine]

Well I ordered my Reader from the Winston-Salem, NC store today and they're putting it in the mail!

[syastenko]

Originally Posted by bshort

Has anyone checked with the NYC Sony store?

I bought mine in NYC Sony Plaza on October, 27.

[NatCh]

Originally Posted by HelenB

... but I am still hesitant to purchase due to the fact that Sony chose yet another proprietary format, BBeB....

Welcome to MobileRead, first off.

I see (even agree with) what you're saying about proprietary formats and the world not needing more of them, but I've reached the reluctant conclusion that until there is a standard for e-books that is accepted and used by the publishing industry, it's really hard for me to be too upset when folks don't use that non-existant standard.

As for the Sony specifically, they included support for RTF, TXT & PDF support -- without conversion. Is it really so awful that they also included their own format (which, as it happens, has been around serveral years)?

If there were a 'standard' format and they'd gone with BBeB instead (or even additionally), I'd agree with you without reservation, but that's not the case.

By adding BBeB they have the opportunity to offer almost 11,000 titles (that's what they said they were up to on Saturday), that they couldn't offer if they'd stuck with just TXT, RTF, and PDF.

The other proprietary formats have been around long enough that folks have kind of forgotten that they are proprietary, it's slipped under their radars, but things like mobipocket, ereader, rocketbook and microsoft reader are still proprietary.

I think that the inclusion of these more 'open' formats is a hopeful sign that they'll be interested in supporting such a 'standard' format when one does eventually drag itself out of the primordial muck. Will they do so? There's no garauntee, but I do think these non-proprietary file formats are a good sign.

[yvanleterrible]

How long did the war last between Beta and VHS? How long did it take to have a standard for CD? JPEG is the main photo support but the others are still alive! All these feuds were resolved by the "purchase vote" of the consumers.

I think that the ebook format fight has been the longest lasting one, mainly because there were no really practical readers on the market.(sorry for those who like theirs)

When a leader comes out with a popular offer, all will be resolved. As of yet I still can't see, although I prefer eink, who will have a reader that will fit in the populist parameters. These parameters include; price, ease of use, design and universality.

[MMascaro]

The Borders in Frederick MD has about 6 Readers and 4 Cradles left after I got mine.

[Bandito]

Just to clarify the fire hazard thingy...when I called my local Borders to see if the eReader had arrived, they said, "yes, they just came in, but we haven't unboxed them because we can't sell them. There's a fire hazard with the display." I then asked him whether the hazard was with the in-store display setup or the screen on the device. He said it was the in-store display, so I mentioned that that shouldn't prevent them from selling the readers, they just couldn't put up the display. He thought for a moment and agreed, so I went in and got mine after work on 10/23.

Anyway, I've been reading both it and some p-books for the last few days and will try to put some thoughts together for a brief write-up soon (fear not, it's all good generally speaking--no eBay for mine!).

Finally, good luck fellow gadget (and book) hunters! I was back in the same Borders a couple of days after I bought mine and they told me they were all long gone. They had originally received enough to cover their preorders and about four to sell normally.

[Mitchll]

As of 4PM ET today, the Borders in Boca Raton FL had readers, leather covers and charging cradle in stock.

[derekslin]

Austin -Reserach Blvd , Texas Border store had 2 in stock this morning when I purchased one. 3 cradles also. When I checked the store 2 days ago, it was out of stock. The store clerk told me they had some in last Friday and someone came and bought it all.

[Cthulhu]

SONY **Really** needs to send out a better roll-out packet or something.
Either someone really dropped the ball on this "display" issue, or Border's hired idiots. Was in a Borders in La Grange, IL. They have the Reader. Wait--no they don't. Oh, yes they do, put they're not out. No, they won't release it from the cage.

Besides this little Schroedinger's cat & mouse game, the sales staff knew precious little about the darn thing. One salesman would not accept that SONY would allow any other formats but their own on it (there's some bad press to overcome), and had no answer as to from whence the content would originate.

So congratulations from those who were able to overcome the status quo and actually wrestle one of these away from the Border's sales staff.

*point of clarification* What format are those SD Dictionaries? Could I throw one of those in a Reader and use it as reference whiel reading some erudite e-text?

[HelenB]

Thanks, NatCH, for the welcome and your comments.

The Borders in Dallas was down to one in stock yesterday after I purchsed mine.

Sony has made it easy to purchase (so far using the $50 credit) and it is a pleasure to read on this device.

Also, transfering already purchsed book in PDF format worked like a charm.

[yvanleterrible]

Originally Posted by Cthulhu

SONY **Really** needs to send out a better roll-out packet or something.
Either someone really dropped the ball on this "display" issue, or Border's hired idiots. Was in a Borders in La Grange, IL. They have the Reader. Wait--no they don't. Oh, yes they do, put they're not out. No, they won't release it from the cage.

Besides this little Schroedinger's cat & mouse game, the sales staff knew precious little about the darn thing. One salesman would not accept that SONY would allow any other formats but their own on it (there's some bad press to overcome), and had no answer as to from whence the content would originate.

So congratulations from those who were able to overcome the status quo and actually wrestle one of these away from the Border's sales staff.

*point of clarification* What format are those SD Dictionaries? Could I throw one of those in a Reader and use it as reference whiel reading some erudite e-text?

I've worked 9 years for a furniture company specialized in store display cabinets. Enough to say that it is usually to the manufaturer of a product, other than the store's main speciality, to provide the possibility of adequate display. Borders is a book reseller, they have book displays. An electronics manufacturer selling there should offer proper stalls .

Hey! I'm willing to design and build them!!!

[Cthulhu]

@yvan:

I'm not sure whether I should feel sad, scared, or anything at the fact that as a customer I know more about a product than the seller ;-

[yvanleterrible]

Originally Posted by Cthulhu

@yvan:

I'm not sure whether I should feel sad, scared, or anything at the fact that as a customer I know more about a product than the seller ;-

Most shop retailers barely know what they sell. Their craft is selling. As long as there is an incentive and a sales promise, they go at it. I don't blame them. If it's a chain, it's even worse.

Then there is the problem of cheap personnel... Adequately forming someone in a volatile, increasingly broadening category, (as electronics is) must be a daunting and expensive proposition.
We must also consider that the coming to market of a new product is also accompanied by secrecy, which compounds the problem. There is no time to "pre" form employees in time to meet the elitists.

By the way its out job to help them evangelize e-books. We must be patient.

[Cthulhu]

Yvan: I agree. However, I was hoping to learn more about the product, not teach someone.

Plus, I am annoyed because I was not allowed to play with the cool new toy. ;-