Sony Reader Lives on with Rowling!

[Elfwreck]

Originally Posted by SensualPoet

From the original post:

More than 200 posts later ... it said in the very first one that Kindle and ePub formats would be supported.

No, it said "compatible with any electronic reading device," which we know is untrue (anyone want to bet that they'll be available in .rb or .imp formats?), but "any currently-in-production dedicated e-reader" is a reasonable interpretation of that.

PDF is compatible with all current mainstream e-readers. Is there an official announcement that they'll be available as .epub and .mobi, rather than "compatible with Kindle and Sony readers?"

All this nonsense of Amazon being forced into supporting ePub ... ...

This is on the heels of Amazon announcing some kind of ePub support, even if it was just "you can submit your ebooks in ePub format for the Kindle store." I don't think there would've been as much talk about Amazon changing tactics if they hadn't already made some statements in that direction.

As far as I know, Kobo is the only one of the four leading ereaders that supports epub, mobi, pdf DRM free so perhaps we all ought just buy a Kobo Touch to read our favourite Harry Potter.

The Astak readers support that, and I believe the Pocketbooks do as well. Of the four at the top of the sales charts, Kobo's the only one that does. But if you drew the line at "three top sellers," none of them would.

The OP also slipped in the keyword "could" when it listed Sony ereaders might be Potterised. ... There are lots of things -- Potter on the PS3 and on the PS3 network -- which would make far more sense than selling a reskinned Sony ereader.

Perhaps, but Sony's sold themed ereaders in the past with pre-set collections of ebooks on them. James Patterson, Mills & Boon, Eat Pray Love; I think I remember others. They *like* themed e-reader collections, and they have systems in place to sell them.

If Pottermore gets its big kick-off in October and has continued new content, Sony could be planning on a Potter e-reader as its big Christmas seller.

[EatingPie]

Originally Posted by anamardoll

<nitpick>

"Dealing with the devil" is not the same thing as being "the devil".

I.e., dealing with Bob is like dealing with the devil -- you may think you're getting a good deal, but you're really not.

As opposed to, Bob is the devil. He will literally stab you with a giant pitchfork and roast you over an open flame. Watch out for that.

</nitpick>

Yep, I agree... that is a nitpick. I'd also call it "mincing words."

Either way you slice it, it was rhetoric and, as I said, in my defense I was making a snarky reference to the first use of said rhetoric... in this thread.

-Pie

[anamardoll]

Originally Posted by EatingPie

Yep, I agree... that is a nitpick. I'd also call it "mincing words."

Either way you slice it, it was rhetoric and, as I said, in my defense I was making a snarky reference to the first use of said rhetoric... in this thread.

-Pie

Yes, but you do have to be careful in an argument to not take something your opponent said as hyperbole-to-make-a-point ("dealing with Sony is like dealing with the devil") and start acting as though they said it literally ("Sony is the devil") to smear them into looking foolish and paranoid. I'm not saying you were doing that, but it certainly passed the strawman sniff test, for future reference.

I'll blame the internet that I didn't hear your sardonic tone over the tubes.

I do think that Sony has a lot to answer for, but I'll just +1 Hellmark's post. There's a reason why I don't buy from the Sony eBook store and there's a reason why I don't have the Sony Reader software on my computer. Sony has been involved in very serious privacy allegations in the past, and there's only so many oopsies a company gets in my book before it starts to add up to a perceived disregard for customer rights.

[Latinandgreek]

Originally Posted by SensualPoet

On the ereader side, it did an incremental refresh of only two models last year and has effectively withdrawn from markets around the world, shedding partners as important as Walmart and Best Buy. The Sony Style stores in the US and Canada now only carry the 5" non-wifi touch PRS-350 in one colour ... all other models have been discontinued or are perpetually out of stock. Meanwhile, Amazon, B&N and Kobo have worked very hard to expand their base in the past year, even in the face of Agency fiasco and the launch of the iPad. If one were making a prediction, one might suggest Sony will be out of the ereader business by the time Pottermore formally launches in October.

They refreshed 3 models last year, the 350, 650 and 950. The 950 is only sold in the U.S. I wouldn't call the refresh incremental, though.

[SensualPoet]

Originally Posted by sonyreaderfan

I don't know if Kobo's decision to limit features on sideloaded books, especially dictionary, is a corporate decision to induce book purchases off kobo ebookstore, but the limitations would severely hinder the educational experience of reading Harry Potter.

These sorts of objections assume Kobo is a static product and, if nothing else is certain, Kobo has shown fierce determination to evolve its devices and platform. In barely a year it has gone from price leading at launch ($149 when the Kindle and Nook eink devices were $259), to leading the market in "simple", to embracing new capabilities in two model refreshes (WiFi, then Pearl eink with IR touch) while also releasing very capable apps for mobile devices from Apple, Android, Blackberry, all of which now sync with each other.

I don't see the problem with delivering the best reading experience with the books you sell -- that's what the ecosystem model is all about. Yet Kobo has gone further, supporting other formats and, given all this, it's realistic to expect continued enhancements of both native and sideloaded content.

Originally Posted by Elfwreck

The Astak readers support that, and I believe the Pocketbooks do as well. Of the four at the top of the sales charts, Kobo's the only one that does. But if you drew the line at "three top sellers," none of them would.

Astak has been out of the e-reader business for a year; Pocketbooks are very capable devices but its hard to see them as a long-term venture having not stepped up to the evolving base features such as wifi, e-ink, and broader retail distribution. All of the players lacking a content play appear to have a bleak future.

Originally Posted by Elfwreck

If Pottermore gets its big kick-off in October and has continued new content, Sony could be planning on a Potter e-reader as its big Christmas seller.

I absolutely agree with this and it would be a terrific shot in the arm for a new model from Sony. It just seems odd Sony would allow their distribution channel to more or less collapse in the six months or more leading up to such a debut.

[SensualPoet]

Originally Posted by Latinandgreek

They refreshed 3 models last year, the 350, 650 and 950. The 950 is only sold in the U.S. I wouldn't call the refresh incremental, though.

Sorry, you're quite right: I was thinking the 950 was the debut edition of that device. We can agree to disagree on whether these were incremental or not; I am not suggesting the move to e-ink and an improved touch technology was minor -- but it was necessary for Sony to stay in the game another year. The fact that both Nook and Kobo embraced these two features in June underscores Sony made the right moves.

However, I stand by my observations that, while Sony has a 950 model, you can't actually buy it any longer as a practical matter. And the 650 is in similar scarcity in the US market leaving essentially a 5" non-wifi model as the only device easily obtainable there ... and offered at a distinct premium price to arguably more capable devices.

[anamardoll]

Originally Posted by SensualPoet

I absolutely agree with this and it would be a terrific shot in the arm for a new model from Sony. It just seems odd Sony would allow their distribution channel to more or less collapse in the six months or more leading up to such a debut.

This, too, seems very strange. It's not usually the norm to effectively cancel your current line so far in advance of your new one. One wonders if for some reason they can't easily make more of the older models, and whatever deal they signed with Pottermore is preventing them from going ahead and announcing the new lineup officially yet? Very odd.

[Latinandgreek]

Originally Posted by SensualPoet

. We can agree to disagree on whether these were incremental or not;

[Hellmark]

Originally Posted by SensualPoet

Sorry, you're quite right: I was thinking the 950 was the debut edition of that device. We can agree to disagree on whether these were incremental or not; I am not suggesting the move to e-ink and an improved touch technology was minor -- but it was necessary for Sony to stay in the game another year. The fact that both Nook and Kobo embraced these two features in June underscores Sony made the right moves.

However, I stand by my observations that, while Sony has a 950 model, you can't actually buy it any longer as a practical matter. And the 650 is in similar scarcity in the US market leaving essentially a 5" non-wifi model as the only device easily obtainable there ... and offered at a distinct premium price to arguably more capable devices.

Uhm, move to eInk? Sony has been using eInk for years. They were one of the first to have eInk devices, long before the Kindle, nook, Kobo, etc. They were actually the first to make an eink reader, back in 2004, and have only made eInk readers. The 350 added touch support to the 5" sony line, and the 650 and 950 merely upgraded to a better type of touch interface (Dropping the resistive touch layer for an IR sensor array. Both are still single point touch interfaces, only one doesn't add glare). As far as the Sony devices being hard to find, well, I've not really found that to be the case. I've seen the 950s and 650s in several stores lately, as recently as last night.

Also, You say that Kobo and nook embraced these two features in June, but the two features you mentioned, only one of them was new to those brands. Kobo readers have been eInk since day one, and the original nook was eink as well.

[anamardoll]

Maybe they meant the move to pearl screens?

[Hellmark]

Way I see it, the move to pearl was pretty much a no brainer. eInk isn't likely to keep making the older displays, so why keep using them?

[anamardoll]

Originally Posted by Hellmark

Way I see it, the move to pearl was pretty much a no brainer. eInk isn't likely to keep making the older displays, so why keep using them?

Yeah, I don't disagree. I just assumed when they said "move to eInk and touch", they meant "move to Pearl and touch". This would also fit the Nook/Kobo statement, I think.

[Hellmark]

Originally Posted by anamardoll

Yeah, I don't disagree. I just assumed when they said "move to eInk and touch", they meant "move to Pearl and touch". This would also fit the Nook/Kobo statement, I think.

Hopefully SensualPoet will come back and enlighten us on what they meant.

[SensualPoet]

Originally Posted by Hellmark

Way I see it, the move to pearl was pretty much a no brainer. eInk isn't likely to keep making the older displays, so why keep using them?

Yes, there was a missing "Pearl" there. Surely, after 1800 posts here, you didn't think I really had no idea Sony didn't have eink previous to its "incremental" refresh of models? This was quite an unnecessary rant. Be that as it may ...

Originally Posted by SensualPoet

I am not suggesting the move to Pearl e-ink and an improved touch technology was minor -- but it was necessary for Sony to stay in the game another year. The fact that both Nook and Kobo embraced these two features in June underscores Sony made the right moves.

Is that better? No sleights were intended to Nook or Sony; in fact I was underscoring that Sony made the right moves and nearly a year before.

But it doesn't change the fact that Sony is MIA at the moment and its lack of investment in the sales channel, the product platform and its bookstore has effectively erased every drop of edge it started with -- an edge it enjoyed well before the Kindle launch.

[sonyreaderfan]

Originally Posted by SensualPoet

These sorts of objections assume Kobo is a static product and, if nothing else is certain, Kobo has shown fierce determination to evolve its devices and platform. In barely a year it has gone from price leading at launch ($149 when the Kindle and Nook eink devices were $259), to leading the market in "simple", to embracing new capabilities in two model refreshes (WiFi, then Pearl eink with IR touch) while also releasing very capable apps for mobile devices from Apple, Android, Blackberry, all of which now sync with each other.

I don't see the problem with delivering the best reading experience with the books you sell -- that's what the ecosystem model is all about. Yet Kobo has gone further, supporting other formats and, given all this, it's realistic to expect continued enhancements of both native and sideloaded content.

I'm not assuming static product, in fact the opposite. If you read the rest of the post, I wrote, "Hope Kobo comes around and removes the limitations on sideloaded contents, seeing how they now let you change fonts on sideloaded contents."

So don't selective quote me to to set up a spiel about Kobo's "fierce determination." That's disingenuous.

From reading Kobo's forum, it seems their firmware is fairly buggy, from complaints of laggy touch response, wi-fi issues, among other things. So I would expect rapid firmware updates to satisfy the customers.

Right now Kobo is a start up and it feels like one. I called customer service regarding their iOS app (it was buggy) and the person tried to guide me through it using the RIM version of it. Hilarity ensues.