Do you feel any loyalty to your reader's 'brand'? - Page 2

NachoPanza · 10-23-2009, 11:58 AM

I voted features but almost chose other. Often times I do try to avoid brands . . . actually purchased the Sony in spite of being a Sony. Nearly every Sony product I've had over the last 20 years (TVs, camcorders, digital camera, dvd player) died an early death. However, being an extremely slow learner, I still chose Sony for having the features I want and few I don't want.

Xenophon · 10-23-2009, 01:39 PM

Other. I've been a happy Mac user for two decades, and am unlikely to switch, so I'm pretty loyal to Apple -- but even so, I happily buy from other vendors when the alternatives are better.

For my Sony Readers, I'm not especially loyal to Sony. I tend to shop on a combination of features (especially physical ergonomics!), perceived quality, price, and corporate reputation. I'm less likely to purchase from a little-known brand, unless the item is of no particular consequence or the features/price/quality are significantly better than the big(ger) brand alternative.

In terms of Readers, that means that my wife and I are currently looking through lots of alternatives as possible replacements for her prs-500. And I'm waiting to see a prs-600, a Nook, and a iRex DRG-800 in person to see what I think of them -- I'm not happy with the display quality on my prs-700.

Xenophon

TallMomof2 · 10-23-2009, 05:00 PM

Favor features slightly over brand name. When I was looking for a laptop the only one I found that worked well for me was the Macbook Pro. It's the only laptop on which I can easily type. The only annoyance is that the "M" looks like an upside down "W". But I mostly run Win 7 through VMWare.

I started reading ebooks on a Palm clone and have a big eReader format library. But since those ebooks can be liberated I am not restricted to a Palm device even though I just upgraded my phone to a nice Windows smartphone and the first thing I did was load eReader. Too bad I have to load the ebooks manually. But this is simply a backup reading device.

When I starting looking for a dedicated eInk reader I wanted features similar to what's found on eReader software. Dictionary lookup is very important to me. At the time of the first Kindle launch if there had been an eInk with eReader software I would've been all over it. I was willing to take the plunge into a new proprietary format because most of my ebooks are one time reads. Luckily, all of my ebooks (except for 2 or 3 in Topaz format) can be liberated if I so desire. Also, my eyes could not take any additional long reading sessions with a backlit LCD so I was anxious to get an eInk reader.

As long as I have dictionary lookup, easy access to my library, and an eInk screen of at least 6" I'm happy.

GA Russell · 10-23-2009, 05:47 PM

I chose "I shop on features."

I asked a couple of weeks ago about build quality, and at that time no one had anything bad to say about any of them. I have since seen a bad review of the Bookeen.

Since the industry is new, and they are all made in big factories in China, and all the eInk screens are made in the same factory in Taiwan, I don't see any reason to trust an old brand much more than a new one.

superstitious · 10-23-2009, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geneven

"Whomever" in the poll question is a classic "in order to be correct, it has to sound really awkward, so I'll pick whomever here" mistake. "Whoever" is correct and sounds a lot better.

Sorry for being off topic here but this was discussed in one of The Office episode whether to use "whomever" or "whoever" and which ever one is correct.

On another note, I choose my reader according to features in regard to the price range. I have my budget and then go from there, whatever has more features I use and for how much.

delphidb96 · 10-24-2009, 12:32 AM

Other - All I want is an easy-to-use electronische-buch-leser. So far, bith sony and bookeen have done their best to fail me.

Derek

bbusybookworm · 10-24-2009, 01:28 AM

I've usually Shopped for feature more then Brands when getting new Readers.

I've gone from Sony ---- Bookeen ---- Astak so I'm not that brand Loyal. I did up getting a second Gen 3 From Bookeen, but that was mainly fro practical reasons, as I got it for a present and having physically the same device would make it easy for me to troubleshoot and maintain it for the Giftee.

Part of the Reason that I'm not that concerned with Brand is also because I'm not that particularly tied to a Format or store. So while I do buy DRM protected books, I only buy them in formats I can DeDRM, meaning that I can easily format shift them as and when I want or need to.

As Such I'm free to shop around for a device that has most of the features I'm looking for. If the devices are comparable in Features and Price, then I'll Probably give greater consideration to the Brand, but even then I'm more likely to be more adventurous in that choice, and be eager to try a new Brand to see if it is better.

But then again, most of us here tend to be more of early adapters, meaning that we'll research the market, and pick the best one for the job. For the Mass market, non technical consumer, Brand is going to be pretty important, as it'll signify a certain amount of quality and service as well as compatibility if upgrading.

Avarwen · 10-24-2009, 01:31 AM

I don't do brand loyalty I just buy what ever meets my needs at the time. Later if I need to I upgrade even if it means changing brands.

Tattncat · 10-24-2009, 02:17 AM

I choose other. Currently I am leaning towards Sony......Because of formats accepted....In my opinion the ability of a reader to read a variety of formats is most important. I see mo need to purchase a reader that restricts content to just their store.

In addition, I see no reason, if an eBook supplier insists on drm that a peron couldn't download their books in multiple drm'd formats thus allowing them to put their books on whatever reading devices they own. For example: the same book on Sony and also the same book on a persons Touch?

Hobohodou · 10-24-2009, 06:38 PM

Selected other

I have no loyalty to the brand, The device itself is nice...
I'd have ticked features but...! I don't want an e-reader with too many features...
now...

Things that would be important to me:
A good sized display, Plastic substrate (for that safer feeling), faster CPU/More RAM, optimized OS/Programs....great battery life (i realise with a faster CPU, this would fall, but i mean a balance between performance and battery life)

Things that waste my time,space and money:
No wifi, no 3g, nothing else similar, no bluetooth, no qwerty keyboard

Essentially, I just want a device that displays images/ebooks in black and white...

grimo1re · 10-24-2009, 07:06 PM

Well...I chose the first option but must admit, that because I'm happy with my Sony reader now, I do definitely check out what Sony has on offer. But, I compare and eventually will buy the device that has the right features for my budget

fugazied · 10-25-2009, 05:44 PM

The only company I feel some brand loyalty to is Apple because the experience I got when switching from Windows XP to a Mac was extraordinary. It felt like the OS and product was far far superior, and I followed that up with an iPhone which is also very good. Those experiences earnt them some brand loyalty from me.

However, I just got Windows 7 for my home PC and it's caught up to Apple in many respects so my brand loyalty is receding for Apple hehe.

For ebook readers, none of the devices I have used have been exceptional and offered an experience the competitors couldn't match. There's not much difference between Sony and Amazon or the new B&N device. Amazon have done some stupid things with the Kindle so I have no loyalty to their brand. I hate DRM. I'll change at the drop of a hat to a new reader if it offers features I want.

Sydney's Mom · 10-25-2009, 05:54 PM

I count the bookstore as one of the features. In terms of selection and price, it looks like B&N is going to give Amazon a real run for their money, and its format is more open.

emonti8384 · 11-14-2009, 12:42 PM

I chose loyal no matter what but if I"d have bothered reading (duh) then I would have chose consider features but prefer to select a certain brand. The reading done on my ereader is strictly leisurely (did I spell that right?) so I really don't need wifi or can-do-my-laundry capabilities. My 505 was my first reader and I remember saying that I will have it forever b/c it's the best thing in the whoooole world.

Until the 600

I love the dictionary feature on it and will put little notes to remind myself of certain things. No, the screen quality is not as good as the 505-that's b/c it's not a 505. It is still rather enjoyable and have not had any problems. I didn't think I wanted a touchscreen and now that I have one it is marvelous! Very attractive design, I love the feel and look of it.

All in all, I am loyal to Sony but if something comes out that could possibly be better than my 600 (IMO) than I would consider it if it would improve the quality time spent reading.

JSWolf · 11-14-2009, 12:51 PM

I have been keeping a note of different readers and so far, none of them are as good as Sony. The ones that don't support ePub would never be considered. Then, all the others that have ePub are not as reliable. I'm not bothered by lack of full justification. I've gotten used to it.

I'm waiting to find out about the Que, the DR800SG and the PRS-900.

View Poll Results: Do you shop solely on features, or are you 'loyal' to a brand?
I shop only on features. Whomever has it, has it, and I don't care about the brand	106	65.03%
I consider features but prefer to buy from a certain brand, even if it means waiting and seeing	40	24.54%
I am loyal to the Sony/Apple/Amazon/Whatever brand until my dying day no matter what	3	1.84%
Other (please explain)	14	8.59%
Voters: 163. You may not vote on this poll

10-24-2009, 01:28 AM	#22
bbusybookworm Tech Junkie Posts: 1,027 Karma: 10080 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Earth Device: iPad, MotoXStyle, OnePlusOne	I've usually Shopped for feature more then Brands when getting new Readers. I've gone from Sony ---- Bookeen ---- Astak so I'm not that brand Loyal. I did up getting a second Gen 3 From Bookeen, but that was mainly fro practical reasons, as I got it for a present and having physically the same device would make it easy for me to troubleshoot and maintain it for the Giftee. Part of the Reason that I'm not that concerned with Brand is also because I'm not that particularly tied to a Format or store. So while I do buy DRM protected books, I only buy them in formats I can DeDRM, meaning that I can easily format shift them as and when I want or need to. As Such I'm free to shop around for a device that has most of the features I'm looking for. If the devices are comparable in Features and Price, then I'll Probably give greater consideration to the Brand, but even then I'm more likely to be more adventurous in that choice, and be eager to try a new Brand to see if it is better. But then again, most of us here tend to be more of early adapters, meaning that we'll research the market, and pick the best one for the job. For the Mass market, non technical consumer, Brand is going to be pretty important, as it'll signify a certain amount of quality and service as well as compatibility if upgrading. Last edited by bbusybookworm; 10-24-2009 at 01:31 AM.

10-24-2009, 02:17 AM	#24
Tattncat Bookworm Posts: 673 Karma: 1029391 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah, USA Device: Nook Tablet, Samsung Galaxy Tab3, Sony PRS700, Sony PRS505	I choose other. Currently I am leaning towards Sony......Because of formats accepted....In my opinion the ability of a reader to read a variety of formats is most important. I see mo need to purchase a reader that restricts content to just their store. In addition, I see no reason, if an eBook supplier insists on drm that a peron couldn't download their books in multiple drm'd formats thus allowing them to put their books on whatever reading devices they own. For example: the same book on Sony and also the same book on a persons Touch? Last edited by Tattncat; 10-24-2009 at 02:22 AM.

10-24-2009, 06:38 PM	#25
Hobohodou not such a "badguy" =/ Posts: 27 Karma: 260 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Edinburgh - scotland Device: Cybook Gen3/Bebook + Zune HD	Selected other I have no loyalty to the brand, The device itself is nice... I'd have ticked features but...! I don't want an e-reader with too many features... now... Things that would be important to me: A good sized display, Plastic substrate (for that safer feeling), faster CPU/More RAM, optimized OS/Programs....great battery life (i realise with a faster CPU, this would fall, but i mean a balance between performance and battery life) Things that waste my time,space and money: No wifi, no 3g, nothing else similar, no bluetooth, no qwerty keyboard Essentially, I just want a device that displays images/ebooks in black and white... Last edited by Hobohodou; 10-24-2009 at 06:51 PM.

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10-23-2009, 11:58 AM	#16
NachoPanza Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 38 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Northern California Device: Sony PRS-505	I voted features but almost chose other. Often times I do try to avoid brands . . . actually purchased the Sony in spite of being a Sony. Nearly every Sony product I've had over the last 20 years (TVs, camcorders, digital camera, dvd player) died an early death. However, being an extremely slow learner, I still chose Sony for having the features I want and few I don't want.

10-23-2009, 01:39 PM	#17
Xenophon curmudgeon Posts: 1,487 Karma: 5748190 Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Redwood City, CA USA Device: Kobo Aura HD, (ex)nook, (ex)PRS-700, (ex)PRS-500	Other. I've been a happy Mac user for two decades, and am unlikely to switch, so I'm pretty loyal to Apple -- but even so, I happily buy from other vendors when the alternatives are better. For my Sony Readers, I'm not especially loyal to Sony. I tend to shop on a combination of features (especially physical ergonomics!), perceived quality, price, and corporate reputation. I'm less likely to purchase from a little-known brand, unless the item is of no particular consequence or the features/price/quality are significantly better than the big(ger) brand alternative. In terms of Readers, that means that my wife and I are currently looking through lots of alternatives as possible replacements for her prs-500. And I'm waiting to see a prs-600, a Nook, and a iRex DRG-800 in person to see what I think of them -- I'm not happy with the display quality on my prs-700. Xenophon

10-23-2009, 05:00 PM	#18
TallMomof2 Kindlephilia Posts: 2,017 Karma: 1139255 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Snowpacolypse 2010 Device: Too many to count	Favor features slightly over brand name. When I was looking for a laptop the only one I found that worked well for me was the Macbook Pro. It's the only laptop on which I can easily type. The only annoyance is that the "M" looks like an upside down "W". But I mostly run Win 7 through VMWare. I started reading ebooks on a Palm clone and have a big eReader format library. But since those ebooks can be liberated I am not restricted to a Palm device even though I just upgraded my phone to a nice Windows smartphone and the first thing I did was load eReader. Too bad I have to load the ebooks manually. But this is simply a backup reading device. When I starting looking for a dedicated eInk reader I wanted features similar to what's found on eReader software. Dictionary lookup is very important to me. At the time of the first Kindle launch if there had been an eInk with eReader software I would've been all over it. I was willing to take the plunge into a new proprietary format because most of my ebooks are one time reads. Luckily, all of my ebooks (except for 2 or 3 in Topaz format) can be liberated if I so desire. Also, my eyes could not take any additional long reading sessions with a backlit LCD so I was anxious to get an eInk reader. As long as I have dictionary lookup, easy access to my library, and an eInk screen of at least 6" I'm happy.

10-23-2009, 05:47 PM	#19
GA Russell Stampeders are hot! Posts: 7,692 Karma: 31487351 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Raleigh, NC Device: Paperwhite, Kindles 10 & 4 and jetBook Lite	I chose "I shop on features." I asked a couple of weeks ago about build quality, and at that time no one had anything bad to say about any of them. I have since seen a bad review of the Bookeen. Since the industry is new, and they are all made in big factories in China, and all the eInk screens are made in the same factory in Taiwan, I don't see any reason to trust an old brand much more than a new one.

10-24-2009, 12:32 AM	#21
delphidb96 Wizard Posts: 2,999 Karma: 300001 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Citrus Heights, California Device: TWO Kindle 2s, one each Bookeen Cybook Gen3, Sony PRS-500, Axim X51V	Other - All I want is an easy-to-use electronische-buch-leser. So far, bith sony and bookeen have done their best to fail me. Derek

10-24-2009, 01:31 AM	#23
Avarwen Connoisseur Posts: 87 Karma: 12170 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: EZ_ Reader, Nook wifi, Kindle 3G	I don't do brand loyalty I just buy what ever meets my needs at the time. Later if I need to I upgrade even if it means changing brands.

10-24-2009, 07:06 PM	#26
grimo1re Geekette Posts: 435 Karma: 3335 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: NSW, Australia Device: Sony Reader PRS500, PocketBook 360	Well...I chose the first option but must admit, that because I'm happy with my Sony reader now, I do definitely check out what Sony has on offer. But, I compare and eventually will buy the device that has the right features for my budget

10-25-2009, 05:44 PM	#27
fugazied Wizard Posts: 1,305 Karma: 1958 Join Date: Jan 2009 Device: iPod Touch	The only company I feel some brand loyalty to is Apple because the experience I got when switching from Windows XP to a Mac was extraordinary. It felt like the OS and product was far far superior, and I followed that up with an iPhone which is also very good. Those experiences earnt them some brand loyalty from me. However, I just got Windows 7 for my home PC and it's caught up to Apple in many respects so my brand loyalty is receding for Apple hehe. For ebook readers, none of the devices I have used have been exceptional and offered an experience the competitors couldn't match. There's not much difference between Sony and Amazon or the new B&N device. Amazon have done some stupid things with the Kindle so I have no loyalty to their brand. I hate DRM. I'll change at the drop of a hat to a new reader if it offers features I want.

10-25-2009, 05:54 PM	#28
Sydney's Mom Wizard Posts: 2,899 Karma: 6995721 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Idaho, on the side of a mountain Device: Kindle Oasis, Fire 3d Gen and 5th Gen and Samsung Tab S	I count the bookstore as one of the features. In terms of selection and price, it looks like B&N is going to give Amazon a real run for their money, and its format is more open.

11-14-2009, 12:42 PM	#29
emonti8384 browneyedgurl Posts: 523 Karma: 356470 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Warren, OH Device: PRS-505/950x2, PRS-600 silver, Galaxy III purple, T2 black	I chose loyal no matter what but if I"d have bothered reading (duh) then I would have chose consider features but prefer to select a certain brand. The reading done on my ereader is strictly leisurely (did I spell that right?) so I really don't need wifi or can-do-my-laundry capabilities. My 505 was my first reader and I remember saying that I will have it forever b/c it's the best thing in the whoooole world. Until the 600 I love the dictionary feature on it and will put little notes to remind myself of certain things. No, the screen quality is not as good as the 505-that's b/c it's not a 505. It is still rather enjoyable and have not had any problems. I didn't think I wanted a touchscreen and now that I have one it is marvelous! Very attractive design, I love the feel and look of it. All in all, I am loyal to Sony but if something comes out that could possibly be better than my 600 (IMO) than I would consider it if it would improve the quality time spent reading.

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11-14-2009, 12:51 PM	#30
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,750 Karma: 145864619 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	I have been keeping a note of different readers and so far, none of them are as good as Sony. The ones that don't support ePub would never be considered. Then, all the others that have ePub are not as reliable. I'm not bothered by lack of full justification. I've gotten used to it. I'm waiting to find out about the Que, the DR800SG and the PRS-900.