Sir Stringer on the Reader: "We're not making enough..." - Page 2

RWood · 01-19-2007, 12:01 AM

When I was in college I averaged just over a book a week in lit and related reading for my courses -- this is beyond the textbooks themselves. If these were on an e-reader it would have ben mush easier. For those types of assignments products like the Sony Reader are perfect. (I was never one to mark my books. I always kept a notebook close when reading.)

TheMooch · 01-19-2007, 12:28 AM

I think that Sony would have MUCH better sense if they burned the old adage of Judging a book by it's cover. Allow the option to browse by artwork with the title and price listed under it. Even doing a "bookshelf" a la iTunes latest incarnation would be more acceptable.

Titles alone rarely give you an insight to a story. Cover art doesn't necessarily provide you with more insight, but it does tend to be the "attention getter". Notice how most ebooks don't have a copy of the cover art included it it? It's usually licensed separately from the book if memory serves. They may get the rights to digitize the book for distribution, but not the artwork.

As far as text books go..I don't know. My experience with text books was that I was always flipping back and forth searching information. Without a DECENT search capability I certainly wouldn't waste money on a digital text book, but that's just me.

Unfortunately none of this is likely to come about Sony has been NOTORIOUS over the years by going thier own way (Memory Stick) when the rest of the world is on the same path (Compact Flash).

nekokami · 01-19-2007, 09:15 AM

I don't write in my books either, but most other students do, as far as I can tell. (Even I might annotate an eBook, though.) And a search function would be absolutely critical. If they really want to capture the student market, they need to 1) build an Info Pad, not an eBook reader and 2) sign on a bunch of textbook publishers, because not all students are majoring in literature. I think I had a grand total of two classes as an undergraduate that involved reading books other than textbooks. As a graduate student, I've had none-- every class has required a textbook or, more recently, a stack of photocopied journal articles. (Now there's a great use for an eBook reader.)

slayda · 01-19-2007, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NatCh

I don't give a fetid pair of dingo's kidneys for wifi in a Reader either, LG.

You have fetid dingos in Texas?

NatCh · 01-19-2007, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMooch

...Sony has been NOTORIOUS over the years by going thier own way (Memory Stick) when the rest of the world is on the same path (Compact Flash).

Two points worthy of note:

One, that the Reader allows an SD card as well as Memory Stick (a point that many of us view as hopeful in regard to possible ... adjustments in Sony's attitude toward media).

Two, I haven't done any research or anything (so this point is suspect to start with), but my impression is that the world is going more toward SD cards than CF.

Certainly I'd think that SD has wide enough usage that I wouldn't say that the world was on the CF path.

I do think that the CF vs. SD thing would be an interesting question for discussion, though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by slayda

You have fetid dingos in Texas?

Nah, the dingos aren't fetid, only their kidneys, and that's only after you leave them lying out for a few days.

yvanleterrible · 01-19-2007, 11:44 AM

Biologically speaking, all kidneys are fetid smelling, they are the body's urine filter.

Seriously, the Sony reader was not conceived to be a study machine. It was meant to cater to a novel market. A better tool for this is the Iliad. An even better would be the Kindle that Amazon researched. This because of the keyboard, wifi and the 'slip-in-notebook' size. And not to forget, the projected price.

HarryT · 01-19-2007, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NatCh

I don't give a fetid pair of dingo's kidneys for wifi in a Reader either, LG.

Thirded, Nat

. There are a number of enhancements which would be useful on the Reader (have I mentioned that I'd like a "Search" facility?

). but I couldn't give two hoots about WiFi. It just seems to be the latest "must have" thing that marketeers are telling manufacturers that every device just has to have.

TheMooch · 01-19-2007, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NatCh

Two points worthy of note:

One, that the Reader allows an SD card as well as Memory Stick (a point that many of us view as hopeful in regard to possible ... adjustments in Sony's attitude toward media).

Two, I haven't done any research or anything (so this point is suspect to start with), but my impression is that the world is going more toward SD cards than CF.

Certainly I'd think that SD has wide enough usage that I wouldn't say that the world was on the CF path.

I do think that the CF vs. SD thing would be an interesting question for discussion, though.

You are correct. I only meant to point out that Sony won't necessarily do something just because it's a current standard or what the world prefers. I agree, the world is moving more towards SD and away from CF. Had the PRS-500 only used Memory Stick and not had SD capability I might have debated on purchasing it much longer than I did.

NatCh · 01-19-2007, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMooch

I only meant to point out that Sony won't necessarily do something just because it's a current standard or what the world prefers.

You can sure say that again, TheMooch.

alex_d · 01-19-2007, 10:18 PM

Sony is going after "education" for one big reason:

It can join everyone else and charge you a $100 for a 20-yo textbook. Sony is, above all, a content company. And its greed lies in figuring out how to make you pay for content. The biggest money is in textbooks. To think ebook textbooks will cost less is a joke.

anyway, thank god that the online comrades have already scanned in a huge amount of textbooks, non-fiction books, popular fiction, and even keep up-to-date on the better magazines. There's gigabytes and gigabytes of the stuff out there. Just as with the ipod, the clueless yuppies can go off sucking on their pigopolist teet and be happy as clams. Everyone else will just steal.

Hence, this is the Reader's REAL killer app. It's hard reading all those stolen books on the PC. For me it's not a choice of pBook vs eBook. It's tethered LCD vs unhindered eInk. This choice is easy. And I love that I've made it.

Anchoku · 01-20-2007, 01:05 AM

If I remember right, Sony's first version failed because of two reasons.
1. Too expensive (the panel cost was high at launch) so only first-adopters got one
2. Content protection, DRM, whatever it was, it was overly restrictive and the reader wouldn't let people put what they wanted on it

HarryT · 01-20-2007, 07:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alex_d

Sony is going after "education" for one big reason:

It can join everyone else and charge you a $100 for a 20-yo textbook. Sony is, above all, a content company. And its greed lies in figuring out how to make you pay for content. The biggest money is in textbooks. To think ebook textbooks will cost less is a joke.

anyway, thank god that the online comrades have already scanned in a huge amount of textbooks, non-fiction books, popular fiction, and even keep up-to-date on the better magazines. There's gigabytes and gigabytes of the stuff out there. Just as with the ipod, the clueless yuppies can go off sucking on their pigopolist teet and be happy as clams. Everyone else will just steal.

What an incredibly depressing view of the world

I must be a "clueless yuppie", I guess, because I certainly don't steal books; I have too much respect for authors to do so (plus the fact I am an author myself, and I wouldn't like other people to steal from me). Nor do I buy them from Connect.

Oh well, back to the pigopolist teet.

slayda · 01-20-2007, 08:06 AM

I may not be a yuppie but I am clueless. What the heck is a pigopolist? I'm a country boy so I know what a teet is.

NatCh · 01-20-2007, 08:12 AM

Me too, I guess. Wow, how have I missed the "Clueless Yuppie" tattoo across my forehead all this time?

You get extra points for using the word "teat" but lose half of them for misspelling it.

I think a "pigopolis" is supposed to be a metropolis for capitalist pigs, Slayda.

HarryT · 01-20-2007, 08:34 AM

I'm rather flattered to think that I might be a "yuppie". Certainly better than "middle-aged, fat, balding guy" which is what my mirror shows

.

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01-19-2007, 12:01 AM	#16
RWood Technogeezer Posts: 7,233 Karma: 1601464 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Virginia, USA Device: Sony PRS-500	When I was in college I averaged just over a book a week in lit and related reading for my courses -- this is beyond the textbooks themselves. If these were on an e-reader it would have ben mush easier. For those types of assignments products like the Sony Reader are perfect. (I was never one to mark my books. I always kept a notebook close when reading.)

01-19-2007, 12:28 AM	#17
TheMooch Member Retired Posts: 102 Karma: 226 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: San Jose, CA Device: PRS-500 Sony eReader	I think that Sony would have MUCH better sense if they burned the old adage of Judging a book by it's cover. Allow the option to browse by artwork with the title and price listed under it. Even doing a "bookshelf" a la iTunes latest incarnation would be more acceptable. Titles alone rarely give you an insight to a story. Cover art doesn't necessarily provide you with more insight, but it does tend to be the "attention getter". Notice how most ebooks don't have a copy of the cover art included it it? It's usually licensed separately from the book if memory serves. They may get the rights to digitize the book for distribution, but not the artwork. As far as text books go..I don't know. My experience with text books was that I was always flipping back and forth searching information. Without a DECENT search capability I certainly wouldn't waste money on a digital text book, but that's just me. Unfortunately none of this is likely to come about Sony has been NOTORIOUS over the years by going thier own way (Memory Stick) when the rest of the world is on the same path (Compact Flash).

01-19-2007, 09:15 AM	#18
nekokami fruminous edugeek Posts: 6,745 Karma: 551260 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Northeast US Device: iPad, eBw 1150	I don't write in my books either, but most other students do, as far as I can tell. (Even I might annotate an eBook, though.) And a search function would be absolutely critical. If they really want to capture the student market, they need to 1) build an Info Pad, not an eBook reader and 2) sign on a bunch of textbook publishers, because not all students are majoring in literature. I think I had a grand total of two classes as an undergraduate that involved reading books other than textbooks. As a graduate student, I've had none-- every class has required a textbook or, more recently, a stack of photocopied journal articles. (Now there's a great use for an eBook reader.)

01-19-2007, 11:44 AM	#21
yvanleterrible Reborn Paper User Posts: 8,616 Karma: 15446734 Join Date: May 2006 Location: Que Nada Device: iPhone8, iPad Air	Biologically speaking, all kidneys are fetid smelling, they are the body's urine filter. Seriously, the Sony reader was not conceived to be a study machine. It was meant to cater to a novel market. A better tool for this is the Iliad. An even better would be the Kindle that Amazon researched. This because of the keyboard, wifi and the 'slip-in-notebook' size. And not to forget, the projected price.

01-19-2007, 10:18 PM	#25
alex_d Addict Posts: 303 Karma: 187 Join Date: Dec 2006 Device: Sony Reader	Sony is going after "education" for one big reason: It can join everyone else and charge you a $100 for a 20-yo textbook. Sony is, above all, a content company. And its greed lies in figuring out how to make you pay for content. The biggest money is in textbooks. To think ebook textbooks will cost less is a joke. anyway, thank god that the online comrades have already scanned in a huge amount of textbooks, non-fiction books, popular fiction, and even keep up-to-date on the better magazines. There's gigabytes and gigabytes of the stuff out there. Just as with the ipod, the clueless yuppies can go off sucking on their pigopolist teet and be happy as clams. Everyone else will just steal. Hence, this is the Reader's REAL killer app. It's hard reading all those stolen books on the PC. For me it's not a choice of pBook vs eBook. It's tethered LCD vs unhindered eInk. This choice is easy. And I love that I've made it.

01-20-2007, 01:05 AM	#26
Anchoku Connoisseur Posts: 54 Karma: 164 Join Date: Jan 2007	If I remember right, Sony's first version failed because of two reasons. 1. Too expensive (the panel cost was high at launch) so only first-adopters got one 2. Content protection, DRM, whatever it was, it was overly restrictive and the reader wouldn't let people put what they wanted on it

01-20-2007, 08:06 AM	#28
slayda Retired & reading more! Posts: 2,764 Karma: 1884247 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: North Alabama, USA Device: Kindle 1, iPad Air 2, iPhone 6S+, Kobo Aura One	I may not be a yuppie but I am clueless. What the heck is a pigopolist? I'm a country boy so I know what a teet is.

01-20-2007, 08:12 AM	#29
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	Me too, I guess. Wow, how have I missed the "Clueless Yuppie" tattoo across my forehead all this time? You get extra points for using the word "teat" but lose half of them for misspelling it. I think a "pigopolis" is supposed to be a metropolis for capitalist pigs, Slayda.

01-20-2007, 08:34 AM	#30
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I'm rather flattered to think that I might be a "yuppie". Certainly better than "middle-aged, fat, balding guy" which is what my mirror shows .

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