Sony Preparing New E-Book Reader to Challenge Amazon

[speakingtohe]

I paid $379 for my Sony 600. I could have waited 6 months and bought the 650 for a lot less, or bought a cheaper reader originally.

I had a hard time paying that much, but it seemed so much nicer with it's touch screen etc. and I have not once regretted the decision.

I know I would have been just as happy with the kindle as I bought one for my mother, but for myself, I would have a difficult time switching to any of the other brand ereaders currently on the market.

Maybe in the fall

Helen

[EatingPie]

Originally Posted by elcreative

Actually that's the one thing this thread hasn't demonstrated... plenty of the posters here have said they'd still buy Sony regardless... it seems that quality still wins over cheapness with many people...

Ah ha! I agree, since I'm one of those!

But my point is that we spent so much time talking about price that I think it illustrates how important price actually is. That we need to justify the cost at all is at issue.

-Pie

[dsafire]

I do wish my 600 had a sharper screen, but I am so much happier with the metal case over the plastic the other guys are offering. I hope they dont switch over to plastic in the name of keeping the price down.

[Pinecone]

Originally Posted by elcreative

Actually that's the one thing this thread hasn't demonstrated... plenty of the posters here have said they'd still buy Sony regardless... it seems that quality still wins over cheapness with many people...

Exactly.

Just ask BMW, Mercedes, etc.

[Terisa de morgan]

Originally Posted by EatingPie

But my point is that we spent so much time talking about price that I think it illustrates how important price actually is. That we need to justify the cost at all is at issue.

Does it need demonstration, really? Price is always a factor in a decision to purchase but NOT the only factor, or at least I think that way. For example, if I can buy the same model of earrings, in silver of gold, when I only take into account price, I'll always buy the silver ones, but that isn't true. If a thing is more expensive than other, of course you have to justify the purchase of the more expensive one (if you're sensible, that's all).

In my case, the software included in Sony justifies the price. That's MY case. The next generation? Wait and see. There're still some features I want for my reader that are not included in Sony (and no, the PRS+ -that I have installed- doesn't offer them). If I find them, it's very probable I purchase another one. Good hardware, good price and a crappy software (sorry, the library management in Kindle looks like that to me) is not a good offer. But I'm a software girl, so...

[SensualPoet]

If you accept that a 6" Kindle, Kobo, Nook and Sony e-ink e-reader each delivers about the same performance -- the ability to easily purchase, read and manage a modest library of purchased/borrowed ebooks -- then secondary factors start to come into play. These include the "nice-to-haves" -- like case construction, local stores in which to purchase the e-reader, design attributes, brand experience -- and, of course, price.

If every reader delivers the basics about equally well (in the mind of the buyer), after the "nice-to-haves" tip the balance somewhat to this reader or that, then price starts to become important.

It's true you can buy a Yugo or BMW and accomplish the task of picking up groceries ... but one of those choices, despite appeal to the ego and status, still presents the household budget with a price hurdle: it's not enough to say, "I always buy BMW".

Buying an e-reader doesn't have the same impact on the household budget, of course. I don't think many people, who will actually use an e-reader regularly, will blanch about the difference of $99, $114, $129 or $139 -- it's all close enough.

Kindle, Kobo and Nook have planted themselves in the $139 territory. Sony, in its wisdom, is $229 (and $249 in Canada). When the Sony e-reader sits on the shelf next to another brand, the consumer is starkly faced with nearly twice the price for a 6" reader. And for those who care, the more expensive one doesn't offer wifi.

Now, the new e-readers from Sony may very well offer new goodies and a more competitive price. Last year's refresh matched the brand new Pearl screen from Kindle and updated the touch technology. This year they may up-the-ante while matching wifi. But unless they narrow the price gap, most consumers will look elsewhere and that's a really odd thing considering it is Sony that led for so long and it is Sony that remains the only legitimate CE in this playing field.

[readingglasses]

We think there will still be a market for dedicated readers as long as "tablets remain in the $500 price range,” Lubell said."

Totally wack. Not only bookstore sales clerks but even manufacturer reps present the tablet/pda/ereader as basically the same thing, with only software controls to distinguish. THE WHOLE POINT OF AN EREADER is the ELECTRONIC INK PAGE. An ipad has its software advantages, as does a blackberry. But sales clerks never talk about "just compare how easy on the eyes the eink is compared to a backlit lcd". I guess they figure most customers would be confused and then upset by having to "learn" something in the store. A cheap tablet really might crush all eink readers, not only because people wouldn't care about the difference but because the difference was never really marketed to them.

so maybe we'll all lose access to the eink technology to ignorant mass adoption of cheapo lcd screens, just because they can play games in color and watch youtube on a full featured browser.
Hug your readers tightly, people, they're on their way out.

[Tony1988]

Originally Posted by readingglasses

Hug your readers tightly, people, they're on their way out.

Doubtful. But if they were, LCD screens are making strides with easy on the eyes grayscale. People are making too much of devices that display books.

[EatingPie]

Originally Posted by readingglasses

We think there will still be a market for dedicated readers as long as "tablets remain in the $500 price range,” Lubell said."

Totally wack. Not only bookstore sales clerks but even manufacturer reps present the tablet/pda/ereader as basically the same thing, with only software controls to distinguish. THE WHOLE POINT OF AN EREADER is the ELECTRONIC INK PAGE. An ipad has its software advantages, as does a blackberry. But sales clerks never talk about "just compare how easy on the eyes the eink is compared to a backlit lcd". I guess they figure most customers would be confused and then upset by having to "learn" something in the store. A cheap tablet really might crush all eink readers, not only because people wouldn't care about the difference but because the difference was never really marketed to them.

so maybe we'll all lose access to the eink technology to ignorant mass adoption of cheapo lcd screens, just because they can play games in color and watch youtube on a full featured browser.
Hug your readers tightly, people, they're on their way out.

This is a Sony-Takes-On-Amazon thread, but the proof is in the pudding... and the pudding is The Kindle.

Amazon still says its their best selling item ever. And there are millions of e-Ink devices sold every year. As long as there are buyers, there will be makers.

E-Ink is a tough sell... I agree with that and always have. It's hard to thrill people about a screen and a B&W one at that! I read technology sites that still don't get it. However, Amazon, again to the rescue! The hot-chick-reading-in-the-sun ad is a killer. And I swear as I typed this, a Kindle ad just popped on the TV where it was the 100s-of-books-on-a-device ad.

Amazon is the only bookseller majorly advertising, but they are doing a good job. It's the same message I sell whenever someone asks me -- and I bet, the same message most of us give when approached with the "what's that!?!" question: e-Ink is like a real book. But Amazon is doing it on a mass market level, and it's working.

-Pie

[Halk]

Originally Posted by readingglasses

so maybe we'll all lose access to the eink technology to ignorant mass adoption of cheapo lcd screens, just because they can play games in color and watch youtube on a full featured browser.
Hug your readers tightly, people, they're on their way out.

Nah. The market is expanding rapidly and it'll end up many times larger than it is now. There will still be room for electronic ink.

Remember though that electronic ink will go colour eventually, and contrast will improve, costs will come down, speed will increase.

Originally Posted by SensualPoet

If you accept that a 6" Kindle, Kobo, Nook and Sony e-ink e-reader each delivers about the same performance -- the ability to easily purchase, read and manage a modest library of purchased/borrowed ebooks -- then secondary factors start to come into play. These include the "nice-to-haves" -- like case construction, local stores in which to purchase the e-reader, design attributes, brand experience -- and, of course, price.

If every reader delivers the basics about equally well (in the mind of the buyer), after the "nice-to-haves" tip the balance somewhat to this reader or that, then price starts to become important.

It's true you can buy a Yugo or BMW and accomplish the task of picking up groceries ... but one of those choices, despite appeal to the ego and status, still presents the household budget with a price hurdle: it's not enough to say, "I always buy BMW".

Buying an e-reader doesn't have the same impact on the household budget, of course. I don't think many people, who will actually use an e-reader regularly, will blanch about the difference of $99, $114, $129 or $139 -- it's all close enough.

Kindle, Kobo and Nook have planted themselves in the $139 territory. Sony, in its wisdom, is $229 (and $249 in Canada). When the Sony e-reader sits on the shelf next to another brand, the consumer is starkly faced with nearly twice the price for a 6" reader. And for those who care, the more expensive one doesn't offer wifi.

Now, the new e-readers from Sony may very well offer new goodies and a more competitive price. Last year's refresh matched the brand new Pearl screen from Kindle and updated the touch technology. This year they may up-the-ante while matching wifi. But unless they narrow the price gap, most consumers will look elsewhere and that's a really odd thing considering it is Sony that led for so long and it is Sony that remains the only legitimate CE in this playing field.

It has a lot to do with marketing and availability; the latter you talked about. Amazon gets the word out on its Kindles better than any other eInk manufacturer. Sony is dead last in marketing. I doubt I ever would have heard of the Sony x00 and x50 readers if not for sites like this one. I might have stumbled across one in a retail store, but Sony is also dead last in the availability category too. Even Amazon has their Kindles available in more brick and mortar shops in the USA than Sony does their readers. As a matter of fact, none of the brick and mortar shops in my area even seem to want to carry the Sony Readers anymore. I guess they simply don't sell well when they are sitting next to 3 or 4 less expensive brands. Heck, you can buy the top of the line 6" Kindle 3G Wifi model for less than the 650, assuming you could ever find a 650. I think it will take a lot more than Harry Potter to create huge sales for any new Sony Readers. It will take a mindset change at Sony! And it will take a 950-like reader priced at no more than $140. But they best get rid of that darn metallic silver and find some black paint!

[Wordeater]

Originally Posted by Pinecone

Exactly.

Just ask BMW, Mercedes, etc.

+2

WE

[Waba]

Sony is to Kindle as PC gaming is to consoles...

Able to more and do it better, but the masses are more interested saving time and money than the best experience.

Sony should drop the 6" line, for simplicity. After reading on a 7" reader, I don't think I can ever go back.

... Maybe the next Kindle will have a 7" screen. They'd have to drop that hideous keyboard for a touchscreen... If it was half the price, I'd have to go with the 7" Kindle4. But I'd miss the build quality and especially the superior firmware (PRS+ anyone?) of the PRS.

As far as the Sony having awful software comment, I've been reading on PRSs for 5 years and have never installed it!

[Pinecone]

Sorry, the 6" screen is perfect for my use. 7" would limit when I can carry it.

[JSWolf]

Sony does better at selling readers then Amazon. Sony sells out. Amazon does not.