Sony will launch next generation ereader tomorrow

[Latinandgreek]

Originally Posted by SensualPoet

Sony's new devices are a welcome improvement: lighter, smaller, more stylish, improved touch, Pearl e-ink, dictionaries, etc.

But in Canada, in spite of the cachet of the Sony brand, the pricing is just out of whack. $249 for the 6" non-wifi PRS 650 vs $139 for the wifi-enabled Kindle 3 vs $149 for the basic model Kobo that plays ePub files. For Canada, the latter two have very credible bookstores as well; Sony's bookstore in Canada is problematic at best.

Sure, Sony in Canada can command a premium (Kindle's are only sold online), but not $100. And when the Kobo drops in a few days or weeks as it simply must, that's going to be up to a $150 premium -- more than double the price to select "Sony".

It's true Sony can try the trade-off: wifi vs touch screen but in the sales conversation that's simply not going to fly.

Sony: 5", touch screen, no wifi, problematic bookstore - $199; sony stores, best buy
Sony: 6", touch screen, no wifi, problematic bookstore - $249; sony stores, best buy
Kobo/Chapters: 6", no touch screen, no wifi, Canadian bookstore, easy to use - $99-$149; largest Canadian book chain, Wal-mart
Kindle 3/Amazon: 6", no touch screen, wifi, best bookstore, large support community - $139; amazon, a trusted provider of books, dvds

At this pricing, Sony has it's work cut out for it in Canada.

The price is steep. Honestly? I plan on making a trip south over the border next time I'm in Canada to get my Sony Reader (either the 650 or the 950, I haven't yet decided) to save myself the price difference. With Ontario tax the 6 inch Touch reader would work out to about $280.

For me, the touch screen, Pearl technology and 12 dictionaries are more than worth the extra price I'd be paying for getting a Sony rather than a Kindle. (wi-fi and 3g don't interest me, and I do a lot of translating work for which I'd like to mark up the text with my own handwriting - I need to use foreign characters. The Kindle's keyboard wouldn't cut it for me. I also read a fair bit in foreign languages, and I'd love the dictionaries. The ability to purchase more dictionaries would be an ever bigger bonus. I have been considering a Kindle DX as a large screen reader, but I have decided to wait on getting a 9.7 inch reader, as I would like one with better PDF rendering capabilities and with a touch screen).

However, I doubt that the extra features would appeal to most readers (or rather, appeal to them enough to warrant paying the added price). This is too bad; I love Sony's Readers and would hate to see them stop making them. This is why I AM glad that no one brand has a monopoly on e-readers - it leaves us consumers with more choices.

[JSWolf]

I'm considering the 950. And by the time the 950 is out for sale, I'll either have most or all of the money to buy one.

[maxbookworm]

Originally Posted by Latinandgreek

Honestly? I plan on making a trip south over the border next time I'm in Canada to get my Sony Reader (either the 650 or the 950, I haven't yet decided) to save myself the price difference.

Ha ha... and I'm considering a trip north of the border just so I can get a silver one, lol!

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by maxbookworm

Ha ha... and I'm considering a trip north of the border just so I can get a silver one, lol!

Get a 950 and you'll have silver.

[maxbookworm]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Get a 950 and you'll have silver.

Nah, it's too big. The 350 is too small. The 650 is juuuust right

[JSWolf]

I think the 950 is just right. But to each his own. But I do have to agree that a 5" screen is too small.

[maxbookworm]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I think the 950 is just right. But to each his own. But I do have to agree that a 5" screen is too small.

Right, I should have said juuust right for me

And maybe I *should* check out the 950, just to be sure!

[jaxx6166]

I've got WiFi and an experimental browser on my Kindle. I've got a web browser on my nook.

In all honesty, the only thing I've ever used the damn thing for was to spend more money on an impulse buy.

And as for the Kindle wifi/store stuff, they can keep it. i haven't bought a kindle book that i couldn't make "mine."

I go through the "hassle" of spending 30 seconds on every eBook I own so I can covert it into a format that can be read on ALL my toys. I have an iPad that I like the pretty display of my book collection on. I use calibre to keep my library consistent across the board. Sure, I have other eReaders, but they all serve different purposes. If I am going anywhere near a B&N, I bring my nook to see what other stuff B/N has to play with. If I'm at work, I bring my kindle, as it's the only one still with an extended warranty. If I was reading at night, I'd use my 600 in bed or in dimly lit places.

I don't like multitask ebook readers. I'm actually thinking of getting rid of my nook because of the stupid games they added to it. I have an iPad that acts as a reading device, yet I never seem to get much reading done on it...wonder why.

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I think the 950 is just right. But to each his own. But I do have to agree that a 5" screen is too small.

I like both. I got a 5", 6" and a 7". I use all three to satisfaction.

[SkyDream]

Still using my 505 in favour of the 900 but the 950 may get me back to it.

[Merbear]

If you can, return your daughter's 600, give her your 600 and get a 650 for yourself.

would be tempted but have already skinned it! I just may have to surprise myself this XMAS, hopefully the prices will be down by then.

[JSWolf]

Two things that should never be done to electronics... engraving and skinning. That tends to make them nonreturnable.

[Avex]

$179 for Pocket Edition and $229 for Touch Edition is still pricey. They gotta lower it if they wanna compete with B&N Nook and Amazon's Kindle 3..I would get the Pocket Edition rather than the Touch Edition..Hurm..choice, choices..

Temptation, temptation. Guess I'll get it next month instead of this month..hehehe~

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by Avex

$179 for Pocket Edition and $229 for Touch Edition is still pricey. They gotta lower it if they wanna compete with B&N Nook and Amazon's Kindle 3..I would get the Pocket Edition rather than the Touch Edition..Hurm..choice, choices..

Temptation, temptation. Guess I'll get it next month instead of this month..hehehe~

That would probably depend. Importing the Nook here is a pain. The Kindle has the problem that it doesn't read DRM'd epub.

And it's actually the one of the cheapest 6" available atm, right here...

[maxbookworm]

Originally Posted by maxbookworm

Nah, it's too big. The 350 is too small. The 650 is juuuust right

You know, I may have to retract that statement. I've been playing around with my 300 again to re-evaluate the 5" screen and it's really not bad. I can still read the manga I had downloaded, and even the pdf's for work. I may have to seriously consider the 350 rather than the 650. It's smaller, lighter, cheaper, has most of the same capabilities (I never listen to music on my reader, and 2G is plenty of memory for me so don't need the mp3 player or expansion slots), and anyway, both the red and the black colors on the 650 leave me cold.