Sony Removed PRS-700 AND 505 !

[tompe]

Originally Posted by Wetdogeared

I'm seriously considering extending the warranty on my PRS-700 while I still can. I can add an additional 4 years coverage for about 160.00 CA$, OUCH!

I would guess you will get a new and better reader (maybe not Sony) for around $200 very soon. So I assume it depends on how many DRM:ed books you have that can only be read on a Sony reader.

[junkyardwillie]

Originally Posted by rcuadro

I hope there really is not going to be a large screen war since I think the larger the screen the less portable they are. While the larger ones are attractive for home/office/school use, they are not attractive (to me at least) for lugging around for casual reading.

The 6 inch market is flooded, how many more choices for a 6 inch device do you need really? They pretty much come in all different flavors, the gap is in devices that read PDFs. You have the Irex DR1000S for almost a grand (which I have and like a lot but it is expensive for most people) and the Kindle DX that just came out so there's really not that much choice. I think everyone cannibalizing themselves in the 6 inch market is stupid until color readers come out (then there would be a reason to release yet another 6 inch device). Make them larger, maybe a couple smaller ones like Aztec or whoever is making but coming out with the same thing over and over is a little silly now. All it does it makes the price of the old devices drop because there is a new device out and people will go out and find those on the cheap instead of getting the same thing in a new box.

[griffonwing]

Originally Posted by tompe

I would guess you will get a new and better reader (maybe not Sony) for around $200 very soon. So I assume it depends on how many DRM:ed books you have that can only be read on a Sony reader.

Is there a way to convert BBeB books to a non-DRM format?

[KindleKid]

I just bought a 505 it should be coming soon but I bought it despite the concern that Sony maybe pulling out of the business. Even if they are #2, Amazon IMO will overtake them because of their DRM library. Amazon is already #1 in books. The way I see it, the Kindle is the iPod and the PRS family is the Zune. It's still out there, but a larger number of people have an iPod. The iPod has gone through so many more stages of evolution because it can afford to. Even if Sony stays in the game, they will always get trampled by Amazon. Once again IMO.

However, I'd like to just note that the PRS units look waaaaay nicer than the Kindke ones. Who the f*** designed those things?!

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by griffonwing

Is there a way to convert BBeB books to a non-DRM format?

BBeB format comes in two forms, one with DRM, LRX and one without LRF. There is no known way to remove DRM except screen capture.

Dale

[ayrkain]

Not much difference between the old blue reader and the new blue Michael Connelly reader is there?

http://tinyurl.com/nsurzc

Were there ever any other colors besides these three?

[Abecedary]

Originally Posted by ayrkain

Not much difference between the old blue reader and the new blue Michael Connelly reader is there?

http://tinyurl.com/nsurzc

Were there ever any other colors besides these three?

I think the only differences are the embossed cover and the free books.

[griffonwing]

IF Sony pulls out of the ebook market. I don't really foresee them doing that, but IF...

They'd better release a DRM removal/conversion program free to all users.

[Sundara]

Originally Posted by griffonwing

IF Sony pulls out of the ebook market. I don't really foresee them doing that, but IF...

They'd better release a DRM removal/conversion program free to all users.

Hello!
just one idea from Germany as to the question wether Sony will give up on ebook readers: they introduced the Sony Prs- 505 here only in March 2009. I do not think that they could pull out of the market right now without getting into (legal ) difficulties with their German publishing partners. I cannot understand why do not continue producing the Prs 505 and at the same time develop new ebook reader lines.... I think the Prs 505 is a valuable item as a sort of a basic ebook reader.

Sundara

[dmaul1114]

I could see them pulling out. Or at the least getting away from doing their own DRM format and scrapping their store maybe, and just selling devices that can get content from other places.

DRM format's will eventually fall away, like they have with music. For the time being, Amazon is the only vendor with enough clout to keep selling DRMed books, just like Apple was the long time hold out with DRM on mp3s.

[Ziguezon]

My uninformed and purely speculative prediction: The features of the 505 and 700 will be merged into one new reader. Also, as expected, a large screen device will be announced.

I don't see there being all that much room for improvement on the 505 without giving it some of the 700's features, and where would that leave the 700?

[NatCh]

First, let me be clear that I have no real information here -- the up-side of which is that I'm completely free to offer my own speculations.

I do have a couple of observations:

1. Yes, in the past, Sony has done big promotional pushes when they put out a new Reader -- after they announce it. Before the announcement they've been as tight as Dick's hat band with info: whatever little they have let out ahead of time was under non-disclosure agreements, and the "ahead of time" has been on the order of a few days, or a week at most.
   
2. They seem to be very fond of October 1st release dates for these things, of the three models they've put out, all three of them have launched on 10/01:
   • PRS500 -- 10/01/06
   • PRS505 -- 10/01/07
   • PRS700 -- 10/01/08

Because of those observations, I would about half expect any new model to be launched on 10/01/09. However, if they're feeling sneaky, they might go earlier or later just to throw us off.

[Ziguezon]

Originally Posted by NatCh

First, let me be clear that I have no real information here -- the up-side of which is that I'm completely free to offer my own speculations.

I do have a couple of observations:

1. Yes, in the past, Sony has done big promotional pushes when they put out a new Reader -- after they announce it. Before the announcement they've been as tight as Dick's hat band with info: whatever little they have let out ahead of time was under non-disclosure agreements, and the "ahead of time" has been on the order of a few days, or a week at most.
   
2. They seem to be very fond of October 1st release dates for these things, of the three models they've put out, all three of them have launched on 10/01:
   • PRS500 -- 10/01/06
   • PRS505 -- 10/01/07
   • PRS700 -- 10/01/08

Because of those observations, I would about half expect any new model to be launched on 10/01/09. However, if they're feeling sneaky, they might go earlier or later just to throw us off.

I suspect that the new arrivals on the scene are forcing Sony to modify their usual release cycle.

[kazbates]

Originally Posted by NatCh

First, let me be clear that I have no real information here -- the up-side of which is that I'm completely free to offer my own speculations.

I do have a couple of observations:

1. Yes, in the past, Sony has done big promotional pushes when they put out a new Reader -- after they announce it. Before the announcement they've been as tight as Dick's hat band with info: whatever little they have let out ahead of time was under non-disclosure agreements, and the "ahead of time" has been on the order of a few days, or a week at most.
   
2. They seem to be very fond of October 1st release dates for these things, of the three models they've put out, all three of them have launched on 10/01:
   • PRS500 -- 10/01/06
   • PRS505 -- 10/01/07
   • PRS700 -- 10/01/08

Because of those observations, I would about half expect any new model to be launched on 10/01/09. However, if they're feeling sneaky, they might go earlier or later just to throw us off.

There's nothing like statistics to deflate the balloon! It's interesting that they use October 1st as a release date. I wonder if that is the beginning of their fiscal year. If I can remember back to my university Accounting classes (yuk!), I seem to recall that they was a favored date with some companies.

I'm still very happy with my 700, but it would be nice if they came out with a reader that corrected some of it's problems, ie., screen glare, dictionary look-up (please, please).

[NatCh]

Personally, I'm starting to be in the market for an upgrade for my venerable 500 -- I want something with ePub support. I'm planning to wait at least until 10/01, or until Sony brings out something new if that happens sooner. I really don't expect it to, for the reasons I outlined above.

I'm also keeping a sharp eye on the Plastic Logic device, but that's more of a professional interest, I consider it to be a bit big for casual reading purposes.