Thinking of purchasing a used PRS505

debbielovesbooks · 11-16-2009, 10:21 AM

Hello! I am a little late to the party with my choice of a new ereading device. I really want a PRS505, but I am finding it almost impossible to find one brand new. Other than the obvious risks one always assumes when shopping on ebay, is there a compelling reason, in terms of funtionality, not to buy a used PRS505? Neither the new Sony Pocket nor the Sony Touch really sound like they will meet my needs as well as the PRS505.

advocate2 · 11-16-2009, 10:27 AM

It is a great piece of hardware on which I have spent many hours. If you live close to a Sony outlet store, give them a call to see if they have any in stock. For the current price of around 200, the 505 offers many more features than the 300.

dhbailey · 11-16-2009, 11:11 AM

The only possible hassle would be if the current owner hasn't unregistered the device from his/her account at the Sony bookstore.

I just bought one brand new on e-bay and it came through just fine and is working wonderfully.

MickeyC · 11-16-2009, 01:07 PM

I've had a 505 since Jan 08 and am very pleased with it and would not upgrade to a 300 or 600.

You might also check Target as some of those stores also carry the 505 and may still have some left around.

lcbannon · 11-16-2009, 06:28 PM

Love my 505 and do not wish to upgrade, given a choice of the 3, the 505 would still be the one for me.

AdamGott · 11-16-2009, 06:42 PM

I have had battery issues.... my new one had a crummy battery and then I replaced it with a crummy eBay battery. Taking this little bugger apart to change the battery is way more complex than it needed to have been!

Otherwise I love the reader. If I turn it completely off every time when I am done using it I get a month or so between charges. If I don't I still get a week.

khalleron · 11-16-2009, 07:12 PM

The local Fred Meyer in my small town still has new ones, silver only, for $219.99

Not as great as the $70 Target clearance price some people have gotten, but I'm betting a used one wouldn't be much less than that price on eBay.

debbielovesbooks · 11-16-2009, 07:13 PM

Thank you all for your help. I am definitely going to track on of these down new!

debbielovesbooks · 11-19-2009, 06:38 PM

Thank you all for your advice! I tracked down a floor model "behind the counter" at my local Sony Store for $162! I had set up a Calibre account in advance of the purchase and had 98 of my html books (converted from LIT for my ebookwise) converted into Epub, organized into collections and ready to go. All I had to do was charge it up and load it up.

I am very pleased with it. My old ebookwise has served me well, but buying in LIT is becoming harder, and going through the whole conversion process for every single book is a drag. I will miss the backlight, but that is easily solved by buying a cover with a built-in light. Also, I wish the pages turned more smoothly. However, they are very minor complaints compared to the many advantages. Again, thank you all.

kelly1010 · 11-21-2009, 03:14 AM

Great! You'll love the 505. I've had mine since March and love it more and more with each book I read. I wasn't that impressed with the new models either.

Have fun!

luvshihtzu · 11-21-2009, 03:15 AM

Glad you found a Sony 505 at a good price. Sam's Club is still loaded with them, at least here in Tucson. Last price I saw was $249.88. I'll check again next week.
Last month I bought an adorable used red Sony 505 on eBay that was only two months old. It runs great and I love the color. So very pretty.

You can use the free on-line converter for most formats for your Sony. Lib2Go works great.

DrMoze · 11-21-2009, 01:58 PM

Good find! I love my 505, but the 300 is also great. For me (a guy), the 300 fits nicely in my pants pocket, and is thicker than the 505 so it is sturdier. But the 505 is probably the best Sony device to date. I never used memory cards or the mp3 playback, so I'm loving the 300. Enjoy!!!

sayhello · 11-22-2009, 07:51 PM

Congrats on the 505! I've had mine since Oct 2007, and I still love and adore it! In fact, I've bought another one that I'm keeping in reserve in case anything happens to my beloved 505, as I really am not interested in the 300 or 600. Found it at my local Sony Style Store.

Sayhello

RCR · 11-22-2009, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sayhello

Congrats on the 505! I've had mine since Oct 2007, and I still love and adore it! In fact, I've bought another one that I'm keeping in reserve in case anything happens to my beloved 505, .............

Sayhello

Ha ha. Me too. I thought I was being a bit self-indulgent buying a second unit but once I actually had it in my hands, I realized that it gives me great peace of mind to have a backup. I can now take my (old) Sony 505 out on the road and not worry if it gets damaged or lost.

sayhello · 11-22-2009, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RCR

Ha ha. Me too. I thought I was being a bit self-indulgent buying a second unit but once I actually had it in my hands, I realized that it gives me great peace of mind to have a backup. I can now take my (old) Sony 505 out on the road and not worry if it gets damaged or lost.

My feelings exactly!

Sayhello

11-16-2009, 10:21 AM	#1
debbielovesbooks Member Posts: 15 Karma: 18 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: U.S.A. Device: Sony T2	Thinking of purchasing a used PRS505 Hello! I am a little late to the party with my choice of a new ereading device. I really want a PRS505, but I am finding it almost impossible to find one brand new. Other than the obvious risks one always assumes when shopping on ebay, is there a compelling reason, in terms of funtionality, not to buy a used PRS505? Neither the new Sony Pocket nor the Sony Touch really sound like they will meet my needs as well as the PRS505. Last edited by debbielovesbooks; 11-16-2009 at 10:25 AM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
PRS-650 Purchasing Advice	jumpuphigh	Sony Reader	8	10-14-2010 07:19 PM
purchasing secure books/un'registered' sony prs505 ??	s0nya	Sony Reader	1	05-03-2009 09:44 PM
Purchasing eBooks	AprilHare	Sony Reader	1	01-05-2009 05:19 AM
Purchasing Ebooks	PieOPah	Sony Reader	14	11-04-2008 04:05 PM
Newbie thinking about purchasing Sony Reader but...	ould	Sony Reader	5	09-14-2008 02:09 PM

11-16-2009, 10:27 AM	#2
advocate2 My Kingdom for Karma Posts: 430 Karma: 7125 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Las Vegas Device: Sony 350, 650, 950, Nook Color	It is a great piece of hardware on which I have spent many hours. If you live close to a Sony outlet store, give them a call to see if they have any in stock. For the current price of around 200, the 505 offers many more features than the 300.

11-16-2009, 11:11 AM	#3
dhbailey Guru Posts: 604 Karma: 733 Join Date: Mar 2007 Device: HP iPAQ211 / PRS 500, 700 and 505	The only possible hassle would be if the current owner hasn't unregistered the device from his/her account at the Sony bookstore. I just bought one brand new on e-bay and it came through just fine and is working wonderfully.

11-16-2009, 01:07 PM	#4
MickeyC Grand Sorcerer Posts: 16,732 Karma: 12185114 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Florida Device: iPhone 6 plus, Sony T1, iPad 3	I've had a 505 since Jan 08 and am very pleased with it and would not upgrade to a 300 or 600. You might also check Target as some of those stores also carry the 505 and may still have some left around.

11-16-2009, 06:28 PM	#5
lcbannon Enthusiast Posts: 31 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2009 Device: Sony PRS 505	Love my 505 and do not wish to upgrade, given a choice of the 3, the 505 would still be the one for me.

11-16-2009, 06:42 PM	#6
AdamGott Connoisseur Posts: 54 Karma: 2139614 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: Kindle/iPad	I have had battery issues.... my new one had a crummy battery and then I replaced it with a crummy eBay battery. Taking this little bugger apart to change the battery is way more complex than it needed to have been! Otherwise I love the reader. If I turn it completely off every time when I am done using it I get a month or so between charges. If I don't I still get a week.

11-16-2009, 07:12 PM	#7
khalleron Kate Posts: 1,683 Karma: 3165009 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Oregon, United States Device: Nexus 7 2013, Kobo Aura H2O, Kobo Forma	The local Fred Meyer in my small town still has new ones, silver only, for $219.99 Not as great as the $70 Target clearance price some people have gotten, but I'm betting a used one wouldn't be much less than that price on eBay.

11-16-2009, 07:13 PM	#8
debbielovesbooks Member Posts: 15 Karma: 18 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: U.S.A. Device: Sony T2	Thank you all for your help. I am definitely going to track on of these down new!

11-19-2009, 06:38 PM	#9
debbielovesbooks Member Posts: 15 Karma: 18 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: U.S.A. Device: Sony T2	Thank you all for your advice! I tracked down a floor model "behind the counter" at my local Sony Store for $162! I had set up a Calibre account in advance of the purchase and had 98 of my html books (converted from LIT for my ebookwise) converted into Epub, organized into collections and ready to go. All I had to do was charge it up and load it up. I am very pleased with it. My old ebookwise has served me well, but buying in LIT is becoming harder, and going through the whole conversion process for every single book is a drag. I will miss the backlight, but that is easily solved by buying a cover with a built-in light. Also, I wish the pages turned more smoothly. However, they are very minor complaints compared to the many advantages. Again, thank you all.

11-21-2009, 03:14 AM	#10
kelly1010 Book Addict! Posts: 533 Karma: 1070 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: CA Device: Sony PRS-505, iPod Touch, Kindle 3G + Wi-Fi	Great! You'll love the 505. I've had mine since March and love it more and more with each book I read. I wasn't that impressed with the new models either. Have fun!

11-21-2009, 03:15 AM	#11
luvshihtzu Groupie Posts: 194 Karma: 39390 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Tucson, Arizona Device: Kindle DX Graphite, Sony 950 and iPad	Glad you found a Sony 505 at a good price. Sam's Club is still loaded with them, at least here in Tucson. Last price I saw was $249.88. I'll check again next week. Last month I bought an adorable used red Sony 505 on eBay that was only two months old. It runs great and I love the color. So very pretty. You can use the free on-line converter for most formats for your Sony. Lib2Go works great.

Advert

Advert

11-21-2009, 01:58 PM	#12
DrMoze Booknut Posts: 858 Karma: 2852 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: West Palm Beach, Florida! Device: Sony Reader 500/505/300/350, Nook Glowlight Plus (6")	Good find! I love my 505, but the 300 is also great. For me (a guy), the 300 fits nicely in my pants pocket, and is thicker than the 505 so it is sturdier. But the 505 is probably the best Sony device to date. I never used memory cards or the mp3 playback, so I'm loving the 300. Enjoy!!!

11-22-2009, 07:51 PM	#13
sayhello Addict Posts: 208 Karma: 373 Join Date: Aug 2008 Device: Sony PRS-505 (Blue!), PRS-650 (Black), iPad, iPod Touch	Congrats on the 505! I've had mine since Oct 2007, and I still love and adore it! In fact, I've bought another one that I'm keeping in reserve in case anything happens to my beloved 505, as I really am not interested in the 300 or 600. Found it at my local Sony Style Store. Sayhello