Sony is Serious!

daffy4u · 09-10-2008, 01:47 PM

I've mentioned more than once that I have tried and been unable to find a store selling a Sony Reader in my area (Long Beach, CA). Not my local Borders (including one not local to me), Target, Costco or Wal-Mart. I just wanted to see one in person.

Today, I went into my local Borders (less than a mile away) to pick up the e-ink issue of Esquire they didn't have on Monday. As I walked toward the magazines, something caught my eye and I stopped and stepped back. Low and behold is was a brand spanking new Sony Reader display out where it can be easily seen. It wasn't there when the store open on Monday but here it was today.

They still didn't have a real display version that I could touch, but they had a blown up version with a holographic image in it. The holograph was cool, though what it has to do with e-ink, I don't know. If you look at it from one side, you see the cover of I am America (and so can you) and from the other side it's The Other Boleyn Girl. Pictures from my cell phone below (crappy quality, deal with it

)

As I was checking out the clerk was talking about how cool the cover of the Esquire was. I explained to her that it was e-ink, the same as the Sony Reader... blank stare and no comment. I don't think the employees (at least not this one) know anything about eBooks and e-ink readers. <sigh>

Steven Lyle Jordan · 09-10-2008, 02:09 PM

The display looks like the one that eventually turned up in my local Borders, with the exception that the display reader actually worked. That had been the first time I'd seen a working Sony, and the first time that I seriously considered it after evaluating it hands-on.

acidzebra · 09-10-2008, 02:16 PM

I bought my Sony during a holiday in New York, at a Borders store where I could touch it and fiddle with it. The fact that I could handle it had a real impact on my buying decision. My friend thought the display of the reader was a fake, such is the powah of e-ink

zoikers · 09-10-2008, 05:53 PM

It makes such a big difference to touch and fiddle with the reader. My first reader was the Sony PRS-500 and then after hearing so much rave about the Kindle I bought that and when I touched that after having I had the Sony it felt like a complete cheap piece of junk and sent it back after just a couple weeks of ownership. I then bought the Sony PRS-505 and that was King. What a nice little reader it is and you really feel like you got a nice device for your money. I think that the future could be really bright for Sony. I hope they strengthen their presence and continue to improve on their already nice reader.

athlonkmf · 09-10-2008, 05:58 PM

hmm... looks like the display from Borders in new york. Where I bought my PRS505 last february.
Even the slogan is still the same.
I was on a holiday and had my 500 with me, but I just couldn't resist the whiter screen and speed.

daffy4u · 09-10-2008, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zoikers

It makes such a big difference to touch and fiddle with the reader. My first reader was the Sony PRS-500 and then after hearing so much rave about the Kindle I bought that and when I touched that after having I had the Sony it felt like a complete cheap piece of junk and sent it back after just a couple weeks of ownership. I then bought the Sony PRS-505 and that was King. What a nice little reader it is and you really feel like you got a nice device for your money. I think that the future could be really bright for Sony. I hope they strengthen their presence and continue to improve on their already nice reader.

Yikes, I'm a Kindle owner and I can tell you the Kindle is not a "cheap piece of junk" and I would buy it again if I were making the choice today. I'm glad you're happy with your purchase because I'm very happy with mine.

JSWolf · 09-10-2008, 06:38 PM

One thing that some people do prefer is to actually see the device. It is a lot of money to spend on something you've never actually seen in person.

Dr. Drib · 09-10-2008, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zoikers

It makes such a big difference to touch and fiddle with the reader. My first reader was the Sony PRS-500 and then after hearing so much rave about the Kindle I bought that and when I touched that after having I had the Sony it felt like a complete cheap piece of junk and sent it back after just a couple weeks of ownership. I then bought the Sony PRS-505 and that was King. What a nice little reader it is and you really feel like you got a nice device for your money. I think that the future could be really bright for Sony. I hope they strengthen their presence and continue to improve on their already nice reader.

We should try to be tolerant in our use of language when discussing Readers. It's possible someone may not agree with you on your choice of Reader. There are a lot of wonderful Readers out there, and they appeal to different target audiences.

With that said, I want to welcome you to MobileRead. There's a lot of actitivity going on here.

Thank you,
(Moderator)

DrMoze · 09-10-2008, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daffy4u

Today, I went into my local Borders (less than a mile away) to pick up the e-ink issue of Esquire...

I may be slow today, but what is an "e-ink issue of Esquire" that they sell in a Borders b&m?

daffy4u · 09-10-2008, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrMoze

I may be slow today, but what is an "e-ink issue of Esquire" that they sell in a Borders b&m?

Check out the thread here.

zoikers · 09-12-2008, 05:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daffy4u

Yikes, I'm a Kindle owner and I can tell you the Kindle is not a "cheap piece of junk" and I would buy it again if I were making the choice today. I'm glad you're happy with your purchase because I'm very happy with mine.

I apologize if I hurt your feelings. My perspective was coming from handling both. I found the plastic of the Kindle to be inferior compared to the brushed metal of the Sony, the case made of more quality material and maybe the biggest factor was that I found it so easy to inadvertently turn pages on the Kindle while reading that I got really frustrated. It could very well be due to me being clumsy or my brain being pre-conditioned to this being an issue when I read Kindle reviews and listened to Kindle owners on Podcasts like TWIT and GeekBrief. I can understand however that my reference to it being a 'piece of junk' hurtful if you paid the kind of money that these readers command and that you personally like it. There are definitely a few features that the Kindle has that the Sony does not such as WIFI.

sweetroses · 09-15-2008, 04:58 AM

today i went to best buy, target, and a bookstore, and know one in any of the stores had any idea of what a sony reader was. i had to explain what it did and they insisted that they had no such thing in the store. i walked out disappointed, because i wanted to hold one in my hand and check it out. all the store have this reader online on their website, but not in the store yet. even though this device has been out for a couple years, no one has a clue. well i am still searching and hoping i find one soon.

MerLock · 09-15-2008, 12:24 PM

One of the Target stores in my area had the display with 4 sony readers available for purchase as well as 1 real display model on the 13th. I don't think they had all their accessories up since I only saw a bunch of headphones and the sony giftcards. Didn't see the cover with the light or any other cases or charger for it.

Taylor514ce · 09-15-2008, 12:38 PM

In the Atlanta airport last week, saw the Sony Reader and the light-wedge cover and ac charger on display, at Brookstone. On the other side of the concourse, a bookstore... with nothing whatsoever e-book related.

Wake up book stores!!

ttate90303 · 09-15-2008, 12:49 PM

It's good to see Sony is working to get the word out. Having a product to touch does offer folks to develop a better understanding of the product. And don't be discouraged when finding a store where the staff isn't knowledgeable about their own inventory. Sometimes you have to print out what you find on their website so they can see it and discover the proper store SKU#. Who knows you may even educate a store employee.

09-10-2008, 01:47 PM	#1
daffy4u I'm Super Kindle-icious Posts: 6,734 Karma: 2434103 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Long Drive, Calinadia Candafornia Device: KDXG, KT, Oasis	Sony is Serious! I've mentioned more than once that I have tried and been unable to find a store selling a Sony Reader in my area (Long Beach, CA). Not my local Borders (including one not local to me), Target, Costco or Wal-Mart. I just wanted to see one in person. Today, I went into my local Borders (less than a mile away) to pick up the e-ink issue of Esquire they didn't have on Monday. As I walked toward the magazines, something caught my eye and I stopped and stepped back. Low and behold is was a brand spanking new Sony Reader display out where it can be easily seen. It wasn't there when the store open on Monday but here it was today. They still didn't have a real display version that I could touch, but they had a blown up version with a holographic image in it. The holograph was cool, though what it has to do with e-ink, I don't know. If you look at it from one side, you see the cover of *I am America (and so can you)* and from the other side it's *The Other Boleyn Girl*. Pictures from my cell phone below (crappy quality, deal with it ) As I was checking out the clerk was talking about how cool the cover of the Esquire was. I explained to her that it was e-ink, the same as the Sony Reader... blank stare and no comment. I don't think the employees (at least not this one) know anything about eBooks and e-ink readers. <sigh> Attached Thumbnails

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09-10-2008, 02:09 PM	#2
Steven Lyle Jordan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,478 Karma: 5171130 Join Date: Jan 2006 Device: none	The display looks like the one that eventually turned up in my local Borders, with the exception that the display reader actually worked. That had been the first time I'd seen a working Sony, and the first time that I seriously considered it after evaluating it hands-on.

09-10-2008, 02:16 PM	#3
acidzebra Liseuse Lover Posts: 869 Karma: 1035404 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Netherlands Device: PRS-505	I bought my Sony during a holiday in New York, at a Borders store where I could touch it and fiddle with it. The fact that I could handle it had a real impact on my buying decision. My friend thought the display of the reader was a fake, such is the powah of e-ink

09-10-2008, 05:53 PM	#4
zoikers Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2008 Device: Sony PRS-505	It makes such a big difference to touch and fiddle with the reader. My first reader was the Sony PRS-500 and then after hearing so much rave about the Kindle I bought that and when I touched that after having I had the Sony it felt like a complete cheap piece of junk and sent it back after just a couple weeks of ownership. I then bought the Sony PRS-505 and that was King. What a nice little reader it is and you really feel like you got a nice device for your money. I think that the future could be really bright for Sony. I hope they strengthen their presence and continue to improve on their already nice reader.

09-10-2008, 05:58 PM	#5
athlonkmf Guru Posts: 714 Karma: 1014039 Join Date: May 2007 Device: Sony PRS-500, Sony PRS-505, Kindle 3, Sony PRS350, iPad 64GB	hmm... looks like the display from Borders in new york. Where I bought my PRS505 last february. Even the slogan is still the same. I was on a holiday and had my 500 with me, but I just couldn't resist the whiter screen and speed.

09-10-2008, 06:38 PM	#7
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,845 Karma: 128597114 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	One thing that some people do prefer is to actually see the device. It is a lot of money to spend on something you've never actually seen in person.

09-15-2008, 04:58 AM	#12
sweetroses Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2008 Device: Sony Reader	today i went to best buy, target, and a bookstore, and know one in any of the stores had any idea of what a sony reader was. i had to explain what it did and they insisted that they had no such thing in the store. i walked out disappointed, because i wanted to hold one in my hand and check it out. all the store have this reader online on their website, but not in the store yet. even though this device has been out for a couple years, no one has a clue. well i am still searching and hoping i find one soon.

09-15-2008, 12:24 PM	#13
MerLock Evangelist Posts: 411 Karma: 1034889 Join Date: Nov 2007 Device: none	One of the Target stores in my area had the display with 4 sony readers available for purchase as well as 1 real display model on the 13th. I don't think they had all their accessories up since I only saw a bunch of headphones and the sony giftcards. Didn't see the cover with the light or any other cases or charger for it.

09-15-2008, 12:38 PM	#14
Taylor514ce Actively passive. Posts: 2,042 Karma: 478376 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: US Device: Sony PRS-505/LC	In the Atlanta airport last week, saw the Sony Reader and the light-wedge cover and ac charger on display, at Brookstone. On the other side of the concourse, a bookstore... with nothing whatsoever e-book related. Wake up book stores!!

09-15-2008, 12:49 PM	#15
ttate90303 Enthusiast Posts: 26 Karma: 36 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: USA Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Apple iPad 3, Kindle 3, Nook Simple Touch	It's good to see Sony is working to get the word out. Having a product to touch does offer folks to develop a better understanding of the product. And don't be discouraged when finding a store where the staff isn't knowledgeable about their own inventory. Sometimes you have to print out what you find on their website so they can see it and discover the proper store SKU#. Who knows you may even educate a store employee.

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