Comments about your reader while in public?

ficbot · 10-11-2009, 11:32 PM

I was at Starbucks today to get out of the house for a bit, and spent about an hour there with my Sony Reader. As I was getting ready to leave, a youngish couple approached me and asked me what it was. I spent about 15 minutes answering their questions about it. The woman kept saying to the man that maybe she will get a Christmas present---I wonder if he got the hint! They asked me how many books it has, whether you can buy authors like Nora Roberts and Mary Higgins Clark, how to get books on it etc. I gave them the URL for Mobile Read. We'll see if they come

Has this ever happened to anyone else? It was kind of fun, actually. I wonder if they really will buy an ebook reader now...

JeremyZ · 10-11-2009, 11:47 PM

It happened to me! That's what made me take them seriously. I saw a lady on the train who was reading her Kindle every day. Finally, I got up the nerve to interrupt her reading and have her give me the 5 minute tour. I had one by the next week.

phenomshel · 10-12-2009, 01:01 AM

Happens to me all the time. I take my reader with me to the doctor's office whenever I or my husband has to go, and it never fails to spark questions. I took it to the new Riverfront park area when it opened, and got into a conversation with a couple of ladies about what it was and how it worked. I think a couple of the doctors in our hospital network have gotten information from me with the intention of getting a reader for themselves. When I first got my EZ Reader, I took it to work with me one night. I almost lost it right then and there to one of my assistant managers. I don't think she really wanted to give it back, LOL. Since then, I've taken it back in a few times by requests, because I'm always talking about what I'm reading and what I'm reading it on. When we get new people, they sooner or later ask me to bring my reader in so they can see one hands on.
It is a lot of fun - I've given the "What is this and how is it different from a Kindle" talk so many times I've got it fine tuned, LOL.

Stitchawl · 10-12-2009, 01:08 AM

I've had a couple of people ask about my reader, but so many people here stare into their phones, PDA's, etc. all the time so it's quite common. In fact, I've been trying to get a good photograph of a typical train car scene where virtually everyone in the car is staring into some sort of device. More people here use their phones for e-mail and Internet browsing, as well as watching TV, but quite a few are reading e-books on them. The only difference is that mine has a larger screen.

Oddly enough, the times when people HAVE asked me, they were Westerners visiting Kyoto, and met me in Starbucks!

Stitchawl

Gaurnim · 10-12-2009, 04:22 AM

Oh yes it does happen.
Last time was Saturday evening, during the break at a concert.

Slite · 10-12-2009, 04:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gaurnim

Oh yes it does happen.
Last time was Saturday evening, during the break at a concert.

You take your reader to a concert??? Guess you didn't have high hopes for it then

I did get lots of questions about it before when I commuted by train, now however not so much since I switched to carcommute with my new job, which is a bit of a pain, I really miss reading while going to work. Even though audiobooks is ok, it's not quite the same.

PhishStyx · 10-12-2009, 04:33 AM

Happens to me all the time. People often ask about the Kindle because I'm probably one of a small handful of people in a 100 mile radius that has one.

The DR more often gets mistaken for a tablet laptop; I'm pretty sure noone else in Virginia has one, certainly not anyone south of the DC suburbs.

Juliette · 10-12-2009, 06:06 AM

Couple of times I was asked directly, then there's family and a lot of people when I'm communiting that will look at me but won't ask.

Sweetpea · 10-12-2009, 06:45 AM

Nothing, people either look funny at me or completely ignore me...

But as Stitchawl already said, people are so used to other people staring at one device or other that my reader doesn't stand out enough...

LDBoblo · 10-12-2009, 06:53 AM

I've been approached a few dozen times so far, and I'm pretty sure I've managed to convince most of them to not buy one.

Quote:

Hey is that like a Kindle?

Sort of. I'm reading (name of novel) on it now. Ever read it?

Quote:

Cool, cool. Hey, does that thing have a touch screen?

No...it's pretty much like a calculator that reads books and doesn't do calculations. What kind of books are you interested in?

Quote:

I thought they had touch screens. It has wireless, right?

Not this one. I'd recommend googling for it if you want to know more about it. I'm going to get back to reading though.

Quote:

Do you think I should get my daughter a netbook or one of these things?

Definitely the netbook.

Quote:

Why not this?

Because I want you to stop asking me dumbass questions about it. If you had a netbook, you could google it now.

Quote:

OK...the screen is like digital paper right?

No it's pretty rubbish overall but it can be read in sunlight. Needs an external light in the dark.

Quote:

Oh. Does it do audiobooks?

...

yagiz · 10-12-2009, 07:45 AM

I carry my Sony PRS 505 with me most of the time. I got asked about it probably once every two months or so as I read in coffee shops etc. And I'm sure there are more people who'd like to know about it but they decide not to start a conversation.

Last Christmas, one of my friend's wife contacted me for some advice because my friend had mentioned my e-reader. So he ended up by getting one as a Christmas present and he's been very happy with his 505 since then.

Ea · 10-12-2009, 08:08 AM

I've had one ask me once - he'd seen something about the Kindle on TV. People are sometimes looking, but here we don't really talk to strangers in public all that much...

Gaurnim · 10-12-2009, 08:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slite

You take your reader to a concert??? Guess you didn't have high hopes for it then

Nah, it's for the wait before the beginning of the concert and the break between the two bands.
I rarely go into the pit, so there's not much risk for the reader.

As it turned out, the first band was great (Puggy), but the main act (Pascale Picard) wasn't so great.

jenieliser · 10-12-2009, 08:47 AM

It happened to me at the airport a couple weeks ago. The gentleman beside me kept looking at it, then finally asked about it. He had a lot of questions and like LDBoblo I really just wanted to read my book, so I answered most of his questions, telling him how absolutely awesome it is. Then he started asking about the Kindle-I do not own a Kindle, do not want to own a Kindle, so I just told him about MR, that he could find the answers to all his questions here.

Then I finished my book.

It doesn't happen extremely often, except at work, but when it does happen the people asking usually mention wanting to get one for a relative for Christmas or something after I tell them how nice it is.

wallflower75 · 10-12-2009, 10:23 AM

It happened to me not once but twice this past Saturday. I was at a Red Lobster near St. Louis, having lunch before going to the ballgame (sigh). My server noticed it right away and asked several questions. Then, as I was getting ready to go, the two ladies at the table next to mine asked about it. The server seemed more interested than the ladies, although they did ask me how much it cost.

10-11-2009, 11:32 PM	#1
ficbot Wizard Posts: 2,409 Karma: 4132096 Join Date: Sep 2008 Device: Kindle Paperwhite/iOS Kindle App	Comments about your reader while in public? I was at Starbucks today to get out of the house for a bit, and spent about an hour there with my Sony Reader. As I was getting ready to leave, a youngish couple approached me and asked me what it was. I spent about 15 minutes answering their questions about it. The woman kept saying to the man that maybe she will get a Christmas present---I wonder if he got the hint! They asked me how many books it has, whether you can buy authors like Nora Roberts and Mary Higgins Clark, how to get books on it etc. I gave them the URL for Mobile Read. We'll see if they come Has this ever happened to anyone else? It was kind of fun, actually. I wonder if they really will buy an ebook reader now...

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10-11-2009, 11:47 PM	#2
JeremyZ Addict Posts: 303 Karma: 1000702 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Chicago Device: Nook ST, Kindle 2, Samsung Galaxy Stellar phone	It happened to me! That's what made me take them seriously. I saw a lady on the train who was reading her Kindle every day. Finally, I got up the nerve to interrupt her reading and have her give me the 5 minute tour. I had one by the next week.

10-12-2009, 01:01 AM	#3
phenomshel ZCD BombShel Posts: 4,793 Karma: 8293322 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: The Frozen North (aka Illinois, USA) Device: iPad, STB Kindle Oasis	Happens to me all the time. I take my reader with me to the doctor's office whenever I or my husband has to go, and it never fails to spark questions. I took it to the new Riverfront park area when it opened, and got into a conversation with a couple of ladies about what it was and how it worked. I think a couple of the doctors in our hospital network have gotten information from me with the intention of getting a reader for themselves. When I first got my EZ Reader, I took it to work with me one night. I almost lost it right then and there to one of my assistant managers. I don't think she really wanted to give it back, LOL. Since then, I've taken it back in a few times by requests, because I'm always talking about what I'm reading and what I'm reading it on. When we get new people, they sooner or later ask me to bring my reader in so they can see one hands on. It is a lot of fun - I've given the "What is this and how is it different from a Kindle" talk so many times I've got it fine tuned, LOL.

10-12-2009, 01:08 AM	#4
Stitchawl Opsimath Posts: 12,344 Karma: 187123287 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand Device: Sony PRS-650, iPhone 5, Kobo Glo, Sony PRS-350, iPad, Samsung Galaxy	I've had a couple of people ask about my reader, but so many people here stare into their phones, PDA's, etc. all the time so it's quite common. In fact, I've been trying to get a good photograph of a typical train car scene where virtually everyone in the car is staring into some sort of device. More people here use their phones for e-mail and Internet browsing, as well as watching TV, but quite a few are reading e-books on them. The only difference is that mine has a larger screen. Oddly enough, the times when people HAVE asked me, they were Westerners visiting Kyoto, and met me in Starbucks! Stitchawl

10-12-2009, 04:22 AM	#5
Gaurnim Final Five n°42 Posts: 789 Karma: 3599 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Lyon, France Device: Cybook Gen3	Oh yes it does happen. Last time was Saturday evening, during the break at a concert.

10-12-2009, 04:33 AM	#7
PhishStyx The me that I am Posts: 413 Karma: 1078 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: In my house! Duh! Device: Kindle 1 & DR 1000s	Happens to me all the time. People often ask about the Kindle because I'm probably one of a small handful of people in a 100 mile radius that has one. The DR more often gets mistaken for a tablet laptop; I'm pretty sure noone else in Virginia has one, certainly not anyone south of the DC suburbs.

10-12-2009, 06:06 AM	#8
Juliette I eat books Posts: 601 Karma: 5124 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Milan, Italy Device: Gen3 PRS-505 PRS-600 PB360 PB302 K2 Opus BebookMini OnyxBoox K3 KDXG	Couple of times I was asked directly, then there's family and a lot of people when I'm communiting that will look at me but won't ask.

10-12-2009, 06:45 AM	#9
Sweetpea Grand Sorcerer Posts: 9,707 Karma: 32763414 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Krewerd Device: Pocketbook Inkpad 4 Color; Samsung Galaxy Tab S6	Nothing, people either look funny at me or completely ignore me... But as Stitchawl already said, people are so used to other people staring at one device or other that my reader doesn't stand out enough...

10-12-2009, 07:45 AM	#11
yagiz http://is.gd/4flJX Posts: 134 Karma: 422 Join Date: Jan 2008 Device: Sony PRS-505, iPhone 3G	I carry my Sony PRS 505 with me most of the time. I got asked about it probably once every two months or so as I read in coffee shops etc. And I'm sure there are more people who'd like to know about it but they decide not to start a conversation. Last Christmas, one of my friend's wife contacted me for some advice because my friend had mentioned my e-reader. So he ended up by getting one as a Christmas present and he's been very happy with his 505 since then.

10-12-2009, 08:08 AM	#12
Ea Wizard Posts: 3,490 Karma: 5239563 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Denmark Device: Kindle 3\|iPad air\|iPhone 4S	I've had one ask me once - he'd seen something about the Kindle on TV. People are sometimes looking, but here we don't really talk to strangers in public all that much...

10-12-2009, 08:47 AM	#14
jenieliser Groupie Posts: 165 Karma: 2136526 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Tampa, FL Device: Kindle Oasis 2019, Kobo Libra H2O	It happened to me at the airport a couple weeks ago. The gentleman beside me kept looking at it, then finally asked about it. He had a lot of questions and like LDBoblo I really just wanted to read my book, so I answered most of his questions, telling him how absolutely awesome it is. Then he started asking about the Kindle-I do not own a Kindle, do not want to own a Kindle, so I just told him about MR, that he could find the answers to all his questions here. Then I finished my book. It doesn't happen extremely often, except at work, but when it does happen the people asking usually mention wanting to get one for a relative for Christmas or something after I tell them how nice it is.

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10-12-2009, 10:23 AM	#15
wallflower75 Groupie Posts: 176 Karma: 223852 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Illinois Device: Kindle Voyage/iPhone 6 Plus/iPad mini	It happened to me not once but twice this past Saturday. I was at a Red Lobster near St. Louis, having lunch before going to the ballgame (sigh). My server noticed it right away and asked several questions. Then, as I was getting ready to go, the two ladies at the table next to mine asked about it. The server seemed more interested than the ladies, although they did ask me how much it cost.