PRS-900 Using outside U.S.

jladie · 04-21-2010, 07:37 PM

Tired of waiting for Sony to bring this product to Canada and want to take a trip to U.S. and buy one for use here. Any thoughts on how I can do it? It's the whole wireless thing and bookstore account I'm concerned about not to mention authorizing it. Any advice would be really helpful. It's too much money to waste if I can't make it work.

Mike_73 · 04-22-2010, 11:35 AM

Well, no 900 here in Germany either. I have a 505 and 600 and neither of them is registered with Sony. If you want the 900 for its size, go for it. Content can be loaded via PC.
If you want it for the wireless 3G options, I doubt that it'll work.

SkyDream · 04-23-2010, 02:51 AM

Hi,
i own a PRS 900 and i'm living in germany. Wireless doesn't work and i haven't tried to replace the sim card. Access to sony bookstore doesn't work too but who cares. I'm loading lots of books (pdf and epub) using calibre and sony library with no problems. It's not registered and no need to authorize against sony.

you can't buy the PRS 900 in germany from a store but you can try ebay (currently there's no offer) maybe ebay america. or you can buy directly from Sony Usa using usunlocked (http://www.usunlocked.com/). so, getting a PRS 900 outside the u.s. isn't really a problem.

Mike_73 · 04-23-2010, 02:59 AM

Yes, getting a product from the US shouldn't be the problem.
SkyDream, coming from the 505, how do you like your 900? As it isn't sold here, I went with the 600 instead. Can the 900 do stuff the 600 cannot (despite having the larger display and replaceable battery)?

jladie · 04-23-2010, 09:18 AM

My understanding is that the 900 has a better screen clarity than the touch which is available here in Canada. I can easily drive to the US to buy the 900 but can I open up a US account and use it here? My iPhone is 3G! I really don't care about the wifi element; my main concern is the screen clarity as the touch (600?) does not have a good screen. In fact, it is far worse for contrast that the very first reader they introduced into the marketplace. Like the iPad, I would have thought that someone would have figured out how to open up a US account from another country. Anyone else have any ideas?

Mike_73 · 04-23-2010, 09:41 AM

Hmm. I've heard that the 900s screen would be slightly better than the 600. But that I doubt that it makes that much of a difference.

bevdeforges · 04-23-2010, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jladie

I would have thought that someone would have figured out how to open up a US account from another country. Anyone else have any ideas?

It might be different opening up an account from just "next door" - but I bought my PRS 600 in the UK (through Amazon, no less) and just registered it as a US unit from here in France. A friend buys me gift cards at Best Buy (they're available at Target, but she doesn't have a handy Target in her area) and e-mails me the codes to activate the cards in my account.

So far, so good, but they do seem to be in process of making changes to how the Sony store in the US "checks" for things. On my latest purchase, they asked for my "home" address, so I gave my friend's address. No problem.

I figure I have been making semi-annual trips to the US where I buy lots of books to take back with me to France and no one seems to have any problem with that. Technically, I suppose, they ought to set up a way to collect VAT on the book prices like they do for software now, but until they figure that one out on their own, I'll continue to do things the way I'm doing them and if necessary, I will look into changing the billing address on my US credit card to allow me to buy directly.

bbesse · 04-23-2010, 01:24 PM

I am in Canada as well and thinking of doing the same thing. I would be interested in hearing your story when your are done.
Cheers,
...Brent...

SkyDream · 04-23-2010, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike_73

SkyDream, coming from the 505, how do you like your 900? As it isn't sold here, I went with the 600 instead. Can the 900 do stuff the 600 cannot (despite having the larger display and replaceable battery)?

Mike_73: I haven't used the 505 since having the 900 in my hands. Although the 505 has the better display (no glare but no touchscreen) the 900 is way better. I love the greater display but still looking for 9 or 10 inches or greater. I really read a lot of stuff and having lesser page turns due to bigger display is a good point. I also like the dictionary which wasn't available on the 505. Also pdf handling is way better. While 505 has problems with bigger pdf files (sometimes it have to reset the 505 to get it working again) the 900 is doing well even with the big ones (e.g. 60 MB file)

Unfortunately Sony still hasn't fixed the problem with lots of files on external memory. It would really like to put all my books onto a 16 gb card. But all devices are unable to handle it. It takes ages to scan all the files on the card.

Mike_73 · 04-23-2010, 04:29 PM

Thank you SkyDream. That hits pretty much what I thought. I assume the 900 is pretty much a blown up 600 (more or less, I'm concentrating on the same features here, not the 3G and such). So I guess I'll stay with my 600 and wait for a 8"+ reader having a more regular display format.

SkyDream · 04-24-2010, 03:48 PM

You are welcome.
Having the 600 there is no real reason to go for the 900.
Having the 505 its better to go for the 900 than the 600 if one can spend the extra money.

DoctorOhh · 04-24-2010, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkyDream

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkyDream

Unfortunately Sony still hasn't fixed the problem with lots of files on external memory. It would really like to put all my books onto a 16 gb card. But all devices are unable to handle it. It takes ages to scan all the files on the card.

Having the 505 its better to go for the 900 than the 600 if one can spend the extra money.

If handling "lots of files on external memory" is a priority then the 505 combined with PRS+ is currently the best choice. PRS+ allows you to turn off the scan of the sd card and browse the folders to open a book.

The creator of PRS+ stated that this part of the hack might soon come to the 600.

Mike_73 · 04-25-2010, 04:41 AM

Yes, I heard this too. I wonder what can be done (additionally) with the touch screen.

Here's Kartus statement from the dev thread:
"Regarding 600 model, port of "Browse Folders" feature is planned in foreseeable future.
I'll work on it after releasing "localized" version of PRS+ for 505. It's much harder than 505, as you can't do mistakes, but still doable."

jladie · 05-07-2010, 10:50 PM

I finally got my PRS 900 and it's great. Registered to my parent's who are snowbirds and have a southern address and I download to my computer and then upload to my reader. I have a U S reader store account. Everything is working great. I use either my parent's U S credit card or a sony gift card I pick up on EBay. I'm a very happy camper.

04-21-2010, 07:37 PM	#1
jladie Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2010 Device: Sony Daily Edition	Using outside U.S. Tired of waiting for Sony to bring this product to Canada and want to take a trip to U.S. and buy one for use here. Any thoughts on how I can do it? It's the whole wireless thing and bookstore account I'm concerned about not to mention authorizing it. Any advice would be really helpful. It's too much money to waste if I can't make it work.

04-22-2010, 11:35 AM	#2
Mike_73 Guru Posts: 750 Karma: 1323 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: PRS-505, PRS-600, iPad 16GB Wifi, Kindle Voyage, Nexus 6, Razr HD	Well, no 900 here in Germany either. I have a 505 and 600 and neither of them is registered with Sony. If you want the 900 for its size, go for it. Content can be loaded via PC. If you want it for the wireless 3G options, I doubt that it'll work.

04-23-2010, 02:51 AM	#3
SkyDream Wizard Posts: 1,377 Karma: 9400 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Europe Device: PRS-650, iPod touch 4G, iPad 3	Hi, i own a PRS 900 and i'm living in germany. Wireless doesn't work and i haven't tried to replace the sim card. Access to sony bookstore doesn't work too but who cares. I'm loading lots of books (pdf and epub) using calibre and sony library with no problems. It's not registered and no need to authorize against sony. you can't buy the PRS 900 in germany from a store but you can try ebay (currently there's no offer) maybe ebay america. or you can buy directly from Sony Usa using usunlocked (http://www.usunlocked.com/). so, getting a PRS 900 outside the u.s. isn't really a problem.

04-23-2010, 02:59 AM	#4
Mike_73 Guru Posts: 750 Karma: 1323 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: PRS-505, PRS-600, iPad 16GB Wifi, Kindle Voyage, Nexus 6, Razr HD	Yes, getting a product from the US shouldn't be the problem. SkyDream, coming from the 505, how do you like your 900? As it isn't sold here, I went with the 600 instead. Can the 900 do stuff the 600 cannot (despite having the larger display and replaceable battery)?

04-23-2010, 09:18 AM	#5
jladie Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2010 Device: Sony Daily Edition	My understanding is that the 900 has a better screen clarity than the touch which is available here in Canada. I can easily drive to the US to buy the 900 but can I open up a US account and use it here? My iPhone is 3G! I really don't care about the wifi element; my main concern is the screen clarity as the touch (600?) does not have a good screen. In fact, it is far worse for contrast that the very first reader they introduced into the marketplace. Like the iPad, I would have thought that someone would have figured out how to open up a US account from another country. Anyone else have any ideas?

04-23-2010, 09:41 AM	#6
Mike_73 Guru Posts: 750 Karma: 1323 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: PRS-505, PRS-600, iPad 16GB Wifi, Kindle Voyage, Nexus 6, Razr HD	Hmm. I've heard that the 900s screen would be slightly better than the 600. But that I doubt that it makes that much of a difference.

04-23-2010, 01:24 PM	#8
bbesse Member Posts: 18 Karma: 2888 Join Date: May 2009 Location: Victoria, BC, Canada Device: PaperWhite WiFi, Kindle 3 WiFi!	I am in Canada as well and thinking of doing the same thing. I would be interested in hearing your story when your are done. Cheers, ...Brent...

04-23-2010, 04:29 PM	#10
Mike_73 Guru Posts: 750 Karma: 1323 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: PRS-505, PRS-600, iPad 16GB Wifi, Kindle Voyage, Nexus 6, Razr HD	Thank you SkyDream. That hits pretty much what I thought. I assume the 900 is pretty much a blown up 600 (more or less, I'm concentrating on the same features here, not the 3G and such). So I guess I'll stay with my 600 and wait for a 8"+ reader having a more regular display format.

04-24-2010, 03:48 PM	#11
SkyDream Wizard Posts: 1,377 Karma: 9400 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Europe Device: PRS-650, iPod touch 4G, iPad 3	You are welcome. Having the 600 there is no real reason to go for the 900. Having the 505 its better to go for the 900 than the 600 if one can spend the extra money.

04-25-2010, 04:41 AM	#13
Mike_73 Guru Posts: 750 Karma: 1323 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: PRS-505, PRS-600, iPad 16GB Wifi, Kindle Voyage, Nexus 6, Razr HD	Yes, I heard this too. I wonder what can be done (additionally) with the touch screen. Here's Kartus statement from the dev thread: "Regarding 600 model, port of "Browse Folders" feature is planned in foreseeable future. I'll work on it after releasing "localized" version of PRS+ for 505. It's much harder than 505, as you can't do mistakes, but still doable."

05-07-2010, 10:50 PM	#14
jladie Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2010 Device: Sony Daily Edition	I finally got my PRS 900 and it's great. Registered to my parent's who are snowbirds and have a southern address and I download to my computer and then upload to my reader. I have a U S reader store account. Everything is working great. I use either my parent's U S credit card or a sony gift card I pick up on EBay. I'm a very happy camper.

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