Have you had major problems recently with your Sony Reader?

vivaldirules · 01-03-2008, 05:32 PM

I'd like to get an idea of what percentage of Readers out there have had major problems that required either repair or replacement. I'm talking about things like damaged displays and frozen units that were'nt readily unfrozen. I'm not sure what all the problems are that people have had. I assume most of the software issues were readily resolved, but I don't know that either. I know that there were some issues with charging but I assume we're past that point. I'm just trying to give people an idea of what they might expect for reliability if they bought a unit today.

PHugger · 01-03-2008, 06:15 PM

I've documented my problems in THIS THREAD.

Sony Repair Service felt that it was not covered under warranty and offered to fix it for 90% of the purchase cost. There was a happy ending thanks to a Sony executive that I tracked down and asked for help. I would highly recommend purchasing the Sony extended warranty that cover accidental damage so this won't be an issue. I guess the delicate nature of these displays is not just a Sony problem and an extended warranty is a good idea for any brand.

PCH

flumbo · 01-03-2008, 06:46 PM

My "forward" button and "forward" on the disc control no longer work unless I press them about 7 times. I haven't tried a warranty repair, but I'm assuming it is out of warranty after a year and four months... Anyone else have similar issues and a solution?

jamesdmanley · 01-03-2008, 06:53 PM

my only problem is that i dont have enough time to read it

vivaldirules · 01-03-2008, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flumbo

My "forward" button and "forward" on the disc control no longer work unless I press them about 7 times. I haven't tried a warranty repair, but I'm assuming it is out of warranty after a year and four months... Anyone else have similar issues and a solution?

flumbo, do you mean that both page advance buttons have the same problem? And do you have any problems with either of the "page back" buttons? Did you contact Sony to ask their advice?

flumbo · 01-03-2008, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vivaldirules

flumbo, do you mean that both page advance buttons have the same problem? And do you have any problems with either of the "page back" buttons? Did you contact Sony to ask their advice?

The back buttons work fine. I'm guessing the forward buttons broke because they've been used more than the back buttons. I can still use it with the joystick hack, but I'm sure that will wear out eventually also.

I haven't contacted Sony because the buttons didn't stop working consistently until after I'd had it for a year and I'm not sure I want to pay any amount to fix it. Reading other responses in here for repairs it doesn't seem like Sony would fix it for any reasonable amount...

My next step I guess is to hack the "back" buttons to be forward buttons. When I'm out of working buttons I guess I'll see if I can get rid of it for parts on ebay. Doesn't make me want to try my luck on another reader though.

kovidgoyal · 01-03-2008, 09:17 PM

This poll will be skewed since it's likely that a larger percentage of the people that have had trouble are going to answer it than the people who have not.

crusader666 · 01-03-2008, 09:46 PM

Why is the poll only asking about MAJOR problems. Minor problems count (or should count) too.

Hadrien · 01-03-2008, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

This poll will be skewed since it's likely that a larger percentage of the people that have had trouble are going to answer it than the people who have not.

Look at the poll results...

Both Sony PRS-500/505 are excellent devices, they're very reliable.

kovidgoyal · 01-03-2008, 11:15 PM

Yeah but they're even more reliable in reality ;-)

NatCh · 01-04-2008, 12:07 AM

No problems here, and I've dropped the rascal a time or two.

astra · 01-04-2008, 05:23 AM

I had one problem one time.

I pushed power button to start the reader, later I could not remember whether it showed a page for a fraction of a second or didn't show it all, but the screen stayed blank. No matter how many times I tried to switch it on nothing would appear on the screen. I thought that's it. I connected the reader to my PC via USB, then tried to switch it on and it worked! The reader was well charged, I think 3 of 4 bars. So, I disconnected the reader and it worked well since then.
The only worry it gave me that if I am traveling and I don't have a laptop and this thing happens....I would be in a big trouble.
What if it happens during a long 10h flight?

Otherwise, I didn't have any problems with the reader. I think I never dropped it

dhbailey · 01-04-2008, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by astra_lestat

I had one problem one time.

I pushed power button to start the reader, later I could not remember whether it showed a page for a fraction of a second or didn't show it all, but the screen stayed blank. No matter how many times I tried to switch it on nothing would appear on the screen. I thought that's it. I connected the reader to my PC via USB, then tried to switch it on and it worked! The reader was well charged, I think 3 of 4 bars. So, I disconnected the reader and it worked well since then.
The only worry it gave me that if I am traveling and I don't have a laptop and this thing happens....I would be in a big trouble.
What if it happens during a long 10h flight?

Much as I love my reader and am doing the vast majority of my reading on it (when the authors I enjoy most are available for it!) I always travel with at least one paper book. Technology is great but always has that potential for problems, so I always have a paper book so I can keep reading should that most horrible of thinkable reader-crises occurs and my Sony Reader quits on me or suffers a fatal accident.

vivaldirules · 01-04-2008, 09:49 AM

I realize the results of the poll will be skewed, but there's no other way I know to get any info at all like this. The reason for asking is that I see several posts of minor problems that probably got solved after a short period and a couple posts about more serious problems, but I didn't have a very good idea how common or uncommon the serious problems are (ones requiring a repair or replacement). So far, from the poll results, I'm happy again thinking that the Sony Readers are pretty reliable. My guess is that in a larger population of users (not ones who come here looking for solutions, for example), their occurence is less than 1%.

kovidgoyal · 01-04-2008, 11:28 AM

Cool as long as you realize that...

View Poll Results: Any major problems recently with your Sony Reader requiring a repair or replacement?
The display went bad and there was no obvious cause.	3	2.54%
The display went bad presumably the result of an impact.	1	0.85%
The unit froze permanently.	1	0.85%
Other. (Please post a brief summary).	4	3.39%
I haven't had any major problem with mine.	109	92.37%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 118. You may not vote on this poll

01-03-2008, 05:32 PM	#1
vivaldirules When's Doughnut Day? Posts: 10,059 Karma: 13675475 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Houston, TX, US Device: Sony PRS-505, iPad	Have you had major problems recently with your Sony Reader? I'd like to get an idea of what percentage of Readers out there have had major problems that required either repair or replacement. I'm talking about things like damaged displays and frozen units that were'nt readily unfrozen. I'm not sure what all the problems are that people have had. I assume most of the software issues were readily resolved, but I don't know that either. I know that there were some issues with charging but I assume we're past that point. I'm just trying to give people an idea of what they might expect for reliability if they bought a unit today.

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01-03-2008, 06:15 PM	#2
PHugger Connoisseur Posts: 94 Karma: 8443 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: NJ Device: Kindle 3G, Sony PRS-505	I've documented my problems in THIS THREAD. Sony Repair Service felt that it was not covered under warranty and offered to fix it for 90% of the purchase cost. There was a happy ending thanks to a Sony executive that I tracked down and asked for help. I would highly recommend purchasing the Sony extended warranty that cover accidental damage so this won't be an issue. I guess the delicate nature of these displays is not just a Sony problem and an extended warranty is a good idea for any brand. PCH

01-03-2008, 06:46 PM	#3
flumbo I got nothin... Posts: 127 Karma: 302 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Hawaii	My "forward" button and "forward" on the disc control no longer work unless I press them about 7 times. I haven't tried a warranty repair, but I'm assuming it is out of warranty after a year and four months... Anyone else have similar issues and a solution?

01-03-2008, 06:53 PM	#4
jamesdmanley Groupie Posts: 156 Karma: 817 Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: houston Device: prs-500	my only problem is that i dont have enough time to read it

01-03-2008, 09:17 PM	#7
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,850 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	This poll will be skewed since it's likely that a larger percentage of the people that have had trouble are going to answer it than the people who have not.

01-03-2008, 09:46 PM	#8
crusader666 Enthusiast Posts: 29 Karma: 11 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Palm Springs, CA Device: Sony PRS-505; EB-1150	Why is the poll only asking about MAJOR problems. Minor problems count (or should count) too.

01-03-2008, 11:15 PM	#10
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,850 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Yeah but they're even more reliable in reality ;-)

01-04-2008, 12:07 AM	#11
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	No problems here, and I've dropped the rascal a time or two.

01-04-2008, 05:23 AM	#12
astra The Introvert Posts: 8,307 Karma: 1000077497 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: United Kingdom Device: Sony Reader PRS-650 & 505 & 500	I had one problem one time. I pushed power button to start the reader, later I could not remember whether it showed a page for a fraction of a second or didn't show it all, but the screen stayed blank. No matter how many times I tried to switch it on nothing would appear on the screen. I thought that's it. I connected the reader to my PC via USB, then tried to switch it on and it worked! The reader was well charged, I think 3 of 4 bars. So, I disconnected the reader and it worked well since then. The only worry it gave me that if I am traveling and I don't have a laptop and this thing happens....I would be in a big trouble. What if it happens during a long 10h flight? Otherwise, I didn't have any problems with the reader. I think I never dropped it

01-04-2008, 09:49 AM	#14
vivaldirules When's Doughnut Day? Posts: 10,059 Karma: 13675475 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Houston, TX, US Device: Sony PRS-505, iPad	I realize the results of the poll will be skewed, but there's no other way I know to get any info at all like this. The reason for asking is that I see several posts of minor problems that probably got solved after a short period and a couple posts about more serious problems, but I didn't have a very good idea how common or uncommon the serious problems are (ones requiring a repair or replacement). So far, from the poll results, I'm happy again thinking that the Sony Readers are pretty reliable. My guess is that in a larger population of users (not ones who come here looking for solutions, for example), their occurence is less than 1%.

01-04-2008, 11:28 AM	#15
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,850 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Cool as long as you realize that...

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