Will Kobo, Nook and Amazon Touch kill Sony?

[advocate2]

I have not handled the K3, but I have the DX which I use for reading around the house. I keep the 350 in my jacket pocket and use the 950 for travel, on airplanes, etc.

If the new Kindle is built like the DX, with a touch screen and epub, I'm in. A couple of times a year I make it to South America. A K4 with world wide G3 would be an immediate buy for me. At the same price a 6" Sony with the same feature set would take preference because of my loyalty to Sony.

As I stated earlier, Amazon can use it's reader as a loss leader to sell ebooks. Sony doesn't seem to have that advantage. They have to make their money on the readers themselves (and maybe licensing fees for their technology.) Hence my concern for the future of Sony Readers.

The analogy for me is that until last year, every laptop I purchased since 1995 was a Sony. Because of the prices, I tried last year a 12" Asus laptop. Is it is as good as a Sony Vaio? No. Will I ever pay twice as much for a laptop again because it's a Sony? No. I fear the same fate awaits Sony Readers.

[MaxLV]

Originally Posted by advocate2

I've owned the 505, 600, 900, 350, 650 and 950. Did I mention I love the Sony Readers? Borrowing library ebooks has always been a major draw for me. The lack thereof knocked Amazon out of the box. Touch navigation will always beat out keyboard and a button to move a cursor.

Amazon, on the other hand, could probably give readers away for free with all the money they make on ebook sales. B&N and Borders are trying hard to sell ebooks. Sony seems to me to be a laggard in sales of ebooks. Their devices are spectacular, but don't compete well on price. I don't know how much they make on ebook sales.

With the new Kobo and Nook, if I needed a new 6" reader with a touch screen, I'd opt for the Kobo rather than a Sony 50% more expensive.

Sorry Sony. You were the leader of the pack. I will always love your devices. Your business model just didn't work against others who didn't need to make money on the reader.

There is one crucial flaw in your argument that goes in Sony's favour.
The Nook and Kindle are NOT sold where I live. Sony ereaders are. (sold all over the world)

NOOK and Kindle marketing seem to believe the world ends at the US border.

As to the ereaders themselves, to me the Kindle looks (and no doubt feels) 'plasticy.' Then there's that ugly keyboard stuck on it. I dont need let alone use a keyboard when I read a [real] book, or when I read an ebook on my 650.

Then there's the 'propriotory' ebook format it depends on.

The latest Nook looks like a prototype rushed to market too early. An 'ugly plastic case with a large front 'border' around the screen, and only now using the technology that has been available for over a year.

And it's ONLY doing what my Sony 650 does already/better and has been since September last year.

[John F]

Originally Posted by advocate2

... They have to make their money on the readers themselves (and maybe licensing fees for their technology.)

...

What licensing fees?

[advocate2]

I had asked a question earlier to which I received no response:

Does Sony receive a fee from all the copycats? It depends on what patent applications they filed for the technology on the PRS-x50 devices combining infared technology for tounch screen.

[Doogman]

Sony licensed the infrared touch screen from someone else. If you dig deep enough in these forums you can find the article describing it.

[AnemicOak]

The touch tech comes from NeoNode

[mcrow24]

Originally Posted by advocate2

I had asked a question earlier to which I received no response:

Does Sony receive a fee from all the copycats? It depends on what patent applications they filed for the technology on the PRS-x50 devices combining infared technology for tounch screen.

Hate to burst your bubble but a lot the tech that you claim Sony invented was in fact developed by other companies an purchased by Sony.

E Ink Pearl is the property of E Ink Corporation and sold to several companies for use on their devices.

Neonode makes the touch screen technology now used by Sony,Amazon(soon), Kobo, and B&N.

[ProfCrash]

The Kindle is sold in New Zealand. It is not sold in stores but can be ordered online. The Kobo is moving to a more international market this year. I am sure that it will spread pretty quickly. Nook is hurting itself by not going global. It is going to have a tough time breaking into the international market when Kindle, Kobo, and Sony are already there.

And yes, the Nook and Kobo touches are doing the same thing as the 650. The average user doesn't care that Sony was doing it a year before the othes. The average user cares that a comprable 6 inch screen Sony device is $80 more expensive then the Kobo or the Nook.

[mcrow24]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

The Kindle is sold in New Zealand. It is not sold in stores but can be ordered online. The Kobo is moving to a more international market this year. I am sure that it will spread pretty quickly. Nook is hurting itself by not going global. It is going to have a tough time breaking into the international market when Kindle, Kobo, and Sony are already there.

And yes, the Nook and Kobo touches are doing the same thing as the 650. The average user doesn't care that Sony was doing it a year before the othes. The average user cares that a comprable 6 inch screen Sony device is $80 more expensive then the Kobo or the Nook.

Sony is most likely more expensive because they did it first. When you are the first major buyer of a new technology as with pearl and Neonode you tend to pay more than someone who picks it up later. They likely have a contract in place for the technology that factors in to their pricing scheme which may make lowering prices more difficult until the contract can be re-negotiated.

[John F]

Originally Posted by advocate2

I had asked a question earlier to which I received no response:

Does Sony receive a fee from all the copycats? It depends on what patent applications they filed for the technology on the PRS-x50 devices combining infared technology for tounch screen.

Sorry, your original post just sounded to vague, so I didn't reply. I bit the second time.

I don't know much about patents, but I would assume the company that Sony is licensing the touch screen tech from would be more likely to have the applicable patents. Just a WAG. Then again, Sony has been in the ereader business longer then B&N and Kobo, so maybe they have some other patents up their sleeve. My guess is any licensing issues wouldn't be resolved quick enough to save Sony if they were having problems in the ereader space (another WAG).

[anabolina]

You know I was all prepared to buy the new Nook since I've wanted a larger screen since I bought my new phone with it's 4.3 inch screen which is noticably smaller than Sony's 5 inch screen, but still the sizes are close enough that I've been hungering for a larger e-reader.If the PRS950 is really on sale at Best Buy for $200, I reckon my mind has been changed. My sister gave me $70 for the PRS-350 yesterday so I may mosey on over to Best Buy at lunch to buy a new Sony toy.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by viviena

In any case, one can't really assume that the deficiencies of the current Nook and Kobo devices will be carried over to their new models. JSWolf is right to say wait and see.

If bugs, new features, new versions of the software are to be put out there, chances are they'll be in the newest versions of the devices. So I'm all for waiting and seeing. Sure, they look good and sound like they may be good, but without actual usage, are they that good? This is why I'm all for waiting and seeing.

What if you bought a nook and not long after found out that Kobo is better or that you bought a Kobo and changed your mind for a nook? Or you saw new a Sony you'd rather have or maybe Amazon got touch and ePub and did away with the keyboard and you wanted that?

Do you really want to rush in and buy something now with little to know information on the device only to find maybe you made a mistake? Let's stop and think for a moment. If you already have a reader, is it working? If yes, why do you have to then rush and get a replacement or a second reader without enough information? What is the reasoning behind jumping in with a blindfold on?

It's one thing if you don't have a reader, but if you do, it's silly to replace it with one you might not be happy with.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by mcrow24

Hate to burst your bubble but a lot the tech that you claim Sony invented was in fact developed by other companies an purchased by Sony.

E Ink Pearl is the property of E Ink Corporation and sold to several companies for use on their devices.

Neonode makes the touch screen technology now used by Sony,Amazon(soon), Kobo, and B&N.

So Sony did not invent the IR touch technology. But they were the ones to first use it in an eink device and now that's it's proven itself to be very good, other are now using it. Look at the K3. Some of the new firmware features are taken from the nook. Sony did it first. If Sony didn't do it, would the others have done it? Probably not.

[AlbertaCowboy]

[QUOTE=JSWolf;1554878]What is the reasoning behind jumping in with a blindfold on?QUOTE]

My excuse is usually (to quote pshrynk) "I always fail my saving throw vs. shiny.

[JSWolf]

[QUOTE=AlbertaCowboy;1554887]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

What is the reasoning behind jumping in with a blindfold on?QUOTE]

My excuse is usually (to quote pshrynk) "I always fail my saving throw vs. shiny.

You have a 650. You don't need a nook or Kobo. So really, waiting is a good idea.