Anyone with the PRS-900 in the UK ?

[colonel]

Is the wireless totally unusable, or can you use it if you put in a UK data SIM ?

also - general experience using ?

many thanks

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by colonel

Is the wireless totally unusable, or can you use it if you put in a UK data SIM ?

also - general experience using ?

many thanks

I'm from Germany, not from UK.
But I'd be enormously surprised, if your results would be any different from mine (or others):
You can exchange the SIM card without any problems. Sony 900 even tries to access it. Briefly, for about 2 seconds, you even see the 3G signal strength. But no connection, no failure message, no result at all...
Maybe later on there will be a jailbreak...
But I'd very much prefer WiFi instead...

[colonel]

Originally Posted by mgmueller

I'm from Germany, not from UK.
But I'd be enormously surprised, if your results would be any different from mine (or others):
You can exchange the SIM card without any problems. Sony 900 even tries to access it. Briefly, for about 2 seconds, you even see the 3G signal strength. But no connection, no failure message, no result at all...
Maybe later on there will be a jailbreak...
But I'd very much prefer WiFi instead...

thanks
I guess we would need to be able to get to the data settings, which we can't at the moment.
where did you buy yours out of interest ? (in a shop in the US or on-line)?

[igorsk]

The GSM unit inside PRS-900 supports only North American frequencies, and not European ones.

[colonel]

Originally Posted by igorsk

The GSM unit inside PRS-900 supports only North American frequencies, and not European ones.

ah, I'll leave alone for the moment then. I don't think the extra price is worth for another inch of screen

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by colonel

ah, I'll leave alone for the moment then. I don't think the extra price is worth for another inch of screen

Screen isn't just bigger. It's a minor improvement over Sony 600 qualitywise as well. No quantum leap, but still better contrast/clarity, less reflection. And I really like the form factor. Very nice measurements. But surely doesn't make any sense to replace Sony 600 for example. Only makes sense when considering a new unit.

[colonel]

Originally Posted by mgmueller

Screen isn't just bigger. It's a minor improvement over Sony 600 qualitywise as well. No quantum leap, but still better contrast/clarity, less reflection. And I really like the form factor. Very nice measurements. But surely doesn't make any sense to replace Sony 600 for example. Only makes sense when considering a new unit.

I am considering a new unit. I am a UK person, but if I buy in NY I am paying £197 for the PRS-600 and £288 for the PRS-900. Perhaps it is worth it, but this price is starting also to be close to the Kindle DX price of £326 which has better contrast, wireless which works in the UK and a bigger screen.

I used to have a PRS-505 and loved it, and am more wedded to the epub format, as I read alot of "out of patent" classics which actually made the PRS-505 a very cheap device, even with a payback.

but its a difficult decision

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by colonel

I am considering a new unit. I am a UK person, but if I buy in NY I am paying £197 for the PRS-600 and £288 for the PRS-900. Perhaps it is worth it, but this price is starting also to be close to the Kindle DX price of £326 which has better contrast, wireless which works in the UK and a bigger screen.

Don't forget, though, that you'll have to pay VAT on the Sony devices when you import them into the UK.

[gwynevans]

Originally Posted by colonel

I am considering a new unit. I am a UK person, but if I buy in NY I am paying £197 for the PRS-600 and £288 for the PRS-900.

Only if you're physically in NY *and* don't pay taxes/duty on your return to the UK. If you're buying over the internet, the additional costs can add up quickly - I did a recent post on it on my site - Buying internationally - which details the 'other' costs involved, using a PRS-600 from B & H Photo as an example.

[colonel]

I understand where you guys are coming from, talking about import duty ........