I suspect that Bluetooth would be a better connection method for a keyboard, given the form factor. But I also suspect that's quite a minority interest capability, so you will probably need to wait for the second generation to get well established before you see that.
I love my original Sony Reader, and can't wait for one with a practical subscription method for periodicals.
The Sony 3G product is desperately required in the UK.
Amazon's kindle is coming out some time here before Christmas and will dominate with its own book store with restricted proprietary format.
Sony needs to come to town with a device and book store which allows users to simply download titles in the open industry standard EPUB.
The last thing I want is to have to choose between a product that works but locks me in and a product that is awkward but gives me control of the ebooks I buy.
Try buying an ebook from waterstones... such a painful experience it will never take off in that form.
...when will they make their existing damned eReader software properly compatible with non-Windows machines? That cheered up a lot of people when they got the installation CD out of the box.
I went on holiday a few weeks ago and very nearly bought a sony reader, I love e-ink and desrerately want a reader! I was about to cough the £200 untill i noticed that the books are just as dear as the paper counterparts! to create and distribute paper books requires logistics, printing, and general human intervention... I dont mind paying for something nice... but a digital copy is costless...
does the author get a larger royalty from an ebook as the manufacturing and distribution costs are zero? the middlemen all get a bigger chunk and that isnt fair!
I would hapilly pay for an electronic title, if it was a sensible price, or like many of my bluerays - buy the physical media and get a free evectronic version too...
untill then... sony can bring out as many excellent readers as they want, its the bastards that are holding me back!!!
Will I be able to read my books for ever, on the hardware of my choice? Or will they be forever tied to a Sony product that'll break down in a few years time? Also do I trust Sony's answer, given their previous form for DRM-malware distribution?
In any case, squashed tree is a better random-access device for use by humans, then anything with a screen. E-books are for people who never learned how to do non-linear reading.
It's not worth it until UK publishers change their policies. Economically, it makes good sense to buy eBooks in America because they're nearly always cheaper than the paperbacks.
In the UK (looking at you, Waterstones), the eBook price is usually on a par with the hardback RRP, but without any of the discounts you'll usually find on that price when buying it in a shop.
But don't worry. Remember, in the eyes of Sony and the publishers, it's the consumers' fault for not being prepared to pay through the nose for digital content.
before I get one, if ever, unless the gready publishers wake up to the late 20th century.
I love the idea of ebook readers and would sorely like one for my wife who is a voracious reader but at £200+ for the reader plus the inflated prices for a LEASED copy of any books you want to read (at least anything still in copyright) it's just a waste of money.
I hear a couple of ebook reader makers are talking with local libraries to allow free checkouts of electronic format books on a limited time basis, just like for real books, and think that would be the absolute killer app for these. Forget advertising like "can hold 10,000 books" because that is 10,000 x ~£8 currently to fill it! A bigger seller would be a nominal (say less than £50) annual subscription for all-you-can-read services including magazines, newspapers and _recent_ novels, even with encumbered DRM that would be perfectly acceptable for me. With that I would buy two tomorrow.
BB as publishers are using that novel like a manual (and the recent amazon kindle kerfuffle).
Logitech Harmony ONE Advanced Universal Remote
Logitech Harmony 1100 Remote Control
Logitech Harmony 700 Universal Remote (LCD, 6 Devices)
Logitech Harmony 900 Universal Remote (LCD Touch Screen, Macro Control, 15 Devices)
Panasonic DMW-BCG10 Replacement Battery
Sony writes up UK e-book viewer plan
The Indomitable Gall
USB! #
Posted Wednesday 9th September 2009 11:10 GMT
If they make a model with a USB host port that I can stick a keyboard on, they've got a sale. I love my eeePC, but it ain't got an eInk display.
LUke Ireland
Keyboard? #
Posted Wednesday 9th September 2009 13:59 GMT
What would be the point on a display designed not to be regularly refreshed?
Anonymous Coward
Oh a specific UK version from Sony... #
Posted Wednesday 9th September 2009 13:59 GMT
That'll be the more-expensive, cut down version without the useful features available in other countries.
Geoff Campbell
Keyboards #
Posted Wednesday 9th September 2009 13:59 GMT
I suspect that Bluetooth would be a better connection method for a keyboard, given the form factor. But I also suspect that's quite a minority interest capability, so you will probably need to wait for the second generation to get well established before you see that.
I love my original Sony Reader, and can't wait for one with a practical subscription method for periodicals.
GJC
Anonymous Coward
control and purchase experience are key #
Posted Wednesday 9th September 2009 13:59 GMT
The Sony 3G product is desperately required in the UK.
Amazon's kindle is coming out some time here before Christmas and will dominate with its own book store with restricted proprietary format.
Sony needs to come to town with a device and book store which allows users to simply download titles in the open industry standard EPUB.
The last thing I want is to have to choose between a product that works but locks me in and a product that is awkward but gives me control of the ebooks I buy.
Try buying an ebook from waterstones... such a painful experience it will never take off in that form.
Anonymous Coward
Never mind this new plan... #
Posted Wednesday 9th September 2009 13:59 GMT
...when will they make their existing damned eReader software properly compatible with non-Windows machines? That cheered up a lot of people when they got the installation CD out of the box.
Matt 13
not till the books come down in price... #
Posted Wednesday 9th September 2009 16:32 GMT
I went on holiday a few weeks ago and very nearly bought a sony reader, I love e-ink and desrerately want a reader! I was about to cough the £200 untill i noticed that the books are just as dear as the paper counterparts! to create and distribute paper books requires logistics, printing, and general human intervention... I dont mind paying for something nice... but a digital copy is costless...
does the author get a larger royalty from an ebook as the manufacturing and distribution costs are zero? the middlemen all get a bigger chunk and that isnt fair!
I would hapilly pay for an electronic title, if it was a sensible price, or like many of my bluerays - buy the physical media and get a free evectronic version too...
untill then... sony can bring out as many excellent readers as they want, its the bastards that are holding me back!!!
Craster
Get smart #
Posted Wednesday 9th September 2009 17:21 GMT
1) Don't use the sony reader software, use Calibre - free, multiformat, works great, and allows you to reformat books.
2) Why would anyone want to shop from Waterstones or a UK-based Sony store? Buy from places like BooksOnBoard and you pay US prices.
Nigel 11
The big question #
Posted Wednesday 9th September 2009 19:24 GMT
Will I be able to read my books for ever, on the hardware of my choice? Or will they be forever tied to a Sony product that'll break down in a few years time? Also do I trust Sony's answer, given their previous form for DRM-malware distribution?
In any case, squashed tree is a better random-access device for use by humans, then anything with a screen. E-books are for people who never learned how to do non-linear reading.
David Horn
Not worth it until publishers change #
Posted Wednesday 9th September 2009 19:24 GMT
It's not worth it until UK publishers change their policies. Economically, it makes good sense to buy eBooks in America because they're nearly always cheaper than the paperbacks.
In the UK (looking at you, Waterstones), the eBook price is usually on a par with the hardback RRP, but without any of the discounts you'll usually find on that price when buying it in a shop.
But don't worry. Remember, in the eyes of Sony and the publishers, it's the consumers' fault for not being prepared to pay through the nose for digital content.
Heath Kitchin
will be a while yet #
Posted Thursday 10th September 2009 11:42 GMT
before I get one, if ever, unless the gready publishers wake up to the late 20th century.
I love the idea of ebook readers and would sorely like one for my wife who is a voracious reader but at £200+ for the reader plus the inflated prices for a LEASED copy of any books you want to read (at least anything still in copyright) it's just a waste of money.
I hear a couple of ebook reader makers are talking with local libraries to allow free checkouts of electronic format books on a limited time basis, just like for real books, and think that would be the absolute killer app for these. Forget advertising like "can hold 10,000 books" because that is 10,000 x ~£8 currently to fill it! A bigger seller would be a nominal (say less than £50) annual subscription for all-you-can-read services including magazines, newspapers and _recent_ novels, even with encumbered DRM that would be perfectly acceptable for me. With that I would buy two tomorrow.
BB as publishers are using that novel like a manual (and the recent amazon kindle kerfuffle).