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Sony Launches eBook Reader, Store

By Nate Mook, BetaNews

September 27, 2006, 12:20 PM

Sony has officially launched its portable Reader device, which offers a high-resolution electronic paper display for reading eBooks and other documents. It's designed to give a printed look that's easy on the eyes. The company has also opened an eBook store to support the Sony Reader.

Over 10,000 titles are available from the CONNECT eBook store thanks to agreements with a number of publishers, Sony said, although book pricing was not discussed. The Sony Reader features on-screen controls and has a battery life equivalent to 7,500 page turns. It will retail for $350 USD from both SonyStyle and stores such as Borders.

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By ilusorio

edited Sep 29, 2006 - 3:48 PM

How many languages does this device support? Does it support Russian and Chinese?

Score: 0

By DeadFly

posted Sep 28, 2006 - 3:42 PM

I've been following ePaper technology for awhile, waiting for someone to really put it to use rather than just talk about how wonderful it is. $350 does seem a bit high, but I'd be willing if I could get nearly any title I wanted and not pay a premium. Right now I buy most of my book used on Amazon. If I had to pay full price, I don't know if I'd buy as many books.

Score: 0

By pixelstation

edited Sep 27, 2006 - 3:33 PM

Why would anyone buy an ebook reader for $350 when you can get a PDA for the same price, even lower. Plus you can watch movies and listen to music AND read books! It doesnt make sense!

Can the ebook Reader even view PDF files at least?

Score: 0

By Arakiel

edited Sep 27, 2006 - 3:45 PM

The screen mostly. The screen of most ebook readers is vastly superior when *reading text* to anything a PDA pushes out. Don't get me wrong, a PDA will get the job done but just take a look at the screen on the Sony one, especially in real life not just in pictures on the site and you'll see just how superior the screen is for the task at hand (not so good for movies and such however) The PDA is great for all the things you mentioned and for reading small amounts of text but for a novel or for references, it quickly tires the eyes.

And yes the Sony one supports PDF.

Media Formats Supported
Unsecured Text: BBeB Book, Adobe® PDF, TXT, RTF, Microsoft® Word (Conversion to the Reader-requires Word installed on your PC)
DRM Text: BBeB Book (Marlin)
Unsecured Audio: MP3 and AAC7
Image: JPEG, GIF, PNG, and BMP

Score: 0

By larrybroat

edited Oct 20, 2006 - 1:07 PM

I have the E-Book Reader and have been exploring it all week long. Yes it will display PDF but you can not change the font size and it is miniscule, as in 2 or 3 point type. I don't see how anyone could read a PDF with this device.

Score: 0

By schaefnaa1

posted Sep 27, 2006 - 2:56 PM

I've actually been following this product closely for some time. Unlike many of you, I'm thrilled at the idea of having a lightweight device with which I can add or remove, purchase & download books at my convenience. It is the same reason I bought an MP3 player way back when (Diamond Rio, anyone?) to eliminate the hassle of hording CD's in my backpack, etc. etc.

There's also one more reason why I'm rooting for this to succeed: E-Ink is one of the most exciting emerging technologies which will, provided enough support, replace/upgrade many of the common devices we use today. Has anyone actually SEEN this reader in person? It's simply stunning.

My take anyway. I'll be buying one soon.

Score: 0

By larrybroat

edited Oct 25, 2006 - 4:13 PM

I have one in my hot little hands and have read one full length book using the device. I wouldn't call it stunning, but it is very easy on the eyes,. After reading a couple of pages on a computer screen, my eyes are begging for mercy due to flicker and glare. There is glare with the ebook reader but you can tilt the display slightly and make most of it disappear. There is a very annoying black screen that appears for about two seconds between page turns. I find myself looking away while the page refreshes to avoid the visual jolt as the old page disappears and the new page builds.
-Larry-

Score: 0

By windycityguy

edited Sep 27, 2006 - 2:23 PM

I agree with the first few posters. Perceived value is just as important as real value. Just because someone thinks "wow, I could stick this in my backpack and only carry one lightweight device" does not mainstream consumers are going to snap it up. Why? Because the perceived value of a thick, tangible textbook is a lot higher than its digital counterpart. The CD analogy doesn't really apply because music recordings were never tangible to begin with. There's also a maintenance issue - you don't have to recharge a book.

Score: 0

By Arakiel

posted Sep 27, 2006 - 3:04 PM

"The CD analogy doesn't really apply because music recordings were never tangible to begin with"

Sure it applies, as CD is just as tangible as a textbook. The "ideas and stories" behind the textbook are what is as intangible as the music recordings. A CD is just as tangible as a book, I can hold it, I can see it, I can feel it.

"There's also a maintenance issue - you don't have to recharge a book."

You dont have to recharge a CD either...that doesnt stop people from getting MP3s

Score: 0

By bobthegoat2001

posted Sep 27, 2006 - 2:14 PM

Mark wants it though.

Score: 0

By Mark Gillespie

posted Sep 28, 2006 - 4:02 PM

As much as you think I live everything that is Sony, it's not true. You can't beat a paper book.

Score: 0

By Arakiel

posted Sep 27, 2006 - 2:06 PM

Do Betanews readers ever actually READ the details behind articles or just knee jerk react? Whats not to understand here? 1 device, portable...holds the equivelant of MANY books in the palm of your hand. Let's see, I COULD carry around a massive backpack that weighs in around 75lbs with all my reference material...OR I can pick this up.

It's not like e-book readers are NEW, they've been around for years.

Let me put it this way. You can goto the store and buy a music CD for $15 OR you can go online and buy the same songs for your MP3 player at roughly the same price. Which is more convenient? Now tell me how ebook readers are any different?

Score: 0

By Alex Stevens

edited Sep 27, 2006 - 5:40 PM

No one is disputing that ebook readers are not new, I think everyone is talking about this: $350!! You can almost buy a Playstation 3 for that price.

Yeah, ebooks are convenient for travel but there are MANY ways to read them that don't cost such a ridiculous amount of money. Even an old PDA can read ebooks.

Score: 0

By hiyoag

posted Sep 27, 2006 - 2:23 PM

I read the article twice trying to figure out who would buy this thing.

Reference material? Um, OK. Unless I had a laptop to hold reference material.

It seems they are marketing this thing to replace popular books. Mommy, can I have $400 for the new Harry Potter book?

Score: 0

By larrybroat

edited Oct 20, 2006 - 1:21 PM

I bought the device because I own a considerable amount of stock in a book manufacturing company and I want to know if e-paper represents a threat to my investment. This first iteration of the Sony reader is not a threat. It is over priced, poorly designed (my standard is the Ipod), availablity of content is limited and locked down by Sony. For a micro-computer controlled device, it is incredibly stupid, no text search and no way to excerpt information. The two pieces that work are the display and the ability to down load content in a matter of seconds.
-Larry-

Score: 0

By Arakiel

posted Sep 27, 2006 - 3:01 PM

How about "Mommy can I have $400 for a personal copy of the Library of Congress?"

^^ more then slightly exageration tis true, however the way flash memory is going it may be feasible sooner then later. Classic literature can already be aquired legally for little to no money in electronic form. Having a single book sized device that holds all the worlds classic literature...thats pretty damn handy for students and people with a book fetish.

As for reference material...I suppose that would be determined by the person and the type of reference material. No everyone who has need of reference material has need of a laptop.

Score: 0

By xyzcb1

posted Sep 27, 2006 - 1:00 PM

Is anyone really reading a book from their screen?

Score: 0

By Alex Stevens

posted Sep 27, 2006 - 12:39 PM

Just more evidence that Sony management are all smoking crack.

Score: 0

By foxfyre

edited Sep 27, 2006 - 12:48 PM

Awkward as hell...

A solution in search of a problem.

Hmmmm...
I wonder if it is color coordinated to match my $600 5" screen dedicated DVD viewer?

Score: 0

By hiyoag

posted Sep 27, 2006 - 12:35 PM

Can someone explain this to me?

I can spend about $20 - $30 for a new book, OR I can spend $350 for an electronic reader, then spend $20 - $30 on the new e-book.

Is there a convenience factor that I am missing? I guess I wouldn't need bookshelves any more.

As a nerd, I'm all for new technology, but this just seems stupid. Please, someone tell me how I'm wrong. I just don't get it.

Score: 0

By drumcat

posted Sep 27, 2006 - 12:31 PM

Ummm.... no. DOA. No one pays $350 extra to buy a book.

Score: 0

By tomwiii

edited Oct 1, 2006 - 1:34 PM

Over past 5 years, I've purchased over 500 eBaooks from FW and have gone thru 4 readers: REB (both models from RCA); eBookman from Franklin; Toshiba e335 and now use my Toshiba 800 and the biggest problem I've encountered is: FORMATS!
My favorite is MOBIPOCKET, which covers most books. If NOT, then I use the PALM READER (I refuse to use the horrible MS READER). SONY has limited their reader to THEIR format & it's going to disappoint a lot of folks who will NOT be able to goto POWELLS or FW & buy WHAT THEY WANT! This, I think, is what killer GEMSTAR.

Score: 0

By larrybroat

edited Oct 25, 2006 - 4:20 PM

This is Sony's stupid (and doomed) effort to make you buy all content from them. Some company will get it right,but it won't be Sony.
-Larry-

Score: 0

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