Sony Reader PRS-505 - MobileRead's Conference Call with Sony

[igorsk]

Well, judging by the changes in kernel code I expect the new firmware should work on PRS-500 with some coaxing... Now the question is, how do we extract it? Hmm...

[cabridges]

I'll check back when they can add support for other readers, but I have way too many secure PDBs to even consider a reader that can't handle them. Looks nice, though.

[NatCh]

Originally Posted by Arek_W

So maybe it really has to do something with book licensing??

They've told us specifically that the distribution licensing was an issue on more than one occasion. I'm a bit stymied myself as to why it's such a tough nut to crack, but it may just be that Mobi or someone else has rights that wouldn't allow Sony to also get rights.

Originally Posted by nesagwa

It is kind of disappointing that they probably wont be doing any more firmware updates for the 500. Im sure most of us that just got a reader wont want to go drop another 300 dollars for a new one with minimal upgrades.

I really wish Sony would release an update that fixes the Date problem and adding in some of the new book sorting methods.

Ehm, they didn't say that, and I tried not to give that impression. All they said was they haven't decided yet what they'll be able to add to the 500 -- they're still considering what to do there, that's not the same as having decided not to anything.

Originally Posted by igorsk

Well, judging by the changes in kernel code I expect the new firmware should work on PRS-500 with some coaxing... Now the question is, how do we extract it? Hmm...

I'd suggest that our "creative types" have a look to see what they can access via the new USB Mass Storage connection, that seems to be a promising avenue. But then, I'm not one of that particular flavor of "creative type" so my suggestions there should be taken well salted.

Originally Posted by cabridges

I'll check back when they can add support for other readers, but I have way too many secure PDBs to even consider a reader that can't handle them. Looks nice, though.

I'm afraid you'll most likely end up eating the secure PDB files ... eventually, I mean. Secure PDB doesn't seem to even be on anyone's scope as a possible major format anymore -- but that's just my impression.

I suspect that your best hope there (and this applies to all formats that don't become the long sought "standard" format), is that the sources of those secure formats convert to whatever eventually becomes the "standard" format and allow all the old books to be re-downloaded in the new "standard" format, whatever it ends up being.

[slayda]

Originally Posted by NatCh

I'd suggest that our "creative types" have a look to see what they can access via the new USB Mass Storage connection, that seems to be a promising avenue. But then, I'm not one of that particular flavor of "creative type" so my suggestions there should be taken well salted.

But this means that the "creative types" shell out another $300 for the new Reader. Personally, I hope they (the creative types) keep working on the old Reader since it looks like Sony will probably simply drop support for the old Reader.

Yes, NatCh, I realize they didn't say they were dropping support, but that seems to be their trend. Guess I'm just a "glass half empty kinda guy.

[bob_ninja]

Originally Posted by NatCh

They've told us specifically that the distribution licensing was an issue on more than one occasion. I'm a bit stymied myself as to why it's such a tough nut to crack, but it may just be that Mobi or someone else has rights that wouldn't allow Sony to also get rights.

....

I am perplexed too. Paper books are freely shipped around the world by different chains as well as Amazon. It just seems odd that a more laborious method of distribution of paper books should work better and have less barriers than electronic method?!?!?!

I realize that Sony is not in control here. Still, it doesn't help their efforts to developing an electronic book store. I actually think that Sony's Connect is cool and was looking forward to using it to get some eBooks onto 505. But now I'll give up on the whole eBooks thing.

I'll use another device like Bookeen primarily for my technical PDF docs. For general literature I'll simply use good old pBooks with coupons and memberships they cost about as much as eBooks and are much less hassle to obtain. No issues with stupid formats and export controls, etc.

Anyway don't mean to kill the messanger. Thanks for all the info

[bigumpah]

Originally Posted by yvanleterrible

The first hurdle I'd see for distribution in Canada is rights for French books. They're not the same.

Yvan this hurdle, does it apply for only Quebec or the rest of Canada?

Vincent

[jasonkchapman]

Originally Posted by NatCh

Ehm, they didn't say that, and I tried not to give that impression. All they said was they haven't decided yet what they'll be able to add to the 500 -- they're still considering what to do there, that's not the same as having decided not to anything.

Even if they plan to back-port all the new firmware features to the 500, they'd be foolish to broadcast the fact. It would surely take the edge off of some people's eagerness to upgrade. I take it as a good sign that the ConnSOFT replacement will support both models and that they're willing to even mention moving some of the new features to the 500.

[NatCh]

Originally Posted by bob_ninja

I am perplexed too. Paper books are freely shipped around the world by different chains as well as Amazon. It just seems odd that a more laborious method of distribution of paper books should work better and have less barriers than electronic method?!?!?!

It's what my grandmother would call a "poser," and others would call a conundrum.

I dunno the answer, but it may have something to do with paper books having been around long enough that such things are all settled. I'd think that they'd just follow the paper strategy, but then it occurs to me that lawyers are probably involved.

Originally Posted by bob_ninja

Anyway don't mean to kill the messanger. Thanks for all the info

Didn't take it that way at all!

And you're very welcome, the best part about all this to me is sharing the info!

[NatCh]

Originally Posted by jasonkchapman

Even if they plan to back-port all the new firmware features to the 500, they'd be foolish to broadcast the fact. It would surely take the edge off of some people's eagerness to upgrade. I take it as a good sign that the ConnSOFT replacement will support both models and that they're willing to even mention moving some of the new features to the 500.

I think (as my guess!) that we'll likely see some of the features back ported, but not everything, maybe not even most of it. The change in the USB status alone will prevent some of the new stuff from working on the old version.

[den_lim]

Will this item be US only like the 500 model?

[NatCh]

Originally Posted by den_lim

Will this item be US only like the 500 model?

Um ... yes, for the moment.

If you'd like further details, you can find them in the earlier posts in this thread.

[jasonkchapman]

Originally Posted by bob_ninja

I am perplexed too. Paper books are freely shipped around the world by different chains as well as Amazon. It just seems odd that a more laborious method of distribution of paper books should work better and have less barriers than electronic method?!?!?!

The problem is (I really should do an article on this) that there are multiple levels of sales (publisher, distributor, retailer) as well as different types of regional rights. Distributor contracts are often restricted by the location of the customer, which would be the retailer. Publishing contracts are similar. Retailers, though, are a different story entirely. A US-based retailer may have to buy through the US or North American regional distributor, but they can sell to anyone, anywhere (barring trade restrictions, of course).

The problem is that things seem strange when you have a situation like Sony or MobiPocket. The company is filling the role of both distributor and retailer. As a retailer, yes they could sell all over the world, but they're bound by the restrictions on their distribution contract terms. Fictionwise, as far as DRMed MobiPocket books are concerned, is a retailer. They buy "wholesale" from MobiPocket and can sell anywhere.

[Xenophon]

There are some changes in the 505's menus and functions that are worthy of note. While it is still a flat file system (the Sony Rep specifically pointed out that their thinking is that the flat file approach is much more straightforward for less technically minded users), there are some new options for finding books that are very interesting. First of all, there is the ability to sort by date (presumably date added) and alphabetically by author. Also, for those with a lot of books, it scans the list and presents an alphabetical list of books in chunks, i.e. A-C, D-F, and so on. These categories are then directly available with the number keys, which will speed jumping through the book listings considerably. Add these user interface improvements to the display contrast and refresh time improvements, and it should make for a marked improvement in the overall usability of the device.

I should point out that 'By Date' and 'By Author' are already available on the 500. They just get you to the same bloody-inconvenient 10-per-screen list of your 1000 books, just sorted differently.

There're some other sorting things that are issues:

• Will they support the "reading as" meta-data in that sorting (or whatever the heck its real name is)? It's there in the spec of the lrf files. The PRS500 accepts it, but doesn't use it to affect the sorting. It'd be truly super if the new firmware honored the field.
  
• Also, for those of us who are English speakers and are sorting titles/authors of books in English, it would be super if they implemented the Mc/Mac alphabetization rule. Check it out in your library card catalog (paper or online) or look at the books on the shelf... Author last names starting with 'Mc' or 'Mac' or 'Mc ' or Mac ' all sort as though that prefix was a letter that comes after L and before M. Thus 'Angus McThud' and 'Angus Mac Thud' sort identically. They also come before that well known author 'Angus M'.

Of course if the new firmware supported both the "reading as" meta-data and the Mc/Mac rule, I could also have the name display as 'Angus McThud' but sort as 'McThud, Angus', which would get things working the way they really should.

Is there any chance that the MobileRead guys can ask the Sony folks whether they have any plans to support/fix these things?

Xenophon

P.S.
Of course, I wouldn't want any of you to think that I'm overly pedantic, or anal or anything. But... Can any of you tell me... Is anal-retentive spelled with or without a hyphen?

[NatCh]

Originally Posted by jasonkchapman

I really should do an article on this

I'd love to see such an article! If you do one, put it in it's own thread so we can highlight it.

That nutshell version clears up a few things all by itself.

[Hadrien]

UMS support means that we'll be able to easily create software for the Sony PRS-505 on Windows/Linux/Mac that will automatically synchronize RSS feeds to it (PDF and then ePub) using Feedbooks.
Newspapers on the PRS-505 should be easier too: there's already Les Echos available in France, and we know that the Kindle will support the NY Times (I just hope that there's no exclusivity deal).

That's a VERY cool feature ^^