Why Such High Sony E-reader Prices?

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by jj2me

Why not just replace the battery?

Or if the price of that battery is too high for you, here's one on eBay that's $12 shipped and includes tools.

Missed this post. Sorry about my redundancy.

[radius]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Sony Reader....

1. Older eInk screesn with less contrast and less resolution,
2. Slow processor
3. Old versions of RMSDK
4. No hyphenation except for the T3
5. No front light
6. 600, 700, & 900 are awful

Given what you can get these days, $100 for a Sony Reader is not worth it. I know newer Readers can cost more, but you get a lot more.

I wouldn't pay $100 for an older machine, but they can still hold up very well in many respects.

As an example, for the PRS-505:

- integrated cover is attractive
- metal body
- multiple page turn buttons usable by either hand
- takes memory cards (though the file scanning is so slow you might run out of battery before finishing a large SD haha)
- has separate charging port
- audio support

This is really nice hardware, built back before they cost-reduced ereaders for mass consumption.

The screen was "good enough" for many people, so it might not be relevant that there are better screen available now. Heck, I remember saying on MR back in the day that the screen resolution was too low and there were too many ink particle flecks only for many posters to tell me they couldn't see the pixels let alone the flecks.

To me, the main drawback of the older machines isn't backlighting or screen, it's the lack of CPU power and RAM. Back then they barely had enough power to paginate, so God help you if you had large illustrations or big epub chapters. For reading plain old novels though, even older readers are mostly just fine.

I also have a T3 and it:

- can still buy books on device from a live book store
- has good contrast for its generation (since it didn't have a light guide of digitizer layer)
- has pretty good font rendering for publisher fonts
- page turn buttons!
- lighter and slimmer than any other 6 inch reader I've seen (maybe the original Kobo Aura is close)
- memory card support
- integrated cover flap if desired
- built in Overdrive support

Really, there is no disadvantage for me to reading on a T3 compared to the latest devices. It makes a great every day carry machine.

[Pajamaman]

I picked up a T2 and T3 for about $40 each a year or two back. Excellent deals. I don't really need the T3. I should sell it. The T2 can be rooted and used as an e-ink tablet which I will do at some point. I have a couple of 650's lying around in excellent condition. The pearl screens are fine. I don't need Carta. I suppose I should sell them too. I find I really want a back-light these days.

[gingerbeardman]

Originally Posted by radius

I wouldn't pay $100 for an older machine, but they can still hold up very well in many respects.

(snip)

Really, there is no disadvantage for me to reading on a T3 compared to the latest devices. It makes a great every day carry machine.

Originally Posted by radius

I wouldn't pay $100 for an older machine, but they can still hold up very well in many respects.

(snip)

Really, there is no disadvantage for me to reading on a T3 compared to the latest devices. It makes a great every day carry machine.

Originally Posted by rcentros

If it's just the battery, you can pick one up for $11.65 in the U.S. (which includes shipping).

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Cameron-Sin...MAAOSwr7ZW4nSg

Installing it looks like it requires working with about four screws and approximately 10 minutes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hr0B2bT9UGs

I just got my 350 delivered today. I like it a lot.

Recently, I fitted a battery from that manufacturer in my PRS-650. Superb.

I just got a PRS-350, too. Lovely.

[rcentros]

Shop Goodwill currently has a 600 and 900 (both with OEM lighted cases) up for auction. Both appear to be in good condition (especially the 900) and I'm guessing they'll go for under $20 with s/h. The red 600 has come up for auction at least three times now without a bidder. If these had good screens they would be great -- as is (in my opinion) they're only good for completing a Sony collection. A PRS-700 rolled off without a bid and it will probably show up again, as well.

https://www.shopgoodwill.com/Listing...uyerPrefs=true

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by rcentros

Shop Goodwill currently has a 600 and 900 (both with OEM lighted cases) up for auction. Both appear to be in good condition (especially the 900) and I'm guessing they'll go for under $20 with s/h. The red 600 has come up for auction at least three times now without a bidder. If these had good screens they would be great -- as is (in my opinion) they're only good for completing a Sony collection. A PRS-700 rolled off without a bid and it will probably show up again, as well.

https://www.shopgoodwill.com/Listing...uyerPrefs=true

I would not bid on a 600 or 900. They are horrible to read with. It's like reading looking at a mirror and the text is murky. This is because of the touh layer. Sony moved to to IR Touch with the x50 line (350, 650, 950) and without the touch layer, everything was good. But forget any Sony with a touch layer.

[rkomar]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I would not bid on a 600 or 900. They are horrible to read with. It's like reading looking at a mirror and the text is murky. This is because of the touh layer. Sony moved to to IR Touch with the x50 line (350, 650, 950) and without the touch layer, everything was good. But forget any Sony with a touch layer.

That's good advice for someone looking for a good reader to use, but it looks to me like the members buying the Sony devices have become collectors as well as readers. They like the tech, want at least one of each model, and the shortcomings are just part of each model's character. At $20 per device, it's cheap as far as collections go.

[JSWolf]

The 600, 700, & 900 are all a waste of money.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by rkomar

That's good advice for someone looking for a good reader to use, but it looks to me like the members buying the Sony devices have become collectors as well as readers. They like the tech, want at least one of each model, and the shortcomings are just part of each model's character. At $20 per device, it's cheap as far as collections go.

That's why I brought them up. If you're going to collect these models, Shop Goodwill is a bit cheaper than eBay, especially when they come with the lighted cases. But I wouldn't want to read on any of these Sony Readers either. I currently have a 600 that I'll probably give away or sell – and I'm definitely not in the market for a 700 or 900. It's kind of frustrating to see such good quality build with such a poor screen. But the 300, 505 and the 350 (and I'm guessing the 650 and 950) are good Readers.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The 600, 700, & 900 are all a waste of money.

Except for those who want to complete a Sony Reader collection.

[JSWolf]

The one thing that makes Sony Readers better than any Kindle is the fact that you can turn them off. Kindles you keep having to keep he battery topped up or they will go flat.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The one thing that makes Sony Readers better than any Kindle is the fact that you can turn them off. Kindles you keep having to keep he battery topped up or they will go flat.

Honestly I wish Sony was still making Readers. They had high quality builds and software (except for those pathetic 600, 700 and 900 screens). Unfortunately – at least in the United States – I don't think they could compete on price with Amazon and (at the time) Barnes & Noble. Besides, I think Sony was going through quite an upheaval when they dropped eReaders. I think that was also the time when a lot of their consumer electronic products were dropped (including, I think, laptop and desktop computers).

[Hemmi]

The 650 and 950 are great readers. Screens not quite as great as the T series readers though.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by Hemmi

The 650 and 950 are great readers. Screens not quite as great as the T series readers though.

I got my 950 in today. Just a very big 350. I'm not sure what the past owner had done to it, but the Page Turn buttons didn't work (physically they were fine, they just didn't do anything – got a circle with a line through it in the status area). Once I upgraded the firmware to 2.x.x everything worked fine. Looks like WiFi and 3G is about worthless on these now, but I like the 2 page, horizontal view for reading. Now I've got to try to find a case (or pouch) for the thing. I also have to find a 650 (someday) to complete the series set – no huge hurry, but that gap "bothers me." (Yeah, I know, a sickness.)

As for the screens on the T-series. I agree. My T-2 has a great screen.

[Richwood]

Originally Posted by rcentros

I got my 950 in today. Just a very big 350. I'm not sure what the past owner had done to it, but the Page Turn buttons didn't work (physically they were fine, they just didn't do anything – got a circle with a line through it in the status area). Once I upgraded the firmware to 2.x.x everything worked fine. Looks like WiFi and 3G is about worthless on these now, but I like the 2 page, horizontal view for reading. Now I've got to try to find a case (or pouch) for the thing. I also have to find a 650 (someday) to complete the series set – no huge hurry, but that gap "bothers me." (Yeah, I know, a sickness.)

As for the screens on the T-series. I agree. My T-2 has a great screen.

The PRS-350 and PRS-950 seem to be common based on ebay listings. The PRS-650 is the uncommon one. I can only presume that the PRS-650 cost close enough to the 950 price that relatively few were sold as purchasers went for the 950 with the larger screen. Looking for one. I have the T1, T2 and T3 too.