Don't buy a PRS-T1 if you think it will 'just work' with your local library!

[freemansteve]

KNOWING FULL WELL NOBODY IMPORTANT AT SONY UK WILL EVER READ THIS->

So, I got nice PRS-T1 just before Xmas for my wife, having been told by my local Sony store that it would be able to download DRM'd books from our local library. I understand ePUB format etc and copyrighted material.

Now, if I wanted only the freely available books that are out of copyright, and/or if I wanted to purchase digital books, an £89 Kindle would be perfect. The T1 seemed a little slicker design and hardware-wise and would apparently let me use books from my local library, so I bought one. Also, I have no idea why anyone would want to have the hassle of downloading books first onto a PC and then transferring - this unit is internet connected after all, and promises that you don't need to drag a PC around with you just to obtain books.

I took the precaution of checking it before wrapping it up as a gift. Lucky I did. Even with getting the latest f/w updates and onto the net via wi-fi, it turns out my local library (Leamington) is somehow not compatible with the T1!  Sure, I found a list of other libraries on it, for which I don't have a library card, but there was no mechanism that enabled me to get books from Leamington!

I had already proven ages ago that I could download copyrighted ePub books from the library onto my PC, using Adobe Digital Editions, so I assumed the T1 work in a similar way - I was wrong.

I took the reader back to my local store for a refund, my wife's planned xmas gift now a bit of a problem.

The store guys were nice, but at first assumed I didn't know what I was doing (I was patient and didn't tell them I'm a Senior VP of Engineering for an international hi-tech company and was using and developing for the internet since the 80's - it's best that people figure stuff out for themselves). They phoned Sony, and the thin answer was that the problem might be addressed in the future. I got the impression that Sony knew less about how the system works than I did, but never mind.

I will leave it for a year or two until Sony Readers mature a bit. Right now my advice is that if you want older free books, or are happy to buy downloads, then get a kindle. If you want to get copyrighted books from your local library, get the in-store to prove in front of you that this can be done.

FWIW, I think the T1 simply needs an ADE app and a means to connect directly via the browser to a given library URL (plus your details). How hard can it be to make it work like my PC does already? The thing is Linux based, right?

Steve Freeman

Not Happy, SONY - WAKE UP!!! (but my wife liked her new jumper)

… and on top of that, the dammed website won’t let me post for some technical reason “try again later”. How amateur are Sony UK?

[carpetmojo · Accepted solution]

All you have to do is download ADE , there is a thread on exactly this topic here today - no need to go overboard !

[freemansteve]

Perhaps you misunderstand my post, OR the T1 now includes new firmware (not available before Xmas in the UK) that fixes the problem.

The issue is that the Sony store and all UK media information claimed the T1 would work with UK libaries with ePub copyrighted material (DRM'd, if you will) via a direct download over WiFi (no PC required - a major benefit when travelling and you need to get new books).

As the store proved to themselves in front of my eyes, and had it confirmed by Sony tech support on the spot that day, this was impossible with our local library and therefore many others in the UK. This is not a fault of the library, who are pretty good, as I already know that I can download and read books from them using ADE on my PC.

The point was really about why I'd want to travel with T1 if I also had to take a PC with me just to get the ebooks from our local library (which means I could get ebooks, but I might as well only read them on the laptop!). I posted to ensure others wouldn't fall foul of this problem.  I'm sure the T1 works fine with many libaries and many users for DRM'd ebooks of the corrrect formats, but not all.

Have I misunderstood your point, or has the T1 firmware moved on since Xmas? Pehaps it does now implement an ADE Linux app and "just work" - I haven't checked - is this what you are saying?

Steve

[alnicho3576]

Have you checked with your library service? The app on the Sony PRS-T1 is an Overdrive app and if your library service uses another provider you will not be able to download books through them.  If they do use another provider you will be able to download the books through the web browser.  I do this regularly from my local libary in Bridgend with no problems.

alinic

[freemansteve]

Yes I checked with the library and they work with DRM'd ePub e-books, and with older Sony readers, and their e-books also work perfectly on my PC with ADE.

I had also tried pointing the browser in the T1 directly into my library account and could not get an e-book to download, and neither could the Sony store guys with help from Sony "Tech (have you switched it on?) Support". I think the T1 really needs an ADE app to be fully compatible with UK libraries, and that Overdrive works with some public libraries, particularly those abroad.

I guess my beef is that you can infer form the blurb and 'net chatter that "it just works directly with UK libraries" when in fact they should inform buyers that "if you are lucky, you'll find some UK libraries that the unit can work with, without using a PC". It is a bit misleading, and bear in mind the Sony were astonished to find this out - so any Sales training they may have received was incomplete or wrong.

It's a bit like buying a car in the entirely reasonable belief that it works on all metalled roads in the UK, and then finding that it only works on blacktop surfaces and not on concrete surfaces!

Steve

PS I took the T1 back and got a refund, so there not much detail I can add. My theory is that if I wait a couple of years, I will no longer have to be beta tester for Sony. Great hardware, but their software always sucked.

Message was edited by: freemansteve

Message was edited by: freemansteve

[carpetmojo]

Steve, it will be a long time before all libraries have a digital section - the cuts have slowed that up considerably.

And as to the rest, have you read scanman01's post above ?

It covers the ground very much better than I could, as it came from someone who also had problems but solved them.

You don't need to lug your PC/laptop around, but you do need to get it initially authorised.

As scanman found out, and did.

[freemansteve]

"Steve, it will be a long time before all libraries have a digital section - the cuts have slowed that up considerably."

--- My library already does digital books. I can read them on my PC. I have used the latest Sony Reader s/w on my PC and it works fine.  As I said, Despite this, Sony themselves confirmed that the T1 could not get books directly from the library and it could not be authorised. Since I no longer have the reader, there is nothing I can do experimentation-wise.

[scanman01]

For an up-to-date list of UK and Ireland libraries that utilise 'Overdrive' software visit the following website:-

www.overdrive.com

At the moment they are listing 401 Overdrive enabled libraries for the UK and 18 for Ireland.

Leamington Library in Essex supports the Overdrive system, Leamington Library in Warwickshire does not although it has an excellent tutorial on how to get eBooks tranferred to ones eReader.

I have tried downloading eBooks from my library in Liverpool directly to my PRS-T1 eReader and it is very straightforward but would only download directly if I was away from my home computer, so far I have found it much more convenient to visit my libraries website on my home computer which makes it easier to view books available.

[carpetmojo]

And I don't know if the sources are the same, but MobileRead Forums hav a constantly updated list of UK libraries that have digital content. And, fome you don't need to live in the area.

[scanman01]

Thanks for the info on the MobileRead forum UK Libraries thread, some useful information in those postings.

For anyone who wants to read the UK Libraries thread here is the link to the thread:-

www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=120523

Well worth keeping an eye on the thread as it gives information on libraries around the UK.