Sony Reader Store, going live date?

[ace365]

Can anyone help?

I have a simple question....when will the Sony Reader Store go live? I am well aware that I can access it through my PC...download a book...and then hook it up to my PRS-T1 reader and download it. But, the whole reason that I bought this ereader, was so that I could download books on the move...including periodical publications without the need to lug my lap top around with me.

Sony...I have telephoned customer services three times, I have visted two of your Sony stores...So far, no one can provide a date when this will your Reader Store will be fully functional. This was not explained when I purchased the PRS-T1, nor is it anywhere on your website.

Please keep your customers up to date and publish the date on your website when the Sony Reader Store will be live.

In the mean time, anyone have any ideas on the live date??? or should I give up, return it, and go for the Kindle?

[carpetmojo · Accepted solution]

In a word or two - no date as yet.

It is a bit unfortunate that the T1 and the Reader Store didn't "conjoin" so to speak, but I suppose it's the usual negotiating with 5,000 publishers, authors, formats, geographical regions........and on and on..

However, you can still download books on the move - just not from the Reader Store, 'cos it ain't there yet.

Get your Adobe ID, and do the Reader register, and you can buy wifi-ly from Waterstones, Smiths/Kobo., the usual suspects.

I can do it, so, honestly, anyone can ! :smileyblush:

And should you still want to use your PC laptop, you could try Calibre, a very good management system.

Also, if you aren't aware of it, join up to MobileRead Forums, a brilliant global site with loads of tips, advice , make specific sections, offers, resources, UK Public Libraries that have Digital resources, and the MobileRead free library (only they are yours to keep) with excellent formatting versions,  the list is pretty much endless.

Hope this helps.

[ace365]

Thanks for the response.

I have taken your advice. I have downloaded a book direct (wifi) from the one of the other on-line stores to my reader....very simple and took a few minutes.

Thanks again.

[ColR2012]

I bought the PRS-T1 reader pretty much as soon as it came out having been given the impression the Reader Store would follow shortly after.  Some 4 months or so later I'm still waiting.  Could I ever imagine Apple doing this, would Amazon do this?  No, they're switched on to providing the customer with a full service straight out the box.  Sony need to wake up!

I chose the PRS-T1 to replace my Sony reader PRS-650 because I wanted to get wi-fi access but keep the touch screen feature, have an SD card slot, and the freedom to download books and documents having variable file types.

After being pretty patient I finally gave up last week.  I downloaded the Android hack software, installed the Kindle App and now use Amazon's book store for any purchases I need.  Using this approach I still have the touch screen, I still have the SD card, the Sony build quality etc, I can still use multiple files but I now buy some of my books from Amazon.  Would have preferred to buy from Sony rather than give business elsewhere, but because Sony couldn't be bothered getting their act together I found a work-around.

Message was edited by: ColR2012

Message was edited by: ColR2012

[ZumbaChumba]

"Could I ever imagine Apple doing this, would Amazon do this?"

You hit the nail on the head there...   Sony have had 2 years now to launch their onboard store, and still nothing.

I really hope the change at the top (Kazuo Hirai taking control) will shake things up, as this is simply unforgivable.  If Sony can't sort out the store (which to me, they have proved they can't), they need to partner with Kobo or Google and let them sort it out.   If they had partnered 6 months ago, we would be benefiting from it now.

Anyone know Kaz's email address, as I bet he would be shocked to find Sony UK selling a Wifi enabled e-reader without a store to accompany it.

[PaulC_UK]

A great product, though overpriced in UK, let down by this fiasco. I shall think twice before purchasing another Sony product.

[PorkyCat]

I am pretty disappointed with the continued lack of integration with a book store. I can get by without it and would probably want to shop around anyway. But that's not the point, the ereader was sold to me on the basis of having a tightly integrated bookshop. SOON.

It would appear that the marketing words below the Sony name are literally true.... Make Believe

[carpetmojo]

I shouldn't bother - I think he probably knows already, don't you ? If he's any good that is.... Especially with the constantly upcoming "Potter" lark.

But the truth of the matter probably is, the UK market made a Store uneconomical in the past.

It's not just a question of "opening a store" is it ?

Each geographical area has separate publishers/authors contracts to negotiate and sort generally, and the scale of the market a few years ago probably wasn't that attractive even to the publishers, let alone the monolith that is Sony.

And, when all is said and done, to be honest, it will only be another online bookshop, with basically the same goods as a lot of other outlets.. And I bought Sony 'cos I liked the device - there are innumerable places to get books from, many of them free.

But... if the Store eventually opens, it may be very much easier to buy there, and perhaps it will be with a blaze of special offers etc... You never know.....:smileyplain:

[ZumbaChumba]

Sorry, but the UK is a small market excuse does not wash.

Kobo have made a fantastic store, easilly beating Amazon's choice (Kobo has 3m titles, vs Kindles 700k), and books are usually cheaper on Kobo store too.

Google also have made a very good store.

Sony could have partnered with either of these and concenrated on making great hardware...

[dalinde53]

I'm astonished that anyone likes the Kobo store.  If you want to buy 5 or 10 books on the same day, each one has to be processed as a separate transaction as they haven't yet implemented the 'shopping basket'!  My credit card was blocked as a result.  On top of that, one of the books that I purchased didn't download as, in their words, "the ePub for this eBook seems to be missing".  Despite this, they have refused to refund my credit card.  I sincerely hope that the Sony store is substantially better or I will be following others and converting to Kindle.

For anyone at Kobo who reads this - take a good long look at the Amazon website and Amazon's and John Lewis's levels of customer service if you expect to stay in business for the long term.