Sony isn’t thinking big enough on this opportunity for its Reader at Penn State University. As this article notes, Sony has donated 100 Readers to the university’s libraries in the hopes of learning more about how it can be used in a college setting.
I’m always puzzled when I read about how e-book readers are being tested in libraries. It just seems like such a bad fit. If my local library started loaning Readers/Kindles I’m pretty sure I’d never see them. The demand would be enormous, creating lengthy waiting lists forcing the library to reduce the number of days any one person could borrow one. Plus, if they’re worried about DVDs and CDs coming back damaged, whoa, wait till that $300+ e-reader comes back with a problem.
Better testing approach: Student discounts? Maybe even freebies?
Sony is currently battling Amazon on the e-reader front and, as a Kindle owner, I tend to think the wireless functionality gives Amazon a huge advantage. If Sony really wants to test their device on a college campus, why don’t they just make it available to those students at a deep discount? How about a $50 price tag? That’s still a lot for a college kid though, so how about…free?!
Seriously, seeding this particular market makes a ton of sense. Just ask any of the many software companies that offer their products for next to nothing on college campuses. You get the kids used to your product and many will become fans for life; heck, some will even influence future employers to adopt the technology.
Is it a big investment? Sure, but Sony’s a big company with a significant marketing budget. And they don’t have to focus on a school as big as Penn State, btw. There are plenty of others with far fewer students.
Team up with textbook publishers?
If Sony was really smart they’d start working with textbook publishers to help underwrite the program. After all, even though textbooks aren’t widely available for the Sony and Amazon e-readers yet, I’ll bet the big textbook publishers would love to be involved in an experiment like this; it might help them set their vision for future product development.
Moderator’s note: Also see Ohio college students to be offered e-books at half the price of regular textbooks, in the Toledo Blade (thanks, Mike). I’ll assume they come with the usual DRM gotchas. – D.R.
Big textbook publishers are going to have trouble with Sony or Kindle because they don’t want to give up enough margin to make it work. I guarantee that’s the sticking point right now.
Actually, I have to disagree. Libraries check out all sorts of things nowadays, including A/V gear. For the price of 100 Sony Readers, Sony gets a library to let students check out the Readers to any interested students. This is potentially several hundred, depending on available content and how well the library publicizes the program, and how nerdy the student population is.
Then of course, some students love the Reader. Some hate it, and some shrug their shoulders.
The ones who love it will get fed up with checking it out. And some of them will end up buying a Reader of their own.
But let’s say Sony instead of this, gives away 100 Readers. Only 100 students (and their friends) get to play with them. And the number of ‘friends’ who love the gadget, and want to buy one of their own, will be smaller than the number of patrons to the library who check it out, love it, and buy one.
In 4 years, the students who ‘win’ a Reader are gone. But the Readers at the library are still there to entice a new crop.
I am looking for an ebook reader that I can purchase books for my classes. I am a commuting student. I am also an untraditional student. I have a lot of heavy books, time in between classes to do homework, and a large campus to walk in very cold winter conditions. I have back problems as it is and would like to have a device that I can carry all my ebooks on that is light and compact. My Blackberry does not do ebooks well. I am just now starting to research and consider ebooks. I know that the Sony product was mentioned. It sounds like there are some limitations to this from what I read on NewEgg. If you have any resources for ebook readers, advice on ebook readers, a company that offers educational ebooks, as well as a student discount……PLEASE let me know.
Thanks!