# Costco in CA selling Sony eReader



## legalbs2 (May 27, 2009)

I could not believe that Costco bought into Sony, but then, I bought my Sony HDTV there. Looks like Amazon is going to have to open a retail store.










Sony
Reader
Pocket Edition
PC and Mac
With Black Leather Cover &
USB to AC Power Charger
5" Display
Carry up to 350 Books at Once
Item # 481995
Be the first to write a review. 
Share this Product: 
$199.99
Shipping & Handling included *
The estimated delivery time will be approximately 
10 - 15 business days from the time of order.


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

I was hoping the price might be a little lower than the Sony price.  
deb


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

I went to Walmart yesterday to hit the pharmacy... son asked to go to electronics, so I met up with him there, and they had a Sony there on display.. I had Kindle in hand and started laughing...


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## meljackson (Nov 19, 2008)

I saw them at Walmart too. Also Target and Best Buy. I love the size of the pocket reader. 

Melissa


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## KayakerNC (Oct 7, 2009)

drenee said:


> I was hoping the price might be a little lower than the Sony price.
> deb


Costco is including the AC charger and the leather cover, so...yes, it is a lot cheaper than the Sony price.


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

Oh, I missed that, Nelson.  Thank you.  That is a decent deal.  

I was at Wal-Mart, in electronics yesterday to pick up a cable
so I can play my iPod and Sansa in my car through the stereo, 
and I picked up a movie for my grandsons.  I did not even think
to look for e-readers.  
I am still considering a pocket-size Sony sometime next year 
for library books if Amazon does not give us the ability to do 
that.
deb


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## Anju  (Nov 8, 2008)

Oh well, not interested!  Don't do Wally, Costco is too far away, and doubt seriously if they would be international.  I am taken by my K2i.


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

I try very hard not to do Wally.  I don't have a membership to Costco.  
I'm really really waiting on Amazon to give us the capability.  

Amazon, are you listening?  Are you listening?  

No answer.  Oh well.  I'm a patient person.

deb


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## Shastastan (Oct 28, 2009)

This is going to give Amazon so very serious competition.  I don't think that the format thing is going to be a big deal for those who don't know anything about ereaders which, when you think about it, is a lot of people.  Sony is getting some big time market exposure on this at Walmart, Costco, and Target just in time for the holiday shopping season.  Although, I personally prefer my K2, price will be a factor this year with our current economic situation.  Some have said that they don't shop at Walmart or Costco.  I don't "shop" at Walmart, but sometimes have to buy certain things there.  We do shop at Costco for some things, too.  We get most of our electronic stuff at Best Buy and I think they have the Sony ereader there, too.


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

I think you are exactly right, the exposure for Sony is going to make a difference 
because people who don't know about ereaders will get to hold one in their hand. 
deb


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## Leslie (Apr 7, 2008)

I just got an email from Sony giving me the option to pre-order a Sony for Christmas, etc. Apparently, Amy Sedaris (David's sister) is their spokesperson and she is talking up her Sony and how much she loves it.

L


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

I have to admit that one of the reasons I want a Sony is because it comes in pink. 
Silly reason, but I just love pink.
deb


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

drenee said:


> I have to admit that one of the reasons I want a Sony is because it comes in pink.
> Silly reason, but I just love pink.
> deb


Isn't there a pink DG skin??


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## Anju  (Nov 8, 2008)

I've also seen lots of tv ads for the Sony, actually telling what the e-reader is, not like Amazon's kindle commercial, which is nice but not selling anything.  The nook will probably start having a lot of ads out as well soon, for the holidays.


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

Yeah, there is Susan.  
deb


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## MarthaT (Mar 3, 2009)

Doesnt look near as nice as the kindle


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## kevindorsey (Mar 4, 2009)

Probably very good business decision to get the e-reader into costco system.


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## legalbs2 (May 27, 2009)

I agree with all of you.  I think Amazon has to get the word out why Kindle is the best eReader on the market.  I have read everything about all the competitors and I think Kindle is by far the very best.  Now, having said that, Amazon needs to give us folders, library books, and Kindles in color (both print and cases).

Also, Amazon needs to have a retail store like the Apple stores at the major retail shopping centers around the world if they want to be competitive in today's market.


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

The Costco deal is a good one.  But I'm not sure whether it's in all the colors or only the silver.  I do love my pink Sony 300 - both for the color and for the size.  And for the ability to create "collections" (think "folders").  One of these days I should put the Kindle & the Sony next to each other & take some pics.
For anyone seriously interested, they keep popping up on eBay and go for enough under retail to cover an extended warranty or a cover or even both if you get lucky.
Our local Sam's Club still has the Sony 505 (I think it's the 505) - I'm wondering if they'll get the new Sony models in.


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

Please post a pic of them side by side, Meemo.  I would love to see that.
deb


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

Yes, the Sony is sold just about any place that sells electronics.  I've seen it in J&R downtown.  I was in Borders last week and decided to take a look at it.  It was attached to something, so I couldn't really hold it.  They didn't have the pink, which is what attracted me in the first place.  Library book capability would be my rational excuse for buying one.  I don't think I would like it as much as my kindle and would prefer that Amazon give us the ability to use it with library ebooks.

I saw a promotion for the smallest Sony that says you could put it in your jeans pocket.  I don't think so!  I don't think it would even fit, but even it did, wouldn't it break when I sit down?


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## kat89447 (Nov 6, 2009)

I know the Sony can get the library books (sometimes) and the other websites, but is it actually attached to a specific bookstore? B&N or Borders? Just curious because people ask me about other readers when they ask about my Kindle and I don't know much about the Sony's


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## pidgeon92 (Oct 27, 2008)

Sony's e-reader is attached to the Sony e-book store.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

pidgeon92 said:


> Sony's e-reader is attached to the Sony e-book store.


And I suspect that _might_ be linked to Borders since they're sold there. . . . .but I'm not sure of that.


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

drenee said:


> Please post a pic of them side by side, Meemo. I would love to see that.
> deb


Okay here we go...my pics always come out too big...

In their covers:









Size comparison - K1 & Sony 300 Pocket Edition:









Text the size I usually use (sorry they're a bit blurry):









Another size comparison:









Re the cover pics - there's no closure on the Sony cover, there are magnets on all 4 corners that hold it closed when it's sitting flat on a table, but they won't hold it closed if I were to drop it. I made a cloth cover for it with a fastener, but found I really prefer the cover au natural. So I'm trying a stretchy headband to hold it closed when I'm not reading. Like the K2, it doesn't come with a cover, it comes with a neoprene-type sleeve. 
Oh, and the Sony cover doesn't fold back - it's slipped behind the Kindle. I really like the rail system though, and the cover is so light and the Sony's small enough that I don't feel the need to fold it back like I do with the Kindle.


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## R. M. Reed (Nov 11, 2009)

I saw a commercial last night showing people looking at the Sony Reader in a store. Then a panel of experts appears, including the world record speed reader. Someone says, "You can read hundreds of books on the Sony Reader?" and the speed reader says, "I just did."


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

The cover on the Sony is a cover that is offered through Sony, or is it the cover that comes with the Sony?
On the Sony, are the page turns on the side buttons or on the round button?
Thank you for the pics.  
deb


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## ak rain (Nov 15, 2008)

nice meemo, butterfly still looks good.  I saw sony here in Alaska at Costco and Fred Mayers. It does not appeal to me but that might change if library had ebooks and if sony had wifi. Even though I don't have wifi at home my computer is fine. I like my travels with wifi as i do not carry computer as not to carry work with me. with child's braces i find myself in travel mode every 4-6 weeks.
sylvia


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

drenee said:


> The cover on the Sony is a cover that is offered through Sony, or is it the cover that comes with the Sony?
> On the Sony, are the page turns on the side buttons or on the round button?
> Thank you for the pics.
> deb


It doesn't come with the leather cover - that's a separate purchase. Comes in "red" (which is more of a dark mauve that probably goes well with the pink), white or black. It's $29.95 at Best Buy and most places. I got a deal on the white one - $16.99 but shipping was high so it was around $24 altogether. There's also a black cover with a built-in light, haven't seen one of those in person though.

The page turn buttons are on the round button. Easily reachable with my thumb. The side buttons are for choosing from the menu and you can also use them to punch in a page number if you want to go to a particular page. (Sony does page numbers rather than locations.) I do find I miss my progress bar a bit - have to get used to the page numbers again!



ak rain said:


> nice meemo, butterfly still looks good. I saw sony here in Alaska at Costco and Fred Mayers. It does not appeal to me but that might change if library had ebooks and if sony had wifi. Even though I don't have wifi at home my computer is fine. I like my travels with wifi as i do not carry computer as not to carry work with me. with child's braces i find myself in travel mode every 4-6 weeks.
> sylvia


Yes, butterfly is doing nicely, I still really like it. 
When I saw the Sony on display at Best Buy it was the size I really liked, I'm hoping our library will get a better system of ebooks but until then I've gotten some books from Sony and I have a lot of my non-Amazon books on it as well. I like them both - but if I had to get rid of one it would be the Sony for sure, I like the device but I'm not crazy about the Sony store. And I miss the wireless feature, have to download their software for putting books on the Sony & organizing them. (I do love their "collections" feature, though.)


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## Anju  (Nov 8, 2008)

thanks for the comparison, the Sony makes the K egnormus but knowing the size myself, I think I prefer the K.  It's really a non-issue for me anyway since Sony is very likely not international.


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## Rasputina (May 6, 2009)

All I want is an iphone app that lets me read ebooks from the library. I refuse to buy another ebook reader just for that.


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## hooly (Jul 28, 2009)

Costco has sold the Sony reader before.  I remember seeing it there two or three years ago, they had a rep there to demonstrate it.  
It stuck in my mind because I did have a nice chat with the rep.  My son is visually impaired so I thought it might be a neat option for him but at the time, the font was too small even on the largest size so I didn't look into it any further.


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## angelad (Jun 19, 2009)

Rasputina said:


> All I want is an iphone app that lets me read ebooks from the library. I refuse to buy another ebook reader just for that.


That would be neat. But you have internet for that too, you can download plenty of ebooks if you really want...


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## Neekeebee (Jan 10, 2009)

I've been staring at Sony eReader on the Costco site for a couple of weeks. Hubby caught me staring and said he'd order it for me for Christmas, so now I am officially on Sony 300 Watch!  Thanks for posting the pictures, Meemo, I am rubbing my hands in anticipation!

Mainly, I want one for library books. I'm lucky enough to have access to two large library systems, and while neither has a huge collection, put together, there are enough books I'd read to justify a second eReader. And I'm hoping their collections will grow. Why Amazon refuses to allow library books still baffles me, but I guess they know what they're doing.

The other day, my friend told me she was planning to buy a Kindle to read library eBooks, and though it _really_ hurt me to say it, I had to tell her if that was her intention, the Kindle was not the way to go.  I told her all about the other great Kindle features but I think she is leaning Sony now.

N


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

Neekeebee said:


> I've been staring at Sony eReader on the Costco site for a couple of weeks. Hubby caught me staring and said he'd order it for me for Christmas, so now I am officially on Sony 300 Watch!  Thanks for posting the pictures, Meemo, I am rubbing my hands in anticipation!
> 
> Mainly, I want one for library books. I'm lucky enough to have access to two large library systems, and while neither has a huge collection, put together, there are enough books I'd read to justify a second eReader. And I'm hoping their collections will grow. Why Amazon refuses to allow library books still baffles me, but I guess they know what they're doing.
> 
> ...


Congrats - it's great that you have a good library selection - wish I had that available here. Maybe one day...
I have to say the more I read on my Sony 300 the more I like it. Love the size of it, and I just got a deal on the Sony cover with the built-in light and I really like that too. On the other hand, the Sony store pretty much stinks, and the software just crashed on my Mac - apparently it doesn't always play well with Mac, so I've downloaded to my netbook; maybe it'll work better. 
Kindle still wins overall - for lots of reasons.


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

We got to play with the Sony at the mall today. They have a big kiosk blocking a walkway. I'm used to trying to play with the ones that have the cable bolting them to display. I actually got to test both models. I may get one of the smaller ones for library books. They seem pretty sturdy and I wouldn't mind letting the kids use it.


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

My tiny library had no e-books, and no plans for e-books. So I stick with My K1.


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## PaulGuy (Jul 9, 2009)

R. Reed said:


> I saw a commercial last night showing people looking at the Sony Reader in a store.


Notice they don't show people buying eBooks at the Sony store. After owning a Kindle shopping at the Sony store is a painful experience.


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

PaulGuy said:


> Notice they don't show people buying eBooks at the Sony store. After owning a Kindle shopping at the Sony store is a painful experience.


It really is, isn't it? I like my Pocket reader a lot - but Amazon wins hands down as far as not needing special software and the bookstore being easier to use. It definitely has its issues too, but compared to the Sony bookstore it wins hands down. (Way more freebies too, and Kindle books are still almost always cheaper.)


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## Neekeebee (Jan 10, 2009)

PaulGuy said:


> After owning a Kindle shopping at the Sony store is a painful experience.


I was thinking exactly this last night as I tried to surf there.

N


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## Anju  (Nov 8, 2008)

I was at Costco in Mexico earlier today and could not find Sony at all.  Not surprising, but did check because of this thread.


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## Neekeebee (Jan 10, 2009)

I asked at our local Costco last week, and they said they had not seen any eReaders come through.  Maybe it is only available online?

N


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