How to get a Sony Reader for $149.99 shipped
The trick: apply for a Sony Visa card and get a $150 credit. It's a mighty good deal.
My two cents on e-book readers like the Sony Reader: awesome technology, overpriced hardware. I just can't see paying $299 for one. But $149? Now we're in the ballpark.
If you don't mind applying for a Sony Visa card, that's exactly the deal you can get. Here's how:
First, apply online for the credit card, which promises instant approval (assuming you have decent credit, natch). Sony's offering a $150 credit when you purchase something priced at $299 or higher--like, oh, the Sony Reader. Add one to your shopping cart at SonyStyle (in your choice of spiffy colors), then pay for it with your new "card" (you're allowed to make one purchase before the actual card arrives in the mail).
Obviously, a $150 credit isn't the same thing as a discount (you're still $299 out-of-pocket). But you can easily use that credit for gas, groceries, or whatever. The bigger question is whether the Sony Reader is the right e-book gizmo for you. (Reading CNET's review may help you decide.)
Much as I'm a huge fan of e-books, I prefer to read them on my iPod touch--a pocket-size device I'm already carrying anyway. What do you think? Is $149 a low enough price to get you to pull the trigger on a Sony Reader? Personally, I'd like to see it hit $99.