Earlier today, Paul reported that Sony is selling off its PC business. This comes at a time when the PC industry has taken more hits than a one-eyed boxer.

In an email to customers, Sony has also announced that it will be closing its Sony Reader store, a Cloud-based store used to support its Kindle-like device, the Sony Reader. I was never a big fan of the Sony Reader device. It seemed like a cheaply made Kindle or Nook. In the email, Sony says nothing about the devices themselves, only that they will be shutting down the store on March 20, 2014 at 6 PM EST. But, one has to wonder if Sony considers the Reader devices as part of the PC business, and those devices are already up for sale. And, further…what exactly is a PlayStation considered to be?

The content of the store will be given to Kobo, a long-time eBook seller that supports iOS, Android, Blackberry, Mac and PC with its proprietary software. I've never been a big fan of Kobo, either.

I've heard from a few today over email and social media that they believe Sony has "just given up."

Customer Letter

Dear Reader Store customer:

As you know, our customers always come first, which is why we want to give you the news firsthand about an announcement made today from Sony regarding its plan to close Reader Store in the U.S. and Canada.

Although we're sorry to say goodbye to the Reader Store, we're also glad to share with you the new, exciting future for our readers: Reader Store will transfer customers to Toronto-based eReading company, Kobo—an admired eBook seller with a passionate reading community. We strongly believe that this transition will allow you to enjoy a continued high-quality e-reading experience. As a result of this change, we will close Reader Store in the U.S. and Canada on March 20, 2014 at 6 p.m. (EST).

So, what's next?

You don't have to do anything right now, and you'll be able to re-download your previously purchased eBooks for a limited time. In late March, you will receive a notification from us with a link that will allow you to transfer your library to Kobo. Whether you are new to Kobo or already have an account, you'll be able to transfer your Reader Store eBooks to your Kobo account so you'll continue to have access to them in the future. Plus, any existing Reader Store credits you might still have in your account will transfer to your Kobo account to use at the Kobo Store. And of course, you can continue to use your Sony Reader to read eBooks from Kobo.

We are fully committed to helping you through this exciting transition to Kobo. With the Kobo Store, you'll have access to more than 4 million of the world's best books, magazines, comics and kids' titles, all at your fingertips.

We want to thank you for being such loyal customers, a part of our reading family, and for your continued support as we work to complete this transition. It has been a pleasure reading with you!

Sincerely,

The Reader Store Team