# Sony Daily Edition Reader: 3G, 7-Inch Touch Widescreen in December



## sakura (Jun 22, 2009)

Sony Reader Daily Edition! 3G, 7-inch touchscreen, $399

http://gizmodo.com/5345112/sony-daily-edition-reader-3g-7+inch-touch-widescreen-in-december


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## sakura (Jun 22, 2009)

Press Release:

EXTRA, EXTRA: SONY'S DAILY EDITION ROUNDS OUT NEW LINE OF DIGITAL READERS

Wireless 3G Reader Extends Sony's Commitment to Bring
Open Digital Reading to Mass Audience

NEW YORK, August 25, 2009 ¾ Delivering on its promise to give consumers a variety of choices, Sony today announced the third member of its new Reader family - the Reader Daily Edition™, a highly-anticipated wireless model with 3G connectivity. The Daily Edition caps its new line of Reader products, joining the Reader Pocket Edition™ and the Reader Touch Edition™ which were announced earlier this month.

The Reader Pocket Edition and the Reader Touch Edition are available immediately, and the Reader Daily Edition will be available this December in time for the holidays at SonyStyle stores and SonyStyle.com.

"We firmly believe consumers should have choice in every aspect of their digital reading experience," said Steve Haber, president of Sony's Digital Reading Business Division. "Today, we take another large stride to deliver on that promise. We now have the most affordable devices on the market, the greatest access to free and affordable eBooks through The eBook Store from Sony and our affiliated ecosystem, and now round out our Reader offering with a wireless device that lets consumer purchase and download content on the go."


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## Jesslyn (Oct 29, 2008)

Even better: http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/25/sony-announces-daily-edition-reader/

"It flew under the radar under a quiet leak this morning, but Sony's just announced the Reader Daily Edition, as well as updated Mac-compatible eBook Library 3.0 software and a new library content service. The Reader Daily Edition has a seven-inch touchscreen as well as a AT&T 3G modem, enabling it to pull content wirelessly from Sony's eBook store -- it'll launch in December for $400, and the 3G access will be free. We're a little more geeked about the library finder service, which enables you to check out ebooks and other digital content from your local public library on any of the Readers for 21 days -- for free. The New York Public Library is the flashy public launch partner, but there are "thousands more" looped in through a partnership with Overdrive.com -- check out the huge selection of top-tier content you can get through the Chicago Public Library, for example. That's pretty amazing, and it's definitely a major advantage over the Kindle. We're gunning for more info now, we'll let you know as soon as we find out more -- until then, check two more images after the break."

The library access is awesome! And they have folders. I might actually get one even though I think they are terribly ugly.

My only worry is about the use of ATT. I personally don't have any issues with access from my iPhone, but adding more users to their network may impact their already strained network.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

There's such a thing as a 'golden rectangle'. It's the 'most pleasing' rectangular shape in terms of length to width ratio. Based on the 'golden mean' or 'golden ratio' of 1:618 (approx.)










To me, Kindle has it. The big Sony doesn't. (Too skinny to my way of thinking  )

A small thing, I guess. . . . . .just what I noticed. (And optical illusion could be in effect. . . . )

Still. . . .competition is good!

editing this: interestingly, the Sony is actually closer to the 1:1.618 ratio. Hmm. I still find that it looks 'tall and skinny' and prefer the relative dimensions of the Kindle. I guess I'm not an ancient Greek. . . .


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

I love the library book feature.  I love love love my K, and I have spent well over $500.00  on books.  But I really would like the freedom to put library books onto my unit.  I'm sure folders would be nice, and the more books I get the more I'm seeing the need for them.
Competition is good.
deb


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## Jesslyn (Oct 29, 2008)

Ann in Arlington said:


> There's such a thing as a 'golden rectangle'. It's the 'most pleasing' rectangular shape in terms of length to width ratio. Based on the 'golden mean' or 'golden ratio' of 1:618 (approx.)
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I thought it was me! The image on Engadget is in landscape mode and it does look a little short....or long....


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

I'm not so sure I like the looks of it (then again I thought the K1 was rather ugly and clunky) But I do love the ability to read library books on it. I think it's worth a look, and a trip to play with it in the Sony store when it comes out.


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

Good idea, Heather.  I never thought about going to a Sony store.  
deb


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

drenee said:


> Good idea, Heather. I never thought about going to a Sony store.
> deb


I wouldn't have either, but I recently discovered one at the Annapolis Mall. I got to play with the readers there and actually had a knowledgeable salesperson.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

O.K. Just read further and more carefully  and would make some pro and con observations based on how it differs from the DX.  

Size:  Con.  For me the shape is not as pleasing as the DX (explained above how I'm not an ancient Greek ).  

No keyboard:  Neutral for me.  

Touchscreen:  Con for me.  But could be pro for some.  

Cost:  Higher than DX so a con.  And Amazon could make it a bigger con by dropping the price on the DX. 

Library access:  neutral for me.  Can see it as a big Pro for some.

Books available:  let's face it, you get up to half a million and a few thousand more doesn't make much difference.  All that really matters is if they have the ONE you want.  

Book formats:  Con for Kindle owners looking to potentially switch, as it likely won't read Kindle books.  More options could be Pro for new purchasers.

Price of books:  Don't have info on this yet, do we?  I've heard the Sony store is generally slightly higher but don't know for sure.  Con if that's so.  Neutral if prices are similar.

Availability:  Since you can't get it NOW that's a con, but that'll go away when it's formally released. 

Bottom line:  Not going to trade in my Kindles, but it appears, based on the info in this article, to be the first real Kindle Kompetition.  If I was looking to purchase a first e-reader now, I would be seriously considering the Sonys now that they have the wireless.  

Another question:  if you have more than one Sony on an account can you share a title between the two like you can with Kindle?

Yet Another question:  Does Sony's bookstore offer freebies like Amazon does?


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

I wonder if Sony will let indie authors publish their books the way Amazon does.  I have read so many wonderful books by our authors here.  That is a very big pro for me.
deb


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

That's another good question Deb!  And is a clear Pro for Amazon.  OTOH, many Indie authors publish on Smashwords too . . . .


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## DailyLunatic (Aug 4, 2009)

oooo...  shiney...  Me likie the middle one.  The 'Touch' I think its called.  Don't like the looks of the long skinny one, though.

My primary complaint with the Kindle has always been the size of the screen.  Its either too small, or too big.  The middle one above is, as Goldie once said, is "Just Right"'.  Too bad Sony is not linked with Amazon...  I'm not interested in a reader if I can't get content for it.  (I know they have content, but you know what I mean.  Lots and lots of content...)  Lets see, a nice sized screen, or something to read....  duh! 

Still, I don't suppose anyone has heard if Amazon is planning to offer something other than the K2 or DX soon...  Say, something on the order of the Sony Touch in screen size?

Sterling
92.5% Pure


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## KindleMom (Dec 11, 2008)

I know I'm going to want one of these.  I love the idea of a touchscreen and to able to read library ebooks?  Awesome!  I just wish I would be able to read my Kindle books on it.  I should stop purchasing any if I'm going to get a Sony.


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

I honestly do not see me replacing my K.  I have invested a lot of money, and emotion, into it, and I have far too many books on it to put it in a drawer or try to read back and forth.  I'm hoping as the technology advances Amazon will let us do library books and give us updates to keep up with what Sony offers.  
deb


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## Sweety18 (Feb 14, 2009)

Ann in Arlington said:


> There's such a thing as a 'golden rectangle'. It's the 'most pleasing' rectangular shape in terms of length to width ratio. Based on the 'golden mean' or 'golden ratio' of 1:618 (approx.)


Your post is going to give me nightmares tonight about my high school trigonometry class


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## KindleMom (Dec 11, 2008)

Sweety18 said:


> Your post is going to give me nightmares tonight about my high school trigonometry class


LOL! That post acutally reminded me of freshman design in college so I was having happy memories. Thanks heavens it didn't remind me of HS trig, but now that's all I can think about.


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## chilady1 (Jun 9, 2009)

Wonder if Amazon will counter by FINALLY giving us content management a.k.a. some folders.  This Sony Daily Edition Reader is very appealing because:

1.  Wireless - this was the main deciding factor for me on purchasing the Kindle, anywhere downloads (or at least anywhere that has a 
                  signal)
2.  Folders - not sure if the Daily Edition has folders, if it does, huge selling point 
3.  Touchscreen - very cool, not a deal breaker but very nice touch (pardon the pun) 

P.S.  If you have a Kindle now, and you decide to buy a Sony, couldn't you just convert your content via something like Calibre or am I off base?


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## jmeaders (Jan 8, 2009)

drenee said:


> I love the library book feature. I love love love my K, and I have spent well over $500.00 on books. But I really would like the freedom to put library books onto my unit. I'm sure folders would be nice, and the more books I get the more I'm seeing the need for them.
> Competition is good.
> deb


I wonder if Amazon will respond and allow us to check books out on our Kindles.


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## Leslie (Apr 7, 2008)

drenee said:


> I wonder if Sony will let indie authors publish their books the way Amazon does. I have read so many wonderful books by our authors here. That is a very big pro for me.
> deb


They don't right now. I put in an application as a publisher back in April and never heard a word back from them (Sony).

L


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## Jesslyn (Oct 29, 2008)

chilady1 said:


> Wonder if Amazon will counter by FINALLY giving us content management a.k.a. some folders. This Sony Daily Edition Reader is very appealing because:
> 
> 1. Wireless - this was the main deciding factor for me on purchasing the Kindle, anywhere downloads (or at least anywhere that has a
> signal)
> ...


Yeah- heavy sigh. Downloading 200 books to convert--Yikes. I'll wait to see the new model before I start.

I also seems like this news has spread to Amazon as there have been a few Amazon discussion questions on the availability of library books for the Kindle. I really do hope that this new model will make Amazon rethink the whole folder thing. I was reading a speculative blog (eReader review?) that if Sony came out with a wireless version we should look for a 'rushed' K3 in time for Xmas. Frankly, if Amazon would put out a major firmware update, I think they could skip new hardware. If they add epub support and folders to the K2 and DX they'd probably have no problem staying top dog in the ebook market unless its a must to have new 'stuff' for the Xmas shoppers (maybe a color Kindle?)


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

chilady1 said:


> P.S. If you have a Kindle now, and you decide to buy a Sony, couldn't you just convert your content via something like Calibre or am I off base?


Assuming we're talking Kindle books purchased from Amazon, their DRM is such that you can only read a book on the Kindle it's tied to. So, without 'breaking' DRM which is either illegal, immoral, or just against Amazons Terms of Service, (depends who you talk to) you can only read any given book on a given Kindle. Books you've purchased from elsewhere and can read on the Kindle are likely DRM free so, yeah, you could read them, presumably on a Sony or other reader.

Such is my understanding, anyway.


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## chilady1 (Jun 9, 2009)

Jesslyn said:


> Frankly, if Amazon would put out a major firmware update, I think they could skip new hardware. If they add epub support and folders to the K2 and DX they'd probably have no problem staying top dog in the ebook market unless its a must to have new 'stuff' for the Xmas shoppers (maybe a color Kindle?)


AMEN and soooo true!


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## lynninva (Feb 7, 2009)

If the screen is clear on the Sony Daily Edition Reader, I think this is something that might actually interest my 83 year old father.  He is a voracious reader, but most of his reading involves hardback library books.  

I haven't discussed the Kindle with him, because the cost of purchasing the books that he currently reads would be prohibitive.  He will be visiting us next weekend, so this should make for an interesting discussion, especially once he sees my Kindle.


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## booknut (Dec 26, 2008)

By the way , you can already check out books on Sony's 505 unit plus all these newer ones. I have a sony as well as a kindle and have checked out books on it ever since they did a firmware upgrade over a year ago allowing for drm epub & pdf. But wireless download of library books will be a great new feature. I already know what I want for christmas! And I have heard that Sony will be encouraging self publishing . This new reader is not more expensice that the DX. It will retail for $399. It is smaller. For me it seems to be a good size. The DX never appealed to me. Seems to big and I prefer a touchscreen anyway. Along with the sony store you will be able to download from other epub vendors such as booksonboard.


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## Lilly (Dec 14, 2008)

Lisanr said:


> By the way , you can already check out books on Sony's 505 unit plus all these newer ones. I have a sony as well as a kindle and have checked out books on it ever since they did a firmware upgrade over a year ago allowing for drm epub & pdf. But wireless download of library books will be a great new feature. I already know what I want for christmas! And I have heard that Sony will be encouraging self publishing . This new reader is not more expensice that the DX. It will retail for $399. It is smaller. For me it seems to be a good size. The DX never appealed to me. Seems to big and I prefer a touchscreen anyway. Along with the sony store you will be able to download from other epub vendors such as booksonboard.


But the best thing is Sony chose to drop the proprietary ebook format and change their entire library to ePud! You still will be able to read your Sony LRX books because every Sony will have the capability to still read; Sony just won't be selling any more books in that format later on this year. The great thing about this is Plastic Logic also will support ePud, and the New Barnes & Noble IREX will also be supporting ePud. So now you can read your books on many readers and shop at many ebook stores. Barnes & Noble is beating Amazon book prices at the moment with the kind of books I read so eventhough their bookstore is open to all, they are only selling books in eReader format. I notice Amazon is matching their prices in some books not all so it's great to have competition!


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## Addie (Jun 10, 2009)

I like the look, and the additions to this one (like Mac compatible ... FINALLY). But I'd still be hesitant to buy it because of 1. inability to have Amazon content 2. touch screen=shiny screen. I like the idea of the touch screen, but until they can make it without the glare--and it's a pretty bad glare--I don't think it's something I'd want.


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## BookishMom (Oct 30, 2008)

Someone may have already mentioned this, but the wireless access (3G - AT&T) is for the Sony eBook Store only, so it's not as flexible as the Kindle in that regard.

I think it looks a little skinny, too, but it may grow on me. 

I'd definitely want to take a look at the screen before I decided. The 600 (which seems more appealing to me proportionally), has not had the best reviews on screen clarity and contrast (due to the touchscreen layer). I'm still interested, but want to meet it face-to-face first. I may wait until the daily edition comes out and compare them all first, though.

Previous editions of the Sony reader were compatible with library ebooks, so this isn't a new thing, but it's what will eventually make Sony readers catch up with the Kindles, in my opinion. Especially if they keep the folders & touchscreen functions and resolve their screen clarity issues - that would make it an automatic buy for me. (Although I read library ebooks on my Kindle, I'd love to have a device that can do it natively.) My Kindle is edging them out right now until I can compare the screens.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

It interests me that there are so many folks who see the library integration as a big deal.  I mean it's just a 'whatever' point to me.

That said, it won't surprise me if it's a while before it's a feature of the Kindle because Amazon is, first, a book store.  Sony is first a gadget store.  So it's in Amazon's interest initially to get people to buy the books it sells.  It's in Sony's interest to get people to buy it's gadget by making it as versatile as possible in this brand new marketplace.

At least, that's how I see it.


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## KindleMom (Dec 11, 2008)

AddieLove said:


> But I'd still be hesitant to buy it because of 1. inability to have Amazon content 2. touch screen=shiny screen. I like the idea of the touch screen, but until they can make it without the glare--and it's a pretty bad glare--I don't think it's something I'd want.


My GPS has a touch screen and it's a matte finish much like the Kindle.


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## Varin (May 12, 2009)

Ew. The 7-inch one looks too ... narrow, to be held comfortably. And since I've no interest in library books, there isn't anything the Sony Reader series has that I want....

Save for, oh....

FOLDERS!

GET ON IT, AMAZON! OR YOU WILL BE OVERTAKEN!


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## Addie (Jun 10, 2009)

KindleMom said:


> My GPS has a touch screen and it's a matte finish much like the Kindle.


My GPS screen is pretty good, too. Although, I've never actually had to do any long reading on it, so I wouldn't know how my eyes would do long term. The other Sony touch screen--the 600, I believe--has a definite glare problem, though (at least from all the written and video reviews I've seen). I haven't heard a change in their touch screen technology. I could be wrong, but it doesn't seem like they've done much to correct the problem from one version to the next. Plus, the touch screen causes the contrast between the words and background to be pretty poor.

It still has nice options for those looking for something different in an e-reader. And the most important thing is to get more people reading!


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## pidgeon92 (Oct 27, 2008)

Yep, would really like library access....

.... if my library actually had e-books.  

Not sure what good the folders will really do if I cannot keep all of my books on the same device.... Until Amazon drops their propriety format and DRM, there will be no way to move my current holdings to the Sony.


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## BookishMom (Oct 30, 2008)

Ann in Arlington said:


> It interests me that there are so many folks who see the library integration as a big deal. I mean it's just a 'whatever' point to me.


I don't care if library access is built-in to the reader (one-click access, for example). It would be convenient, but it's not a need. I do like being able to read library ebooks on my device, however. I can't understand why anyone wouldn't. They can download free books on loan instantly, not worry about due dates, try new genres and authors without worrying about breaking their ebook budget, and save their budget for ebooks that are "keepers." If they end up reading a library ebook that they want for their permanent collection, then they can purchase it from Amazon. (Setting aside the fact that Amazon considers all of the ebooks we purchase from them as loans... that's a whole 'nother conversation.)

Those who live near the DC area, or adjoining counties, have access to the DC library, which has a pretty good digital selection (in both audiobooks and ebooks, and videos, too, if anyone is interested). I have memberships to NYPL and DC and they're both great.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Yeah.  I hear ya.  Still. . . . Library access is not a big deal to me.


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## SusanCassidy (Nov 9, 2008)

GPS screens are usually not e-ink, and therefore different technology than Kindle or Sony.  They have to add an extra layer to do touch-screen on the Sony, and that's where the contrast problems apparently come from.


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## BookishMom (Oct 30, 2008)

Just wanted to let everyone know that there's a good (favorable and comprehensive) review/video of the new 600 model here:

http://www.mobiletechreview.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=34238

It's not the wireless model - it's the 6-inch touchscreen w/o wireless. The review says that the lower contrast really isn't a problem, and that those who read on Kindles won't see a difference in contrast, just a little glare that's easily fixed by tilting the screen. Those who are used to Sony's 505 reader and its better contrast may not like the 600 as much, according to the reviewer.

If the bigger wireless gets the same review and the screen's good, I may just have a hard time talking myself out of it. Size-wise, it seems like a good midway point between the K2 and the DX, and that would appeal to me, I think. But it seems so skinny... Hmmm.... still trying to wrap my brain around the possibilities (which I wouldn't even be able to do if I didn't have these reward points I have to use us by the end of the year!  ).


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## PaulGuy (Jul 9, 2009)

The GPS touch screens and the iPhone for that matter don't suffer the glare issues of the Sony PRS-700/600 because they're back lighted. The reflective nature of e-ink is what creates the problem for the extra layer required for e-ink touch screens. However the 600 seems to be better than the 700 and may compare reasonably to the Kindle screens. An excellent video review can be found here http://www.mobiletechreview.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=34238 I pre-ordered a 600 a few weeks ago. I'll report back here once I have it.


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## PaulGuy (Jul 9, 2009)

Oops! BookishMom beat me to the link!


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## legalbs2 (May 27, 2009)

I do like the idea of downloading or borrowing library books for 21 days.  I like the idea of folders.  The Sonys are not bad looking, but I draw the line at AT&T.  One of the worst providers in the USA.  My opinion only.  I love Apple products, but will not purchase an iPhone because of AT&T.  That company actually billed me 1 penny for a phone call way back before cell phones.  How cheap can you get.  One penny!  

I digress.  I love Amazon's customer service and the fact that they are there to serve us.  Kindle is great whether is is K, KK or KDX.  I am sure that Amazon will give us library books and folders.  Just be patient.  Kindle owner forever.


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## Forster (Mar 9, 2009)

pidgeon92 said:


> Yep, would really like library access....
> 
> .... if my library actually had e-books.
> 
> Not sure what good the folders will really do if I cannot keep all of my books on the same device.... Until Amazon drops their propriety format and DRM, there will be no way to move my current holdings to the Sony.


Where there's a will there's a way. Not saying anyone should do it, but it can be done.


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## carlobee (Jul 21, 2009)

very wonderful device. does it have a wi-fi support? or just 3G?


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## legalbs2 (May 27, 2009)

I thought this was the KindleBoards, not the Sony Symposium.  Competition is welcome in a free society, but come on, go to a Sony Board and discuss your love of the Sony.


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## pidgeon92 (Oct 27, 2008)

I think it is safe to say that we are all lovers of the new e-book formats, and that all devices are worthy of discussion, despite the fact that we are Kindle-centric.


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

Actually the one that would interest me is the smaller one - the PRS-300 Pocket Edition.  If money were no object I'd consider one of those for a "back up" - for the non-Amazon books from feedbooks, mobileread, etc, and those publisher's books that are offered as free but only as pdf files.  And even more portable than the Kindle.  Maybe I should start saving my change....the pink is cute!

Kindle will always be my main reader (unless Amazon goes stupid and won't adjust to the market).  But I think the competition is good for all fans of e-reading.


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## BookishMom (Oct 30, 2008)

pidgeon92 said:


> I think it is safe to say that we are all lovers of the new e-book formats, and that all devices are worthy of discussion, despite the fact that we are Kindle-centric.


Amen, and amen!


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## BookishMom (Oct 30, 2008)

Meemo said:


> Kindle will always be my main reader (unless Amazon goes stupid and won't adjust to the market). But I think the competition is good for all fans of e-reading.


Absolutely... I'm especially hoping this will nudge them in the direction of folders and library format compatibility.


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## BookishMom (Oct 30, 2008)

carlobee said:


> very wonderful device. does it have a wi-fi support? or just 3G?


I'm pretty sure it's just 3G (through AT&T), and that's only to the Sony Store, not Google or Wikipedia like the Kindle.


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## BookishMom (Oct 30, 2008)

PaulGuy said:


> The GPS touch screens and the iPhone for that matter don't suffer the glare issues of the Sony PRS-700/600 because they're back lighted. The reflective nature of e-ink is what creates the problem for the extra layer required for e-ink touch screens. However the 600 seems to be better than the 700 and may compare reasonably to the Kindle screens. An excellent video review can be found here http://www.mobiletechreview.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=34238 I pre-ordered a 600 a few weeks ago. I'll report back here once I have it.


Paul, please do. I'd love to hear the impressions of people who own both the Kindle and the newer Sony models!


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## Lilly (Dec 14, 2008)

BookishMom said:


> I don't care if library access is built-in to the reader (one-click access, for example). It would be convenient, but it's not a need. I do like being able to read library ebooks on my device, however. I can't understand why anyone wouldn't. They can download free books on loan instantly, not worry about due dates, try new genres and authors without worrying about breaking their ebook budget, and save their budget for ebooks that are "keepers." If they end up reading a library ebook that they want for their permanent collection, then they can purchase it from Amazon. (Setting aside the fact that Amazon considers all of the ebooks we purchase from them as loans... that's a whole 'nother conversation.)
> 
> Those who live near the DC area, or adjoining counties, have access to the DC library, which has a pretty good digital selection (in both audiobooks and ebooks, and videos, too, if anyone is interested). I have memberships to NYPL and DC and they're both great.


That's exactly what I did when some people on the MR board recommended Iris Johanson and Nora Roberts as authors I might enjoy. I checked out a 3 book series by Roberts and 1 Johanson book from the Brooklyn Library all in the comfort of my home and it cost $0!


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## BookishMom (Oct 30, 2008)

Lilly said:


> That's exactly what I did when some people on the MR board recommended Iris Johanson and Nora Roberts as authors I might enjoy. I checked out a 3 book series by Roberts and 1 Johanson book from the Brooklyn Library all in the comfort of my home and it cost $0!


What did you think of them? I enjoy some of Nora, and all of her In Death series (as author JD Robb), but I don't think I've read Johanson.


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## libros_lego (Mar 24, 2009)

Does the New York Library online work for all New York libraries?


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## Shizu (Oct 27, 2008)

BookishMom said:


> Just wanted to let everyone know that there's a good (favorable and comprehensive) review/video of the new 600 model here:
> 
> http://www.mobiletechreview.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=34238


After seen this review, my interest on the 600 is back. lol. I went to Sony Style yesterday but only saw 505 and 700. I really would like to see it up close. I really like the collection/folder on my 505. I wish my K1 and K2 will have the folder.


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## BookishMom (Oct 30, 2008)

Jenni said:


> Does the New York Library online work for all New York libraries?


Jenni, I'm not sure if this is what you're asking, but if you live in the state of NY, I think you can get a NYPL card. If you're asking whether or not your local library is online and has a digital collection, search the OverDrive library database to see if your library is listed: http://search.overdrive.com/

If you have problems, tell me the name of your local library and I'll check for you.


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## BookishMom (Oct 30, 2008)

Shizu said:


> After seen this review, my interest on the 600 is back. lol. I went to Sony Style yesterday but only saw 505 and 700. I really would like to see it up close. I really like the collection/folder on my 505. I wish my K1 and K2 will have the folder.


Let me know what you think when you see it in person. (BTW, I've been meaning to tell you that I love your avatar! So cute!)


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## libros_lego (Mar 24, 2009)

BookishMom said:


> Jenni, I'm not sure if this is what you're asking, but if you live in the state of NY, I think you can get a NYPL card. If you're asking whether or not your local library is online and has a digital college, search the OverDrive library database to see if your library is listed: http://search.overdrive.com/
> 
> If you have problems, tell me the name of your local library and I'll check for you.


Thanks, Bookishmom. Yes, you got it right the first time. My aunt lives in NY so I was wondering if she could easily get a NYPL card, or just certain NY libraries.


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## Lilly (Dec 14, 2008)

Jenni said:


> Thanks, Bookishmom. Yes, you got it right the first time. My aunt lives in NY so I was wondering if she could easily get a NYPL card, or just certain NY libraries.


She can get a NYPL card and a card from the city she lives. I got the NYPL card and Brooklyn.


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## KindleMom (Dec 11, 2008)

I checked my library on the overdrive link and there are 64 ebooks.  64.  Yup.  That's it.  Lovely.


----------



## MarthaT (Mar 3, 2009)

KindleMom said:


> I checked my library on the overdrive link and there are 64 ebooks. 64. Yup. That's it. Lovely.


wow, that is surprising


----------



## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

My library has approximately 300.
deb


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## Shizu (Oct 27, 2008)

Hmm... OCPL only offer audio books... wonder if they will offer ebooks in the future.


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## libros_lego (Mar 24, 2009)

Where can she get the NYPL card?


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## BK (Feb 5, 2009)

legalbs2 said:


> I do like the idea of downloading or borrowing library books for 21 days. I like the idea of folders. The Sonys are not bad looking, but I draw the line at AT&T. One of the worst providers in the USA.


I totally agree with you, legalbs2!

I would LOVE to borrow library books and would love to have folders, but I will NOT buy any product that requires the use of AT&T. That's the main reason I don't have an iPhone.

The other drawback to the new Sony, IMHO, is the touch screen. I don't want to have to constantly clean fingerprints off my screen. And, then, of course there's the $100 price difference.

I hope you are right that Amazon will add folders and library access in the not-too-distant future. Then the Kindle would truly be the PERFECT e-reader, not just the best. (Amazon, I hope you are paying attention to this thread!!!)


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

BK said:


> I totally agree with you, legalbs2!
> 
> I would LOVE to borrow library books and would love to have folders, but I will NOT buy any product that requires the use of AT&T. That's the main reason I don't have an iPhone.


I've seen this come up before - this clearly must be a function of what part of the country the user lives in - here we've had no issues with AT&T.


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## BookishMom (Oct 30, 2008)

Jenni said:


> Where can she get the NYPL card?


Tell her to go to the NYPL website at http://nypl.org/ for information.


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## BookishMom (Oct 30, 2008)

BK said:


> I would LOVE to borrow library books and would love to have folders, but I will NOT buy any product that requires the use of AT&T. That's the main reason I don't have an iPhone.
> 
> The other drawback to the new Sony, IMHO, is the touch screen. I don't want to have to constantly clean fingerprints off my screen. And, then, of course there's the $100 price difference.


I just wanted to clarify that the new Sony readers don't require the use of AT&T for buying ebooks or downloading library books. You can order from anywhere that sells ePub, etc., (not just the Sony website) and download the books to your PC. If you want to use the AT&T 3G to order from the Sony eStore (it won't connect anywhere else) and download directly to your device, then you can. Otherwise you can buy from Sony (or wherever) and transfer through USB.

I'm uncertain about a touchscreen because of the fingerprint issues, but users of the 700 model have said that since the eInk screens have a matte finish, this isn't much of an issue. I have no personal experience with this, though. I'd like to look at it myself to weigh the pros/cons of touchscreen versus using the 5-way for navigating the screen. One may outweigh the other enough to tip the scales (which way, I don't know, but tip them, at least!  ).


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## BookishMom (Oct 30, 2008)

Those of you who have libraries with small (or audiobook only) OverDrive collections - check nearby libraries or your state library. Hopefully, they'll have better collections and you'll most likely be able to get library cards with them. 

I feel your pain, though - my local and state libraries either have no digital collections, or only audiobooks, or only NetLibrary subscriptions. I was lucky enough to get a NYPL card before they stopped granting non-resident cards (but it will expire in the spring of next year), and I have a DC card (you have to apply in person, but they may have stopped granting non-resident cards, too). I hope your nearby and state libraries are better than mine.


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## legalbs2 (May 27, 2009)

BK said:


> I totally agree with you, legalbs2!
> 
> I would LOVE to borrow library books and would love to have folders, but I will NOT buy any product that requires the use of AT&T. That's the main reason I don't have an iPhone.
> 
> ...


Thanks, BK. I guess we just want to have a more amazing Kindle.


----------



## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

^^that's exactly what we want.  We're just two steps away from a perfect device.
deb


----------



## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Andrys latest couple of blog posts on her blog: http://kindleworld.blogspot.com/ are very good with the pros/cons/features of each of the three new Sonys.


----------



## PaulGuy (Jul 9, 2009)

BookishMom said:


> Paul, please do. I'd love to hear the impressions of people who own both the Kindle and the newer Sony models!


Due to arrive Friday! Can't wait.


----------



## pleeho (Jun 8, 2009)

I love it.  I'll be getting the long tall one.  I predict most of us here will be getting one also.  It's not like you can't have both.  Just because you have a sandwich in your left hand, doesn't mean you can't grab a slice of pizza with your right hand and eat both.  At this point, though the Kindle DX still looks like the main workhorse.


----------



## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

pleeho said:


> I love it. I'll be getting the long tall one. I predict most of us here will be getting one also. It's not like you can't have both. Just because you have a sandwich in your left hand, doesn't mean you can't grab a slice of pizza with your right hand and eat both. At this point, though the Kindle DX still looks like the main workhorse.


I dunno - it was hard enough for me to pull the trigger on my K1 - took me 6 months, not because I didn't think I'd like it, but because it was so hard for me to spend that kind of money on something that was basically just for me. I don't regret it for a second - but as much as I like that Sony Pocket Edition, I just don't really see myself doing it. Now if someone near and dear to me happened to give me one as a gift, I certainly wouldn't turn it down! Especially a cute pink one....


----------



## Boston (Nov 7, 2008)

I'm not getting one of the new Sony's but I bought a very lightly used PRS-505 off Craigslist for $150 a few weeks ago.  I made the decision after the Boston Public Library started making epub their primary ebook format.  While I had no problem altering mobi drm for the Kindle, I wasn't crazy about removing the drm entirely to read ePub (nor was I crazy about the fact that Amazon could inventory my Kindle via the wireless to see that I had done so..not that I was too worried since they were legitimate library borrows that I delete once I read). 

At first, I missed the convenience of the Kindle's large page turn keys and the font size/spacing.  I found to get used to the Sony, I had to put my Kindle away for a week to allow time to adapt.  Once I got used to holding the Sony, I grew to love its size/portability.  I also love the page numbers and the folders. 

The Kindle will continue to be my primary reader for book purchases because I love sharing books with my mom who has a Kindle tied to my account.  I periodically send her descriptions of the books I've bought and push them to her Kindle.  (I also buy books she wants at her request).  I also like the NY Times News Updates which I subscribe too.   

The Sony will pay for itself with free books (like others said, check your library's availability.  BPL doesn't carry enough titles in ePub to be a primary source but I love it as a supplementary source). 

Owning both a Sony reader and a Kindle gives me the best of both worlds


----------



## pidgeon92 (Oct 27, 2008)

I can definitely see buying a Sony as well, once I figure out a way to justify it....


----------



## legalbs2 (May 27, 2009)

pleeho said:


> I love it. I'll be getting the long tall one. I predict most of us here will be getting one also. It's not like you can't have both. Just because you have a sandwich in your left hand, doesn't mean you can't grab a slice of pizza with your right hand and eat both. At this point, though the Kindle DX still looks like the main workhorse.


Wait until you are over 40! Too much food.


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

I will most likely be getting one too. I'm all for the library books on it. I can go into DC and get a card, no problem. It will be shared with my kids. I don't have any problems with a touch screen, love my iPhone. Not hard to give it a quick swipe with a cloth from time to time. Had to do it with my RAZR all the time too. (makeup) and that's not a touch screen. No biggie to me.


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## cloudyvisions (May 21, 2009)

Can someone please correct me if I am wrong, but aren't the Sony e-readers not really compatible with Macs? I know if they have wireless on these ones coming out you would still download books, but I thought I remembered reading something that it was Windows only as far as OS if you connected it to a computer.


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## kikar (Jun 1, 2009)

cloudyvisions said:


> Can someone please correct me if I am wrong, but aren't the Sony e-readers not really compatible with Macs? I know if they have wireless on these ones coming out you would still download books, but I thought I remembered reading something that it was Windows only as far as OS if you connected it to a computer.


They just released software 3.0 for the PC and the Mac. This is the first time Sony has made the Reader software for Macs.


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## luvshihtzu (Dec 19, 2008)

Be sure and check out how many books your library has purchased from Overdrive in ebook format before counting on all those current free books for your new Sony.  

My county library system currently only has 501 ebooks on Overdrive and most are nothing I would even want to read.  I think of all my Overdrive searches in the past two years, I came up with only two ebooks that I might use.  We have almost 2,000 audiobooks on Overdrive here which is lovely, but the ebook numbers are very low.  Luckily, I listen to a lot of audiobooks.

From what I read on the Gizmodo review today, you will have to use the Overdrive manager and download the library Overdrive ebooks to your computer first and then transfer them to your Sony ereader.  Hopefully, they got it wrong, but I don't think so.

luvshihtzu


----------



## artsandhistoryfan (Feb 7, 2009)

BookishMom said:


> ...
> I'm uncertain about a touchscreen because of the fingerprint issues, but users of the 700 model have said that since the eInk screens have a matte finish, this isn't much of an issue. I have no personal experience with this, though. I'd like to look at it myself to weigh the pros/cons of touchscreen versus using the 5-way for navigating the screen. One may outweigh the other enough to tip the scales (which way, I don't know, but tip them, at least!  ).


 On my Sony->Kindle comparisons Tuesday, I have a long write-up about the various Sony models,
and under a link for "comparison" there is a videoclip of a Sony PRS505 vs a Sony PRS600 Touch Edition and the difference in screen contrast is pretty awful. They haven't solved the touch screen layer's effect on readability of the text.
http://bit.ly/sonykin There's an update above it too.

I wonder what the 7" touch screen will be like. WSJ and also Peter Kafka both wrote that Sony had empty pages on their display during the announcement and wouldn't let reporters handle the device afterward.


----------



## Saylorgirl (Mar 20, 2009)

Wow!!  I am so torn!  I had planned to purchase a kindle for my daughter, son and parents for Christmas!  Then I get the new e-mail from Sony!  I love all the new features they have, I am so glad I didn't do the upgrade to the DX.  And the Sony store seems to have better prices than Amazon, plus being able to download from libraries.  And I love the fact that they are available in different colors and you can hand write your notes instead of using that tiny keyboard.  

I think I may make my new purchases in the new Sony, I will probably keep my kindle unless I can find a way to switch over my books.  I will miss most my noreve case!!  Hope they will be making them for the Sony.


----------



## BK (Feb 5, 2009)

You can hand-write notes on the Sony?  I missed that!


----------



## HappyGuy (Nov 3, 2008)

What's really sad is that they charge very high prices for these readers and also stay with proprietary formats.   Imaging having to buy one DVD player for Disney movies and another one for Fox movies and another one for Columbia movies, etc.  

The company that produces a reader that handles ALL formats will be the winner (and I'd be willing to pay a premium for it).


----------



## Jesslyn (Oct 29, 2008)

BookishMom said:


> I just wanted to clarify that the new Sony readers don't require the use of AT&T for buying ebooks or downloading library books. You can order from anywhere that sells ePub, etc., (not just the Sony website) and download the books to your PC. If you want to use the AT&T 3G to order from the Sony eStore (it won't connect anywhere else) and download directly to your device, then you can. Otherwise you can buy from Sony (or wherever) and transfer through USB.
> 
> I'm uncertain about a touchscreen because of the fingerprint issues, but users of the 700 model have said that since the eInk screens have a matte finish, this isn't much of an issue. I have no personal experience with this, though. I'd like to look at it myself to weigh the pros/cons of touchscreen versus using the 5-way for navigating the screen. One may outweigh the other enough to tip the scales (which way, I don't know, but tip them, at least!  ).


I saw a YouTube video that compares contrast and look of two different Sony devices. Unfortunately, I don't have the link, but it was somewhere on this forum.


----------



## cloudyvisions (May 21, 2009)

kikar said:


> They just released software 3.0 for the PC and the Mac. This is the first time Sony has made the Reader software for Macs.


Ohhhhhh, OK. That was my main reason I didn't even look at the Sony when deciding which one I wanted. That's a plus for them, then. But I still love having a keyboard and I'm not fond of AT&T. Kindle still wins.


----------



## BookishMom (Oct 30, 2008)

artsandhistoryfan said:


> On my Sony->Kindle comparisons Tuesday, I have a long write-up about the various Sony models,
> and under a link for "comparison" there is a videoclip of a Sony PRS505 vs a Sony PRS600 Touch Edition and the difference in screen contrast is pretty awful. They haven't solved the touch screen layer's effect on readability of the text.
> http://bit.ly/sonykin


I've seen/read several videos and reviews, and it seems like the contrast is between the 505 and 700 (some reviews compare the contrast to the Kindle 2 - they if we're happy with that, then we'd be fine with the 600. :::shrugging shoulders because I haven't seen it in person yet, just repeatin' gossip::: ). The glare issue is separate, though, but the hands-on reviewers have said that tilting the screen corrects the problem, and it isn't as bad as on the 700 (that removing the light layer helped with that a lot, and helped a lot with the contrast. Still not as good at the 505, but better than the 700). I hope my local Border's has the 600 so I can play with it a little and see what's what for myself.


----------



## BookishMom (Oct 30, 2008)

luvshihtzu said:


> From what I read on the Gizmodo review today, you will have to use the Overdrive manager and download the library Overdrive ebooks to your computer first and then transfer them to your Sony ereader. Hopefully, they got it wrong, but I don't think so.
> 
> luvshihtzu


No, you have to do this is will all OverDrive audiobooks and ebooks, regardless of whether you put them on a Kindle, Sony, or MP3 player. The downloads are pretty fast, so maybe they all have to "unzip" or a similar process before they can be transferred and that's why they can't go directly to a device. I don't know... but it's pretty painless.

I feel your pain with your library. My county library has no ebooks, and neighboring libraries and my state library doesn't fare well either. Have you checked other libraries in your state? They often allow memberships from other counties. One lady who lives in CA took a road-trip throughout the state in one day and got cards from different larger library systems and it set for a good long while. I wish my state's libraries were worth a road trip!


----------



## BookishMom (Oct 30, 2008)

BK said:


> You can hand-write notes on the Sony? I missed that!


Yes, you can write them on the page of the book you're notating, or you can write on a blank page. You can also highlight and underline text with the stylus. There's a video that shows someone doing this. I think this is the one:

http://www.mobiletechreview.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=34238

Look about halfway down the page for the YouTube video. It's about 10 minutes and very well-done.


----------



## luvshihtzu (Dec 19, 2008)

BookishMom,
Regarding having an extra Overdrive account, I also share one with my daughter who lives in Minneapolis. (I live in another state)  Their Overdrive only has audiobooks, movies and music for electronic download.  No print ebooks at all.  

The Minneapolis library uses NetLibrary for their ebooks and audiobooks.  Now, if Sony was going to join up with NetLibrary, I would buy a Sony e-reader in an instant.  Until they do, I will be happy with just my lovely Kindle DX. For now, I use it just for books I can't get elsewhere in audio.

Today, I am checking out the Google free domain ebooks.  From what I read last night, they come in pdf and .ePub so if I can get those, I will just use Calibre to convert to Mobi and download to my Kindle.  No problem.

luvshihtzu


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## legalbs2 (May 27, 2009)

FearNot said:


> What's really sad is that they charge very high prices for these readers and also stay with proprietary formats.  Imaging having to buy one DVD player for Disney movies and another one for Fox movies and another one for Columbia movies, etc.
> 
> The company that produces a reader that handles ALL formats will be the winner (and I'd be willing to pay a premium for it).


I fully agree with your statement. Who needs nine devices.


----------



## legalbs2 (May 27, 2009)

"One lady who lives in CA took a road-trip throughout the state in one day and got cards from different larger library systems and it set for a good long while. I wish my state's libraries were worth a road trip!"

No need for her to drive all over CA.  One CA library card allows her to get books even from Sacramento, LA, SD, SF, etc. besides all local libraries AND colleges.  She wasted her time.  Just get online or call your library to see how far your library card can go.  Whew, she is way too ambitious.


----------



## libros_lego (Mar 24, 2009)

Too bad you have to go to the library itself to get the library card.


----------



## legalbs2 (May 27, 2009)

Jenni said:


> Too bad you have to go to the library itself to get the library card.


You only go to your local library then, in CA, it is good throughout the state.


----------



## libros_lego (Mar 24, 2009)

So can I use my local library card to check out ebooks/books from San Francisco Public Library?


----------



## Vegas_Asian (Nov 2, 2008)

http://sfpl.lib.overdrive.com/87CE9D59-A649-4BF6-ADE8-BB81F03EB222/10/486/en/Default.htm
why not give it a try?


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## BookishMom (Oct 30, 2008)

luvshihtzu said:


> The Minneapolis library uses NetLibrary for their ebooks and audiobooks.


I'm not as familiar with NetLibrary - I thought they mainly dealt with audiobooks, not ebooks. I'm going to have to check them out again to see if I can find an ebooks on the NYPL's NetLibrary site. What format are NetLibrary's ebooks in?


----------



## legalbs2 (May 27, 2009)

Jenni said:


> So can I use my local library card to check out ebooks/books from San Francisco Public Library?


If you go online to http://www.library.ca.gov/services/online-resources.html you can checkout the CA online services. Also, contact your library and find out what libraries recognize your card. I found online ebooks in the SF and Sacramento libraries. I will have to locate the sites. If you are borrowing books online, your card issued in CA should work as well as out of state cards that are recognized by CA.


----------



## libros_lego (Mar 24, 2009)

I tried it. It said it's not a valid San Francisco Public Library card.


----------



## BookishMom (Oct 30, 2008)

legalbs2 said:


> No need for her to drive all over CA. One CA library card allows her to get books even from Sacramento, LA, SD, SF, etc. besides all local libraries AND colleges. She wasted her time. Just get online or call your library to see how far your library card can go. Whew, she is way too ambitious.


She said that many did, but some of the bigger ones required her to go in person (I think San Francisco was one of them). Have you checked out ebooks and audiobooks at all the libraries with your local library card? I'll have to tell her so she doesn't go on another roadtrip to renew all those cards when the time comes.


----------



## legalbs2 (May 27, 2009)

Jenni said:


> I tried it. It said it's not a valid San Francisco Public Library card.


If your local card does not work, just get a library card from SF. Many libraries allow you a card as long as you are a CA resident, not necessarily a resident of San Francisco. You are, afterall, going to be borrowing books online if that library has such a service. I am sure there is more than one library in SF. Check around. Maybe Sacramento, maybe Los Angeles. You live in CA, use CA libraries if you can.


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## BookishMom (Oct 30, 2008)

Jenni said:


> I tried it. It said it's not a valid San Francisco Public Library card.


Yes, that's what the CA lady said... that a lot of the major libraries require you to go in person. They'll give you a card no matter where you live (in CA), but a personal visit was required (at least for her).


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## libros_lego (Mar 24, 2009)

I did apply for a SFPL card since I'm going to SF tomorrow. I'll see how it goes. 

(And I did have to go there in person to show proof)


----------



## BookishMom (Oct 30, 2008)

Jenni said:


> I did apply for a SFPL card since I'm going to SF tomorrow. I'll see how it goes.
> 
> (And I did have to go there in person to show proof)


Yep... that's why the lady made the roadtrip. I guess it wasn't a wasted trip after all! She enjoyed the scenery as well, she said!


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## legalbs2 (May 27, 2009)

BookishMom said:


> Yes, that's what the CA lady said... that a lot of the major libraries require you to go in person. They'll give you a card no matter where you live (in CA), but a personal visit was required (at least for her).


That is hard to believe for online services. Afterall, you are borrowing online through Overdrive or NetLibrary and the book actually disables in 14-21 days. No physical books are harmed in the process. Tee Hee.


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## libros_lego (Mar 24, 2009)

I know. It'd be nice to be able to apply for a library card online and just get it in the mail.


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## BookishMom (Oct 30, 2008)

legalbs2 said:


> That is hard to believe for online services. Afterall, you are borrowing online through Overdrive or NetLibrary and the book actually disables in 14-21 days. No physical books are harmed in the process. Tee Hee.


LOL! I agree! But I guess they treat them the same way as far as loans, go. Unfortunately.


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## BookishMom (Oct 30, 2008)

Jenni said:


> I know. It'd be nice to be able to apply for a library card online and just get it in the mail.


The NYPL did this until very recently. I got mine right before they stopped. I love it - it has a pretty good selection, but I'm getting spoiled and when my card expires, I won't be able to renew and I'm going to be so hard to live with...  (well, more than usual at least!).


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## libros_lego (Mar 24, 2009)

Lucky you! I'm just going to ask my aunt in NY to get one for me. See if that works.


----------



## legalbs2 (May 27, 2009)

I have sent an email to the San Francisco CA Public Library regarding the fact that I want to download ebooks via NetLibrary through their library as follows: "I have an Orange County CA library card issued from my local library. May I download ebooks via NetLibrary as offered through your library?" I am hopeful for an answer soon.

You do, in SF, have to appear in person at this time. They use to allow library card applications online, but have stopped that. They do have a section on ebooks. So, I will soon find out more.

Got this from San Francisco Public Library:

Hello,

You will need to obtain an SFPL card to download ebooks through SFPL.

http://sfpl.org/services/librarycard.htm

Best regards,

San Francisco Public Library
Information Services Department
100 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 557-4400
[email protected]
www.sfpl.org

Now, to find out if I have to be a local resident. Will let you all know.


----------



## artsandhistoryfan (Feb 7, 2009)

BK said:


> You can hand-write notes on the Sony? I missed that!


With a stylus. In one video I saw, it was not super responsive. But it's a neat concept.


----------



## artsandhistoryfan (Feb 7, 2009)

luvshihtzu said:


> Be sure and check out how many books your library has purchased from Overdrive in ebook format before counting on all those current free books for your new Sony.
> 
> My county library system currently only has 501 ebooks on Overdrive and most are nothing I would even want to read. I think of all my Overdrive searches in the past two years, I came up with only two ebooks that I might use. We have almost 2,000 audiobooks on Overdrive here which is lovely, but the ebook numbers are very low. Luckily, I listen to a lot of audiobooks.
> 
> ...


They got it right. Wired and other online gadget websites said that the library
loans would have to be downloaded to the computer and transferred to the Sony
(but Sony users have been used to this).


----------



## artsandhistoryfan (Feb 7, 2009)

Ann in Arlington said:


> Andrys latest couple of blog posts on her blog: http://kindleworld.blogspot.com/ are very good with the pros/cons/features of each of the three new Sonys.


Thanks, Ann !

It was just so confusing, I did it to clear my mind where possible. Can you imagine how confusing it is to Canadians where they will continue selling the PRS-505 and PRS-700 ? though discontinuing those in the U.S.?


----------



## artsandhistoryfan (Feb 7, 2009)

luvmy4brats said:


> I will most likely be getting one too. I'm all for the library books on it. I can go into DC and get a card, no problem. It will be shared with my kids. I don't have any problems with a touch screen, love my iPhone. Not hard to give it a quick swipe with a cloth from time to time. Had to do it with my RAZR all the time too. (makeup) and that's not a touch screen. No biggie to me.


 I've been thinking of the $200 Astak as it is one of the rare ones that got Adobe's Digital Edition for the firmware, which lets that e-reader read any rights-protected/DRM ePub! And it reads just about everything. However, like the Sony PRS-300 it has no study tools, which is a big no no for me but if they drop it to $150 I'm there.

Part of me is waiting on that Apple 'tablet' or 'iPad'...


----------



## artsandhistoryfan (Feb 7, 2009)

BookishMom said:


> I've seen/read several videos and reviews, and it seems like the contrast is between the 505 and 700


The one I highlighted yesterday under the link "comparison" is between the PRS-505 and the newer PRS-600 with the touch screen, announced last month but still not available in many places.

It really suffered in screen contrast and people who viewed it (including the videomaker) were returning theirs in favor of keeping their PRS-505.



> (some reviews compare the contrast to the Kindle 2 - they if we're happy with that, then we'd be fine with the 600. :::shrugging shoulders because I haven't seen it in person yet, just repeatin' gossip::: ).


You have to see that videoclip. If you can't find it, it's on my original Sony-new-models post which is still near the top of my blog.

EDIT - I came back to edit this so you don't have to plod through my long article.

That videoclip is at http://www.flickr.com/photos/apfeuer/3843804506/



> The glare issue is separate, though, but the hands-on reviewers have said that tilting the screen corrects the problem, and it isn't as bad as on the 700 (that removing the light layer helped with that a lot, and helped a lot with the contrast. Still not as good at the 505, but better than the 700). I hope my local Border's has the 600 so I can play with it a little and see what's what for myself.


 That's the best way. If I were on the market for a Sony (and their Whispernet tied to their STORE means I'm not) I'd want to see what their 7" Daily Edition, due December, will look like. As mentioned they did not let reporters handle it and their presentation involved blank screens (!)

I forgot - I'm also interested in the CrunchPad, which was to be about $250-$300 and do only the web and be about 12: inches long but it's now $400 and sill not being released. I heard there might be a heating problem too.


----------



## artsandhistoryfan (Feb 7, 2009)

legalbs2 said:


> If your local card does not work, just get a library card from SF. Many libraries allow you a card as long as you are a CA resident, not necessarily a resident of San Francisco. You are, afterall, going to be borrowing books online if that library has such a service. I am sure there is more than one library in SF. Check around. Maybe Sacramento, maybe Los Angeles. You live in CA, use CA libraries if you can.


That reminds me, I never announced a post I made about the Berkeley and San Francisco online resources for anyone living in California (but you must go there to get your card). i don't know about what other cities here have but many will have an amazing number of resources.

I saw this first in an online newspaper article about a mouthwatering library online set of databases that was in a remote area of a state. I wondered what we had here and found we had the same, so these are probably available in many states.

SF has the entire SafariBooksOnline (most current topnotch computer/technical books readable online for FREE -- and I jump between them, it is totally amazing to me). But the various databases are phenomenal. This normally costs between $42 per month for that kind of unlimited access.

The typical library resources are linked there - and most states will have these for city libraries.
http://bit.ly/librtwtr

click on the link there that is for library resources
I know Los Angeles and Seattle have all those

Anne and anyone who might like a fantastic and classy collection of free classical sheet music for your DX
I did an entry on that at http://bit.ly/dxmusic


----------



## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

Here in Maryland, I can get a library card in any county and can register it in other counties so I only have 1 card to keep track of. However, I have to register it in person. Some counties require county specific cards for online services. Sounds like CA is the same. Each county also offers a different selection of books from overdrive. My county doesn't have a good selection of ebooks but counties on the western shore do. It would well be worth a road trip to get them.


----------



## PaulGuy (Jul 9, 2009)

pidgeon92 said:


> I can definitely see buying a Sony as well, once I figure out a way to justify it....


How about this one? 
You only live once, enjoy.


----------



## artsandhistoryfan (Feb 7, 2009)

legalbs2 said:


> I have sent an email to the San Francisco CA Public Library regarding the fact that I want to download ebooks via NetLibrary through their library as follows: "I have an Orange County CA library card issued from my local library. May I download ebooks via NetLibrary as offered through your library?" I am hopeful for an answer soon.
> 
> You do, in SF, have to appear in person at this time. They use to allow library card applications online, but have stopped that. They do have a section on ebooks. So, I will soon find out more.
> 
> ...


You're right. The San Francisco site is exceedingly clear that you have to go in, in person.

Doesn't matter that I have a Berkeley Public Library card. I guess requirements changed.
I don't blame them though. It would be so easy for people to cheat these days if they
didn't get an in-person look with the verificatio they need (CAL ID or driver's license card etc)


----------



## BookishMom (Oct 30, 2008)

artsandhistoryfan said:


> You have to see that videoclip. If you can't find it, it's on my original Sony-new-models post which is still near the top of my blog.


I've seen it, but I really like the MobileTech review better. Have you seen it? They play around with it and talk about the features for about 10 minutes. Take a peek!

http://www.mobiletechreview.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=34238

Here's an update of the same review:
http://www.mobiletechreview.com/gadgets/Sony-Reader-Touch-Edition-PRS-600.htm



> If I were on the market for a Sony (and their Whispernet tied to their STORE means I'm not) I'd want to see what their 7" Daily Edition, due December, will look like.


The only time I use WhisperNet is to download books. I very, very rarely use it for anything else, but it was a dealbreaker between the previous Sony models and the Kindle. If I get one of the newer models, I don't plan on purchasing from the Sony Store, so I'm not sure how much a plus the wireless would be for me. The 7-inch is a little bigger, but I don't think it offers anything new above the 600 other than that.

It's the other features of the 600 that might make it a dealbreaker (depending on the screen clarity, have to play with it for myself before I decide) for me. I've about talked myself out of waiting to see the wireless model, though.


----------



## BookishMom (Oct 30, 2008)

PaulGuy said:


> How about this one?
> You only live once, enjoy.


Oh, good answer!


----------



## artsandhistoryfan (Feb 7, 2009)

BookishMom said:


> I've seen it, but I really like the MobileTech review better. Have you seen it? They play around with it and talk about the features for about 10 minutes. Take a peek!
> 
> http://www.mobiletechreview.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=34238


 I did go see this one. First, what I had liked about the other one is that the video guy 
showed so clearly the too-large differences between the 505 and the 600. It's not something I can ignore. It was a big difference and Sony fans reacted in the same way.

Now this one I enjoy for its detail on features. Especially the note-taking with the stylus. Not sure how that would be shown on a web page of our notes and highlighting - they'd probably present images of pages with notes on them (but Sony probably won't provide a webpage for the users' notes -- that was one of Amazon's odder but now appealing ideas).

PROB 1 The PRS-600. Why on earth is the font so light? It's like watching a brown font. It never gets contrasty enough, just as was shown in the comparison video when looking at the icons and going to the Home screen of book listings. Never the black.

PROB 2 However, they used wholly unnatural lighting to make what looked like light screens!. i've seen the PRS505 - that's wholly misleading for the same reason Amazon's pics are. Studio lighting, bright upon the subject. 
The key? Look at her hands/arms. They're totally white in some areas with light that blows out any details. Glowing white where there are highlights from the unnatural lighting above.

So that may be why the font never looked dark enough! actually. The font style itself is like the font on the 505 that I photographed at Target - vertical skinny font.

But the overall look of the screen and bezel is appealing.

No text to speech but are there speakers for music?

Still, I like the form factor of the 600. And I like the way they did the keyboard virtual keyboard too, very slick !

PROB 3: She then puts the two together to show how they are showing "exactly" (she says) the same content. What? The PRS-505 had a font size twice the size of the poor PRS-600.

The bright lighting was so overdone that even the PRS-505 screen font looked washed out at that point while she was saying the screen contrast was better.

So, she spent good time, did a good job on showing us what the nice features are, but some very important elements of screen comparison weren't presented well.



> Here's an update of the same review:
> http://www.mobiletechreview.com/gadgets/Sony-Reader-Touch-Edition-PRS-600.htm


 The loss of screen contrast over the 505 is from the added layer needed for the touch screen.
The older side-lighting caused uneven lighting and a blotchiness with the lights on, but in that video the glare was difficult. It is BETTER than the PRS-700 but the screen contrast still is not very good.

Set against the 505 as was done in that other video it hurt my eyes.

In the updated review page, look at both screens. For the 600 she's set it at that thin, taller
font, everything closer together. For the 505, she's set it at the fatter, bigger font. That's a horrible way to make a comparison. When I look at both, my eyes blur a little when looking at the 600's fonts as I try to read it due to smaller fonts and more crowding.

Given my druthers I'd still get the 505 for just-reading -- to save my eyes.



> The only time I use WhisperNet is to download books. I very, very rarely use it for anything else, but it was a dealbreaker between the previous Sony models and the Kindle. If I get one of the newer models, I don't plan on purchasing from the Sony Store, so I'm not sure how much a plus the wireless would be for me. The 7-inch is a little bigger, but I don't think it offers anything new above the 600 other than that.


 Someone wrote me to say that the 7" is not measured diagonally as the Kindle does, so it's actually larger than the number would seem.

I replied that Sony calls the 300 - 5" ; the 505 6" when they are then being given the diagonal measurement used for the Kindle 2.

So why would they use a different meaning for the 7" model. It's so weird. If it's even larger, they ought to market that.

I do agree with you. For the kind of buying Sony users would be doing (getting files from many other sources), the only whispernet is to Sony's store. So the whispernet of the Sony, as you point out, just isn't that attractive.

At any rate, it's not even that I like the K2 that much (but I AM still fond of it and what it can do on the Net), but the DX fonts - the vividness of those, is something I'm getting too used to, so I'm not being fair when looking at smaller screens.

I think MANY will prefer the Sony PRS-600 to the Kindle 2 where wireless access is not that big a thing.

I like the smaller size, the virtual keyboard, and the ability to write on the screen. I think most people who haven't bought an e-reader yet will prefer those things !



> It's the other features of the 600 that might make it a dealbreaker (depending on the screen clarity, have to play with it for myself before I decide) for me. I've about talked myself out of waiting to see the wireless model, though.


 Well, we can also wait together to see what Apple comes up with! They have such a way of turning down background-brightness on their LCDs and allow color theme changes that they just might make it palatable and we'd get both color and video on it as well as reading. Those are killer features !

Thanks for bearing with my non-stop talk.


----------



## luvshihtzu (Dec 19, 2008)

artsandhistoryfan,

You mentioned the Crunchpad.  My husband and I have been waiting for that lovely piece of electronics for months now.  You said it was delayed again and the price has come up.  Any other information about it?  Where are you finding information on the product?

We had planned on getting the Crunchpad instead of another Kindle DX.  It would be lovely for reading ebooks from the different library services and online newspapers.

luvshihtzu


----------



## artsandhistoryfan (Feb 7, 2009)

luvshihtzu said:


> artsandhistoryfan,
> 
> You mentioned the Crunchpad. My husband and I have been waiting for that lovely piece of electronics for months now. You said it was delayed again and the price has come up. Any other information about it? Where are you finding information on the product?
> 
> ...


It's just something I'm always on the watch for when reading news.

There were several articles about how they had underestimated the cost,
starting even near $200, going to $300 for a long time and then
in the last 2 months, to $400. They tend to show current version of
it from time to time in short videoclips, and youtube probably still has some
clips if you use 'crunchpad' as a search term.

It is meant to be only for surfing the web. Nothing else, which is
why they thought it would be simple. I read they do have to look
at battery life and also how to keep it cool. They were supposed
to have an announcement in late July but that never came about.

It won't have any other capability. No storage at all, no hard disk.
Just SD cards or something like that. When it went up to $400 a lot
of people eager to buy on sight seemed to lose interest.

So it won't be useable as an e-reader unless you're reading
online. It'll have to use wireless (in the home or office) and any
cellular wireless would need a monthly data plan...

That's all I know for now !


----------



## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

artsandhistoryfan said:


> Someone wrote me to say that the 7" is not measured diagonally as the Kindle does, so it's actually larger than the number would seem.
> 
> I replied that Sony calls the 300 - 5" ; the 505 6" when they are then being given the diagonal measurement used for the Kindle 2.
> 
> So why would they use a different meaning for the 7" model. It's so weird. If it's even larger, they ought to market that.


O.K. That makes ZERO sense. For 20 years monitors and screens have been sized according to diagonal measurement. (Probably even longer if you count TV's!) And, as you say, why would they use standard diagonal measurement for the other two and not the 7" one.

I wanted to see how big that actually was, so I laid a ruler across my DX screen. The 7" diagonal, no matter how you proportioned the rectangle, is really small compared to the 9.7" on the DX. The actual DX screen dimensions are on the order of 8" x 5½". I just can't see a 7" diagonal displaying, say, a PDF page as neatly and clearly as the DX screen does. And if the 7" is really the longer length -- which I don't believe -- it's still not as big as the DX screen.


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## PaulGuy (Jul 9, 2009)

The wife and I ordered a pair of 300s and 600s. The idea being we'd each keep one and return the other. They arrived today and as much as we both wanted to like the slick interfaced and feature packed 600 we both decided to keep the 300s. The 300 display is just nice and crisp. The size, which I originally thought might be too small actually works pretty well. We both have Kindles so these will augment, not replace our current e-readers, giving us access to the DRM'd ePub format currently denied to us with our K2. The 600 is a nice device, real nice. The interface is really slick, the size to me perfect. From a build perspective it's nicer than my Kindle 2. But the display while better than the 700 is still soft compared to other readers. This would have been acceptable if it was my only objection, but the glare/reflectivity is still too high for me. There's no doubt in my mind that this is a big step in the the right direction, it's a fantastic design. For me it just doesn't hit the target just yet. But i must say I like where we're going.


----------



## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

PaulGuy said:


> The wife and I ordered a pair of 300s and 600s. The idea being we'd each keep one and return the other. They arrived today and as much as we both wanted to like the slick interfaced and feature packed 600 we both decided to keep the 300s. The 300 display is just nice and crisp. The size, which I originally thought might be too small actually works pretty well. We both have Kindles so these will augment, not replace our current e-readers, giving us access to the DRM'd ePub format currently denied to us with our K2. The 600 is a nice device, real nice. The interface is really slick, the size to me perfect. From a build perspective it's nicer than my Kindle 2. But the display while better than the 700 is still soft compared to other readers. This would have been acceptable if it was my only objection, but the glare/reflectivity is still too high for me. There's no doubt in my mind that this is a big step in the the right direction, it's a fantastic design. For me it just doesn't hit the target just yet. But i must say I like where we're going.


Does the 300 read pdf without conversion? It looked that way from what I read online. Wondering how well they work - I have a hard time justifying the extra expense but I have a few pdf books from publishers that just didn't convert well at all. Of course it doesn't make a lick of sense for me to spend $199 to read a handful of free books...but it's so cute in pink....perhaps I should find a pink skin for my Kindle, way cheaper!


----------



## BookishMom (Oct 30, 2008)

Paul, thanks so much for posting your impressions! I have a question for you... have you considered the 505 instead of the 300? The reason I'm asking is the 505 seems to have more functionality (memory cards immediately comes to mind, but I think it has a few more things that they dropped with the 300), and is basically the same size as the 600 (which you said you liked), and since they're supposedly discontinuing it in the US, you may be able to find it as reasonable at the 300 at stores that still have it in stock. I just wanted to throw it out there as an alternative.


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## BookishMom (Oct 30, 2008)

Meemo said:


> Does the 300 read pdf without conversion? It looked that way from what I read online. Wondering how well they work - I have a hard time justifying the extra expense but I have a few pdf books from publishers that just didn't convert well at all. Of course it doesn't make a lick of sense for me to spend $199 to read a handful of free books...but it's so cute in pink....perhaps I should find a pink skin for my Kindle, way cheaper!


Yes, it's supposed to, but I don't know how well it does. Hopefully Paul can answer the "how well it does" question.


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## PaulGuy (Jul 9, 2009)

BookishMom said:


> Paul, thanks so much for posting your impressions! I have a question for you... have you considered the 505 instead of the 300? The reason I'm asking is the 505 seems to have more functionality (memory cards immediately comes to mind, but I think it has a few more things that they dropped with the 300), and is basically the same size as the 600 (which you said you liked), and since they're supposedly discontinuing it in the US, you may be able to find it as reasonable at the 300 at stores that still have it in stock. I just wanted to throw it out there as an alternative.


Actually I did. But I'm not sure if I can use it with a Mac. My guess would be I should be able to with the same new software for the 300 and 600 but I'm not sure. However having the 300 in my hands i like the size of it. If it was my only reader I'd probably want the 505. Already having a K2 and KDX this fits my requirements nicely.


----------



## PaulGuy (Jul 9, 2009)

Meemo said:


> Does the 300 read pdf without conversion? It looked that way from what I read online. Wondering how well they work - I have a hard time justifying the extra expense but I have a few pdf books from publishers that just didn't convert well at all. Of course it doesn't make a lick of sense for me to spend $199 to read a handful of free books...but it's so cute in pink....perhaps I should find a pink skin for my Kindle, way cheaper!


It does read PDF files. I only took a quick peek at a PDF I created of a Washington Post Column. It displays pretty well for this with the same 3 sizes of fonts available for books. (More than my DX can do). But I Have too look at other type of documents before i can really have an opinion. The small screen size though to me seems like this would not be your first choice for PDFs. Having the capability in a pinch though is always nice.


----------



## BookishMom (Oct 30, 2008)

Paul, the 505 works with the Mac now (the new Sony software was made available just recently).

Meemo, I was reading the MobileRead forums and thought you might like to see this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKpl4wiG-Bs

It's a YouTube video of the 600's PDF zoom function. The text, clarity, and zoom feature looks great in this video (but it isn't the 300 model).


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## PaulGuy (Jul 9, 2009)

BookishMom said:


> Paul, thanks so much for posting your impressions! I have a question for you... have you considered the 505 instead of the 300? I just wanted to throw it out there as an alternative.


Well we all know how much trouble we can get in when not following Mom's advice... ...the 505 is on order and a direct comparison in my own hands will be made. May the best reader win. 
Thanks Mom!


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## BookishMom (Oct 30, 2008)

PaulGuy said:


> Well we all know how much trouble we can get in when not following Mom's advice... ...the 505 is on order and a direct comparison in my own hands will be made. May the best reader win.
> Thanks Mom!


LOL! You're probably just calling me a nag in a nice way, but it was funny anyway! I didn't mean for you to purchase one, I was just throwing it out there as an alternative. Now that you have ordered it, though, please do let us know what you think.

I have to get whichever one I decide on with rewards points (Borders), so I have to wait until they get the models in the local stores before I can see them in person (not until September, from what I've heard). By then, I don't think they'll have anymore 505's for a side-by-side comparison. So, anyway, I appreciate reading your impressions and perspectives until I can see them for myself.


----------



## BookishMom (Oct 30, 2008)

If anyone is interested in a compilation of reviews on the new Sony readers, here's a post in the MobileRead forums that has links to all of them in one post:

http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=55030

Also, I found this review very interesting:

http://ireaderreview.com/2009/08/26/kindle-vs-sony-reader-touch-edition/

It's a comparison of the Sony 600 and the Kindle 2, and details the pros and cons of each. I love the pros of the Sony, but the glare on the screen is a problem. A lot of people said it's not as bad as it seems in person because you can adjust the slant to get rid of the glare, but I read in a room with florescent lights, so I'm wondering if it will be an issue.

You can't really get a good comparison of the contrast of the font color in this video because the K2 is showing regular font, and the Sony is showing italics. Italics never shows well in contrast, so it's not a good comparison. I wish he would've made the fonts comparable before doing the video, but it was a good video nevertheless. Also, I was surprised at how responsive writing freehand with the stylus was. I wonder how Sony managed that with eInk's slow refresh rate?

And here is a post with pictures of the K2, 505, and 600 under the same lighting conditions (to show a more accurate picture of the glare/contrast of each):

http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=54982

Anyway, thought those of you interested in what the competition is offering would be interested.


----------



## PaulGuy (Jul 9, 2009)

BookishMom said:


> LOL! You're probably just calling me a nag in a nice way, but it was funny anyway!


No not at all. Believe me I'm as stubborn as they come, it's very difficult to get me to move on something I don't want to do. My main concern was that the 505 didn't work with Macs. Seems that's not accurate. Only the Sony Store software didn't work with Macs. So you couldn't shop the store but the 505 always worked with Feedbooks etc. Now the new software removes that impediment. So since I like the 300 so much I just want to check it's bigger brother. And thanks for pointing me in the right direction concerning the software issue.


----------



## boxwave (Jun 17, 2009)

sakura said:


> Press Release:
> 
> EXTRA, EXTRA: SONY'S DAILY EDITION ROUNDS OUT NEW LINE OF DIGITAL READERS
> 
> ...


The center one looks alright


----------



## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

That's the one that is the size of their current model and has a screen size the same as the K2.


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## Shizu (Oct 27, 2008)

I went to Sony Style to see the 300 & the 600 today. The 300 rose is so cute I might just buy it for fun. The font looks as dark as the 505 so very nice just tiny. I played with the 600 for good 10, 15 minutes. I really like it except for the glare. The glare is there like the 700 I saw last week. I took out my K2 and compared. Because of the shinny glass of the 600, the glare is more evident than the K2. The guy in the shop said that at home there won't be that much fluorescent light as the shop so the glare might be less noticeable. I was thinking when I was looking at both glare on my K2 and the 600 that if there's any glare at all I won't be able to read my K2 either... so the glare on the 600 might not bother me as much as I first thought. After I was touching the 600, I notice my finger print was all over the screen. lol. 

I think if I don't have the 505, I would buy the 600. The page turn was easier than I thought. Zoom feature was pretty nice. I wanted to see how zoom will work on the pdf file but they didn't have the pdf file on the 600. I'm really considering it but I'll wait for the other new ereaders that are coming and see how they are.


----------



## BookishMom (Oct 30, 2008)

Shizu, I wish I could see it, but I'm going out of town soon so I'll have to wait until I get back. What other readers are you looking at? Do you like the 505 better than the 600, or do you think the 600's features would outweigh its drawbacks?


----------



## idolguy (Dec 31, 2008)

BookishMom said:


> I'm pretty sure it's just 3G (through AT&T), and that's only to the Sony Store, not Google or Wikipedia like the Kindle.


Great point. The internet capability of the Kindle adds a huge amount of functionality to the device. Unless the Sony has an equivalent functionality, I wouldn't be interested.


----------



## idolguy (Dec 31, 2008)

BK said:


> The other drawback to the new Sony, IMHO, is the touch screen. I don't want to have to constantly clean fingerprints off my screen...


Amen to that. I can't stand it now when I get a fingerprint on the Kindle. Even if I'm in a good spot, I just get so "itchy" I have to stop reading and clean the screen. I can then feel comfortable and keep reading from where I left off.


----------



## Shizu (Oct 27, 2008)

BookishMom said:


> Shizu, I wish I could see it, but I'm going out of town soon so I'll have to wait until I get back. What other readers are you looking at? Do you like the 505 better than the 600, or do you think the 600's features would outweigh its drawbacks?


BookishMom,

Since I already have K1, K2, and Sony 505, I thought I might want to get something different like bigger or something so I wanted to see the Sony Daily and the one coming out from B & N. But seeing the 600 today, I might want the 600 too. I like the 505. 
With the folder, it is easy for me to manage the ebooks but like I said before I miss the dictionary and the button is too small so it is hard to turn page compare to the Kindle. And for some ebooks I have, it is easier to use the 505 than the Kindle. With the 600, it has the dictionary, the folder, and turning page might be easier than the 505 since you just need to slide your finger in that direction.

The font is like the K1 and the K2 with the 505 and the 600. The font of the K2 is lighter than K1 but I got used to it that it didn't really bother me although I do use the font hack. So the font of the 600 is lighter than the 505 but I think I'll get used to it. The glare issue is the drawback but when I was comparing with my K2 and the 300 with the 600 today turning that way and this way, I was sure I could overcome that issue. Of course the glare of 600 was great, lol, but there was little on my K2 too and I won't be able to read with that little glare either. Like someone said, I just need to find the angle that won't generate the glare or use my K1, K2, or 505 to read other book.

I'm seriously considering the 600. lol. Since I travel oversea a lot, maybe I'll just get it and leave the 505 there so I don't need to bring all of my ereader all the time. I'll just bring the SD card.  I hope you'll be able to see the 600 in person soon. And when you do, let me know what you think.


----------



## artsandhistoryfan (Feb 7, 2009)

Ann in Arlington said:


> O.K. That makes ZERO sense. For 20 years monitors and screens have been sized according to diagonal measurement. (Probably even longer if you count TV's!) And, as you say, why would they use standard diagonal measurement for the other two and not the 7" one.
> 
> I wanted to see how big that actually was, so I laid a ruler across my DX screen. The 7" diagonal, no matter how you proportioned the rectangle, is really small compared to the 9.7" on the DX. The actual DX screen dimensions are on the order of 8" x 5½". I just can't see a 7" diagonal displaying, say, a PDF page as neatly and clearly as the DX screen does. And if the 7" is really the longer length -- which I don't believe -- it's still not as big as the DX screen.


I agree fully, Ann -
It makes no sense. Furthermore, the commenter said the measurement was 'tall and wide' (huh?)

- A


----------



## PaulGuy (Jul 9, 2009)

BookishMom said:


> LOL! You're probably just calling me a nag in a nice way, but it was funny anyway! I didn't mean for you to purchase one, I was just throwing it out there as an alternative. Now that you have ordered it, though, please do let us know what you think.
> 
> I have to get whichever one I decide on with rewards points (Borders), so I have to wait until they get the models in the local stores before I can see them in person (not until September, from what I've heard). By then, I don't think they'll have anymore 505's for a side-by-side comparison. So, anyway, I appreciate reading your impressions and perspectives until I can see them for myself.


The 505 arrived this past Friday and after using it a couple of days I really like it. First of all in direct comparison to the 300 I was surprised that the the two readers felt pretty much the same in my hand as far as weight goes. I thought the 505 would be heavier but a difference really wasn't discernible. The screen is outstanding. The sharpness and contrast are top shelf just like the 300 but the added area of the 6 inch screen versus the 5 inch makes a real impact. The controls are well thought out and ergonomically well placed. I'm glad I took the look before keeping the 300. The 300 is a great reader and it probably is the best one out there in terms of portability and excellent e-ink display. It literally is pocket sized. And don't forget it's excellent entry price of $199.

However, I love my Kindles. You still can't beat this platform with the wireless 3G Whispernet access to the Amazon store, ability to instantly download books, newspapers, magazines, blogs or access to web pages. The study tools of the K2 and KDX are also notably missing features on both the Sony 505 and 300. But they do give me access to the growing E-pub format and I have already found some books I've been wanting to read on my Kindle but weren't available.

Oh and thanks to Bookish Mom for planting the idea for me to consider the 505. Mom always knows best.


----------



## happyblob (Feb 21, 2009)

The internet capability or just the Amazon store alone is a major selling point for the Kindle, but admittedly the Sony readers look more sophisticated. Too bad for the glare and the touch screen.


----------



## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

PaulGuy said:


> The 505 arrived this past Friday and after using it a couple of days I really like it. First of all in direct comparison to the 300 I was surprised that the the two readers felt pretty much the same in my hand as far as weight goes. I thought the 505 would be heavier but a difference really wasn't discernible. The screen is outstanding. The sharpness and contrast are top shelf just like the 300 but the added area of the 6 inch screen versus the 5 inch makes a real impact. The controls are well thought out and ergonomically well placed. I'm glad I took the look before keeping the 300. The 300 is a great reader and it probably is the best one out there in terms of portability and excellent e-ink display. It literally is pocket sized. And don't forget it's excellent entry price of $199.
> 
> However, I love my Kindles. You still can't beat this platform with the wireless 3G Whispernet access to the Amazon store, ability to instantly download books, newspapers, magazines, blogs or access to web pages. The study tools of the K2 and KDX are also notably missing features on both the Sony 505 and 300. But they do give me access to the growing E-pub format and I have already found some books I've been wanting to read on my Kindle but weren't available.
> 
> Oh and thanks to Bookish Mom for planting the idea for me to consider the 505. Mom always knows best.


So are you keeping the 300 or the 505?


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## PaulGuy (Jul 9, 2009)

Meemo said:


> So are you keeping the 300 or the 505?


I'm keeping the 505.


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## artsandhistoryfan (Feb 7, 2009)

PaulGuy said:


> However, I love my Kindles. You still can't beat this platform with the wireless 3G Whispernet access to the Amazon store, ability to instantly download books, newspapers, magazines, blogs or access to web pages. The study tools of the K2 and KDX are also notably missing features on both the Sony 505 and 300. But they do give me access to the growing E-pub format and I have already found some books I've been wanting to read on my Kindle but weren't available.
> 
> Oh and thanks to Bookish Mom for planting the idea for me to consider the 505. Mom always knows best.


 Yah, I'd want the PRS-505 over the PRS-300 too. The 6" is small enough. It's a high price to pay for reading ePubs when it's easy to convert them to MOBI with Calibre now though.

One thing, it was good to see your note about access to webpages. I have seen a lot of articles saying that the new Sony Daily Edition will have wireless and is equal to the Kindle, but it isn't.

The Sony is wireless only to the Sony store, where you can be connected to the Overdrive feature of your public library. There is NO direct access to the Net, at all, with Sony's coming model.

No web browsing. No downloading to your device, via wireless, books from feedbooks.com, mnybks.net, Project Gutenberg. and various others.

No email, google or wikipedia etc. But it'll cost $100 more than the K2.


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## PaulGuy (Jul 9, 2009)

Andrys I'm specifically referring to DRM'd eBooks. And yes, it is a lot of money for that purpose. Unfortunately I'm not as careful with my money as I should be. Just trying to do my part for the economy. I once told my sister she'd probably find me living homeless on the streets some day. Her reply was I'd be easy to spot, the only homeless guy reading a Kindle. BTW love your blog.


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## artsandhistoryfan (Feb 7, 2009)

PaulGuy said:


> Andrys I'm specifically referring to DRM'd eBooks. And yes, it is a lot of money for that purpose. Unfortunately I'm not as careful with my money as I should be. Just trying to do my part for the economy. I once told my sister she'd probably find me living homeless on the streets some day. Her reply was I'd be easy to spot, the only homeless guy reading a Kindle. BTW love your blog.


Thanks  Re the DRM'd ebooks you're right. What's funny about reviews is they're always saying you can't read the evil-DRM'd Amazon books on a Sony. But they neglect to point out that you can't read the DRM'd Sony books (whether it's their current proprietary DRM or the future ADE-DRM wrapped around ePub) on a Kindle. And B&N's eReader format can't be read on either of those.

Helping our economy is a big thing! And, really, it's well-spent. I like that Sony has native support for PDFs and that they reflow the text as needed and have some actual zooming.

I've been thinking of eventually getting the Astak as a 2nd reader since they read ADE-DRM'd PDFs and ePub and have an SD card, from what I remember, and several font styles.


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## BookishMom (Oct 30, 2008)

PaulGuy said:


> I'm keeping the 505.


Paul, thanks for reporting back. Were you able to get the 505 for a good price? Since they're being discontinued (I think), I hope you did! I think I would choose the 505, too, for the extras. The 300 is great for entry level and price, though.

And I'm glad my nagging helped!  I hope to be able to check out all the Sony's this coming weekend and I'll let you know what I think about them, too. {{{hugs}}}


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## BookishMom (Oct 30, 2008)

artsandhistoryfan said:


> The Sony is wireless only to the Sony store, where you can be connected to the Overdrive feature of your public library. There is NO direct access to the Net, at all, with Sony's coming model.


I just want to make sure I understand this. The new Sony wireless will access to OverDrive and allow us to download library books via the wireless connection? I wouldn't need it for the Sony Store (I prefer to purchase from Amazon if I can't get it from my libraries), but having "whispernet" access to OverDrive/Libraries would be a selling point for me. I don't use my Kindle (and wouldn't use a Sony) for internet searches due to its slowness (I much prefer borrowing my husband's Touch for that). I do use it for downloading books, however, so if the new Sony will allow access to OverDrive libraries (not just the eStore), I may just wait for it before deciding. Let me know if I misunderstood what you posted.


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## BookishMom (Oct 30, 2008)

PaulGuy said:


> Andrys I'm specifically referring to DRM'd eBooks. And yes, it is a lot of money for that purpose. Unfortunately I'm not as careful with my money as I should be. Just trying to do my part for the economy. I once told my sister she'd probably find me living homeless on the streets some day. Her reply was I'd be easy to spot, the only homeless guy reading a Kindle. BTW love your blog.


LOL! Who cares about being homeless as long as we still have access to our books? Books first, food second, clothes a very distant third.


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

legalbs2 said:


> I love Amazon's customer service and the fact that they are there to serve us


Sony CS..


Spoiler



SUCKS BIG BROWN STINKY DONKEY NUTS


 I have had to call them numerous times for numerous products and am never satisfied by the calls. Last time I had to call them.... 10 minutes to get through the phone tree, and another 35 minutes on hold for tech support. 45 minutes before speaking to a live person!
I don't care if the sony thing is solid gold and can cook me breakfast, their lack of support for their customers means I actively hunt for other manufacturers of items if the first one I find is a Sony.


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## artsandhistoryfan (Feb 7, 2009)

BookishMom said:


> I just want to make sure I understand this. The new Sony wireless will access to OverDrive and allow us to download library books via the wireless connection? I wouldn't need it for the Sony Store (I prefer to purchase from Amazon if I can't get it from my libraries), but having "whispernet" access to OverDrive/Libraries would be a selling point for me. I don't use my Kindle (and wouldn't use a Sony) for internet searches due to its slowness (I much prefer borrowing my husband's Touch for that). I do use it for downloading books, however, so if the new Sony will allow access to OverDrive libraries (not just the eStore), I may just wait for it before deciding. Let me know if I misunderstood what you posted.


Bookish Mom,
Yes, the Sony Daily Edition, due in December will access the OverDrive portion of the local public library but the e-books will not be downloadable to the Sony reader. They'll need to be downloaded to the computer and then moved over to the Sony, which is not bad anyway.

Sony store books will be able to downloaded via the wireless direct to the Sony reader though.

Notes in this forum have actually shown that the OverDrive selection in many libraries local to members here can be quite paltry.

Also, I saw a thorough review a couple of days ago by a mainstream magazine that found the Sony PRS-600 somewhat awkward to use for various reasons. It'll be interesting to see how the Daiy Edition does when it's released in December, at $400.


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## BookishMom (Oct 30, 2008)

artsandhistoryfan said:


> Yes, the Sony Daily Edition, due in December will access the OverDrive portion of the local public library but the e-books will not be downloadable to the Sony reader.


Okay, it doesn't do what I was hoping for then. (I don't bring a laptop along while I travel, so I was hoping it would download like the Kindle's whispernet does.)



> Notes in this forum have actually shown that the OverDrive selection in many libraries local to members here can be quite paltry.


I know, but I'm fortunate to have access to the NYPL's collection (got a non-resident card before they stopped giving them out), as well as Washington DC's collection (must register in person), so OverDrive is my friend.


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## artsandhistoryfan (Feb 7, 2009)

BookishMom said:


> Okay, it doesn't do what I was hoping for then. (I don't bring a laptop along while I travel, so I was hoping it would download like the Kindle's whispernet does.)
> 
> I know, but I'm fortunate to have access to the NYPL's collection (got a non-resident card before they stopped giving them out), as well as Washington DC's collection (must register in person), so OverDrive is my friend.


You are lucky indeed. So many now would like to have that now-former non-resident NYPL card!

We're lucky in California too. Have you seen that you can get all of SafariOnline's books from all the popular book publishers for FREE, unlimited, to read online and do lessons with ? Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Facebook, Twitter, latest editions. I am floored by it.


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## artsandhistoryfan (Feb 7, 2009)

Shizu said:


> After seen this review, my interest on the 600 is back. lol. I went to Sony Style yesterday but only saw 505 and 700. I really would like to see it up close. I really like the collection/folder on my 505. I wish my K1 and K2 will have the folder.


There are so many other interesting ereaders about to hit in the Spring that a choice of the $400 Sony due in December should be tempered by this review (and others like it). I saved it last night to include in a future blog entry.

http://reviews.cnet.com/e-book-readers/sony-reader-touch-edition/4505-3508_7-33743850.html?part=cnet&subj=Sony+Reader+Touch+Edition+PRS-600BC+(black)

I think quite a lot will happen in the Spring, so I personally would not spend $400 on a reader that doesn't let you go anywhere except to its own store and to, for some people, a limited set of library books. Exception: lucky Bookish Mom.

And that touch screen has less contrast than a K2 so we know what that means?


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## artsandhistoryfan (Feb 7, 2009)

Also, just saw this from Gizmodo (and they are not friends of Amazon or the Kindle)

http://gizmodo.com/5359122/sony-reader-touch-and-pocket-review-too-many-compromises


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## FSkornia (Feb 22, 2009)

Yesterday I helped set up the endcap for the two currently available Sony Readers (the Pocket Edition and the 600) at the store where I work (Staples in Milford, CT).  The Pocket Edition on the display is just a dummy demonstration model, but the 600 is a live model. I was excited about this because it would give me on-hands experience with the new Sony and compare it to my K1 (it was a quiet day at work, so they didn't care if I played around with it for 10 minutes. Thank you that back to school is over for the year!)

My first impression - I really did not like the 600.  Now keep in mind that I'm coming from an extremely biased position since I'm an avid Kindle supporter, but I did try to keep an open mind during my investigations.  The weight of the 600 seemed to be either about the same or a little heavier than my Kindle 1 - and if I remember correctly, the K2 is lighter than the K1, which would make the 600 noticeably heavier than the K2. Actually handling the device was quite nice. It has the thin case style of the K2 and even the little extra weight was nicely balanced (at least for the short time I handled it - I made sure to grab it before we locked it up on the security bracket b/c that adds significant weight to it).  It is very fast - from power on to home screen was a matter of a few seconds - unlike my kindle (which I rarely turn off anyway) which takes almost a minute to get to the home screen from shut down at this point). Page turning was also really fast - especially when skipping through pages. Granted, I was just reading the samples that come on it (they had a good selection of samples available, including The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy) so they didn't have the content of a full book. There was very little delay between the pages and it actually displayed each page, which shows good indexing at least for the shorter samples.  

Then things got ugly - I actually had to dig into the options menu to see what the gestures were to turn pages since it seemed like everything I was trying wasn't working or it was erratic. I found that I was actually using correct gestures, but they did not seem to work all the time. Now, I'm sure that if I were a consistent reader on the 600 it would become automatic, but for the short time I was examining it I would say the page turned twice out of every five swipes I made across the screen - and trying to get it to reliably skip ahead pages with swipe and hold was hopeless. The only alternate to the touch screen was two little and somewhat stiff buttons on the bottom left of the device that would turn pages. This is hardly as intuitive or as reliable as the Kindle's page turn buttons - especially the K1 where we all know it was incredibly easy to accidentally turn to the next page until you figured out the most comfortable way to hold the device.

The display is a noticeably darker gray than my Kindle 1, which less contrast between the text and the background.  The cover of the books I took a look at didn't seem to be very different than what I would see on my Kindle 1 - though I believe the 600 should have more shades of gray available (someone check me if I'm wrong).  I really didn't notice much of a glare issue on the screen - but then I was seeing under a flood of fluorescent lighting, which tends to eliminate any directional lighting.  The Pocket Edition (which looks like an even more ergonomic disaster than the 600) only has 3 available font sizes and the 600 has 5 - less than the Kindle's 6.

I was pleasantly surprised to see that the 600 did have an SD Card slot which was much more accessible than the Kindle 1's. This was surprising since Sony is well known for supporting their own proprietary technology (the 600 does have a MemoryStick slot too) even when it is comparably worse than the other recognized standards (Sony - start using SD cards in your cameras! You will sell more when people don't have to buy a memory card that is $10-20 more than the competing formats).  The stylus is also stylishly hidden away.  Overall the look of the device is very nice and streamlined - much different than the reaction for the original Kindle release - although I loved the generally ergonomic design of the original kindle as soon as I saw it and can excuse an awkward look for general ease and comfort of use.

Looks like we'll have this display up through the holiday season, so if there is anything that people would like for me to check out on it, let me know.  I can't connect it to a computer to put any books on it - so I would be limited to the samples that are available, but I'm sure I can try to answer any questions.


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## Anju  (Nov 8, 2008)

Very interesting - thanks for the review.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Well there are probably a lot more Staples stores than Sony stores. . . .good to know they carry them so anyone who likes can check 'em out.


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## BookishMom (Oct 30, 2008)

FSkornia said:


> Then things got ugly - I actually had to dig into the options menu to see what the gestures were to turn pages since it seemed like everything I was trying wasn't working or it was erratic. I found that I was actually using correct gestures, but they did not seem to work all the time. Now, I'm sure that if I were a consistent reader on the 600 it would become automatic, but for the short time I was examining it I would say the page turned twice out of every five swipes I made across the screen - and trying to get it to reliably skip ahead pages with swipe and hold was hopeless.


If you get a chance to play with it again, change the page turn swipe direction (in the options menu somewhere) to run from right to left, instead of left to right (if you haven't already) and see if that helps with the pageturns. Its default is left to right, which is opposite of what the US is used to with most touch screen devices.



> The display is a noticeably darker gray than my Kindle 1, which less contrast between the text and the background.


From what I've heard from other reviewers, the 600 is more comparable to the K2 in gray background color and contrast, unfortunately. I'm going to bring my K2 along with me and compare it soon, I hope. (I can't seem to make it to a store to see for myself yet, and it's killing me! Now that they have them in Staples, I should be able to this weekend. I hope!).



> Looks like we'll have this display up through the holiday season, so if there is anything that people would like for me to check out on it, let me know.


Thanks so much for letting us know your impressions and that it's available at Staples now. I'm going to see one for myself... eventually...


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## Wheezie (Oct 28, 2008)

^^My curiosity was killing me to see the Sony 600 in person, so I was psyched to hear that Staples had them. I went by today with my trusty Sony PRS-505 to compare.
From the earlier comments on this site and others, I was actually expecting the 600 to  be worse than it appeared to me. The touch screen was neat and the page swiping was interesting, but I was too underwhelmed to buy it. They had a 300 set up right next to the 600 and there is really no getting by the differences in the screen. The 300's  screen looks GREAT, very similar to my 505, which (IMO) has the best screen of all ereadrs that I have seen. I have a K1, K2(had), DX, and Sony PRS-505.
If you haven't seen any other ereaders or didn't have one right next to it to split hairs with, you would probably think the 600 to be fantastic. 
I would buy the upcoming Daily Edition anyway just for the larger screen, but for a 6" reader I will keep using the 505 and my Kindle.


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## artsandhistoryfan (Feb 7, 2009)

BookishMom said:


> From what I've heard from other reviewers, the 600 is more comparable to the K2 in gray background color and contrast, unfortunately.


 Not in most of the ones I've been reading. The reviews are really bad on the display of the 600 and point out the Kindle 2 and PRS-300/PRS-505 are way better than it -- they are usually angling it every which way to get rid of the glare to justify it not being too bad. And the low contrast is really bad -- more like bad copies of the Kindle 2 (which there unfortunately have been too many of -- a friend's daughter just bought a Kindle 2 and it looks great though).

I have comparisons at Target when I put my own Kindle 2 alongside a nice PRS-505 (which I think is great little unit but it has no study tools, which is amazing to me at that price).
http://www.pbase.com/andrys/kindle2



> I'm going to bring my K2 along with me and compare it soon, I hope. (I can't seem to make it to a store to see for myself yet, and it's killing me! Now that they have them in Staples, I should be able to this weekend. I hope!).


 Kindle 2's do vary. I was lucky to get one that I can hardly tell from my Kindle 1 except that when I look closely the font is a millimeter thinner than the K1 font. The Home screen font in the K1 is much more fat and bolded though, but text in the plainer books is very similar.

I still have my old photo comparisons of my K2 vs my K1, at 
http://tinyurl.com/kindle-screen-comparisons


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## BookishMom (Oct 30, 2008)

artsandhistoryfan said:


> Kindle 2's do vary. I was lucky to get one that I can hardly tell from my Kindle 1 except that when I look closely the font is a millimeter thinner than the K1 font. The Home screen font in the K1 is much more fat and bolded though, but text in the plainer books is very similar.
> 
> I still have my old photo comparisons of my K2 vs my K1, at
> http://tinyurl.com/kindle-screen-comparisons


My K2 is great, and the font is only a little lighter than my K1. I didn't really need to add the font hack (the 600's font contrast - without the glare issues - is compared to the unhacked K2's in the reviews I've read), but I added one of the hacks that changed the sizes a little. I found the original K2 size 3 font to be a little too small when my eyes got tired, but the size 4 to be way too big, so Ted (I think that's his name!) advised a specific font to increase boldness a little, as well as adjust the size, and now it's perfect!


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## BookishMom (Oct 30, 2008)

Wheezie said:


> I would buy the upcoming Daily Edition anyway just for the larger screen, but for a 6" reader I will keep using the 505 and my Kindle.


Wheezie, I may wait to see what the new one looks like, but I'd like to have two different types of readers, too. Do you use your 505 more, or your Kindle more? I'm going to keep my Kindle as my primary reader, and I will probably buy all my ebooks from AZ, and use the Sony (or whatever alternate reader I get) for library ebooks and for my children. They use my old (in gadget-years) K1, but fight over it, so we could really use another one, and I have these Borders reward points burning a hole in my pocket.


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## LauraB (Nov 23, 2008)

Wheezie said:


> ^^My curiosity was killing me to see the Sony 600 in person, so I was psyched to hear that Staples had them. I went by today with my trusty Sony PRS-505 to compare.


I gave my 505 to a friend, I have a K1, DX and Sony 700 right now. All of which (I guess I've been lucky) I have no problem reading. The 505 is hands down the best looking "screen" to read from. I'm attempting to find a 300 to carry with me. I may go to Staples, I didn't know they carried them. But, I may just stick to the 700 since I don't have a problem reading the screen and I use the buttons, not the touch. I do love, love, love the keyboard on the 700 way more than any on the kindles. Even though I hug and read from my kindles a lot.


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## Wheezie (Oct 28, 2008)

Honestly, I adore my Sony 505. It is my go-to reader for just READING. I love the design, style, looks , size etc... 
Please no bombardment of flames, I know this is the Kindle Board, ok. I like my ks too, but for different reasons. I usually use them more when I am feeling like I have neglected them. I ditched the K2 because I like the k1's style better (yes really) and the DX is just too large for my needs and I don't like the one sided page turn buttons, so it's going to a new home soon.


BookishMom said:


> Wheezie, I may wait to see what the new one looks like, but I'd like to have two different types of readers, too. Do you use your 505 more, or your Kindle more? I'm going to keep my Kindle as my primary reader, and I will probably buy all my ebooks from AZ, and use the Sony (or whatever alternate reader I get) for library ebooks and for my children. They use my old (in gadget-years) K1, but fight over it, so we could really use another one, and I have these Borders reward points burning a hole in my pocket.


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## Shizu (Oct 27, 2008)

I'm with you Wheezie. I have a K1, K2, and 505. I love all of them. I haven't been using K1 much but I use K2 or the 505 depend on what I'm going to read. I order the 600 and I should get it next week. I saw it at Sony Style and I decided to try it out.


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## Wheezie (Oct 28, 2008)

^^Shizu I'm excited for you. Let us know what you think about your 600. Like I said, if they didn't have the 300 right next to the 600  you would probably think it's great. It's definitely slick with some nice features. Staples didn't even have any in stock to buy, it would have to be ordered.
They had a black 600 and a silver 300 for their display units. If they would have  had a silver 600 in stock I probably would have pulled out my credit card. 
I am curious to see what you think.
Lettie


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## Shizu (Oct 27, 2008)

I know what you mean, Wheezie. I was comparing the 300, the 600 & the K2 (with the font hack) at store for like 15 min. LOL  I liked the feature on the 600. They only had the black. I wasn't going to get it but after thinking about it for a while I ordered the red.


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## artsandhistoryfan (Feb 7, 2009)

pidgeon92 said:


> I can definitely see buying a Sony as well, once I figure out a way to justify it....


Keep an eye out for Astak. $200 promotional for new model (the 5") but it has text to speech as well as not only ePub but Adobe Digital Editions DRM'd ePub.


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## artsandhistoryfan (Feb 7, 2009)

Shizu said:


> I know what you mean, Wheezie. I was comparing the 300, the 600 & the K2 (with the font hack) at store for like 15 min. LOL I liked the feature on the 600. They only had the black. I wasn't going to get it but after thinking about it for a while I ordered the red.


Is that avatar your dog? It is adorable !


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## Shizu (Oct 27, 2008)

artsandhistoryfan said:


> Is that avatar your dog? It is adorable !


Yes, my boy Rin. He was sitting there for a while looking so ready to study so I took a picture. He's looking at me with "What do you want!" eyes.


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## artsandhistoryfan (Feb 7, 2009)

Shizu said:


> Yes, my boy Rin. He was sitting there for a while looking so ready to study so I took a picture. He's looking at me with "What do you want!" eyes.


If you ever put up a slightly larger version of the pic, I'd love to see it.

Also, he looks perturbed that you've disturbed his concentration. Work to be done!

Just a great pic.


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## Shizu (Oct 27, 2008)

artsandhistoryfan said:


> If you ever put up a slightly larger version of the pic, I'd love to see it.
> 
> Also, he looks perturbed that you've disturbed his concentration. Work to be done!
> 
> Just a great pic.


Here's a larger picture of him.

http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,115.msg1681.html#msg1681


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## artsandhistoryfan (Feb 7, 2009)

Shizu said:


> Here's a larger picture of him.
> 
> http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,115.msg1681.html#msg1681


OMG - 
BEYOND adorable. What a sweeetie! Wonderful photo !

Thank you for that. Made my morning... (I sent a link to the image to a few friends...)


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## BookishMom (Oct 30, 2008)

Hi everyone,

I said I'd report back when I finally had a chance to see the 600 for myself. Well, I finally had a chance to do that today. (After searching several stores! My semi-local Staples didn't have it, but the nearby Best Buy did.)

My first impression of it was "speed". It is fast in almost every way. Page turns are faster than both Kindles, dictionary use is much faster than either due to the touch screen, and while writing notes via the stylus wasn't exactly "zippy" due to the eInk delay, it was more responsive and faster than I thought it would be, with no skips in ink. Also, someone else who tested the 600 posted that when they swiped to turn pages, a lot of the time the page didn't turn. I didn't have that experience at all. Every time I swiped (even using light pressure), the page turned quickly. While I was there, I changed the options so that the page swipe would turn from right to left, but either way, the swipe function was very responsive. If my decision to buy was based on speed, the Sony 600 would win hands-down. That said, keep reading...

Unfortunately, my second impression of it was visibility issues (glare, reflection). The display model was tethered, so I actually sat on the floor to play with it for awhile, which caused different sales people to come by several times each to see if they could help me - probably to try to get me off the floor, but I wasn't budging until I was finished. They eventually left me alone to play. 

The background was the same color gray as the K2 (I had my K2 with me so I could compare). The 300 model had a much lighter gray in comparison to both the Sony and the K2. The e-Ink didn't appear as dark as the K2. I can't say for certain whether it was due to the touch screen layer, the reflection, or a combination of both, but when I tilted it different ways, it did appear to improve, so I *think* a lot of it is due to the glare/reflection problems. It was better than the 700, but Sony certainly didn't do it any favors by placing it next to the 300. Although I didn't play with the 300 as much as the 600 (or compare it to my K2 as much, either), the 300 had the best contrast/background color out of the three readers.

Some other impressions - I liked the size of the 600. It was smaller (although the screen was the same size), and the construction felt sturdier than my K2. Hmmm... I know I had more impressions to share, but I can't think of them. Oh, folders (or collections, as Sony calls it) - it had them, and I know that would be a deal-breaker for some right there. (I tend to delete my books after I read them and store them in Calibre, so it's not as big a deal for me, but I know it is for others and I do understand.) Oh, another thing, I think one of the samples I was reading was in PDF format. It looked *much* better on the Sony than it does on the Kindle, so that's a big benefit to those who read/buy a lot of books in PDF format. Oh, and fingerprints were an issue. Nothing that a good swipe with a soft cloth couldn't handle, but they did impact my reading experience. I'm sure I'll remember other things later, and will update this post when I do.

Am I going to buy one? Well, if I had seen the 600 before having experience with a Kindle, or seeing the clarity/brightness of the 300, and realizing that not all readers had glare/reflection/contrast issues, then I would've been much more likely to buy one. And if my decision was based on speed, I would've walked out with one today. And if I didn't know how to reformat library ebooks to read on my Kindle, I would've skipped out with either a 300 or a 600 (or a 505 that I found at another store) yelling hallelujah. (It would pay for itself within a couple of months because my children and I are voracious readers and we have memberships to two major libraries with good ebook collections.)

But since none of that is the case, I'm probably not. I think. (How's that for decisive?) See, I don't *think* that the pros (speed & convenience of touchscreen, and the ability to access different formats without converting) outweigh the cons (glare, reflection). But I couldn't play with it enough to weigh the pros and the cons fairly (the pros/cons that are important to me - everyone is different and what's important to them may be different). Since I'd be using reward points from a specific store to purchase it, I wouldn't be able to return it for a cash refund (I don't think), so I can't buy one and play with it for a while to see. So, I'm almost positive that I'm going to wait. They're coming out with the 900 (wireless, a little bigger) model in December. If they get the glare/reflection issues resolved by then, I'll probably be a goner. 

I hope my review has been helpful to those who are interested in what the "competition" is offering or who are considering buying a Sony Reader for themselves. Let me know if you have any questions and I'll try to answer them.


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## artsandhistoryfan (Feb 7, 2009)

BookishMom said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> I said I'd report back when I finally had a chance to see the 600 for myself. Well, I finally had a chance to do that today. (After searching several stores! My semi-local Staples didn't have it, but the nearby Best Buy did.)


That was incredibly thorough ! I wish we had a photo of you on the floor with all those 

I guess the one thing it comes down to is the feeling we have when reading - how clear the text is. I've seen te PRS-505 -- and it (and other Kindles) cannot compare with the beauty of the DX screen, for me. I absolutely love it. You and I, by the way, had the same experience comparing our Kindle2 and Sony PRS-505 side by side. Mine are at http://www.pbase.com/andrys/kikndle2

The PRS-300 would be a killer combo if it had study tools and more storage.

And now the refurbished Kindle 2's are priced to grab that $-area of the market, at $219, and it does have study tools + whispernet + good storage.

Back to the DX, I can read the screen by just my computer light as the background is quite light. BUT it ain't small! Could not do that with my K1 and K2.

The Sony PRS-700 will be a good size at 7" but it'll be $100 more than the Kindle 2 and won't have access to anything but the Sony store (and Overdrive ebooks at your local library through it). No direct web access at all. For $400. So, if people know this I don't see how they'd pay $400 for it.

Am looking forward to Asus's dual screen color LCD ereader as it'll be only $160 or so and while the light will be going into one's eyes, I'd use it only for color-important books or magazines etc.

Only 6" though but if I don't have to use it for reading except for special color illustrations than it'd be a great 2nd e-reader.

Due out in December.


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## Boston (Nov 7, 2008)

artsandhistoryfan - you love the Kindle DX for the size and I love my PRS-505 for the size  

I originally bought a used PRS-505 because I was tired of converting free books for the Kindle.  Figured it would be my "supplemental" reader.  However, once I got used to the 505, I began loving its portability and find myself using it more and more.  I love the Collections and how it fits in my purse without me even realizing its there.    

Admittedly, I seldom used the dictionary or note taking on the Kindle.  I still use it for news updates and to buy books (because I share an account with my mom).  

How does the size of the K2 compared to the PRS-505? 

(Forgive me for posting this..if it helps, I still feel a little guilty as I still love my K1  )


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## Shizu (Oct 27, 2008)

Nice review BookishMom. I'm glad you finally had chance to see the 600 in person. 

I got my 600 yesterday. I've been reading. The glare is there but I tilt the ereader so there's not much glare. I think I can live with it. LOL. I let my daughter take my 505 with her to the dorm today so I think I'll be keeping this 600. I'll be playing with it for a little more though, to be sure. 

I keep like 700 stories (ebook, web stories, fanfic) in the Sony ereader so the collection/folder is very useful for me. Some I converted to Kindle format but Sony format looked better so I use Sony to read them. Although I love my 505, I didn't like the page turn button because it was too tiny for me. I love Kindle's button. So the 600 is better, I guess, since I have choice to use touch or button. I'll know more after reading a little more.


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## artsandhistoryfan (Feb 7, 2009)

Boston said:


> artsandhistoryfan - you love the Kindle DX for the size and I love my PRS-505 for the size


 Actually, size and clarity, vivid clarity that I can't capture in photos. I have a new camera for a trip I'll be taking so I'll try again...

As for size I like the K2 for size when I want to use it outside without pulling out a rather obnoxiously large DX (though a couple of friends say it does not seem out-sized to them -- so maybe I'm just self-conscious about it).



> I originally bought a used PRS-505 because I was tired of converting free books for the Kindle.


 GOOD reason!



> Figured it would be my "supplemental" reader. However, once I got used to the 505, I began loving its portability and find myself using it more and more. I love the Collections and how it fits in my purse without me even realizing its there.
> 
> Admittedly, I seldom used the dictionary or note taking on the Kindle. I still use it for news updates and to buy books (because I share an account with my mom).


 Yes, that would be a difference. I use the dictionary constantly because I guessed for all these years and I love knowing what a word really means (I did not always guess right) and I like seeing the etymology of a word too. But more than anything I search it constantly to find out who someone was or when something happened that I want to review. And I highlight like crazy so I can discuss those parts with others.



> How does the size of the K2 compared to the PRS-505?


Both purses I use (flattish) handle the K2 w/o a prob. It almost hides in there.

But to SEE the differences, since the PRS-505 has no keyboard, since there are no study tools, see the few shots of them together at http://www.pbase.com/andrys/kindle2



> (Forgive me for posting this..if it helps, I still feel a little guilty as I still love my K1 )


 Why shouldn't you? Most of us bought the Kindle because we like it. Doesn't mean we won't like other e-readers! I'm always on the lookout.

I think the thing that struck me about the PRS-505 was it looked like a cute little metallic robot in a way, a nice rectangular shape, mainly screen but it's not super communicative though it does what's most needed which is let us read a book with no distractions. And the size is very cute. I actually prefer the softer ivory K2 but I am likely to get either an Astak reader for all the other file formats (it's only 5" and it does text-to-speech as well as reads Adobe-rights-protected ePubs) or I will just get an Asus color one and use that mainly at home for the color stuff.

The Astak even has an SD card.


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## BookishMom (Oct 30, 2008)

Boston said:


> I originally bought a used PRS-505 because I was tired of converting free books for the Kindle. Figured it would be my "supplemental" reader. However, once I got used to the 505, I began loving its portability and find myself using it more and more. I love the Collections and how it fits in my purse without me even realizing its there.
> 
> Admittedly, I seldom used the dictionary or note taking on the Kindle. I still use it for news updates and to buy books (because I share an account with my mom).
> 
> ...


First, don't feel guilty for posting. I think sometimes we diehard Kindle lovers feel we have to defend our choices rather vigorously (as is obvious by how many private messages I get from people who are hesitant to post to the boards), but in the end, most people here are open to hearing about other readers. If I ever become so "vigorous" that others feel guilty about posting, please let me know. That's never my intent.

The more compact size and folders are two of the big benefits of all the current Sony readers, and even many Kindle lovers would agree with you there. They're smaller and seem more sturdy, and just look better (although I agree that beauty is in the eye of the beholder!). The K2 is longer than the K1.

I do use the dictionary on my K2 (sometimes for definitions if I'm unsure of the context, and surprisingly often for pronunciation - don't ask... I'm weird that way). My youngest child who currently reads on my K1 rarely uses it, but my older K1-reader uses it and says he'd miss it if he didn't have it. I don't use the note-taking feature much right now, and neither do my K1ers, but we probably will in the future due to planned reading projects.


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## BookishMom (Oct 30, 2008)

Shizu said:


> Nice review BookishMom. I'm glad you finally had chance to see the 600 in person.
> 
> I got my 600 yesterday. I've been reading. The glare is there but I tilt the ereader so there's not much glare. I think I can live with it. LOL. I let my daughter take my 505 with her to the dorm today so I think I'll be keeping this 600. I'll be playing with it for a little more though, to be sure.
> 
> I keep like 700 stories (ebook, web stories, fanfic) in the Sony ereader so the collection/folder is very useful for me. Some I converted to Kindle format but Sony format looked better so I use Sony to read them. Although I love my 505, I didn't like the page turn button because it was too tiny for me. I love Kindle's button. So the 600 is better, I guess, since I have choice to use touch or button. I'll know more after reading a little more.


Shizu, I talked to my husband about my regret about not being able to take it home with me to test for a few days (or a few weeks, preferably), and he said he would use my reward points for the TV he's been wanting, and give me the cash he planned to spend on the TV. Now I can get the 600 and give it a fair trial after all. (He's such a sweetie... most of the time.  ).

I know lighting conditions will be a lot different and I want to see how that affects the glare. And I've read quite a few reviews where people said they're glad they gave the 600 a second chance (they thought they would return it, but after giving it more time decided to keep it). I want to see if I'm one of those second-chancers. 

Regarding the page-turn buttons - the 300 has only the one at the bottom (on the wheel). That's something that knocked it off the list for me, even though the clarity/contrast is excellent. I'm spoiled by the Kindle's side buttons, and know I could easily become spoiled by the 600's touchscreen ease and speed. I don't think I could get used to having only one button at the bottom, though... seems it would be awkward.


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## Shizu (Oct 27, 2008)

BookishMom said:


> Shizu, I talked to my husband about my regret about not being able to take it home with me to test for a few days (or a few weeks, preferably), and he said he would use my reward points for the TV he's been wanting, and give me the cash he planned to spend on the TV. Now I can get the 600 and give it a fair trial after all. (He's such a sweetie... most of the time.  ).
> 
> I know lighting conditions will be a lot different and I want to see how that affects the glare. And I've read quite a few reviews where people said they're glad they gave the 600 a second chance (they thought they would return it, but after giving it more time decided to keep it). I want to see if I'm one of those second-chancers.


I'm glad to hear you'll be able to test the 600 at home. The glare is there but I know there's a angle which you'll be able to overcome that. It is nice to have a choice to use depending upon what I'll be reading.


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

There was a commercial on earlier this evening about the Sony e-reader.  It's the first e-reader TV commercial I've seen.  deb


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## Boston (Nov 7, 2008)

Bookishmom - will be interested in hearing what you think of the Sony once you've used it for awhile.

When I first got my PRS-505, I didn't like it at all.  (I bought it on craigslist for $150 from someone who had barely used it).  I missed the big page turn keys on both sides that so many complained about on the Kindle    So I decided that in order to give the Sony a fair shot, I had to put away my Kindle for a week and use the Sony exclusively to get used to it.  Surprisingly, after a solid week with the Sony, I found it harder to go back to the bulkier K1.  

But I also feel like I have the best of both worlds owning both  

(a&hfan - I'm always looking at other readers too...fortunately, I'm pretty much into basic reading, so haven been able to resist temptation so far  )


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## PaulGuy (Jul 9, 2009)

Nice review BookishMom. Yes I also was impressed the speed of the 600 and by far my favorite implementation of the touch screen and fast processor was double tapping on a word to get the definition. Much better than Kindle's 5-way navigator. While I like the streamline size of the keyboardless Sonys, and while detractors have made fun of Kindle's "clunky" appearance, I have to say that extra real estate around the K2 screen provides plenty of space for my fingers to hold the device without my fingers getting on the screen. But while there is plenty to like about the PRS-600 for me the touch screen layer gives the text a softness and introduces unacceptable glare, for me, your mileage may vary. With sheer clarity and crispness being the most important quality to me I have to agree with Andrys that the DX is just outstanding. My poor K2 has been badly neglected since its arrival.


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## MarthaT (Mar 3, 2009)

drenee said:


> There was a commercial on earlier this evening about the Sony e-reader. It's the first e-reader TV commercial I've seen. deb


I saw that last night, it does look interesting


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

I like the fact that an e-reader is in public view.  Any e-reader being explained in a commercial helps me when I tell people what I'm using.  I still get asked if my K is some kind of computer.  It's going to make it easier to explain about a Kindle after folks already know what an e-reader is.  
deb


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## happyblob (Feb 21, 2009)

Very thorough review BookishMom. It's nice to see someone who's open to other readers. And nice experiment Boston! Yep, you never know until you own both devices.


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

drenee said:


> There was a commercial on earlier this evening about the Sony e-reader. It's the first e-reader TV commercial I've seen. deb


I remember seeing a few for the Sony reader a year or so ago - maybe around the time I got my Kindle. It was an odd commercial (to me) - didn't seem like it would've compelled me to buy an e-reader. Bunch of people dancing around, I think - there's a shot of that commercial on the Sony reader display at Sam's.
This new commercial is much better (then again, it has Peyton Manning & Justin Timberlake....) I hadn't seen it so looked online...
http://vodpod.com/watch/2227710-new-sony-reader-commercial


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## BethA (Aug 9, 2009)

where is there a side by side comparison of the different readers available. I love y K2 but would not miss the keyboard at all. Having folders is a plus, but the glare is a minus. I don''t know if I really need color or not, but would like to be able to compare as many as possible. Also I have a friend who wants to buy one and would like them to see the info rather than me influence them based only on my kindle


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