# Sony gets a Touch screen & a price hike.



## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_15960881?IADID=Search-www.mercurynews.com-www.mercurynews.com


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

I don't get Sony.  This new one has a touch screen. . . .which a lot of people are, admittedly, really excited about. . . .but no wireless connection and $40 more than K3W and only $10 less than K3WG.

Didn't these guys also invent Betamax?


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## Selcien (Oct 31, 2008)

I'd hate to speak too soon but as far as I can tell Sony really nailed it this time.

Yes, it would be nice if they were cheaper, but at the same time, I don't see how they would benefit by making yet another cheap Reader that would simply be one cheap Reader among many other cheap Readers.

What the market really needed was a quality touch screen Reader, one that doesn't require a special stylus, or force you to make sacrifices with screen quality, Sony will be putting three of them on the market.

The question now is whether that market is large enough for Sony to get the kind of success that they hope to achieve, and whether anyone else will be willing to make their own quality touch screen Readers to compete with Sony.


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

What is the difference between the new touch screen and the current touch screen?  
Is it the overlay? 
deb


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## Selcien (Oct 31, 2008)

drenee said:


> What is the difference between the new touch screen and the current touch screen?
> Is it the overlay?
> deb


Yes, they're using a different touch technology with the new Readers. I believe it's some kind of underlay but I've only seen a reference to that once, and I can't find it again, Sony just calls it "clear touch".

What it means is that the screen should be every bit as readable as the K3 and that the touch function should be improved as well.

At this point the only hardware issue should be the lack of wireless in the 350 and the 650, which, for me, is not an issue at all.


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## hopetah (Jul 4, 2010)

Here's a press release that explains the new touchscreens - "Neonode´s Touch Screen Technology, zForceTM, in New Sony Readers":



> ... Sony has launched its new product line of Sony Readers, which uses Neonode´s optical touch screen technology that has been customized for Sony....
> 
> zForce™ uses no overlay (like resistive and capacitive touch screens) on top of the e-ink display thus creating a 100% clear window free from reflexes and parallax effects and produces a true paper like experience.


Sony is betting that people will be willing to pay for the touchscreen feature, given that Sony is also using the Pearl eInk screen like the Kindle.


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

Thank you for the answers and the link.
deb


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## shootist (Jul 13, 2010)

I canceled my preorder for the k3 and am waiting on the new prs-950.


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

shootist, will you please give us a review and maybe post some pictures when you get your prs-950?
Thank you so much,
deb


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## Keef (Feb 25, 2010)

I currently have the Sony 900 which I am very happy with. However if I was getting a new reader this fall, it would be the 950. I believe the screen (dark/soft) is the same as the 900 but there is less glare. I just tilt the 900 for it to go away, but the less glare would be a nice thing.


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## jnorlund (Sep 13, 2010)

I'm not a fan....I really don't get the strategy. Seems like the PS3 strategy, our tech is better so pay up even though you have cheaper options.

With iPads being sold at Target, the Galaxy Tab and quite a few other players in the sub $500 range (some with contract, sure), I just don't get how anyone can afford to be above $200 with just an e-reader no matter what cool things it does. As for the most basic version, touchscreens aren't everything.


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## Selcien (Oct 31, 2008)

Keef said:


> I currently have the Sony 900 which I am very happy with. However if I was getting a new reader this fall, it would be the 950. I believe the screen (dark/soft) is the same as the 900 but there is less glare. I just tilt the 900 for it to go away, but the less glare would be a nice thing.


The improvement won't be as much as going from a 600 to a 350 but the new Pearl screen and the no additional layer in the 950 will, at the very least, result in slightly darker/sharper text, it won't be just less glare.



jnorlund said:


> I'm not a fan....I really don't get the strategy. Seems like the PS3 strategy, our tech is better so pay up even though you have cheaper options.
> 
> With iPads being sold at Target, the Galaxy Tab and quite a few other players in the sub $500 range (some with contract, sure), I just don't get how anyone can afford to be above $200 with just an e-reader no matter what cool things it does. As for the most basic version, touchscreens aren't everything.


The Sony Readers aren't for everyone, those wanting cheaper e-readers have plenty to choose from, and those wanting a back-lit screen to read on wouldn't even be looking at an e-ink e-reader anyway. If you want a Sony you'll have to either pay the premium or wait until you can get a good deal on one.

I've had my 350 since Tuesday, I was very happy with everything save for the five inch screen, wasn't really sure what I thought of it until yesterday. Now, I don't know what the Reader would be like if I was using DRM'd e-books, I'm not, and as such I can change things in Calibre. I had been trying to use the small font setting on the Reader while changing the font pt in Calibre (from 11 to 13), it just didn't work out. My early attempts to use the medium font setting on the Reader were undermined by using left aligned which just didn't look right. I finally tried the medium font setting on the Reader with 12pt font size set in Calibre with the text justified and everything finally clicked for me.

Yes, it would be nice if they were cheaper, but I do feel that the 350 is worth the premium that I've paid for it, and I do not at all regret choosing it over the K3.


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## Lilly (Dec 14, 2008)

The touch interface is costing Sony a pretty penny that's why others such as Amazon has not moved to it for at least 1 reader. E-ink and touchscreen was a work in progress that Sony decided to embrace. Now that they have perfected, I bet a lot of others will try to come up with the touch screen interfaces. The non-plastic casing is another huge expense for Sony. The library organization of the home page on the Sony Readers are simply way ahead the game. The fact that you can write on the screen is awesome (I wrote a phone number while I was stopped at a red light on the Sony screen since I could not find a pen while I was driving. Menu navigation is a great and tapping on a word gives you the definition. All reader manufacturers I hope in the future will give at least 1 choice of a touch interface reader until then I don't plan to buy anything but a Sony. I still have my K2 but will never upgrade. So far, all of us on the Sony Reader Forum are pretty satisfy with the new brands of Sony's. Wish they were a little cheaper. Did we want them to include at least wifi in the 2 smaller readers. The answer seems to be resounding no if Sony reader owners had to choose between the touch interface (I think the reason is because most of us like to shop around since so many ebook stores offer ePub). Here is the thread if you want to read what's being said: http://sonyreaderboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=846


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## Iluvmykindle (Nov 7, 2010)

I have the original pocket sony ereader, I use it with my students in my reading class. Its a great basic ereader, and it only costed me $75, it was on clearance at Target. I like it, but I don't like the prices of the books at Sony's site.  The Sony ereader is great, they make good products, but I just did not want to pay that much with such limited abilities. I use this strickly for school, because it is so much more durable. Don't worry as much about kids dropping it.

I have the new Kindle Wifi, that I use for my personal reading, I love it. I also have the Original 3g/wif Nook. I don't like its battery life, and sometimes the screens tend to go crazy. I do like the ablility to change the battery on my own, which I hava already had to do, within the first 8 months. 

I think that with all of the ereaders, its a matter of preference, I waited for prices to drop on the Kindle and Sony ereader, after I was how much the Nook dropped, after I paid full price. I know that's just the way of technology.  I love gadgets, so I go back and forth between my ereaders, depending on where the books are cheaper.


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