# Does Sony's New eReader make me regret my kindle 3 preorder?



## muggle (Feb 25, 2009)

Now with the touchscreen capability that doesn't hinder the "readability" of the screen, it is a very tempting. I've owned a Sony eReader before and it has GREAT build quality in a sleek and elegant form factor. I switched to a Kindle because of the better pricing and selection of the Amazon store, but now that Congress has said we can hack our DRM'ed books without breaking the law (as long as we don't share them.)

See the new eReaders here (I updated this link with the CNET's review 9/1/2010):
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20015248-1.html

and here is Engadget's hands on review with a video clip:
http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/01/sony-slims-down-speeds-up-and-adds-touch-to-its-entire-reader/

It's a little temping to cancel my Kindle 3 preorder. What do you guys think?


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## jd78 (Dec 8, 2009)

I'm probably going to stick with my K3...

I saw those pics, but didn't think much about it since there isn't really any info with it. No dimensions, weight, and from what I can tell, no mention of better contrast which means they are probably still using the previous version of e-ink. Also, Sony has stated they will not participate in the price war, only with "Quality". As much as I want to respect that statement, I believe B&N and Amazon still make quality e-readers, and they did the right thing by lowering the price to entice more consumers.


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## muggle (Feb 25, 2009)

I'm not sure I understand Sony's statement that they're not going to get involved with pricing wars, since they lowered the price of their Pocket eReader from $179 down to $99.


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## AnelaBelladonna (Apr 8, 2009)

Not interested.  I love my Kindle and love amazon.com.  At this point in time, I am not tempted to change but competition is a great thing for all of us.  Prices go down and the readers get better.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

I'm not tempted. . . .I have 600+ books for Kindle (Oh, and, for the record, I still don't think you're allowed to strip DRM, even for your own purposes.  But I did not read the actual ruling, and it's not something I'd be interested in doing anyway since it would be against the Terms of Service I agreed to when I bought the Kindle.    But that's just me.  ) and zero interest in a touch screen.

And, you know, you can always return the Kindle, no questions asked, within 30 days.  When do the new Sonys come out?  'Cause the Sony page doesn't have anything different than the 3 it's sold for the last year or so. . . .and the article you linked to is useless as far as pictures go.


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## Shetlander (Mar 10, 2009)

I've been so happy with my Kindles going back to the release of the K1 that I personally have no interest in Sony.


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## history_lover (Aug 9, 2010)

I am a little jealous of the touch screen - I'm worried how I'm going to deal with Kindle since I'm so used to the touch screen on my iPhone. I imagine I'll be having the urge to touch the screen for a while in the beginning until I get used to it. But I'm pretty sure Amazon still have the biggest ebook store to buy from, especially in the UK. That's far more important than a touch screen.


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## jd78 (Dec 8, 2009)

I don't think I want a touchscreen on my e-reader. I have an iPad and as much as I love it, I hate having to clean fingerprints all the time. Even with a screen protector it just makes them less noticeable, but they are there. IMO, unless the touchscreen allows the Sony e-readers to do so much more than the Kindle, then they are just a flashy gimmick.


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## blefever (Jul 29, 2010)

I like Sony products, but not enough to make me cancel my K3 order. No way!!!!!!!


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## Tom Diego (Jun 30, 2010)

Here's something that caught my eye in the article I read on electronista:

"Both the Pocket Edition and Touch Edition will use a new E Ink display which doesn't need an extra layer above the screen for touch, making for a look closer to paper."

In his interview on the Charlie Rose Show on the K3 announcement day, Jeff Bezos said that touch capability introduced an additional layer that compromised the reading experience. Now I'm wondering why they didn't use the same e-ink display that Sony is going to use.


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## Muddypawz (Jan 13, 2009)

AnelaBelladonna said:


> Not interested. I love my Kindle and love amazon.com. At this point in time, I am not tempted to change but competition is a great thing for all of us. Prices go down and the readers get better.


I totally agree! I'm not going anywhere.

Melissa


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## Linjeakel (Mar 17, 2010)

It doesn't appear as if they've officially been released yet and personally I'd like to have a lot more info than that if I was considering changing. The touch screen is attractive in theory but I'm quite obsessive about clean screens and the fingerprints would drive me insane.  

As it is, I'm sticking with Kindle. I've been more than happy with mine so far and the K3 is bringing even more improvements. Also I've got loads of Amazon books and I wouldn't want to be going to the bother of stripping the DRM from them even if it was legal (and I'm pretty sure it's not here in the UK). And, as Ann says, it's quite specifically against the Amazon ToS. Apart from that irritating inability to confirm shipping dates   Amazon are pretty OK with me, so I'll stick with them for now.


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## muggle (Feb 25, 2009)

In my opinion, the real benefit of the Sony reader is the more elegant and slimmer device that is not made out of plastic.  The earlier versions of the touch screen reduced the clarity of the e-ink, so it is a significant breakthrough that they've now fixed this.

Other than the eReader supporting word docs natively, I think the Kindle pretty much beats out the eReader, particularly in terms of book selection and pricing.  

Incidentally, Congress did in fact make it legal to circumvent DRM for both ebooks and smartphones.  The ruling for eBooks was a deliberate "smack down" to publishers who disallowed the text-to-speech feature on the Kindle, it wasn't meant to be punitive to Amazon.  For smartphones, it wanted to allow users to break free from the "onerous" restrictions put in place by companies like Apple (not Amazon).


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## masquedbunny (Jul 18, 2010)

If the Pocket version really does go down to $99, I might get one just for accessing library ebooks... I've been looking at the Opus for such a purpose, but I can't justify spending what Cybook is asking for it--even though it is a very attractive little device.

As for Sony's touchscreen, I'm not really interested in that capability. I've read books on my iPod (much to the irritation of my eyes), and for me it's way too easy to accidentally flip pages with a touchscreen. Buttons are just less sensitive. And then there are the fingerprints...


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## JSRinUK (Aug 3, 2010)

I'm confused about Sony.  Here we are, barely a week away from the new Kindle release, and Sony apparently have two brand new ereaders to bring to the market - yet they're not bothering to tell anyone about them?  All we hear is a leaked rumour on a gadget website.

How does that work?  Surely the best thing they could do is to make a formal announcement complete with details and videos in an effort to distract a lot of us ebook reader newbies away from the Kindle.

Once I've got my K3, I won't be in the market for an ebook reader anymore.  I certainly won't be buying another one very soon.  I imagine there are a lot of newbie ebook reader customers in the same boat.

By hiding their new product, Sony are surely crippling the impact it'll have.  It's like someone coming out with an iPad device that's superior to the iPad but then saying, "no we can't be bothered to announce it until ten million people have bought the iPad".  Then they'll *really* have a lot of potential customers.

It just seems silly to have two brand new products that might tempt Kindle newbies to hold back on their purchases, and then not bother telling anyone about them until after they've bought their Kindles.  How does that make sense?


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## Tip10 (Apr 16, 2009)

I'll admit I carry a mobile with a touch screen.  It's nice but it can also be a pain in the backside alot of the time.

That being said I really don't understand the enamor everybody seems to have with touchscreens -- especially on a READING device.  Almost every touchscreen I've seen is generally covered with fingerprints, finger smudges from swipes, and oils and stuff from being touched all the time. Not something I would think would be conducive to reading.  I suppose the Nook had the right idea although I think it had a fairly poor implementation.  Now, if the K4 replaced the keyboard area with a multi-function touchscreen maybe.  But to overlay it or put it in with the reading screen - NO THANKS!


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## Tom Diego (Jun 30, 2010)

masquedbunny said:


> If the Pocket version really does go down to $99, I might get one just for accessing library ebooks... I've been looking at the Opus for such a purpose, but I can't justify spending what Cybook is asking for it--even though it is a very attractive little device.


See my post here about the Sony Touch at Sears for $99.


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## jd78 (Dec 8, 2009)

muggle said:


> Incidentally, Congress did in fact make it legal to circumvent DRM for both ebooks and smartphones. The ruling for eBooks was a deliberate "smack down" to publishers who disallowed the text-to-speech feature on the Kindle, it wasn't meant to be punitive to Amazon. For smartphones, it wanted to allow users to break free from the "onerous" restrictions put in place by companies like Apple (not Amazon).


Just to clarify... It was the Library of Congress, not Congress itself that made this ruling. http://www.copyright.gov/1201/2010/Librarian-of-Congress-1201-Statement.html


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## Rebekah (Oct 9, 2009)

I've been so happy with my Kindle experience that I see no reason to switch brands.  Also, I don't care to have a touch screen.


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## chilady1 (Jun 9, 2009)

I am SOOOO happy with my decision to order my K3 and can't wait to receive it.  I don't mean to be a spoil sport but I really don't get the big deal over touchscreen.  I have seen the Sony touchscreen and quite honestly, I am not impressed.  For one thing, glare is a big problem because of the screen type needed for touch response.  The other is how many times do you have to clean the screen?  I can't imagine all the fingerprints and smudges that must be on a touchscreen.  I have enough to clean around my house, don't need anything else to clean.  Just my 2 cents and I don't mean to trash those that like a touchscreen, I personally just don't get it.


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## muggle (Feb 25, 2009)

I know...everyone seems touchscreen obsessed...but...not having to move a joystick a dozen times to highlight a passage would be nice.  Also, the eReader does have actual buttons for page turning if you don't want to have to swipe the screen every time.

I agree that not having a proper press release when facing an eminent launch of a competitor is weird at the very least.  Perhaps this is all a pipe dream?


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## Mac Jones (May 7, 2009)

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

(well almost in the hand.....waiting   )


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## Wunderkind (Jan 14, 2009)

I used the current Sony Touch ereader for a few months last year, and I have to say that the one big positive feature that the Sony had that I was sorry to give up was the ability to turn the page from wherever my hand was resting using the touch screen. I didn't realize how nice this was until I had used the reader for a few days and got the flip motion down, but it was literally a miniscule movement of my thumb and the page turned -- even if I was holding the ereader at the top which for the majority of time that I read is the more natural spot for my hand. There was enough of a border on the device that I didn't experience unwanted page turns either, and fingerprints surprisingly weren't as much of an issue as I had expected. This was a much more natural experience than reaching down to press the page turn on non-touch readers (which I frankly don't understand why the page forward buttons are so far down on these ereaders instead of being centered in the middle).

Another nice thing was the ability to use the stylus to write my notes on screen freehand style. Pretty amazing. However, the downside of screen glare was too much for me to deal with so I got a nook instead (I had bought the Sony so I could check out library books). If this new screen had been on the previous Sony that I had, I'd still be using it -- along with my Kindle of course!


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## JSRinUK (Aug 3, 2010)

Wunderkind said:


> Another nice thing was the ability to use the stylus to write my notes on screen freehand style.


How well did this feature work? I'm interested in touchscreens for this reason because I'm often correcting my own work by writing on the printed page. However, I have a touchscreen mobile internet device (5" screen) and the sensitivity/accuracy leaves a lot to be desired. I can't just jot down a sentance or two because it has difficulty with small and subtle movements (it handles big sweeping movements fine, but I don't want to fill the screen with one word! ).

So, I'm curious how well touchscreens work on small ebook readers and would grateful for your experience.


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## muggle (Feb 25, 2009)

Until I read these posts, I didn't realize that I could "borrow" electronic books from my local library, rather than buy them from online retailers.  THIS IS AWESOME!  I just checked out my local library's electronic collection and saw that it is part of an organization called OverDrive that has thousands of current copyrighted materials.  You can just download them from the internet without having to physically go to the library too.  Too bad Amazon chose not to incorporate support for this format.


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## Shetlander (Mar 10, 2009)

Wunderkind said:


> This was a much more natural experience than reaching down to press the page turn on non-touch readers (which I frankly don't understand why the page forward buttons are so far down on these ereaders instead of being centered in the middle).
> 
> Another nice thing was the ability to use the stylus to write my notes on screen freehand style. Pretty amazing.


Since I've only ever had Kindles, I don't understand the issue about "reaching down to press" the page turn buttons. I hold my Kindle so that my fingers rest on the button and press automatically as I read. There isn't any reaching down.

The stylus function sounds cool, though.


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## MJGhajar (Jun 14, 2010)

For me, it's Kindle! I just ordered my K3 3G. I have K2, but I can't wait to get my hands on my new K3.


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## amafan (Aug 11, 2010)

...because you might go to the library and check out a book instead of buy it from Amazon?? Just a guess!


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## Wisteria Clematis (Oct 29, 2008)

I would really, really hate having a touch screen e-reader....I'm too phobic about trying to read through fingerprints. But the real deal killer for me would be not having any 3G connectivity. It sounds like the Sonys still have to have everything downloaded from a computer, is that correct?


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## KayakerNC (Oct 7, 2009)

muggle said:


> Until I read these posts, I didn't realize that I could "borrow" electronic books from my local library, rather than buy them from online retailers. THIS IS AWESOME! I just checked out my local library's electronic collection and saw that it is part of an organization called OverDrive that has thousands of current copyrighted materials. I wonder why Amazon chose not to incorporate support for this format.


Sony supports the open ePub format and free local library e-books.
Amazon doesn't seem too interested in encouraging competition in its own backyard by allowing free books from the library. Of course, Amazon is making big bucks with the Kindle, Sony's e-reader future seems iffy.


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## muggle (Feb 25, 2009)

After reading their website, they do have one model that supports wireless, called "Daily Edition" with adcopy that talks about it getting newspapers, magazine, etc.


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## history_lover (Aug 9, 2010)

Well, I keep my hands clean and occasionally swipe my iPhone screen with my sleeve or shirt and I've never had to read through fingerprints. It's not that big of a deal to me. The ease of use and functionality of a touch screen, even if it's just to browse and buy books, is worth wiping off a few fingerprints now and then.


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## 4Katie (Jun 27, 2009)

muggle said:


> Until I read these posts, I didn't realize that I could "borrow" electronic books from my local library, rather than buy them from online retailers. THIS IS AWESOME! I just checked out my local library's electronic collection and saw that it is part of an organization called OverDrive that has thousands of current copyrighted materials. You can just download them from the internet without having to physically go to the library too. Too bad Amazon chose not to incorporate support for this format.


I love my Kindle, and Amazon in general. But if I was ever in the market for a new eReader, this is what would have me switch to another brand.


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## Wunderkind (Jan 14, 2009)

JSRinUK said:


> How well did this feature work? I'm interested in touchscreens for this reason because I'm often correcting my own work by writing on the printed page. However, I have a touchscreen mobile internet device (5" screen) and the sensitivity/accuracy leaves a lot to be desired. I can't just jot down a sentance or two because it has difficulty with small and subtle movements (it handles big sweeping movements fine, but I don't want to fill the screen with one word! ).
> 
> So, I'm curious how well touchscreens work on small ebook readers and would grateful for your experience.


I didn't use this feature a lot so I don't know how well it will work if you are looking to do extensive notes. If your interest is to edit a document, I would do a lot more research on this feature (for example, how the notes transfer to your computer). The writing itself was very easy and the screen was responsive so I could make out what I wrote. There is also an onscreen keyboard to capture comments so that would be another option.


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## Wunderkind (Jan 14, 2009)

Shetlander said:


> Since I've only ever had Kindles, I don't understand the issue about "reaching down to press" the page turn buttons. I hold my Kindle so that my fingers rest on the button and press automatically as I read. There isn't any reaching down.
> 
> The stylus function sounds cool, though.


I often read laying down on my couch with my Kindle resting on my stomach. As with a book, I would often prefer to hold my Kindle at the top. For me, it's just not as natural to hold the Kindle where the page forward buttons are located - they just feel too far down sometimes.


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## Addie (Jun 10, 2009)

When Sony's new e-readers do finally come out, I may consider buying one. Being able to borrow books from the library appeals to me, and if I like what I see from Sony and if the Kindle hasn't come out with an e-pub update, there's a good chance I'll buy one. I'm really interested to learn more about this ability to have a touchscreen without needing to place an extra layer over the e-ink screen.


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## akpak (Mar 5, 2009)

Touchscreen = bad on a reader, IMO.

Also, I think the Sony bookstore still "sucks," as regards price and selection. So not tempted at all.

Not to mention, Sony is evil. Any company that is ok with installing malware on people's computers to "protect" their content gets a huge black mark from me.


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## Jason in MA (Apr 28, 2009)

I think that the advantage of Amazon's bookstore, customer service, and high visibility in the eReader market make the Kindle a better choice. Amazon's name is very closely aligned with the Kindle in the eye of the media, and they don't want to do anything that will harm that reputation. For Sony, their readers are just one small part of many, many other products. I don't think they are as "emotionally" tied to it as Amazon is to the Kindle. 

Also, Amazon has the advantage of having reading software on just about any platform you would want. Mac, PC, Android, iOS, Blackberry, etc. I can read my Kindle books anywhere. This is a nice plus for me. 

Jason


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## castro (Aug 20, 2010)

Ann in Arlington said:


> Oh, and, for the record, I still don't think you're allowed to strip DRM, even for your own purposes. But I did not read the actual ruling, and it's not something I'd be interested in doing anyway since it would be against the Terms of Service I agreed to when I bought the Kindle. But that's just me.


LOL. Ann you crack me up! Not everyone thinks that Amazon's Terms of Service trumps United States Copyright Law, so that may be just you. Also, I usually don't voice my opinion about public laws until after I've read them. But that's just me.


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## pidgeon92 (Oct 27, 2008)

castro said:


> Not everyone thinks that Amazon's Terms of Service trumps United States Copyright Law, so that may be just you.


Can you post a link to this law? I'd like to read it. Thanks.


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## muggle (Feb 25, 2009)

Here you go! It's surprisingly short and lucid.

http://www.copyright.gov/1201/2010/Librarian-of-Congress-1201-Statement.html


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## Gerund (Aug 8, 2010)

To be perfectly frank, I don't want a touchscreen on my ebook reader, and I'm unwilling to pay a premium to have one.


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## JSRinUK (Aug 3, 2010)

Wunderkind said:


> I didn't use this feature a lot so I don't know how well it will work if you are looking to do extensive notes. If your interest is to edit a document, I would do a lot more research on this feature (for example, how the notes transfer to your computer). The writing itself was very easy and the screen was responsive so I could make out what I wrote. There is also an onscreen keyboard to capture comments so that would be another option.


Thanks for the extra info. I think you're right about the note-taking option and I suspect that we're just not there yet technically. The move towards non-stylus capacitive touchscreens suggest that we'll never get to the "write on the screen" stage.

I suspect, for the time being, that the Kindle's "annotation" feature with its hardware keyboard will be adequete enough for me. I'll still be keeping an eye on future touchscreen models, though.


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## muggle (Feb 25, 2009)

Gerund said:


> To be perfectly frank, I don't want a touchscreen on my ebook reader, and I'm unwilling to pay a premium to have one.


It is definitely up to user preference. I think that having a physical keyboard does lend itself to easier annotation and text entry. But as far as manufacturing cost (from a cell phone perspective), the touchscreen is much cheaper than building and incorporating a physical keyboard. I have no idea what technological changes they had to incorporate to enable a touchscreen behind an e-ink display, but in general a touchscreen also has a much lower failure rate because there are no moving parts.


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## Mike D. aka jmiked (Oct 28, 2008)

pidgeon92 said:


> Can you post a link to this law? I'd like to read it. Thanks.


It's not a law, it's a ruling on exemptions by the Registrar of the Library of Congress, who can make exemptions to the copyright law.

He says: "The DMCA does not forbid the act of circumventing copy controls, and therefore this rulemaking proceeding is not about technologies that control copying"

and: "(6) Literary works distributed in ebook format when all existing ebook editions of the work (including digital text editions made available by authorized entities) contain access controls that prevent the enabling either of the book's read-aloud function or of screen readers that render the text into a specialized format",

which seems to mean that you can circumvent any DRM that prevents TTS from functioning under certain conditions, i.e., there is no edition published which allows TTS.

Mike


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## muggle (Feb 25, 2009)

Mike, you're absolutely right.  The ruling also includes "screen readers that render the text into a specialized format" i.e., ebooks should allow for the flexibility of being ported to other equipment, such as: Braille output devices, etc.


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

Jason Shaffer said:


> I think that the advantage of Amazon's bookstore, customer service, and high visibility in the eReader market make the Kindle a better choice. Amazon's name is very closely aligned with the Kindle in the eye of the media, and they don't want to do anything that will harm that reputation. For Sony, their readers are just one small part of many, many other products. I don't think they are as "emotionally" tied to it as Amazon is to the Kindle.
> 
> Also, Amazon has the advantage of having reading software on just about any platform you would want. Mac, PC, Android, iOS, Blackberry, etc. I can read my Kindle books anywhere. This is a nice plus for me.
> 
> Jason


I agree - I just read an article about the fact that ePub isn't really "universal", and part of that article talked about the superiority of Amazon's customer support for Kindle, etc. 
http://mikecane.tumblr.com/post/937239880/epub-is-not-universal-so-stop-the-bs

At any rate, none of this is on Sony's website yet - it may be real, may not.


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## Carld (Dec 2, 2009)

There's no indication that the new Sony readers use the new Pearl e-Ink display. Since that's the main reason I'm upgrading from my K1 to a K3 I've got no interest in the new offerings from Sony. It'd be a step backwards as far as I can tell.


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## PaulGuy (Jul 9, 2009)

For me it's still Kindle. I had the Sony touch when it first came out but returned it. The extra layer made the text soft, not sharp, I hated it. If they've fixed that problem that's a step in the right direction but not the whole story. The only use of the touch screen I found superior to a Kindle was for the dictionary. Just tap the word and the definition came up. Faster and easier than navigating the cursor around. I own an iPhone and my wife has an iPad. Fingerprints on the screen does get annoying. Yes you can clean it but I'd rather not be touching my reading surface and never liked the idea of a stylus I can (will) lose. Now for the rest of the story... Amazon is IMO the far better partner to have in this eReader journey. Their customer support can't be beat. The system works seamlessly i.e. the syncing to last page read across multiple devices, the purchasing of books over 3G, the storing of your library in the cloud. All the others seem clunky, slow, and tedious by comparison when dealing with the Sony or B&N store. The only the thing Kindle lacks, and for some this can be a big deal, is the ability to borrow library books. If the Kindle had this ability there'd be no reason to own anything else, again, IMO. I'd like to see Kindle get this ability some day but in the meantime as prices keep falling on eReaders it is not unreasonable to have a $99 Sony pocket reader or Kobo for this express purpose. In fact a Sony Pocket and K3 Wi-Fi would be less money than a K2 cost only a month ago. And far less than what I paid for my K2 in Feb 2009. So cue up Annie Little and I'll fade out of this post..._Silver moons and paper dreams, faded maps and shiny things..._


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## Selcien (Oct 31, 2008)

The only reason I was going to replace my Sony Touch is because of the double layer it uses (lighting issues, the way it traps debris). The K3 is not an ideal e-reader for me because of it's lack of a touchscreen, so not only is there an inferior user interface, but an overly large form factor due to the keyboard, but those things aren't more important than the screen quality, learned that the hard way, and the K3 seemed the best option. The mere chance that Sony will fix the one issue I have with it made it very easy for me to cancel my K3 pre-order. Worst case scenario, this proves to be a rumor or it's true but the screens still aren't good enough, at which point I can quite easily order a K3. My next e-reader will be my fourth one, I just assume be patient in buying it.


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## Varin (May 12, 2009)

Selcien said:


> The only reason I was going to replace my Sony Touch is because of the double layer it uses (lighting issues, the way it traps debris). The K3 is not an ideal e-reader for me because of it's lack of a touchscreen, so not only is there an inferior user interface, but an overly large form factor due to the keyboard, but those things aren't more important than the screen quality, learned that the hard way, and the K3 seemed the best option. The mere chance that Sony will fix the one issue I have with it made it very easy for me to cancel my K3 pre-order. Worst case scenario, this proves to be a rumor or it's true but the screens still aren't good enough, at which point I can quite easily order a K3. My next e-reader will be my fourth one, I just assume be patient in buying it.


Overly large? But the K3 with it's keyboards is smaller than the nook... does it really take up THAT much space?


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## Vegas_Asian (Nov 2, 2008)

Haven't ordered my kindle 3 yet, but if i had I wouldn't regret the pre-order. I have had used older ereader some nine years ago. I like how Amazon's only device is the kindle, so there is a certain focus on it. Also I have had great experiences with the Amazon's customer service.


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## Boston (Nov 7, 2008)

I own both a Sony PRS-505 and a Kindle 1.

The K3 is .6 of an inch taller. I checked as my Sony just fits in the outside pocket of some of my handbags  

I don't want a touchscreen.
I don't want a keyboard because of the added real estate. 


I do want the increased memory (or the SD capability both my ereaders have), faster page turns and improved clarity of the K3.

I would prefer a user replaceable battery.
I prefer epub support (because I do use the library and its less vendor specific). 

Wireless or 3G is nice but not a showstopper for me (but it would be for my mom whom I share an account with)

So for now I am sticking with the ebook readers I have and playing the waiting game to see what others come out with.   That being said, if I didn't already have two readers, I would've bought the K3 in a heartbeat (and still almost did).


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## Selcien (Oct 31, 2008)

Varin said:


> Overly large? But the K3 with it's keyboards is smaller than the nook... does it really take up THAT much space?


It's in comparison to what my ideal form factor for an e-reader would be, which is a slight bit smaller than the Sony Touch, about what the Reader Pocket should be if what engadget posted is true.


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

I couldn't find anything else online about this.  The reproductions of the Sony pictures are just awful.

Sony has waited too long to drop the price of its pocket reader.  It's still $150 on their own website.  It's $130 at B&H Photo.  I'm talking about the rose one, which Sears doesn't have.


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## Nicolas (Apr 25, 2010)

The wi-fi/3G is a vital point for me, so no, I never regretted my pre-order. Also, the 5 inch screen looks fairly small. That means more page turns, so shorter battery life as well. Plus, the Kindle looks far more professional


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

Just saw this. There was a link in mobileread forum page.

http://www.sonyinsider.com/2010/08/12/new-sony-reader-ebook-devices-coming-soon/

No pictures. I wonder what the 350 will be like compared with the PRS-300. And when will they announce this?


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## Varin (May 12, 2009)

Selcien said:


> It's in comparison to what my ideal form factor for an e-reader would be, which is a slight bit smaller than the Sony Touch, about what the Reader Pocket should be if what engadget posted is true.


Ah, ok ^^

Sorry about the first post if it came off a bit harsh, spent a good part of the day arguing with someone else who was convinced by the pictures that the Kindle's keyboard took up far too much space... it's not like it double or triples the length of the device or anything, and next to the nook, without the keyboard the k3 is going to be smaller than it, but she was adamant to believe otherwise...


----------



## Wunderkind (Jan 14, 2009)

Boston said:


> I own both a Sony PRS-505 and a Kindle 1.
> 
> The K3 is .6 of an inch taller. I checked as my Sony just fits in the outside pocket of some of my handbags


The Sony Touch isn't the PRS-505 model. The Touch model in my view is noticeably smaller than the K2 (I'm not sure how it will compare to the K3 yet) and if I was able to get a Kindle with the Touch dimensions I would grab it in a second. The screen size is the same 6" display - the only difference is that there is no keyboard at the bottom of the Touch, but there are some buttons.


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## muggle (Feb 25, 2009)

Wunderkind said:


> I often read laying down on my couch with my Kindle resting on my stomach. As with a book, I would often prefer to hold my Kindle at the top. For me, it's just not as natural to hold the Kindle where the page forward buttons are located - they just feel too far down sometimes.


This is how I often read my kindle too, but I put a pillow between my stomach and my Kindle so my hands naturally rest on the page turn buttons.

The Kindle really is feather light, but in any other position, my arms/hands get tired after propping it up after reading for several hours.


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## Boston (Nov 7, 2008)

Wunderkind said:


> The Sony Touch isn't the PRS-505 model.


They are the same height (6.9 inches). The K3 is 7.5 inches. (The K2 is 8 inches)


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## Wunderkind (Jan 14, 2009)

Boston said:


> They are the same height (6.9 inches). The K3 is 7.5 inches. (The K2 is 8 inches)


Thanks for the measurements -- I haven't actually seen the PRS-505 so I wasn't sure how it compared. I am glad to see the K3 significantly narrows the size difference. The smaller size of the K3 is one of the reasons I ordered it the same day I saw it was announced (and can't wait to get it)!


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## Wunderkind (Jan 14, 2009)

muggle said:


> This is how I often read my kindle too, but I put a pillow between my stomach and my Kindle so my hands naturally rest on the page turn buttons.
> 
> The Kindle really is feather light, but in any other position, my arms/hands get tired after propping it up after reading for several hours.


I will sometimes use a pillow too (I have a nice Peeramid for reading) but it would be nice to not need to use that to have the button positioned ideally. The extra motion isn't that much of an irritation - just something that if I were to design my ideal Kindle, I would place the page forward buttons a little higher.


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## KayakerNC (Oct 7, 2009)

SizeEasy.

http://sizeasy.com/page/size_comparison/29650-Kindle-2-vs-Amazon-Kindle-vs-kindle-3-vs-SonyPocket-vs-Sony-Touch


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## muggle (Feb 25, 2009)

easy size is the coolest thing I've seen all day


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

mlewis78 said:


> I couldn't find anything else online about this. The reproductions of the Sony pictures are just awful.
> 
> Sony has waited too long to drop the price of its pocket reader. It's still $150 on their own website. It's $130 at B&H Photo. I'm talking about the rose one, which Sears doesn't have.


Unless you get the Eat, Love, Pray package (which isn't in Rose, oddly) but does include a nice cover, a code for downloading Elizabeth Gilbert's two books ($26 worth) and a $25 gift certificate for the Sony store. That's a pretty good deal especially for someone interested in her books (which I'm not). 
http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921666218153


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## Selcien (Oct 31, 2008)

Varin said:


> Ah, ok ^^
> 
> Sorry about the first post if it came off a bit harsh, spent a good part of the day arguing with someone else who was convinced by the pictures that the Kindle's keyboard took up far too much space... it's not like it double or triples the length of the device or anything, and next to the nook, without the keyboard the k3 is going to be smaller than it, but she was adamant to believe otherwise...


I didn't find anything harsh in your post, just realized that I had some 'splaining to do about my "overly large" comment, actually surprised no one called me out for saying that the the K3 has an "inferior user interface", it does, unless you compare it to the current Sony Pocket (and other equally crippled e-readers) or the Nook, in which case the K3 has the superior interface.

I was rather baffled by your comparing the K3 to the Nook though as I hadn't mentioned it. I had the K3 pre-ordered but it's not like I just jumped right to it.

I considered the current Sony Pocket, for form factor, before deciding that the trade off wasn't worth it (lack of functionality, older screen, less memory, priced a little higher than the K3).

I considered the Nook as well, what stopped me from buying it the first time is the same thing that stopped me from buying it now, it's pretentious little touch screen. It may be a suitable replacement for the keyboard that the Kindle uses but it's certainly no match to the Kindle's five way controller, and it comes at the price of an extra drain from the battery.

I would also like to point out that the design of the Nook contains the same optical illusion that Sony likes to use with their touch enabled readers. They use a solid piece around everything on the face of the device, when you trace it with your eye it creates the illusion of a tiny edge all the way around. However, if you focus right on the bottom of the screen you will see that the bottom edge is bigger than it appears.


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## Scheherazade (Apr 11, 2009)

It's going to take a lot of new technology to do away with the smudges and fingerprints.  While that layer on top of the old touch eReaders was also a deal breaker, I'm just as concerned with the marks on the screen.  I guess real books smudge if they're cheaply printed, but having streaks across the screen doesn't really come across as "a natural reading experience" to me.  I guess if you're used to rubbing your books across your chest every few pages then your mileage may vary.


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## Varin (May 12, 2009)

Selcien said:


> I didn't find anything harsh in your post, just realized that I had some 'splaining to do about my "overly large" comment, actually surprised no one called me out for saying that the the K3 has an "inferior user interface", it does, unless you compare it to the current Sony Pocket (and other equally crippled e-readers) or the Nook, in which case the K3 has the superior interface.
> 
> I was rather baffled by your comparing the K3 to the Nook though as I hadn't mentioned it. I had the K3 pre-ordered but it's not like I just jumped right to it.
> 
> ...


Well, I was going to say something about the inferior interface.... what do you find inferior about it? ^^

I just compared it to the nook because I thought it was it was small as far as 6 inch readers go. I've seen and held a nook, and compared it to my K2, but I've never seen a sony reader save the 300 model, so I didn't know how the six inch reader compared.


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## DYB (Aug 8, 2009)

I don't like touch-screens either!  They get filthy fast.  Who needs the hassle.

And about this Library of Congress ruling: I'm still confused as to what this guy was trying to say.  It's a little bit like reading Yoda.  Maybe it's because English is my second language.


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

DYB said:


> And about this Library of Congress ruling: I'm still confused as to what this guy was trying to say. It's a little bit like reading Yoda. Maybe it's because English is my second language.


It sounds like Yoda to me too, and English is my first language.


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## Selcien (Oct 31, 2008)

Scheherazade said:


> It's going to take a lot of new technology to do away with the smudges and fingerprints. While that layer on top of the old touch eReaders was also a deal breaker, I'm just as concerned with the marks on the screen. I guess real books smudge if they're cheaply printed, but having streaks across the screen doesn't really come across as "a natural reading experience" to me. I guess if you're used to rubbing your books across your chest every few pages then your mileage may vary.


I very much doubt that it's a problem that technology can fix. I mean, you compared it to ink smudges which are readily visible to smudges that are visible at angles that are not used for reading. It's not at all the same. And then you said "rubbing your books across your chest every few pages" which describes a compulsive need to have a clean screen as there's no way the screen can become truly dirty that quickly unless your hands are dirty.

This is something that can only be fixed by a person becoming capable of overriding their compulsion to clean the screen. I've gotten better but I still find myself wiping away smudges when I notice them more often than I ignore them, although I use my finger, not my shirt.



Varin said:


> Well, I was going to say something about the inferior interface.... what do you find inferior about it? ^^


It's about scrolling to what you want to select versus just touching what you want to select. Not so bad when you're just selecting something from a menu but it's so much quicker to be able to touch the screen to select a word that you want to look up (double tap) and to highlight text (double tap and then drag).



Varin said:


> I just compared it to the nook because I thought it was it was small as far as 6 inch readers go. I've seen and held a nook, and compared it to my K2, but I've never seen a sony reader save the 300 model, so I didn't know how the six inch reader compared.


That makes sense, using the Sony Touch has really spoiled me. Though to be fair to the K3 and the nook, I've never held an e-reader that was the same width as the touch but with a different height, which is how they are, so for all I know it could be just the width that matters to me. In fact, after thinking about it, it could be the placement of the page buttons that'd give me trouble, I palm the touch, which doesn't have buttons along the sides, don't know if I could hold either the K3 or the nook that way without accidentally turning the pages.


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

I've never had a touch screen on a reader or computer, and I don't have an iphone, itouch or ipad, so I really don't miss it and don't see any advantage to a touch screen reader.

As for the dictionary comparison, the Sony pocket reader doesn't have one.


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## muggle (Feb 25, 2009)

Here's a snippet describing Dupont's touchscreen technology. It was posted back in 2009, so it might actually be coming to market 2010!

...the quality of the image is not degraded because the sensing is done behind the display. This is critical in a reflective display which depends on ambient light rather than backlight...

Original link is located here: http://www.epapercentral.com/eink-partners-develop-touch-screen.htm

I think one of the great things about the Kindle is that it's e-ink display is NOT a finger print magnet because it's not made of glass or reflective plastic like normal computer screens or iphones.


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## ClickNextPage (Oct 15, 2009)

@ OP:

Not at all. Don't like touchscreens. It has nothing to do with interfering with readability. We have a touchpad on the copier at work, and I don't like it, either.

Not only am I happy with the Kindle, I'm happy to be associated with the Amazon store where the choice of reading material is so extensive and customer service excellent.


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## muggle (Feb 25, 2009)

luvmy4brats said:


> It sounds like Yoda to me too, and English is my first language.


Sorry, English is a second language for me. After a long conversation with my mom, sometimes I do sound like Yoda. I'll try to get my roommate to proof some of my postings before I send them.


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## Addie (Jun 10, 2009)

muggle said:


> Sorry, English is a second language for me. After a long conversation with my mom, sometimes I do sound like Yoda. I'll try to get my roommate to proof some of my postings before I send them.


Reading over the thread, I believe they were talking about the Library of Congress ruling sounding like Yoda, not you. If you hadn't just told me English was your second language, I never would have guessed.

And since people were talking about the ruling sounding like Yoda, I can't read the ruling without hearing Yoda's voice reading it in my head.


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## muggle (Feb 25, 2009)

I don't think it would be too surprising to see Amazon support the Sony eReader.  They already support iPad, Blackberry, Palm, iPhone, Mac, PC, etc.


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## amafan (Aug 11, 2010)

I'd be shocked to see amazon support kindle or vice versa.  Amazon support the other multi-purpose devices with their own software application. The device manufacturers certify it.  I can't see either competitor in the ebook reader market wanting to give the other any advantage to draw people away from their own store.


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

amafan said:


> I'd be shocked to see amazon support kindle or vice versa. Amazon support the other multi-purpose devices with their own software application. The device manufacturers certify it. I can't see either competitor in the ebook reader market wanting to give the other any advantage to draw people away from their own store.


Well some of them do - Kobo has its own reader, but Kobo books can go on the Nook or the Sony. Sony books can go on the Nook. I'd love to see the day when you can buy an e-book from any store and put it on any e-reader. And for publishers to pull their heads out of their behinds and let the e-book sellers act like retailers and set their prices - then we could see some good competition again. And while they're at it, to lose DRM. I don't want a lot, do I? 

But I'm not holding my breath.


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## muggle (Feb 25, 2009)

Amazon was the first major music seller to remove DRM from their MP3s...Apple soon followed Amazon's lead...so it could happen with ebooks too!  (keeping my fingers crossed!)


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## Pirate (Jul 5, 2009)

Does the Sony have anything like wispernet? I'm not really interested in any other ebook reader to check. Amazon has, by far, the largest selection of ebooks. I really like Amazon so I'm not going anywhere. I had a K2 and gave it to my daughter when I bought my DX. Then ordered a K3 for my daughter on launch day. She can use the enhanced pdf capability of the K3 for school. I also have the kindle for android on both my Sprint EVO and Dell Streak. The only thing the Sony ebook reader can do better than my EVO or Streak is battery life. And, well it's a lot cheaper. At some point I will post my thoughts on the EVO/Streak/Kindle for android in the 'Other ebook reader section' Just permit me to say that the Streak, at 5inches, blows away every other portable ebook reader out there.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

There is at least one Sony model. . .the Daily Edition I think. . .that has a cell modem with 3G. . . .I don't think any of them have WiFi. . . .

No idea if either of the new/updated models coming out will have modems. . . . .


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

New Sony readers:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20015248-1.html

Too expensive now that Kindle and Nook cost less than any of these. I was hoping that the prs350 would cost less than the 300.


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

I do not agree with this article in the Times today:

To Win Over Users, Gadgets Have to Be Touchable
By CLAIRE CAIN MILLER

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/01/technology/01touch.html?ref=technology


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## castro (Aug 20, 2010)

I have to say...as the proud owner of the Kindle 3, I predict I will be the equally proud owner of the Sony eReader 350 as well.  

The K3 is fantastic, but let's face it, it's all PLASTIC.  It just doesn't feel as durable as the K2.  My bf has the much older eReader 505 and it is truly sleek and has a METAL shell.  I'm getting ready to do some back packing through out Europe, and having a more rugged and compact design means I wont have to baby the reader when trying to cram everything into my backpack.  Also, the touch screen just rocks!...and the fact that it "behind" the Pearl eInk display means that it will be at least as enjoyable as my K3.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

castro said:


> I have to say...as the proud owner of the Kindle 3, I predict I will be the equally proud owner of the Sony eReader 350 as well.
> 
> The K3 is fantastic, but let's face it, it's all PLASTIC. It just doesn't feel as durable as the K2.


You think not? I think it feels quite solid. And much warmer and friendlier than the K2 with it's shiny metal back.


> My bf has the much older eReader 505 and it is truly sleek and has a METAL shell. I'm getting ready to do some back packing through out Europe, and having a more rugged and compact design means I wont have to baby the reader when trying to cram everything into my backpack. Also, the touch screen just rocks!...and the fact that it "behind" the Pearl eInk display means that it will be at least as enjoyable as my K3.


And. . .for me. . ..the touch screen is a definite negative. I'm just not a fan. My phone has a touch screen but I got, on purpose, the version with a pullout keypad as I prefer real keys when 'typing'. . . . .

So. . . .the lesson is: it's great that there are lots of options so that everyone can find something that will work for them!


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## Edge (Mar 6, 2009)

Not tempted in the slightest. I love my Kindles.


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## w5jck (Aug 30, 2010)

muggle said:


> Now with the touchscreen capability that doesn't hinder the "readability" of the screen, it is a very tempting. I've owned a Sony eReader before and it has GREAT build quality in a sleek and elegant form factor. I switched to a Kindle because of the better pricing and selection of the Amazon store, but now that Congress has said we can hack our DRM'ed books without breaking the law (as long as we don't share them) a person can transfer their current and future kindle purchases to other platforms!
> 
> See the new eReaders here:
> http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/19/sonys-new-e-readers-pictured-last-25-percent-longer-on-a-charg/
> ...


I'm sticking with Kindle. I tried Sony's 505, 300, 600, and 900. The touchscreens are not good. You have to use a stylus as finger control is not very good. The new 350 and 650 don't have WiFi or 3G and cost more than the Kindles. And those photos on Engadget definitely show glare on the screen. Probably less glare than the 600 and 900, but it is still there and noticeable. Plus with Sony you won't get firmware upgrades.


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## castro (Aug 20, 2010)

w5jck said:


> I'm sticking with Kindle. I tried Sony's 505, 300, 600, and 900. The touchscreens are not good. You have to use a stylus as finger control is not very good. The new 350 and 650 don't have WiFi or 3G and cost more than the Kindles. And those photos on Engadget definitely show glare on the screen. Probably less glare than the 600 and 900, but it is still there and noticeable. Plus with Sony you won't get firmware upgrades.


The Sony screen is EXACTLY the same as the Pearl eInk display as the Kindle, it just has a touch sensor BEHIND the eInk panel.

The Engadget article isn't very good. mlewis78 posted a much better CNET review earlier today: http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20015248-1.html


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## KayakerNC (Oct 7, 2009)

My K3 is plug-and-play, side loading is quick and easy.
My Sony Pocket does ePub, but the Sony Reader Library is buggy and SLOW!  And no way to update/change collections on the reader, you have to go through the Library or Calibre programs.  
So, I'll keep my Sony 300 Pocket for ePubs, but no way do I need a touch-screen version.


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## Jazzys Mom (Aug 31, 2010)

I have pre-ordered my Kindle 3G after researching Sony and Nook. This will be my first e-reader ever! The Sony readers just didn't make it for me, didn't like the look, the screen is 5" compared to Kindle and Nook's 6". Of course I haven't seen their NEW pearl eInk screen yet but still like the Kindle better. I liked the Nook but the touch screen was slow in responding and I have little patience with things like that so ordered a Kindle. I am sure I will be fantastically happy with it - once it arrives sometime in the wayyyyy future! lol


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## w5jck (Aug 30, 2010)

castro said:


> The Sony screen is EXACTLY the same as the Pearl eInk display as the Kindle, it just has a touch sensor BEHIND the eInk panel.
> 
> The Engadget article isn't very good. mlewis78 posted a much better CNET review earlier today: http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20015248-1.html


Photos are what I went by, and they showed glare. Besides, I don't care for stylus based touchscreens. I had the 600 and 900 and they were not very responsive. As a matter of fact, you could use your finger unless you used a fingernail.

Plus the 6" 650 costs $230 compared to the K3 WiFi + 3G at $189, and the 650 does NOT have WiFi or 3G. The K3 Wifi is $91 cheaper and the WiFi + 3G is $41 cheaper. No way I would go with Sony again. The K3 came out first and it is still way ahead of the Sonys in technology.

Another drawback is the two-only bottom page buttons. They were difficult to use while holding with one hand. Forget the swipe, as it rarely worked without a stylus. I really like the ambidexterous side buttons on the K3.


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## MamaProfCrash (Dec 16, 2008)

The ruling was that DRM could be broken when it was onerous and there was no other option for an individual to access the protected material. It specifcally mentioned TTS. If you cannot reasonably listen to a book using some type of computer program or audiobook then you can break the DRM so you can use TTS.

The DRM associated with ebooks does not fall into this category since you can easily buy an e-reader that reads EPub books or use an application that allows you to read Nook books on a variety of devices.

The Sony readers need to keep falling in price if I am going to think about getting one. If all I am using it for is the library I want to spend under $99. But that is me.


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## Selcien (Oct 31, 2008)

The PRS-350 is looking very good to me, fixes almost everything that turned me off from buying the PRS-300, the exception being that I was hoping for battery life that would match the K3. I remain skeptical regarding Sony's ability to make a touch screen reader without negatively affecting readability but it's a better option for me than the K3 so I'll be giving it a shot.

I do wish that they offered colors other than silver or pink, like blue, or red (I really like the red), or black, as I don't like the idea of owning a pink e-reader, but at the same time I'm grateful that they didn't make it silver only like the PRS-950, I would *hate* to get stuck with silver.

Now it's just a matter of waiting until I can actually order one.



w5jck said:


> Forget the swipe, as it rarely worked without a stylus.


I'd have to disagree. I had some issues with the page swipe feature being inconsistent when I first got my PRS-600, but after reversing the direction used for the page swipe gesture (right to left instead of left to right for page forward), and getting accustomed to using it (it's a matter of figuring out how much pressure you need to use), I rarely ever find the page not turning when it should, in fact, I find using the page turn buttons to be far more inconistent.


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

For me, the rose color is what attracts me to the Sony.  I almost bought the 300 a few months ago but couldn't justify it, since I have the Cybook Opus for library ebooks.


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## Belle2Be (Aug 29, 2010)

Touch screens make me gag.

Ok not really, but every single one I've ever some across has frustrated me at some point in time. And that's coming from someone who is pretty darn electronic savvy. I don't need that drama with my books. I'm also in the "it's just one more thing to break" boat.


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## castro (Aug 20, 2010)

Selcien said:


> Now it's just a matter of waiting until I can actually order one.


I'm pretty sure I will get one too. I already own the K3, and I'm *happy* with it, but the PRS-350 supports_* ePub*_, is _*more durable*_ (kindle is contructed with _plastic _instead of metal) and it is truly _*pocket-able*_. There is definitely space in my life for both readers.


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## w5jck (Aug 30, 2010)

*Sony 350 & 650 Readers*


No WiFi
No 3G
No updated PDF support (I just read through the 650 User manual and it hardly mentions PDF)
No Text to Speech 
Limited Bookstore
AC adapter not included
High price

*New Kindle 3s*


WiFi
3G option
Updated PDF support
Text to Speech 
Great Bookstore
AC adapter included
Lower price

I think I'll stick with my Kindles.


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## muggle (Feb 25, 2009)

castro said:


> The K3 is fantastic, but let's face it, it's all PLASTIC. It just doesn't feel as durable as the K2.


I did a quick "flex" test with both the K2 and K3. The K3 definitely feels more fragile and does indeed "flex" when applying even slight torsion to the shell. I guess this is the trade off for wanting a lighter form factor...even so, I am still happy with the K3 and consider it a big upgrade from the K2.


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## muggle (Feb 25, 2009)

w5jck said:


> *Sony Readers*
> 
> 
> No WiFi
> ...


The Sony Daily Edition eReader does support Wifi and 3G, but it is the only model that does so. Of course, all of the Sony models are more expensive than the Kindle.


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## w5jck (Aug 30, 2010)

castro said:


> I'm pretty sure I will get one too. I already own the K3, and I'm *happy* with it, but the PRS-350 supports_* ePub*_, is _*more durable*_ (kindle is contructed with _plastic _instead of metal) and it is truly _*pocket-able*_. There is definitely space in my life for both readers.


I would disagree on the more durable. I've owned every Sony except the 500. Although they might have a very thin metal front and back, the sides are plastic. The K3 is IMO just as durable as the Sonys. For one thing plastic is more pliable whereas metal will dent and deform more easily.


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## Belle2Be (Aug 29, 2010)

w5jck said:


> I would disagree on the more durable. I've owned every Sony except the 500. Although they might have a very thin metal front and back, the sides are plastic. The K3 is IMO just as durable as the Sonys. For one thing plastic is more pliable whereas metal will dent and deform more easily.


I agree, metal does not = strength or durability.


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## MamaProfCrash (Dec 16, 2008)

My K1 is coming on two years old and is humming along just fine. I think Kindles are more then durable.


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

If one is looking for the broadest ePub capability, the Nook probably turns out to be a better choice right now, since you can put books from the Sony store on a Nook, but you can't put books from the B&N store on a Sony (yet - it's allegedly coming - like the ability to put library books is allegedly coming to the Kindle).  Plus if you're using a reader for library books, you can't have an ePub library book and a PDF library book on the Sony readers at the same time (unless they fixed it with these new readers).  Not a problem with the Nook.  The best things about my little Sony Pocket reader were the collections and the ability to set them up with their (sometimes buggy) software on the computer, the Sony cover with the built-in light, and it was cute & pink.  I liked it, but for me the Nook turned out to be a better choice.  I'm underwhelmed by the Nook's touch screen, as I have been with the touchscreens on the previous Sonys, so that's definitely not a draw for me.  Nook has no collections feature right now, but just the thought of trying to set that up with the Nook's touch keyboard makes me twitchy.  

I'm just talking about the "big 3" here - Kindle/Sony/Nook - and know there are other readers for ePub, but I suspect the B&N DRM remains an issue.


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## Selcien (Oct 31, 2008)

w5jck said:


> *Sony 350 & 650 Readers*
> 
> 
> AC adapter not included


I completely disregarded that when I first saw it as I figured that I could use my PRS-600 AC adapter, or even my PSP AC adapter, but I've come to find out that that is not an option as the only way to charge the new Sony Readers is with a USB cable. The new AC adapter is an attachment for the USB cable and they (sonystyle.com) want $29.99 for it. Not sure if a Kindle adapter, or other similar adapters would work, but I'm not about to risk it. On top of that it doesn't even come with a slip cover.

I ended up pre-ordering a pink PRS-350 anyway, it should ship on or around the 16th, albeit the email says "On backorder. We will notify you by e-mail once your order has shipped." so no telling for sure, and it came to $192.59 (7% sales tax). It would have come to $224.68 if I had ordered the AC adapter. Just for the hell of it, the PRS-650 would come to $246.09, with the AC adapter it would be $278.18.

I really have no idea what Sony thinks they're doing. I want the touch screen and the small form factor that the PRS-350 offers enough to pay a $52.60 premium over the Wi-Fi K3, and am willing to make a habit of charging the reader on my PC to keep from spending more, but if I was looking to replace my PRS-600 with the PRS-650 that premium would be $106.10, and there's no way that I could justify that.

You might as well pronounce Sony dead 'cause I honestly do not see how they expect to be competitive against the K3.


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## KayakerNC (Oct 7, 2009)

w5jck said:


> *Sony 350 & 650 Readers*
> 
> 
> AC adapter not included


The AC adapter is the same as a play station adapter, and you can buy them all day on ebay for about $5 delivered.


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## MamaProfCrash (Dec 16, 2008)

Selcien said:


> I completely disregarded that when I first saw it as I figured that I could use my PRS-600 AC adapter, or even my PSP AC adapter, but I've come to find out that that is not an option as the only way to charge the new Sony Readers is with a USB cable. The new AC adapter is an attachment for the USB cable and they (sonystyle.com) want $29.99 for it. Not sure if a Kindle adapter, or other similar adapters would work, but I'm not about to risk it. On top of that it doesn't even come with a slip cover.
> 
> I ended up pre-ordering a pink PRS-350 anyway, it should ship on or around the 16th, albeit the email says "On backorder. We will notify you by e-mail once your order has shipped." so no telling for sure, and it came to $192.59 (7% sales tax). It would have come to $224.68 if I had ordered the AC adapter. Just for the hell of it, the PRS-650 would come to $246.09, with the AC adapter it would be $278.18.
> 
> ...


You just ordered a smaller reader at a higher price then the K3. So it seems like their game plan is working fine for them. Had you said you would not order the reader then they would be in trouble.


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## Selcien (Oct 31, 2008)

mlewis78 said:


> For me, the rose color is what attracts me to the Sony. I almost bought the 300 a few months ago but couldn't justify it, since I have the Cybook Opus for library ebooks.


Judging from a pic I found on the Mobile Read forums http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=96918, the video on Sony Style, and the pics in a hands on review http://www.techradar.com/news/portable-devices/hands-on-sony-reader-touch-review-713812# it looks like the pink one will not be pink at all, or at least not what I'd consider to be pink. I think that I'm going to be very happy with the color when I get it and find myself wondering why I'd want any other color.



ProfCrash said:


> You just ordered a smaller reader at a higher price then the K3. So it seems like their game plan is working fine for them. Had you said you would not order the reader then they would be in trouble.


I wish it were that simple. I bought a Sega Saturn and a Sega Dreamcast and yet both consoles failed. 

It looks like Sony has made improvements to more than just the form factor and screen though, http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=97011 so I could very easily be selling them short. I mean, today I already want it more than I did yesterday, and there's no telling what I'm going to think once I can actually use it.

I distrust anything Sony says as they like to talk big but they might not be full of themselves this time, it could be that the quality will be good enough to be competitive.


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## Anne Victory (Jul 29, 2010)

I'm another person that doesn't like the touch screens.  I wanted to like the Nook, truly.  Loaning books, library check-outs, pretty color covers... yumm.  Tried the Nook at Best Buy and the touch screen was MADDENING.  I seriously hated it and immediately went with a Kindle.  The Sony readers I looked at were pretty cruddy looking, too, IMO.


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## MamaProfCrash (Dec 16, 2008)

As long as they are selling the product, then Sony is doing what it wants to do. There are some serious Sony Devotees, just as there are serious Kindle Devotees. 

I doubt that the Sony will be competitive. It is too expensive for what it is and their book store sucks. The posters at sites like Kindle Boards and Mobile Read are looking for different places to buy books and how to convert formats and the like. Many people are not as invested. They are going to want a reader that is easy to use and buy books from. The Kindle and Nook offer that. Good readers with good bookstores. 

Sony is probably doing well because EPub is the more poular format outside of the US so more international users have a desire to use the Sony.


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## w5jck (Aug 30, 2010)

KayakerNC said:


> The AC adapter is the same as a play station adapter, and you can buy them all day on ebay for about $5 delivered.


No it is not. Sony did away with the barrel type charge adapter on the new models and instead went with a micro-USB. If you have a Blackberry charger it might work. I suspect any of the AC to standard USD adapters will work too and they are cheap. I suspect that the Kindle adapter will even work. But if all else fails just use a USB cable plugged into a PC to charge it. That is what I do with my 300.


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## KayakerNC (Oct 7, 2009)

w5jck said:


> No it is not. Sony did away with the barrel type charge adapter on the new models and instead went with a micro-USB. If you have a Blackberry charger it might work. I suspect any of the AC to standard USD adapters will work too and they are cheap. I suspect that the Kindle adapter will even work. But if all else fails just use a USB cable plugged into a PC to charge it. That is what I do with my 300.


My Sony Pocket (300) has a barrel type and a *Mini*-USB, checking the online PRS350 User Guide, the new one has the *micro* connection only. 
I agree, the Kindle adapter will most likely work, saves the aggravation of figuring out which cord goes to which unit.


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## muggle (Feb 25, 2009)

Here is a hands-on review of the Sony Reader with a video clip:
http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/01/sony-slims-down-speeds-up-and-adds-touch-to-its-entire-reader/


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## Selcien (Oct 31, 2008)

I found a thread on the mobileread forums that links to a good video showing the 650. The thread: http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=97622 The video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35yB4qRLcXQ&feature=player_embedded#


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