My 43 seconds with Sony’s PRS-700 eBook Reader
Posted on 13 October 2008, at 5:14 am, by Wayne Schulz
While walking through the Sony store on Madison Ave Sunday I spotted the new PRS-700 eBook reader on display. Just like Mike Cane said, there was a Sony representative stationed next to it with a handful of brochures and lots of a little information about the device. These readers aren’t released yet (Release date? according to the store – “hmm – let me check” — “November? December? but we can pre-order” – according to the web site – available 11/14/2008 for $399.99) – and Mike Cane has done a tremendous job of analyzing them in considerable depth. As a Kindle owner, here’s my first impressions
Sony’s done a great job with styling on this device. No awkward edges like the Kindle. The PRS-700 is light and thin.
Because I only looked at the new Sony Reader for about 43 seconds – this is not a review. Rather it’s first impressions based on having used a Kindle for around 6 months. Overall I liked the design. I think the omission of wirless delviery (even if over wi-fi) is a major miss for this device. Having used the Kindle wireless delivery in airports and at my kids’ soccer games – I’d never buy another eBook reading device without it.
It’s worth noting too that the Sony PRS-700 doesn’t support Mac. If you want to load books you’ll have to do so from a Windows XP (or better) PC.
Good:
- Thin!
-Side Backlit – 4 hr/8 hr lift depending on brightness
- No Fewer buttons to press by mistake
- Touch screen for turning pages, selecting items
Huh? (This means – needs improvement or bad)
- Must connect cable to get books (ie – no wireless – how quaint)
- Lighting around edges remind me of Christmas decorations strung along the edge
- $11.99 for book? (That was the price listed in the promotional literature the Sony representative gave me) – Amazon’s are $9.99 and that includes delivering them to me anywhere without a need to cable.
- Finger swipe to turn pages is awkward (to me) – pages fade in/out instead of turning
This thing is thin. The Amazon Kindle trounces it in the wireless department (you’ll need a cable and a Windows XP or better machine to load books to the Sony) and the Kindle is $40 cheaper than Sony and has books for $2 less. Did I mention this Sony is thin and stylish? Having used the Kindle’s electronic delivery, I wouldn’t buy another reader without it. Add in some wireless to the Sony, and I’m in!
Link: Sony PRS-700
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October 13th, 2008 at 5:40 am
Wayne, I have such an issue with these readers.. I got one of the original ones way back when, can’t even remember the name but I think Franklin bought them out.. Anyway..
Why buy one of thse when I can run Mobireader on my E90 or WM platform.. Granted the screen isn’t as big etc, but can accomplish that occasional read when I want it..
How do you deal with this? Can you rationalise carrying yet another device just to read on?
October 13th, 2008 at 5:48 am
I use my eReader in a couple places:
1. On plane trips. Prior to owning a Kindle I used to LUG piles of books because I was never sure what I wanted to read. Now I have one device with all my books and access to a wireless library via Amazon.
2. At my kids’ activities
Could I read books on my iPhone?
Probably. I just like a larger sized reader.
October 13th, 2008 at 6:10 am
I like reading on my WM device or my iPhone because of the color screen – much better contrast than what you get on these devices (and yes I’ve seen how improved they are nowadays). I can even get my books wirelessly with these devices = come on Sony, get with the program!
Also – no Mac support? Ugh.
Also – only supports a proprietary format? No sale. Support eReader PRC or Mobi and maybe we’ll talk.
It may be thin and it may be pretty, but if it isn’t functional, why should I pay the premium price for this thing?
October 13th, 2008 at 6:14 am
Chris – I got the impression from Mike Cane’s review that the Sony reader supported a wider variety of formats – some of which could be read in a laptop/desktop eReader.
October 13th, 2008 at 9:15 am
Maybe I missed something, but I thought his report was saying that it now supports Adobe PDF, but still no eReader or Mobi (although some converters are available) but not for DRM files so you can’t use the eReader/Fictionwise or Mobipocket stores (among others).
October 13th, 2008 at 11:40 am
You write that it is backlit, but I don’t see how this is possible, as eink is opaque. I think it must be sidelit, which accounts for all those lights you saw along the sides. I am quite satisfied with my Kindle, however, and I have no problem when it comes to a reading light to using one of the two (cheap) booklights I bought. Chirs Gavula, I can also read on my iphone, but the screen (as you and the world know) is backlit and is much less agreeable to my eyes: the two experiences are not the same and I think they should be dealt with as different, rather than as substitutes for each other.
October 13th, 2008 at 11:43 am
Yes, you are right – this is sidelit — I just changed the text to indicate that. Thanks.
October 14th, 2008 at 12:27 am
Considering one of these devices. Haven’t “held” a kindle, but was able to check out a prs505 in a local target store. Since I can’t “see” one, does the kindle have the same flashing screen when changing pages? Whole screen goes black while the next page loads? During my experimentation with the sony, that was the killer for me.
TIA.
Steve
October 14th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
The answer is yes: That’s how eink technology works. I don’t, however, understand your problem. What happens when you turn the page of a regular book? There is a “blank” moment then, isn’t there? You are talking about something that takes a second. If it bothers you, so be it, don’t buy a reader yet.
October 14th, 2008 at 5:30 pm
Let me explain. I was looking at a demo unit. When ever I selected to change the page there was a 1-2 second delay where the entire screen blacked (flash), then reconfigured. Depending on the lighting (my experience is inside a retail store), the flash was somewhat distracting. My question was based on his experience as a kindle owner who had the opportunity to try a sony reader, was the delay the same, longer or shorter. Comparison wise.
I realize that the technology is designed a specific way. I just wanted to know if there was a significant difference between the refresh on the two models.
Sorry if I came across as an idiot.
October 15th, 2008 at 10:39 am
Definitely not, you came across as someone who tried the Sony ereader and made a point raised by others: you are not the first to find the way the pages turn annoying. I just tried timing the page turning on my Kindle and it’s more like 1 second. At first, I noticed the change as the type goes from translucent to opaque but then I stopped noticing it altogether to the point that when you raised the issue I had to go back to my Kindle to remind myself what in fact occurred as the pages turned. I like the Kindle for its convenience in carrying books around (I am about to start the new book on Warren Buffett which alone in the print version is 3 to 4 times the weight of the Kindle and cannot be held in one hand), in allowing me to vary the font size and in providing for an unlit reading experience that is closer than any PDA to an actual reading experience.