Comments on: New Sony Reader buyable today with improved screen, and .epub still looks on the way

By: Richard Lund

Richard Lund — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 20:43:49 +0000

I have the newer version of Sony’s Reader, and I recommend it highly. EXCEPT: Unless you read mostly “Best Sellers” or the classics (which are beyond copyright) good luck finding what you’re looking for in the Sony Company Store (Connect eBooks.)

I am a pastor in a mainline denomination, and there are barely any theological books from popular authors like Barbara Brown Taylor, Martin Marty, William Willimon, Tom Long– the “who’s who” of great preachers and teachers in the US, in other words. Very frustrating.

By: Mike Cane

Mike Cane — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 20:18:41 +0000

>>>Sony, couldn’t you get that right if you expect us to buy books from you?

Earth to Dave: Sony does not manufacture the e-Ink screen.

By: Dave

Dave — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 02:51:56 +0000

Contrast is problematic. Sony, couldn’t you get that right if you expect us to buy books from you? I’m an avid reader and think the idea of ebooks should take off. If I was more geeky or wonky I could put up with the fish-fleshed gray scale contrast. Give me some of the esthetics of print.

By: Binko Barnes

Binko Barnes — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 02:16:10 +0000

Sony’s website does not give the actual specs for the device. What looks at first glance like specs are really the minimum specs for the computer where you install the reader software.

Does anybody know the internal memory of the new reader? Saying it holds 160 ebooks is not very enlightening. Ebooks are typically less than 500kb in size so 160 books would be 80 MB or so. It’s probably a measly 64 MB since hardware makers always stretch their estimates.

This does not sound very exciting when you consider that you can get a portable audio player with 4 GB of solid state memory for less than a hundred bucks.

But it would be typical of Sony to go super cheap on the internal memory. They are hoping to sell everybody a few of their overpriced and non-standard memory sticks for $100 a GB or so.

Sony makes great innovative hardware but somehow they always put it together in a way that really puts the screws to the consumer.

By: Heath Brown

Heath Brown — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 00:05:18 +0000

Same rule for me: no backlight, no purchase. I don’t mind charging my unit more often for the comfort of reading in bed and not toting around another light I have to attach or sit somewhere to make up for it. My DT375 Tablet PC and eBookWise 1150 work just fine for reading until something better comes along.

By: Hadrien

Hadrien — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 22:58:17 +0000

Sony won’t launch any device in Europe as long as they can’t provide content in their Connect Store for Europe.

In Europe, contacting all of the publishers is somehow harder than in the US, and you need content in at least 3-4 languages for a limited release.

Sony can’t imagine themselves only selling the device: they want all of the extra money that you can make with content although many europeans could use their device strictly for public domain books.

If you want a device similar to the Sony PRS-505, you can buy a Cybook V3…

By: Brian Carnell

Brian Carnell — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 22:17:27 +0000

So the good news is that the initial product was successful enough to warrant a second iteration.

By: Jamie Morris

Jamie Morris — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 17:33:11 +0000

Still no international release? When will Europe have the chance to sample the new delights from Sony? I fear we will be told there is no market without ever being offered the chance to try it for ourselves!

By: Robert Nagle

Robert Nagle — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 16:31:52 +0000

I could live without a backlight if the screen glare were not as bad.

By: Sandra Foos

Sandra Foos — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 14:36:15 +0000

I already own two of the sony readers, one for my husband and one for me. I solved the backlight problem by buying a rechargeable booklight that hooks to the sony. When we travel the backlight can also be used for a nightlight. I guess Sony thinks if they have a backlight it would use more battery life. I can put both sony readers in my purse and don’t have to worry about caring heavy books with me.

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 13:44:39 +0000

Ah, well, no backlight, no buy, even if I was willing to live(read) in a DRM’d world.