MobileTechReview is, in my opinion, one of the best, if not the best, review sites on the web. It has just published a detailed review of the Sony PRS-700. The site gives the machine an excellent review but do have one problem with it:
What’s the catch? The touch screen layer reduces contrast. Digital readers like the Sony Reader and Amazon Kindle use e-ink technology, a very low power, paper-like display that’s non-glare and high contrast (much like a book’s pages). Touch isn’t part of the e-ink technology, nor is backlighting, so we rarely see a reader offering these. Sony, cutting-edge company that they are, found a way to add these two desirable features. Sony added a touch layer on top of the e-ink display and embedded LED side-lights into the frame that surrounds the display. Clever. But this comes at the expense of contrastand glare, and the Sony Reader PRS-700 looks more like a grayscale notebook screen than an eBook reader.
I must admit I didn’t notice reduced contrast when I saw the unit at the Sony press event, but I did not have a comparison unit with me. I suggest you pop over to the site and take a look at Lisa’s excellent review.
There are several threads on MobileRead about the fuzzy screen, this one includes 505 vs 700 photos:
http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31420
My guess is that Sony is using a resistive touch screen, which significantly reduces transmissivity.
>>>I must admit I didn’t notice reduced contrast when I saw the unit at the Sony press event
That’s because the event was dimly-lit and they had the backlight on all the time.
http://mikecane2008.wordpress.com/2008/11/10/sony-reader-505-versus-700-screen/
This news breaks my heart. Well kind of. Knowing the PRS-700 i sless than perfect makes me fell more content with my PRS-505, which is a wonderful machine.
The perfect e-reader is still not hear yet. And don’t try to sell me on the iPod touch. E-ink wins in my opinion.