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"Screen too fragile" on by jbmartin6
Pros: lightweight, screen very readable
Cons: screen breaks easily
Summary: Unlike most of these user opinions, I have actually handled and used the device. For five minutes. Then the screen broke and the top half stopped working. This was caused by an incredibly small flex of the case while trying to follow Sony's instructions for removing the soft case. I had to send it back for repair. Very disappointing.
Updated
Sony service promptly replaced my reader, kudos to them.
So far, it works great! This is a perfect technology for electronic books. I used to use a PDA for e-books, which stunk because the batteries wore out quickly and it couldn't be read in sunlight. This reader has none of those flaws, the screen looks just like a regular paperback book. And the charge lasts for a few weeks (depends on how much use it gets, of course).
It is easily readable in any kind of light, and a nice lightweight form factor.
But, here's the bad news:
- PDF viewing is a waste of time. I understand this is not Sony's fault since most PDFs are not created to be 'reflowed' for a smaller screen. But I do blame Sony for implying it has any use in their marketing material.
- Word documents work OK, except I have tried quite a few that could not be viewed since the text wouldn't get big enough.
- speaking of which, there isn't enough control over text size. Just S,M,L. And a few Word docs I imported mysteriously didn't offer the large option.
- The Connect store is OK to use your $50 gift certificate in, but selection is very limited. If Sony wants to make this th iPod of ebooks, it will have to address this quickly.
- The newsfeed feature is useless. One is limited to the dozen or so preconfigured in the Connect store, the user cannot add their own. And even the preconfigured ones are a waste of time since one has to hit the page button a dozen times just to get to the text (it looks like a crude import of the web pages, except links cannot be followed). And then hit page button a dozen more times to get to the next text block.
- If you want/need to switch pages with your right hand, you are out of luck. All the page advance controls are on the left hand side.
Summary: rating is still mediocre. I use it a lot, I have a lot of .doc format stuff I read on it. But for this product to be a success, Sony needs to improve the software to allow users to import more document types (why not license with Microsoft for .LIT, etc? Or at least offer it as an optional upgrade) and actually do a better job with them. The Connect store needs a lot of improvement in selection and usability. And why can't I import my own choice of RSS feeds in a readable format?
Summary of summary: wait for the price to go way down, it isn't worth it at this price.Updated
Well, my second reader also broke. I dont know what happened exactly, but either it got flexed or bumped while in a pocket of my laptop bag, and the screen broke AGAIN! Sony informs me it will cost $270 to repair, even though still under warranty. Nice.
My updated opinion: don't waste your money on this device, it is far too expensive, too fragile, and doesn't do half of what it claims (RSS and PDF reading are both useless). -
"great for people who hate latptops and need to read" on by ken30307
Pros: excellent screen, intuitive controls, coolness factor
Cons: sceen a little slow, lack of rss feeds (except those on the sony site)
Summary: Okay, I read the other reviews AFTER I got the reader...so I opened the box carefully fully expecting to take it RIGHT back to the store.
As a person who reads a LOT for a living (college professor), I've always wanted something that I could put the journal articles, student papers, references, books, reference websites...all into something I can Carry with me. Sure I can use a laptop, but I (like many others) hate reading on a laptop, and my Treo is too small (I've recently switched to a Blackberry Pearl..even smaller).
I experienced the same things others reported about the small font, and then thought..I wonder if I can just make the font bigger... I'm lucky to have Acrobat Professional, so I just told it to save as screen size 3x5 and remove the white space from the margins (simple to do, I'm not that good with stuff like that..trust me) and low and behold...big, crisp fonts on the screen.
A few minutes later, I'd downloaded 30 journal articles, 5 web books (right click with Acrobat professional will even convert the links into an acrobat file of the size I want) and now my sony reader is chock full of the stack of books, lecture notes, student papers, and articles I'd been carrying around.
Do I wish I could edit the documents? Yes! Do I wish the screen was color? Yes! Do I wish it had a back light? Yes..play movies? external speaker, wireless connection, make my breakfast, wash my car? YES YES YES...But hey..I does one thing pretty well..and that's one thing better than a lot of gadgets I've purchased.
I just wanted to address these few things for those who are concerned about the PDF support -
"Great Product" on by Bobbi.W
Pros: Light, easy to read, great for travel.
Cons: Left hand only button to advance pages.
Summary: After reading most of the comments posted, I continue to be amazed by those who are ready to rate a product they have never used. I have owned at least 3 previous ebooks, and find this to be the best one for a number of reasons. When I purchase an ebook, I buy it for only one reason - so I can read books. I travel with my laptop, blackberry, and ipod, and can use any of those devices when I wish for other tasks. The Sony screen is very easy to read in bright sunlight - no reflective glare (a big plus since I enjoy reading outside), its lightweight, holds more books than I can read on a several week trip, and is very energy efficient. It fits into my purse so I carry it where ever I go. I did buy a velcro closing case that fits the reader perfectly, to protect the screen from scratches. I have not had an issue with the screen flexing and I am not exactly easy on my electronic devices. As far as the page turning speed, I am one of the fastest readers I know (several thousand words a minute when at full speed), and have been able to keep up on page advancement as well as I can with a paperback. Maybe I anticipate the need to change pages and hit the button at the right time to avoid any lagtime, but it has not been a problem. The bookstore has gotten better over the months with more choices in material offered, and in a more timely manner. Once you figure out how it searches, it is not harder to use than any other online bookstore. If you like to read, hate carrying a lot of books when you travel, and don't like to have to recharge your reading device every few hours, this is a great choice.
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"It's much better than the reviews coming from those who don't own it!" on by spinoza2
Pros: amazing screen quality, large storage capacity, excellent interface
Cons: no search capability
Summary: I actually own the Reader and it's a terrific device. If it isn't done in by the unfounded negative reviews from people who don't own it, this should become the first 'killer app' ebook reader along the lines of the iPod and the mp3 world. It was amazingly easy to learn the interface, and only a few minutes after taking it out of the box I had mastered navigating and use. Getting it configured with the Connect software was a snap, and within minutes I was purchasing and downloading books from the Sony Connect store using the $50 coupon from Sony. Prices of the books are much less than with paper-based books. It's truly a groundbreaking, revolutionary device, and I am still baffled at how sharp and readable the screen is. It's also incredible to think that you can use the Reader for weeks at a time without charging it! With a one GB memory stick, I now walk around with several dozen books, music, and photographs, all in this perfectly sized device. I have found most of the criticisms circulating on the Net to be unfounded, if not untrue: I can read PDF acceptably well (though the text could be a little larger), there is no 'ghosting' of the screen, and it is not too fragile, and I have countless Word and PDF files on it now that I regularly refer to. It is Sony quality through and through, and is certainly worth the money. Once Sony develops its bookstore with a massive inventory, this has the potential for becoming the iPod of the book world. I can highly recommend the Sony Reader without hesitation.
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"Great reader, lousy PDF emulator" on by SXA01
Pros: Nice screen, great battery life, nice Connect store
Cons: Trying to view PDF's is useless
Summary: First of all, Sony has a revolutionary product here for reading e-books and Word files. I've had the reader for a few weeks and can't put it down. The screen is easy to read indoors and outside. The text size can easily be expanded for e-books and Word files. HOWEVER, this is not a PDF viewer, period. The problem I think is more with Adobe's PDF format than with Sony. PDF's are designed to be printed and look like journal or magazine articles. The pages are strictly formatted and cannot be modified. That means you really cannot expand the text enough to actually read it on the Sony device. The way this reader lets you expand e-books and Word files is by repaginating the document to put more or less words on the page in smaller or larger type, respectively. You can't do that with PDF files. This is the only reason I rated the reader an 8 instead of a 10!
Anyway, I would highly recommend it for books and Word files. Pictures are grey-scale. I haven't used it for that or music. Then of course there is the battery life. Sony's e-ink technology only draws minimal power when turning a page but no power to actually display the page! Great for long trips.
The Connect store has obviously expanded considerably since the original CNET review. I can find almost anything in popular fiction/nonfiction. Well worth it and reasonably priced. Easy-to-use desktop software.
Sony PRS-500 Portable Reader System user reviews
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MSRP: $279.99
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