Sony Reader Touch Edition PRS-600BC (black)

Pros: Nice package. Easy to use. Flexible. Powerful. Fast. Great for research.. highlighting, book marking plus freehand and/or typed notes. Books can be downloaded from many sites in many formats. Great integration with the desktop.

Cons: Not quite as bright or sharp as other units
Its not a Kindle. If you want a Kindle, stop here. Go buy a Kindle

Summary: The CNET review goes about telling you how this is not a Kindle. Ok.. guilty! Its not! Whew. Good, we got that over with. Here is what I think is important for you to know:

All readers provide the ability to read ebooks of various formats re-drawn to fit their various screen sizes. With that as a basis, I can tell you what functionality / requirements that the 600 supports.
* Its 6" screen gives you a page that is about the size of a paperback.
* Despite the comments, its not fuzzy or hard to read.
* Its easy to change the type size. There is a button with + on it. Press it and touch the size character that works for you.
* It supports the majority of ebook formats except Amazon's Store's proprietary format and the mobi format normally used with Palm books. It also can also convert and read MS word documents if you have word on your PC.
* In addition its a non-drm mp3 / aac player and can play audio books, or music while your read.
* It has a touch screen for operating the menus of the unit. I really like that, its easier than lots of buttons for me. It has a few buttons for critical functions like home menu, options, font size and page flips.
* You CAN delete books on the unit.
* You can touch words and instantly look them up in the built in dictionary. Very cool.
* THE MOST IMPORTANT touch screen functions are for those that are doing research or need markup features. You can:
- bookmark pages
- Write on and mark up content in a book like you would a regular book
- Type in notes on a easy to use touch screen keyboard
* Notes and markups are backed up on the PC and can be viewed there too
* The PC is a content management companion. You can use Sony's site buy books, integrate with Google's site of public domain ebooks or download ebooks from your library.

I *like* using the PC's full size screen and browser to shop for books at multiple stores like sony, ebooks.com, etc. I'm not bothered by connecting a cable to my PC to download many books into the unit. I detach the cable, and read a variety of content.

Here is my quick decision guide:
* If you want to read books as well as do research editing your books, get this Sony PRS 600
* If you don't need the markup features, but want the flexibility of multiple formats, get the PRS 50x or look at the Kindle. Other trade offs here for someone else;s review.
* If you want a smaller, simpler cheaper reader.. there is the PRS 300, the BeBook, Elonex, Cool-er, the kindle, others
* If you want to be able to download books over the air only from Amazon Books without a cable and like hard keys and a larger unit, get the kindle

Updated on Oct 25, 2009

Its been just over a week that I got my 600. It is still all good news and a few clarifications that only come from hands on experience.:
Refined good news:
* I have downloaded library books from my library using my library card.
* I downloaded purchased and free books from sony
* I bought books from non-Sony ebook sites
* I downloaded .pdf files on topics I am researching
* I use the heck out of the markup features. As someone with 25 years of work books marked up on bookshelves, I have made the leap and 100% functional with it.

Clarifications:
* Amazon and Barnes & Noble both have proprietary formats for their products. Not compatible. If you prefer either one of those, pick their reader and live with the features. B&N have a new reader coming out that touts markup but there's no manual to see how it really works.
* When using non-Sony ebook stores, check each book to validate that its .EPUB of .PDF. Some stores are one format only. Some are mixed.
These WILL NOT work: .PDB, Mobi.