Sony Reader Digital Book PRS-505 (silver)

Manufacturer: Sony Part number: PRS505SC

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CNET Editor rating:
3.5 stars Very good
Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 23 reviews

More product information:: Editors' review; User reviews; Specifications; Product series; Manufacturer info

Bottom Line:: While the PRS-505 Reader Digital Book is not without flaws, Sony's improvements make this model easier to recommend.

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CNET editors' review

Sony Reader Digital Book PRS-505 (silver)

price range: $259.00 - $299.99

Reviewed by: David Carnoy
Edited by: John P. Falcone
Reviewed on: 11/14/2007
Updated on:09/12/2008

The good: Electronic book that can hold thousands of titles; excellent high-contrast screen rivals that of printed page and is easy to read in bright environments; some design and performance improvements versus first-gen model; 128MB internal memory, with more available via SD and Memory Stick Pro expansion slots; font size adjusts at the touch of a button; good battery life; also displays PDF and Word files, and plays MP3 files.

The bad: Downloadable titles are expensive and only available through Sony's online store; AC adapter is an optional accessory (you charge the PRS-505 by connecting the included USB cable to your computer); desktop software isn't available for Mac owners; PDF files are hard to read because they're reduced to fit the screen and you can't magnify (zoom) them; though diminished, some lag issues remain when flipping pages; no support for Audible audio books.

The bottom line: While the PRS-505 Reader Digital Book is not without flaws, Sony's improvements make this model easier to recommend.

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Editor's note: This review was completed just before the announcement and release of the Amazon Kindle e-book reader. Potential buyers of this product should also note that there are rumors of a new Sony Reader planned for fall 2008.

In early 2007, Sony put out the PRS-500 Portable Reader System, which most people know as the Sony Reader. While Sony got a lot right with the PRS-500, critics--this one included--noted a handful of shortcomings that made the potentially groundbreaking e-book reader less appealing than it should have been. Now, less than year since the PRS-500's release, Sony has released the PRS-505 "Reader Digital Book," which also retails for $300. On the surface, the two Readers look pretty similar, but the new PRS-505 boasts some subtle yet important improvements.

For starters, Sony has made the new Reader slimmer by about 0.2 inch--though not any lighter. At 6.9 inches high by 4.9 inches wide by 0.3 inch deep, the Reader is somewhere between the size of a standard DVD case and a short trade paperback novel. It's bound in a leather protective cover, and weighs about 9 ounces. The new reader is available in two colors: silver or metallic blue.

The Reader is roughly the size of a trade paperback, but it can hold several thousand titles and documents.

The new Reader has the same overall design as the original model--it looks like an oversized PDA, with the screen taking up the top three-quarters of the front panel. As part of the upgrade, Sony's sought to simplify the button layout and navigation on the Reader. The results are mostly successful, but some quirky elements remain. The little raised joystick-like navigation button has been replaced with a flatter four-way nav button with an "Enter" button in the middle. We preferred this arrangement but found the directional pad a tad stiff (perhaps it will loosen up with time).

There are still two separate buttons for turning pages, but that's an effort to accommodate left- and right-handed people. There are basically two ways that you hold the device in your hand, and depending on how you're holding it, your left thumb will either be resting on the left bottom corner of the device or higher up on its side, where a second set of page-turning buttons sit. It's also worth noting that Sony's moved the memory expansion slots from the side of the device to the top, making them easier to access.

Memory expansion is available via SD and Memory Stick Pro slots found on the Reader's top edge.

In other improvements, the 600x800-pixel screen--or approximately 170 pixels per inch, according to Sony--now offers eight scales of gray instead of four-grayscale (the screen measures approximately 4.9x3.6 inches), which increases the contrast ratio and makes it slightly easier to read. The first thing you notice about the screen when you turn on the device (it takes a few seconds to fire up after you slide the power switch) is that it's a high-contrast monochrome display that isn't backlit. Technically, it's an electrophoretic display, which Wikipedia describes as "an information display that forms visible images by rearranging charged pigment particles using an applied electric field."

Like some other electronic paper products, the Reader uses "E Ink" technology, which serves to make the letters and words on the screen look more printlike in their appearance--it's quite impressive if you haven't seen the technology in action before. With the Size button, you can choose among three font settings (small, medium, and large), but even at the smallest setting, you're still getting fewer lines per page than you would with a printed book. For example, George Orwell's 1984 comes out to 767 pages on the Reader (on the medium font size), far longer than the printed version. You can also switch between landscape and portrait mode, though chances are you'll naturally hold the device vertically like a book and stick to portrait mode most of the time.

Overall, we liked the way text is displayed on the screen, and we didn't suffer eye fatigue over long reading periods (at least not any worse than what you'd expect from reading a standard book in a decently lit environment). With the earlier PRS-500, it was a little bothersome that when you turned a page, the screen took a second to refresh (it goes to black and essentially blinks). This is referred to as a "ghosting" effect and it appears to be an inherent downside to E Ink technology. It's still apparent in this newer model, but Sony has managed to slightly shorten the refresh time. The PRS-505 feels slightly zippier than its predecessor, but there's still some noticeable lag--and that may irk some users.

Sony doesn't appear to have done too much with the user interface--it remains OK but not stellar. There's a top-level menu that allows you to select books, audio, pictures, and adjust settings. You can select books by author, date, and also organize your books into collections and jump to a bookmarked page. The menu system is tabbed on the right column with numbers that correspond to a row of numbered buttons on the right side of the display (on the previous model, they were on the bottom of the display). Clicking on the number 8, for example, takes you to the eighth tab on the screen, which happens to be audio. If you're in the middle of reading a book, the numbered buttons allow you to jump forward and back over big chunks of pages (the Reader divides the number of total pages in the book by nine to evenly distribute the chunks).

We were a little disappointed that the unit doesn't ship with an AC adapter (it's an optional accessory that costs $29.99); instead, the default charging option is limited to connecting the Reader to your PC with the included USB cable. If you happen to own a Sony PSP, the charger from that device works with this one. It's also worth noting that we couldn't charge the Reader with a standard USB cable connected to a 5V power adapter, such as the standard iPod wall charger. The Reader only charged when we used the cable that came with the unit and connected it to the USB port on a PC. Go figure.

To be clear, the unit has no backlight (that would induce eye strain), so you need to use the Reader in a lit environment, just like you would a normal book. If you do want to read in the dark (while, say, a spouse sleeps), the optional Flex-Neck LED Reading Light PRS-LIGHT01 ($15) attachable nightlight is available.

Aside from the missing AC adapter and a few small navigational annoyances, we didn't have too much to complain about concerning the hardware. The real issue, of course--and sorry for waiting so long to get to this point--is what you can actually read on the Sony Reader. For starters, you can import a variety of content, much of it free, from your Windows computer to the device (via USB), though you have to use Sony's desktop software to move content to the device's 128MB of internal memory (its 128MB is up from the PRS-500's 64MB and allows you to store around 160 eBooks, so long as they aren't all War and Peace). Another way to access content is to transfer it to an SD or Memory Stick card and slip it in the Reader's expansion slot. However, you can only download encrypted Sony eBooks from the Connect store using the desktop software; likewise, only the software can be used to organize the titles into customized collections. So, if you're a Mac user, the device probably isn't worth buying.

The eBook Library 2.0 PC software is much like the Sony's hardware: a little quirky and not entirely easy to use, but once you get used to it, you can deal with it. The Reader is capable of displaying Text, RTF, Word (they get converted to RTF files as they're imported to the Reader), and BBeB Book files, as well as PDF files. There are caveats, however: You can increase the font size of Word documents, but PDFs are scaled to fit the screen and can't be zoomed, so they're unlikely to display properly. PDFs also take several seconds to load (as they often do on a computer).

On the image side, you can view JPEG, GIF, and PNG files. The pictures are monochromatic--and they look like some really detailed Etch-a-Sketch work--but the effect is kind of cool, and you can use the reader to show off your family album if you're so inclined. As for audio, the Reader plays back MP3 and AAC files; there's no built-in speaker, however, so you will need to plug a pair of headphones into the headphone jack to hear anything. Curiously, Sony doesn't support the Audible file format, so fans of audio books will need to fall back to their iPod or MP3 player of choice. The good news is you can read a book and listen to MP3 songs at the same time. Sony says that with a fully charged battery, you can turn 7,500 pages. It's hard to say what that translates into in terms of hours, but you should expect to get 15 to 20 hours of battery life, and possibly more.

You can find some free full-length books online in the form of PDF or Word files. But as we mentioned, to get the stuff you'd buy today in Barnes and Noble, you have to tap into Sony's Connect eBooks online store, which is integrated into the desktop software. Once you set up an account, you can download whatever titles (they're copy-protected) strike your fancy--for a price, of course. We won't go into a full critique of the Connect service--you can follow the previous link to check it out yourself--but suffice to say that while the selection isn't anywhere near Amazon's, it isn't bad for a fledgling service. The books aren't exactly a bargain, with the prices for many books basically the same as their printed versions (in some cases, you might even find the printed version for less online). According to a Sony rep, "DRM rules allow any purchased eBook to be read on up to six devices (at least one of those six must be a PC). Although you cannot share purchased eBooks on other people's devices and accounts, you will have the opportunity to register five Readers to your account and share your books accordingly."

Sony does offer a number of classic titles for $1.99 and is currently running a promotion where you get 100 eBooks Classics with your purchase of the Reader. These classics include everything from Hamlet to Moby Dick and Great Expectations. That's all well and good, but it's a shame that all eBooks don't cost less than $10--and most of them should cost less than $5. Or, alternatively, Sony should come up with some sort of subscription service for checking out books, a la Netflix, and divorce itself from the Connect brand, which is tied to its failed music store.

In our review of the PRS-500, we said that Sony needed to make a second-generation device that's zippier, tweak the Reader's interface (both the hardware interface, as well as the desktop software), and continue to evolve the Connect eBooks store. The company's done just that, and we applaud the step forward. That said, buyers of the original Reader shouldn't feel too bad for taking the plunge early in the e-book reader game. The improvements are more evolutionary than revolutionary. And while the newer Reader may not be a bargain at $300, it's certainly easier to recommend.

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User reviews

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Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 23 reviews
My rating: 0 stars

Showing opinion 1 to 10 out of 23

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9 stars

A delight to read on... a major improvement by Sony.

by cookie814 on October 19, 2007

Pros: Outstanding battery life, easy on the eyes, crisp text

Cons: AC Adapter is optional,

Summary: I have been reading books on my pda for years. I was unhappy with the Sony PRS 500 and returned it for a multitude of reasons, so I was wary ...

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Summary: I have been reading books on my pda for years. I was unhappy with the Sony PRS 500 and returned it for a multitude of reasons, so I was wary of purchasing the new model PRS 505.

I love this device. I have just read my 2nd book and I can't say enough good things about this reader. Sony has nicely resolved the many issues of their original reader. The page refresh is very fast, the overall screen text appears brighter and crisper on this device. The battery life is great, I am still on the initial charge after 2 books (1600 pages).

My only critique is that I wish the text size could be a little larger. I have noticed the actual text size depends on the book itself. The large text format on one book is not necessarily the same on the next. Landscape formatting is not centered on the reader.....page borders and margins in the landscape mode are unbalanced.

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5 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
9 stars

Great for reading

by watsdamattau on October 17, 2007

Pros: Relatively light weight with a fantastic screen

Cons: Would be a 10 if it had some light source, Adobe PDF's can't be enlarged

Summary: This unit is fantastic. The buttons are well placed with the page turning buttons on the right side as well as the bottom left. Great for either hand holding or ...

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Summary: This unit is fantastic. The buttons are well placed with the page turning buttons on the right side as well as the bottom left. Great for either hand holding or having it sit flat on the table. The screen and text are very, very legible. The speed of page turning is fast enough that you won't lose any momentum when reading.

The only reason why I didn't give it a rating of 10 is because PDF files still suffer from not being able to zoom enough.

The unit would also benefit from some kind of backlighting, but it's not really necessary since a real book doesn't have one and the screen is very similiar. The anti-glare screen is good, though not perfect. It still reflects light from a certain angle.

Overall I'm really happy I purchased this item. It was a little expensive, but not having to carry two heavy 400 - 700+ page physical books makes it well worth the price. Also, no trees were harmed in order for us to be entertained.

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3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
9 stars

A note on book sources ....

by AFC RW on November 15, 2007

Pros: Improved device ergonomics

Cons: Still hoping for a Lightwedge designed for these 6" e-ink devices.

Summary: Fictionwise.com is now selling their multiformat books in Sony Reader format.

Summary: Fictionwise.com is now selling their multiformat books in Sony Reader format.

3 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
5 stars

Book Prices Way Out of Line

by rbrt7 on November 15, 2007

Pros: handy to have a light-weight device to hold many books

Cons: not waterproof (bad for the beach) & and books too expensive

Summary: Most of the cost of a paper book goes to the expense of printing, binding, shipping, and warehousing the physical product itself. (For example, the bookstore where you buy it ...

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Summary: Most of the cost of a paper book goes to the expense of printing, binding, shipping, and warehousing the physical product itself. (For example, the bookstore where you buy it usually gets 40% of the purchase price.)
With a downloaded E-book, there is virtually NO expense for any of these things! Apart from the cost to maintain a server and internet connection, it's all profit!
So why does Sony charge MORE for an e-book than I would pay for a paper version?
I checked one current best seller (Clive Cussler's The Chase). On Sony's CONNECT service, it is selling for $21.56. I can buy the same book in paper format on Amazon for $16.17!!!! And I don't have to pay $300 for a reader to read it on! And I can take it to the beach without worrying it will get ruined if some water splashes on it.
I love the idea of an e-book, but Sony is being rediculous in their pricing. If I am paying $300 for a reader, I should be able to get any book in their catalog for $5 or less!

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3 out of 7 users found this user opinion helpful.
6 stars

Borders Now carries Sony Reader Books

by Reynah007 on September 4, 2008

Pros: I'm still not 100% sold that Sony's version of their eBook Reader is the best. But i do know that you can get 100 free ebooks if you download sony reader for your desktop. These are all classics and a great start to reading.

Cons: It's unfortunate that the books have to be in sony format. Like mp3s - it ebook format should be the same regardless of the reader.
1 stars

Is this reader suitable for the visually impaired?

by christianac on September 2, 2008

Pros: .............

Cons: ................

Summary: Please, is there anyone out here that is visually impared and has just bought this reader? Can you please tell me of it's suitability? I would really appreciate it. ...

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Summary: Please, is there anyone out here that is visually impared and has just bought this reader? Can you please tell me of it's suitability? I would really appreciate it. Thanks Cx

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4 stars

Save your money

by hoover899 on September 1, 2008

Pros: Screen is amazing. Device is well built and has a great form factor.

Cons: The Ebook store is a train wreck. Reading PDF files is horrible. Page turns are slow.

Summary: Save your money. Although this version of the reader is an improvement from the previous version, the eBook store ruins the experience. The eBook interface is slow, clunky and many ...

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Summary: Save your money. Although this version of the reader is an improvement from the previous version, the eBook store ruins the experience. The eBook interface is slow, clunky and many books do not have descriptions, Since content is essentially limited to that which is available from Sony, the device is lacking overall utility. Sony appears to be trying to emulate Apple iTunes, but they've missed the mark.

Wait for the next generation Sony device or for some other manufacturer to deliver a complete experience.

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9 stars

A Book that's Fun to Read

by ESUNintel on August 26, 2008

Pros: Thin, lightweight, nice "ink" display, open to different formats, nice button layout, big display, great battery life, ability to use SD card or Sony Memory Stick, more ebook choices than Kindle

Cons: A little slow sometimes, only Windows compatible, Sony Connect store is limited, ebooks cost more than Kindle

Summary: I purchased the "new" Sony Reader, which isn't so new anymore, a few days ago, and so far I am very happy with it. It was a hard choice ...

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Summary: I purchased the "new" Sony Reader, which isn't so new anymore, a few days ago, and so far I am very happy with it. It was a hard choice deciding between this Reader or the Amazon Kindle, but after a few weeks of thought I went ahead and got the Sony instead. It would be nice to have EVDO wireless technology everywhere, access to Wikipedia, newspapers, etc; but I decided I already have an iPhone and I usually carry a computer around, so I might as well get access to Wikipedia and the Wall Street Journal in full color rather than through a reader. My other decision maker was that the Sony Reader looks nice, is thin and has a good button layout, rather than having the poor design (my opinion) that the Kindle has. I do admit that the Kindle does have a nicer selection of books through the first and largest book etailer, Amazon.com; however, with the Sony I can download books from not only the Sony store, but also other ebook online stores, for example, today I purchased 3 books from O'Reily media. With the Sony it's pretty much unlimited where I an download from thanks to its Adobe support. The Kindle does have attractive book prices, usually no more than $9.99, but thanks to DRM I am locked to only buying from Amazon. I can even transfer my PDF's, like IT White papers into the Sony with out having to e-mail anything, simply by transferring it over as if it were a flash drive. The e-reader takes about a second or two to turn pages, but no longer than it would take to turn an actual book page, so I don't know why some complain that it's slow. I am really happy with the Sony Reader so far, but I do recommend that if you don't need one right away, wait 2-4 months for the new Kindle to come out to see what it does. ...hopefully they'll make it easier on the eyes, and open to any store.

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9 stars

Bad is not so bad, update makes it better

by dmclean62 on July 25, 2008

Pros: New firmware adds ePub and Adobe Digital Editions support

Cons: Having to buy charger, no (direct) Mac support

Summary: I've had it for 8 months now and I must admit that I really do enjoy it. It is NOT TRUE that Sony is the only source for books (...

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Summary: I've had it for 8 months now and I must admit that I really do enjoy it. It is NOT TRUE that Sony is the only source for books (Baen's eBook site http://www.webscription.net/ sells Sony format ebooks). There are also tools (such as Calibre (http://calibre.kovidgoyal.net/) that allow users to convert other formats to the Sony format (and Calibre runs on Macs and Linux).

With the new firmware update that allows the reader to use ePub and Adobe Digital Editions ebooks, there are even more options. A friend of mine reports that she was able to download a Digital Editions eBook from the web site of her local public library and read it on her Sony!

The whole charger issue is completely regrettable - especially since my charger failed and now I have to call Sony support for another one.

I like my reader so much that I have been working on converting my entire library to eBooks. I expect to recover at least one entire bookcase - space that my wife will be more than happy to reapportion to other uses.

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3 stars

Vastly over-rated product

by siafu00 on June 25, 2008

Pros: Stores more than one book, excellent screen

Cons: Expensive unit, very slow, expensive books, terrible website

Summary: I was looking forward to using my Reader but unfortunately Sony screwed up on this one... It makes reading a frustrating experience so why bother? My main criticism is with ...

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Summary: I was looking forward to using my Reader but unfortunately Sony screwed up on this one... It makes reading a frustrating experience so why bother? My main criticism is with Sony's online store. Buying books from them is slow and frustrating. About 50% of the time I can't access the store even though my internet connection is both reliable and fast. Searching for a book title is also slow and frustrating. Otherwise the unit itself seems sturdy and well built with an excellent screen even though it too is slow.

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