Customer Reviews

Sony Digital Reader Pocket Edition (PRS300RC) with 5" Screen - Pink

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I got the ebook reader because I had previously downloaded many ebooks from various sites on the internet (fictionwise, mybookstoreandmore, eBooks, etc...) and was sick of reading them on my computer. Most of my files were in PDF form and I was a little nervous after hearing that, despite claims to the contrary, the SONY is not a good PDF reader. The claims were right as the choice of sizes for PDF fonts are: very very squint tiny, crazy large, and freakishly large 3 words-on-a-age. I searched around and learned that one needs to download "calibre" software (available for free but they would like a donation obviously) which can convert PDF files into many different types of files. [The best file types for the ebook reader is Epub and that is the format calibre converts too. Be sure to set the font size to 12 (or whatever you choose) when the conversion prompt comes up so that the base size is a good size for you. Calibre is basically a library (like the Sony library store) that stores and tracks your ebooks and allows you to change information on the books as well so they don't show up with weird titles (which many ebooks randomly do). I highly recommend using this program if you will be attempted to read mainly PDF books on the ereader and I sincerely hope that more ebook sellers will also offer their books in Epub format.] Be aware that DRM protected book cannot be converted so will have to be read in PDF form. PDF form is made easier in the landscape mode, but Epub is still much better.

There are disadvantages to the kindle (although I have never had one) because books are not downloaded directly to the device. The reader needs to be hooked up the computer (or other device) where the book is. This is done fairly easily through a provided USB 2.0 cable, but I can see why people would prefer the book just appear. Another complaint would be the prices in the Sony bookstore, a complaint I can definitely get behind. Many of their top-selling fiction is fairly decently priced even if not quite as low as Kindle prices, but many of the "less" popular fiction is way more expensive than I was expecting. Many less popular books, can be find in other ebook stores for less and can be transferred to the computer, then to calibre, then to the Sony reader. Most of the books I read fall into this category so I have no cause for complaints but if you want to read anything but the NYT top-10 (and are not willing to shop around) maybe not the reader for you.

What I love! I love the size- I was worried about the screen being too small, but it is absolutely perfect. About the size of a mass market trade paperback really and it is REALLY thin and comfortable/ easy to hold. Because it doesn't surf a store there is no need for the full keyboard which is good and saves space on the device. Page turns were at first a little off-putting as it is kind of a mild flash as the page turns, but I very quickly got used to them and that is an issue that would appear in all ebook readers. It is VERY easy to transport and fits into literally any purse. The font comes in 3 sizes and on Epub the smallest of those fonts works fine. You can bookmark easily (bookmark button) and then can view bookmarks for a specific book or for all the books. You can view the book list by date added, author, title, or collection (which you can edit on calibre). You can switch pages by simply using the side numbered buttons to enter a page number and it quickly switches to that page. It remembers what page in every book you left on and can start back up there right away (or from the beginning). Whatever page it is on when it's turned off will be the start up page. And of course it comes in pink which is just awesome. I am VERY glad I purchased this.

The Sony Ebook Reader Pocket edition is a very solid ebook reader for certain types of readers. At a much lesser cost than the kindle, I would strongly reccomend this reader for those who want an easy-to-use, no nonsense, bells, or whistles, ereader. If you are not planning on taking notes, highlighting passages, having a book read to you via text-to-voice, or store 1,000 books at a time, then why pay extra for a kindle 2 with those features when you can pay less for this solid machine?

But, alas, I am not that kind of reader. I do highlight, make "notes in the margins," and - from time to time - want to turn my book into an audiobook (even if it does sound like a GPS).

Here's the backstory. I am a kindle user who has become frustrated with several features of the kindle, nonetheleast of which are its lack of page numbers (making it hard to reference passages to others) and its proprietary nature (why can't it handle PDF's without a cumbersome conversion process?!). So, I bought a Sony Ebook Reader Pocket edition to play around with.

Immediately, I was struck by its compact design, with a 5'' screen perfect for putting in one's jacket pocket, briefcase, or carry-on bag. I was also VERY impressed with its readability; in my opinion, the resolution and text-to-screen contrast is actually better than the kindle (albeit only barely). It is easy to turn pages, jump from one page to another (this is much easier than on the kindle), and one has the option of text appearing vertically or horizontally on the screen.

Now, the downside: instead of five text sizes, there are only three (sometimes the choice is between just too smal and just too big). AND DO NOT BE FOOLED BY THE CLAIM THAT THIS MACHINE HANDLES PDF FILES WELL; it doesn't. Especially since there are only three text sizes, in order to display with formatting in tact, the text will be very tiny! One can only change text size on some PDF's and even then the PDF formatting comes completely unglued. Nor can you search for a word that apears in the book like you can on the kindle.

And here are the reasons that I personally could not see this device as a worthy kindle replacement: first, one cannot highlight or make notes in the margins. This is crucial for me, as I am a PhD student who often reads research articles on my ereader. One can bookmark pages, but not make any notes or highlights in the text. Also, to be honest, the software the Sony Ereader works with (ebook library) is quite clumsy. I had it for less than a week, and it crapped out on my twice, and since there is no wireless compatibility, when the software doesn't work, no new books can be downloaded. Lastly, the book selection isn't there yet. Every single book that was available for the Sony was available and cheaper on the kindle.

As an aside, I was also looking forward to the Sony Ereader's ability to download any google book (that is in the public domain) for free. While this was something alleged to be exclusive to the Sony Ereader, it is not. While I cannot get into specifics, there exists freeware online that will allow the kindle to accept public domained google books. (And most are available free via other websites, anyhow.) If this is a selling point for you, rethink.

But, for many readers who don't need to "write in margins," highlight, or search a book for words that appear in it, this ereader is every bit as solid in performance as the kindle, costs quite a bit less and is more affordable. (Some even say it is every bit as stylish, but that is a matter of taste.) I can fully see most everyday book readers willing to trade bells and whistles for affordability happily using the Sony Ereader Pocket edition.

But for those who want more advanced features, this ereader doesn't have them.

This Sony pocket reader is the best e-reader I've owned so far. While the color is described as pink, it is more of a dark ruby-pink, very attractive color - a guy would not be weirded out by carrying one of these around. It does not have a lot of bells and whistles on it, but the best thing about it is...it just works. There's no fooling around, plug it in, charge it up, download your books and your are ready to go. The screen clarity is much better than previous gen Sony e-readers, and the battery seems to last a bit longer. It lasts up to about 7-10 days with everyday reading. You will want to charge it fully if you haven't used it in a week or so. You can read in landscape or regular. Buttons are quick to respond, you can bookmark pages, jump back and forth within a book or between books. The size is perfect for female, smaller hands, but doesn't get lost in your boyfriend's big paws either. And, it is not cutting board size, or ugly like some other e-readers out there. No, it doesn't have a touch screen or wireless downloads or a pointless mini color screen, but I don't find that I miss those things. They are readily available to buy, the selection of books you will be able to buy for this reader is expanding and you can borrow e-books for downloading from your public library. The reader software has improved a lot, is faster and makes it easy to find your books, whether you are looking for them on your computer or e-reader. Definitely worth a look and worth its price.

I've had my Kindle 3 since it was released; however, I wanted the option of reading library books on an e-reader, so after doing some research, I decided to go with Sony because the price was right, and the options it offered were nice.

Setting up my reader with my local library for book downloads was a bit of a challenge; however, the Sony customer service representative was very helpful and patient with assisting me with this set up.

What I love about the Sony reader, (and I have compared it to the Kindle):

* The page numbering. It numbers the pages, just as they are in the book, so if you are in a book club you can easily refer to that page. I like this better than the location numbers offered by the Kindle. For example Kindle will read location 1010; but the Sony reader will read as page 3. Location numbers are not helpful in my opinion. Update: The Kindle 3 will be receiving an update that will allow readers to have page numbers rather than locations.

*Both the Kindle 3 and the Sony Reader have really dark ink that is ideal for reading. The Kindle formats books on the page better than the Sony Reader.

* Has 3 fonts Small, Medium, and Large and really that's all you need since using my kindle these are the only sizes I used because on the kindle the first two fonts are much too small, and the last one is much too large.

*The compact size of the Sony reader makes it ideal to fit into a handbag without having to go out to purchase a new one so that it fits. It is about 2 inches smaller in length and height than the Kindle; however, the reading screen is nearly the same (maybe a half inch less). Not much difference in screen size. Update: The Kindle 3 is still larger than the Sony Reader.

*The circular wheel allows for easier page turning than the Kindle. It took me a while to get used to it since I have been using the Kindle; I really like this page turning wheel better.

*There are also several tabs along the side of the Sony Reader which allows the reader to quickly click on an option.

*I really love the fact that there are no old, dead authors on my screen when I place it in the sleep mode. The Kindle has about 14 very old, creepy looking authors that appear on the screen while it is in the sleep mode.

*The Home Screen is organized into files, such as most recently added, all books, collections, title, etc. You can add other collections as you wish. The Kindle allows users to create, and sort all their books into collections. This can be time consuming. I didn't enjoy sorting all my books out.

*The Sony Reader can be charged with the Ipod charger or the Motorola Cliq/backflip chargers. It does not come with a wall charger; however, the Kindle does come with a wall charger.

* It also comes with a black padded pouch, so there is no need to purchase a book cover with the Sony reader. With the Kindle you need to purchase a cover separately.

* You can read on it vertically or horizontally. The Kindle allows you to do the same.

*I find that the books in the Sony bookstore are priced reasonably. Some are $9.99 or less; however, some are like $14.00. In the Kindle store the books vary as well. I have seen some books cheaper on Amazon for the Kindle. Looking at cost, you are able to access thousands of FREE library books, so price of books is a non-issue. Most of the library books that can be accessed from your local library are newly released books.

* There is no back light and the Kindle does not have one as well.

* The price is awesome. No other company has a comparable device for this price.

*Sony Reader came with 11 free books; however, Amazon does provide several free books throughout the month for the Kindle. Most of the free books from Amazon have been really great reads.

* The Sony reader has no dictionary, no option for adding/writing notes, and there is no highlighter option. The Kindle 3 does offer all of the above. It took me a minute to realize I could not look up the definition for a word; however, for the price I am not saddened by the lack of a dictionary. If you need this feature, look at the touch screen Sony reader or the Kindle. I find myself only using the dictionary feature on the Kindle.

Overall, I love both the Kindle and the Sony Reader. I really purchased them for different reasons, so I enjoy them both. If price is a concern I would go with the Sony Reader (excellent features, great overall look/design, and quality at a fair price). If you must highlight, look up words, add notes, or have 1,500 books stored on your device then go with the Kindle or the touch screen Sony Reader.

I've had my little pink Sony ereader for a couple of months. I absolutely love it. It is a no frills ereader which is exactly what I was looking for. My needs were to have something that was easy to use, portable and lightweight to read books on. I do not need to highlight or annotate. I do not need wifi. It has all the basic functions of reading a book. Just load it up, turn it on and start reading. Simple. It will bookmark where you left off so you can easily pick up in the same spot again. You can enter a page number to go directly to a certain page. I can even load word documents on it to take with me. Epub books can either be loaded through the Sony Reader Library software or by sideloading directly to the ereader folder. I've never had any glitches or freezes and am so far very pleased with my purchase. I bought it when it was advertised for one hundred thirty nine dollars and it has proved to be a great investment. I have easily gotten two weeks out of the battery before I've had to recharge. The eink screen is just like reading a book, so I would recommend getting a book light for low light conditions. All in All, I would recommend this item.

I have had the PCR-300 for a few weeks now. I have limited experience with other readers. So to some extent this is a review of the eReader concept as much as the Sony in particular.

I did do a lot of web research though, and picked the Sony for a few reasons:
- It is cheap ($179/free shipping).
- It supports ePub (which my local library - Greater Phoenix Digital Library) supports, and which appears to be becoming the standard.
- It is more pocketable than others (It actually does fit in my jeans pockets).

So what have I discovered so far?

Positives:
- Easy to read in bed (laptop is too unwieldly and a handheld too small) - and I really like E Ink.
- Light and easy to carry.
- Relatively simple once learned (two or three days to find the tricks).
- Support for ePub - Free to "borrow" books at many libraries.

Negatives:
- Slow - more so than some others - not a huge issue for smaller/plain books, but gets worse as the book size grows.
- Limited usefulness at reading PDF.
- Only 3 text sizes frequently leaves me wishing for something between M and L (I am older and wear bifocals too).
- Book acquisition process is harder than Kindle / Nook. I am a techie so don't care.
- At present, of the three dominant DRM protected formats, ePub presently has
the least content; Sony doesn't support Mobi or eReader/PDB, at least not with DRM.

What does it do really well:
- Read regular books that are mostly text.
- Read my E bible at home where I am not jumping around.
- Read books from my local library - and there are a fair number here in Phoenix
- Avoid ending up with massive quantities of books taking over one's house!

What is it best not used for:
- Reading technical books and PDFs with tables or drawings.
- As a bible to use in Church if the Pastor is going to multiple passages (too slow to navigate).
- Technophobes. It this is you - you want the Nook or Kindle for their wireless process.

Who should buy it:
- Frequent flyers as good as any other reader, but easier to carry around
- People who read a lot but want a smaller reader
- Technophiles. It this is you - you can play to your heart's content, and Calibre can be your friend

My main e-reader is my Kindle 2. I bought the Sony Pocket Reader because the two libraries I belong to have a wonderful selection of Adobe Digital Edition ePUB and PDF books available to borrow and I can't access them with my Kindle. Once the reader is registered with your Adobe ID, it's a cinch to load borrowed e-books from the library and there's a little tag next to the book title to remind you of how many remaining days you have to read the book. The Sony Reader Library Mac/PC application even lets me return books early, so I usually check books out for the maximum period, just in case, and then I return them early.

The PRS300's screen contrast is much superior to my Kindle 2**, and even a little better than my Kindle 1, which is still in use. Because the contrast is so crisp, I can comfortably read on the Sony with a smaller font than I use on the Kindle, which is good, since the screen is smaller.

Finding a good PDF reflow font size is iffy (ePUB is perfectly fine). There are three sizes of text - Small, Medium, and Large. With PDF, S is the original text size and usually isn't readable on 5" screen. M and L reflow the text, but font sizes differ between horizontal and vertical rotation. So, really there are 5 text sizes. When reading a PDF, the font choices are often:
1. Too darn small
2. Almost big enough
3. A bit too large
4. Huge
5. Bigger than the "E" at the top of the eye-chart

Horizontal is a more comfortable holding position (and the only way I can operate the reader one-handed with my small hands/short thumbs), but the font size isn't always good, so I have to go back to vertical. Also, in horizontal mode, PDFs will often have repeating lines between pages (bottom of one page, top of the next). This always breaks my reading rhythm, and why I always try to get an ePUB version instead of PDF, if it's available.

This reader is very basic; it has no whizz-bang features. You can read, you can bookmark, you can change orientation and font size, you can jump to a specific page number, you can delete a book or just its bookmarks. That's pretty much it.

Though it doesn't come with a wall charger, it does come with a decent foam-padded slip case, which was a nice surprise. In fact, I wouldn't have ordered a case, if I'd seen the included one first (with minor modifications to stiffen the front for screen protection and prevent the reader from sliding out of the top, the slip case would be perfect).

Overall, I like the Sony Pocket Edition, despite its limitations. I wish it had search, dictionary look-up, and highlighting, but I can live without them in my secondary reader. It's has the feel of high-quality construction, and the screen clarity is amazing.


**Update: My Kindle 2 had a little glitch and customer service sent me new one. The replacement Kindle's screen is MUCH more clear than the Kindle I was using at the time of this review. Now, I'd say the contrast between the two devices is nearly equal.

I ordered the Sony Pocket edition for my self. After researching all of the e-readers out there I felt that for what I wanted this one was the best. I didn't like the design of the Kindle and did not have the money for a Nook. The only think I think that would make this product better would be a SD card slot to store more books. The battery life is amazing I did the initial charge and didn't have to charge it again for 2 weeks. For a basic e-reader this is perfect. I would recommend this e-reader for someone who wants a basic no frills e-reader.

I love this product. I have had it for about a week and have not put it down. I love it so much that I am buying another because I kind of left the one I had on top of my car so now I have to get another. This producy is so great that I went right back to amazon and brought it again. ys I am upset that I lost 194.00 dollars but it is worth it to bu again.

My wife loves the Sony Digital Reader Pocket Edition (PRS300RC) that I recently got for her. She had been using an old Palm T/X of mine that she loaded up with books from the local library. I had switched from numerous Palm devices to an iPhone and extensively use the Kindle bookstore for all my ebook purchases, but my wife didn't want a complicated smartphone; she just wanted to answer the phone and read a book. At first I struggled to find a device to do both, but then started exploring the possibility of getting her a dedicated ebook reader.

My research narrowed down to three devices:
Amazon Kindle 2
Cool-er ebook Reader
Sony Reader Pocket Edition

Although the Kindle was extremely compelling, I opted to go with the Sony product. The things that brought the Sony Reader to the forefront were (1) it's small size (for portability), (2) it's Epub capability (for Library loaners), and (3) the sexy pink color (my wife still grins at it). Other pluses were the extensive Google Books library (over 1 million) and the surprisingly well done Sony eBook Library.

Yes, there are certain limitations on this ebook reader, the most prominent (for my wife) is the lack of a backlight for reading in bed. Also, it's not very feature-ridden (like a Kindle), but again for my wife that's a plus; she didn't want complicated - she just wanted to read.

For me, nothing beats the simplicity of using a Kindle or iPhone to access Amazon's Kindle book store and wirelessly downloading a book selection in seconds. But this was not an option for my wife and so far she couldn't be happier.

Well done Sony...dj