332 of 338 people found the following review helpful:
Why Sony?
Customer Video Review
Length:: 3:24 Mins
The video includes a few of my favorite features on the Sony, but misses things like the dictionary and audio options - since you can use up to a 16g SD chip - it is also possible to carry some of your albums with you, permitting the reader to substitute as an mpg player as well.
I have been following the e-book readers for some time, and...
174 of 212 people found the following review helpful:
Horrible usability
I've owned this reader for around 3 months and while it works, I am very, very bothered with its usability, which is atrocious. I have read numerous professional reviews and everyone focuses on how well you can read the screen. Important to be sure, but since there are several alternatives the usability is equally important. Since its not a book, you have to constantly...
This review is from: Sony Digital Reader Touch Edition - Black (PRS600BC)
Length:: 3:24 Mins
The video includes a few of my favorite features on the Sony, but misses things like the dictionary and audio options - since you can use up to a 16g SD chip - it is also possible to carry some of your albums with you, permitting the reader to substitute as an mpg player as well.
I have been following the e-book readers for some time, and I wanted several things for me to "jump on the bandwagon."
1) I have a number of PDF reference books, so a Reader needs to handle these well. Since my books are text, these reflow well on the Sony.
2) Because I will use (and now am using) the Reader for reference books, it was important that I be able to access my notes directly from my computer to use in other documents. I actually began using the software on my desktop several months before I purchased the 600, and was pleased with its capabilities.
3) I enjoy the free epub books from my library. The Sony accesses these easily. There are also a number of locations besides Sony selling the epub or Adobe digital books (usable by the Sony Touch) giving me more choice in my decision.
4) The Touch handles my regular documents well - as a public speaker, I love having my speeches available to study on the reader, without having to print them out!
But for those looking for the points I already love (thus the 5 stars)
1) I love having the touch turn capability, just a brush of my thumb!
2) I enjoy the sideways and zoom features for PDFs that you want to keep "standard"
3) After only a couple of minutes, I forgot I was even using a reader and I got involved in the book.
*** I live in an isolated area - so neither Whispernet for the Kindle nor the upcoming 3G connection on the more expensive Daily model would be helpful - I'm just as happy to order my books "in advance" and carry them with me.
Some people have mentioned the glare - since my previous reading was on my laptop - this isn't an issue for me. I keep my lighting at my side, and it is not a problem at all. It is more noticeable in a dark room with a single light source. My favorite reading location is outdoors.
Another issue I have encountered isn't with the reader - but with the interaction between Windows and the software. It is pretty touchy, and I have had to use Sony Support to adjust settings on Windows to make it work correctly.
*** Edited after 2 months -
A recent update in the software has removed some of the software connection problems I originally experienced. So, that's a plus!
However, I have recently added some PDF files that did NOT flow the same way as my original "professional" files reflowed. After checking with those more knowledgeable, I have been told that the problem is not with the Sony, but with the way the PDF files have been set up. The PDF is supposed to include "tags" that will help the pages to reflow correctly. My recommendation is that anyone with PDFs they need to carry on the reader download the free computer software and attempt to read them using this software. If it works on your computer, it will reflow correctly on the Sony. If it does not - then it will not do so on the Reader either.
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This review is from: Sony Digital Reader Touch Edition - Black (PRS600BC)
Nothing is perfect and this reader is no exception.
Pros
What I like is that I can get any book I want from Google library or internet and I can read any of my 2000 pdf's easily. When you open pdf it allows you to increase and decrease font. If you increase font from small to large all pictures go away, but you can always go back to small font and even zoom in on pictures. I don't have to convert text files or MS Word documents on this thing. It allows you to add SD card(I have 2000 plus books and magazines on it now). This thing is fast and software that Sony created for it is very easy to use(I was surprised by that). Now, with all these books I don't need wireless :)
It's shorter than Kindle 2 by two fingers.
Screen is readable outside and I actually like the black letters against gray background as it's not as blinding as a real book on the very sunny day, but there are cons, see below.
Cons
Compare to Kindle 2 that my friend has at work it has more glare, because of the touch screen. Is it a showstopper? Not sure as adjusting the angle resolves the issue, but you do have to adjust the angle. Also, I find that contrast is not as good as a real book, but it is comparable to Kindle 2.
Verdict, I am keeping it for another 3-4 days to see if the glare gets to me, I will post an update if it does. Also, I think I do like it better than Kindle 2, because of the open format and expandable memory.
Update: Decided to keep it. It really grew on me. Surprisingly the glare is less of an issue outside and inside slight adjustments to the angle resolves it. Also, I like how it's built like a tank. I am really not afraid of breaking it.
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This review is from: Sony Digital Reader Touch Edition - Black (PRS600BC)
First digital book I've owned and I am blown away. I've already torn through two books and have downloaded several free books that I was delighted to find. Amazed out how easy it is to use and read. Glare is a bit bothersome but i've adapted and don't really notice it so much. In full sunlight the contrast is the best. Will this replace real books in my life? No, but it does make reading and carrying multiple literary items around much more convenient!
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This review is from: Sony Digital Reader Touch Edition - Black (PRS600BC)
I've had my Sony eReader Touch for just over a week now and love it! I was debating for a long time about whether to go the Kindle or Sony eReader Touch route. What won me over was the diversity of the Sony eReader and how I'm able to put rich text files, PDFs and Word Documents on it. As a Mac User I wasn't sure how well the software would be and whether I would have to use something like Calibre to drag and drop books/files into the reader. The Sony software worked well on my Macbook Pro (running Snow Leopard) and the Sony software looks a lot like iTunes. No real learning curve there!
As far as the different file formats go, I found that besides Sony's .epub format, the Word Docs come out pretty nice. The PDFs look good as well, but if you adjust the font size it can adjust a little strange, but not enough that it bothered me. I've heard people complain about the cost of the Sony ebooks, it seems reasonable for a $7-15 price range. I've been reading The Lost Symbol and its been worth $9.99 to me.
One of the great features is double clicking with the stylus on a word and then a dictionary pops up with the definition. Great handy tool there. Also, I like the option of highlighting and writing on the pages and then those notes getting exported in an easily accessible way. I do own an iPhone, but reading on these is much better. You can't really compare the two, because they serve two different purposes. The eReader is meant for reading and even listening to music. I have hard time when people try to compare both of them. The eReader has a long battery life, I don't have to worry about it turning off or dimming if I've been reading the same page for a while. With the touch screen I still like swiping my finger across it to change the page. The design is very slick and a very convenient reader.
Because of the touch screen there is a little bit of a reflection, but I hardly notice it now. It comes with a USB cable to charge through your computer, a neoprene sleeve and a tiny instruction booklet. I love that Sony has two options of expanding the 512mb internal memory with Memory Stick Pro Duo slot and an SD Slot-- with books being 2mb or less, there is room to grow!
I seriously recommend this device above all others. I travel for long periods of time and this fits my needs very well. I've caught myself pulling it out and reading in my spare time or when I have a few minutes here or there-- so it's not always for traveling. Certainly a great purchase.
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This review is from: Sony Digital Reader Touch Edition - Black (PRS600BC)
I'm a first time buyer of e-readers. I hope my comments are helpful for other potential buyers.
Why Sony PRS-600?
1. Support of the PDF and EPUB open and international standards. Being in an IT oriented career, I have had enough headaches with proprietary formats to know to avoid them as much as possible.
2. I can buy books from multiple e-book stores. Suppliers with proprietary formats limit your choice of retailers (usually just to one). I believe the issue of available titles will balance itself out in the near future as the e-book market expands.
3. I must clarify that the wireless download, though nice, was not a big issue for me. I usually research and plan my reading material in my computer and with the internet. Also, for the moment I `m not interested in the magazine and periodical subscription services.
What I like:
1. The touch screen: It really facilitates and enhances your reading. Lookup of words in the dictionary, references to footnotes, highlighting and writing notes are quite easy with the touch screen. (** Note: Yes, there is a glare, but I have always been able to effortlessly find an angle where this is non-issue.)
2. The dictionary: English is not my first language and I have found out this tool to be very useful, particularly with the classics which usually have non-frequently used or outdated words.
3. The free book libraries: Yes, there are multiple sites with free books. I'm amazed at the quantity of free e-books available. Most of them in PDF and EPUB format. No problem so far downloading and reading these e-books in the PRS-600.
4. The font sizes: My eyes are not young. I really appreciate being able to increase the font size as needed.
What I don't like:
1. Sony PC software is not user friendly. I'm using Calibre as a primary library management tool, and it's pretty cool. With Calibre this has become a non-issue.
What I would like to see:
2. Full support (books and dictionary) for e-books in Spanish.
3. A lot of competition so that the devices get better, cheaper and the number of titles expands dramatically.
Some additional comments:
1. The screen glare: Again, I must stress that this is really a non-issue for me. My suggestion to potential buyers is to compare and balance the flexibility you get with the touch screen vs. the glare and clarity. After using the device I think it is a nice tradeoff.
In summary, I'm very satisfied with this device and look forward to the future developments in the e-reader market. My final suggestion to potential buyers is to go and test the devices and buy what fits your needs and preferences.
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This review is from: Sony Digital Reader Touch Edition - Black (PRS600BC)
This neat little device with absolutely horrid Sony software was frustrating to use until from other reviewers I heard of the freeware "Calibre" program. A night & day difference. Both eBooks and even MP3 music tracks will re-start where you left off... great if you listen to long opera or audiobook tracks from your SD card. I had first bought the smaller PRS-300 but was shocked it could not search text, but the $100 upgrade to the PRS-600 adds music and a host of useful "human-friendly" functions such as writing a comment or note on a book page... doodlers will love that.
The only real plus for the smaller PRS-300 is that it has slightly better contrast, thanks to lacking a touch screen.
Though you can store photos on the Touch model, you can only view them in very dull B&W... there simply isn't enough contrast, unless you photoshop the photo to look less bad on the Sony screen. I do feel, though, that the picture capability could come in handy if you only store contrasty maps, diagrams, or other NON-photographic images or scans.
Disclaimer: I bought the Sony knowing I'd never pay to download an eBook. Instead, thanks to Gutenberg and Calibre I can build a portable library of time-tested classics for free. That's priceless!
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This review is from: Sony Digital Reader Touch Edition - Black (PRS600BC)
I have been using a PRS-505 since Jan 09 and I loved it. My wife has wanted a reader as well so I figured I'd give her mine (mint condition) and upgrade. I really like the 600, it boasts a lot of new features that were missing from my 505. The built in dictionary is very handy and saves me time from having to look up words from time to time. Simply double tap a word and there's your definition. The new design is very sexy and I like the feel of the matte finish on the back of the device.
Pros:
The touchscreen is pretty handy and rather responsive. A quick swipe to the left or right changes the page for you. I find it to be more convenient, but there is still a button page turn, if that's what you prefer.
The interface is pretty nice. You can view your library by title or by cover art. Included in the right spine is a stylus. With this you can draw notes on pages or you can freehand drawings in a separate application (you can also use your finger for this).
The internal memory has been bumped up a 100mbs to 350, and I believe you now store 250 books internally. The device also has two slots for external memory (SD card and Sony's Memory Stick Pro Duo).
There is a built in MP3 player, but I have yet to use this feature on my old 505 or my current 600
Added also is a search feature which you can use with the on-screen keyboard.
CONS:
Readability is slightly hindered due to the extra layer for the touchscreen. Its not dramatic, but my 505 is noticeably more legible in most lighting conditions. Also due to the touchscreen, the screen is much more reflective and gives off a glare when held in certain positions.
It's bit heavier than my 505. But honestly I don't consider this a con really. I like my devices to feel like they cost a bit of money. If it were too light I think it would feel cheap.
I have the black unit and its a slight fingerprint magnet on the front. Now some may disagree, but I like it to look flawless at all time and I can notice them. Nothing a soft cloth can't fix.
All and all I'm glad I upgraded. It's a lovely reader and I like having something different than all those Kindle users out there. I'm very pleased.
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This review is from: Sony Digital Reader Touch Edition - Black (PRS600BC)
I have tested both the Sony and the Kindle. Here are some pros and cons for the Sony.
Pros:
- #1 Pro - Native support for PDF/DOC files and NO FEE to upload those types of documents to the device, unlike the Kindle which charges a fee for converting documents. This means you can download books or other documents you'd like to read without the hastle of converting them (or paying for them).
- Easy to use. The touch screen is a definite plus! Plays music, displays pictures.
- Battery lasts a long time. I've run it for a week and barely got it down to 2 bars. Charges quickly.
- Books download super quick.
- Mine came with a protective case. It is a neoprene case that works very nicely. I ordered another case at the same time and wish I hadn't, but I'm sure I'll wear this one out.
- Smaller than a Kindle ... about the same weight ... easy to hold, but to be honest, the B&N Nook was more comfortable than any other.
Cons:
- The words aren't as crystal clear as the Kindle (probably because of the touch screen layer), but still easy to ready. Anyone who hasn't used a Kindle probably won't notice.
- No 3G connection, but not a problem as long as you're near a computer to load stuff.
- The Sony Store application is good, but not many free books that I could find there. That's not that big of a deal. But the part of the application for loading files is a little clumbsy. Easy to use but could be improved.
I would recommend the Sony if you plan to load a lot of PDF/WORD/TXT files. You'll save money and hastle over the Kindle. BUT if you plan to just read a lot of books you'll buy, I'd recommend the Kindle or the B&N Nook. Hope this helps.
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This review is from: Sony Digital Reader Touch Edition - Black (PRS600BC)
I've owned this reader for around 3 months and while it works, I am very, very bothered with its usability, which is atrocious. I have read numerous professional reviews and everyone focuses on how well you can read the screen. Important to be sure, but since there are several alternatives the usability is equally important. Since its not a book, you have to constantly deal with the following usability issues:
First, it has a built-in dictionary. That's awesome. Double tap a word to bring up the definition. Great. What happens when it doesn't know the word? More importantly, when its clearly an adverb or adjective form of a word. It tells you "no definition found" and that's it. You get no option to edit the word so you can look up the root word. If it DOES know the definition, you are given the option to edit the looked-up word to get a new definition. For example. It doesn't know the word "sonorously". It would be nice if then allowed you to edit the search term because you as a human can clearly see "sonorous" is the root word. No, you're forced to look up a word it does know, only so you can tediously erase it and type in the root word you're looking for. And trust me, you want to do as little typing on this as possible. Purely awful.
Second, you can't read a book while its charging! They say it keeps a charge for 10 days. My experience is that it lasts 10 days whether you use it or not. Very frustrating to not read for 2 weeks, go to lunch with your book and find out its out of battery when you knew it was half full last time you used it. Oh, and if you have a charger (it's just USB), you can't charge it and read it. Actually what's worse, is if you hook the INCORRECT USB charger into it, it won't charge BUT it thoughtfully tells you its hooked up to USB, giving you no options to read a book nor any indication that it isn't charging, providing you with the illusion that its charging. Thanks. I though we had realized all chargeable devices should be usable while charging. Even my crappy cheap phone does this! Edit: I've been told the button that is labeled "Power" that I used to turn it off does not actually turn the device off, but instead puts it to sleep, so the battery may last longer. Holding the power button for a few seconds turns it off apparently. Consider the usability on a button that is labeled by what I would call its secondary function.
Third, navigating to books is tedious if you have a large library. You get a list of books `by author', `by title', and `by date', but it still lists all books. By author is not, select the author then the book. Its just raw sorting. The slow page turning of e-ink isn't really a problem when reading a book, but when trying to go through a long menu, its irritating. Now, they have a `collections' mechanism akin to a playlist on an iPod. But I don't want to predefine collections just for navigating.
Fourth, not setup for reading more than one book at a time. Who would do such a thing? Oh, I dunno, someone who buys a technical book to read at work, but reads a fictional novel during lunch. Yes, you can do this, but see my previous issue. The simple addition of maybe 4 `most recently read' books would solve this.
Fifth, the font sizes are inconsistent/less useful. You get small, medium, large, extra large, and extra extra large. There's really two issues here: First, the size of small in one book is not the same size of small in another book. And the granularity is horrible. I find myself wanting something between small and medium or between medium and large. Extra large and extra extra large are just plain ridiculous and I can only assume were included for legally blind people. XXL gets 10 lines per page. As I said, the slow page turning isn't bad, but is a little distracting and you want to limit it. 10 lines means your spending half your time waiting on page turns. I'd rather have more options of the smaller sizes.
Sixth, the margin isn't configurable. It wastes a half inch all around for a margin. The e-ink goes all the way to edges (you can see this in menus and the dictionary), but not in the books. I'd like to configure this as to me, the 3/4 inch edge of the device itself is a margin.
Seventh, the Sony Store is about what I expected from a 1998 website. Its very difficult to find what you want. You can't narrow a search to an author or book title. When you type in an author's name, you get many matches of books not written by that author. I'm not sure if they did the prologue, left a review, or are in the same style, but its not the author. Oh, and the author you searched for isn't always listed at the top, so if you get 5 pages of matches, you really have to search them all. Oh, and there's no sorting by author (but there is by title).
Eighth, the reader software (that you use on your desktop to load books) is also what I expect from 1998. It looks like an iTunes rip-off with a tree on left showing books, audio, pictures, etc, and a list on the right. It's ugly, boring, slow, buggy, it crashes, it locks up ... (the recent 3.1 update may have fixed some of the bugs, but none of the usability). Specifics: it lacks many of the same features of the reader with respect to listing books. There is extra info about a book (like the file name) that you can only obtain by reading the book, then hitting the info button. Its not an option when listing all books. Also, once you start reading a book, its not obvious how to stop reading it. You'd think just hitting `books' on the left would do it. Nope, you're in `reading mode'. You have to hit a `list' or `grid' view button. There is a `play' button to put you into read mode, but its at the bottom. The list and grid views are at the top. So they don't seem to correlate, but in fact, they do. And since you bought the reader device, you probably won't read much via the software and will find yourself forgetting how to get out of read mode.
Ninth, things like the option menu. When reading a book you can hit a hard Options button to do things like change the books orientation (landscape or portrait, not hetero/homo). This amazing menu is 6 items long with a `more' button. The more button displays a whopping 3 more items. Why not just show all 9 items at once! There's plenty of room! Now consider the slowness of e-ink. That's the type of usability issues that are littered throughout this device.
Tenth, the whole touch thing. I'm not against touch interfaces if implemented properly. You can just swipe your finger to change the page. Well, maybe 30% of the time. It doesn't always work. Maybe my fingers aren't sized properly or somehow I haven't mastered how to `swipe' (funny my iPod touch has no such problem). I have to use my fingernail to get it to work reliably (simulating the stylus that I don't want to pull out to change pages). Also, I did a swipe vertically from the bottom to the top and it interpreted that as a page turn. Huh? You might think, "why would do such a thing?" And I'd reply, "the screen gets dusty despite having it in a case. I'm swiping dust off of it in a manner that is clearly not a page turn gesture so it won't turn the page". Then there's the double tap a word to look it up. Usually this works, but sometimes it selects a word that is literally inches from where I tapped.
Lastly, their technical support is friendly, but pretty unhelpful. Why would I need technical support for a book? Well, this one book I bought (from their own store) has numerous pages that show only "Protected Page!" (instead of the actual page). It does this on the reader and in the desktop software. They wanted to lead me down the obvious paths (which I told them first off that I had tried) but in the end were unable to resolve my issue and I've got a book that I can't read and locks up my reader if I try (did I mention that?). That and I hate to say this, but I could barely understand their accents. I tried to do it over e-mail, but this problem was too difficult for that according to them.
Oh, one last thing to consider: if you have to reset the device (I have had to do so at least 3 times), you lose your bookmarks. Kinda really irritating.
In this day of iPhones, the usability on this should be better. And hopefully, someone at Sony will read my review and resolve these issues with a Firmware update. I certainly won't buy the next model if they fix them but require a new purchase.
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This review is from: Sony Digital Reader Touch Edition - Black (PRS600BC)
I recieved the Sony Reader Touch Edition as a birthday present from my husband. He had noticed that I was in need of a better way to carry around my heavy books to and from work. Lugging around heavy hardcover books on a commute that was 2 hours long was starting to become a huge problem. Out shopping one day, hubby decided to pick up this little beauty. I was planning on buying the PRS 505 but he saw how I was eyeing the Touch Edition. The only issue that made us both stop to think about purchasing the Touch Edition was the PRICE! But I left the store with the Touch and a huge smile on my face.
What I like:
The expandable memory - I can carry 100s of books and documents on the huge collection of SD cards I have laying around the house. The design - lightweight, sleek. Large, clear display with a responsive touch screen. Extras: the mp3 player, photo viewer and a stylus come in very handy. MP3: for when I'm in a crowded area and need to listen to something other than chatter while reading. Photos: just to view photos on a whim. And the stylus for writing on pages, highlighting and double tapping small text. Features: the built in dictionary - I have used it more than once on one book alone! The adjustable font size: some days my eyes need larger text and with the Touch its a button push away. The note taking function - either on the pages or as a seperate document. The ability to dog ear pages. The internal memory is wonderful. A fast responding touch screen which makes page turning natural and such a breeze. The easy to navigate menus. I can go on and on.
What I don't like: other than the price, I do have an issue with the lack of managing my books on the devce itself. If I want to create a new collection and/or move a book, I have to plug in the USB cord and manage everything in the eBook Library Program. It's not too much of a hassle but would have been nice to be able to make such addjustments.
Bottom Line: Love it!: I have a much easier (and greener!) way to enjoy my books!
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