Sony officially unveils new Readers, drops price of e-books
The $299 PRS-600 has an improved touch screen.
(Credit: Sony)After enduring a couple of rumors and leaks that took the lid off its latest e-readers a little earlier than it would have liked, Sony's officially announced the two new models: the Reader Pocket Edition ($199) and Reader Touch Edition ($299), both of which will hit stores at the end of the month. The other big news is Sony is going to match Amazon's e-book pricing, making new releases and best seller titles $9.99 instead of $11.99.
As for specs, here's what you're looking at:
Reader Pocket Edition (PRS-300):
- 5-inch E-ink electronic paper display
- Comes in blue, rose, and silver
- Resolution: 800 x 600 pixels
- Gray scale: 8-levels gray scale
- 440MB of usable internal memory stores about 350 standard eBooks
- Three adjustable font sizes
- Sealed-in battery provides up to two weeks of reading on a single battery charge
- $199 MSRP
- Protective neoprene sleeve and USB cable included
- Files supported: Adobe PDF (with reflow capability), Microsoft Word, BBeB, EPUB
Reader Touch Edition (PRS-600):
- Touch-screen panel (navigate with your finger or the included stylus)
- Comes in red, black, and silver
- Resolution: 800 x 600 pixels
- Gray Scale: 8-levels gray scale
- Take handwritten notes with the stylus pen or type with the virtual keyboard
- Notes can be exported and printed out
- Onboard Oxford American English Dictionary allows you to look up a word by tapping on it (Amazon's Kindle has always had a built-in dictionary, but this is new to Sony Readers)
- Five adjustable font sizes
- 440MB of usable internal memory stores about 350 standard eBooks
- Sealed-in battery provides up to two weeks of reading on a single battery charge
- Expansion slots for both Memory Stick PRO Duo and SD cards
- $299 MSRP
- Protective case (similar to the PRS-700's) and USB cable included
- Files supported: Adobe PDF (with reflow capability), Microsoft Word, BBeB, EPUB
Sony has also updated its eBook Library software to version 3.0, and it's integrated into the device itself (similar to Flip Video camcorders) and includes support for both Windows PCs and "many" Macs. Owners of the PRS-505 and PRS-700 should take heart that in the near future Sony will provide a firmware upgrade to both those models that adds the new eBook Library software to your devices and makes them Mac compatible.
Because Sony has dumped more than 1 million free public domain books into its eBook store, it's no longer offering its 100 free classics bundle with the new devices. It's also worth mentioning that unlike the Kindle, Readers are compatible with the formats that local libraries are using for their digital collections.
If you wondering whether the touch screen on this model is any better than the PRS-700's, the answer according to Sony reps I spoke with, is yes. Apparently, the PRS-700's built-in sidelight added an extra "light" layer or gap that made the screen less responsive, hurt the contrast ratio (made the screen dimmer), and created some glare issues. Sony has eliminated that layer and the overall touch experience has allegedly improved and the letters on the screen are darker. Also, as a result of eliminating the sidelighting, the PRS-600 is slightly slimmer than the PRS-700 and two ounces lighter.
Sony says there will be no wireless option for these models; they are "tethered devices." But in speaking with reps, they did say that Sony was committed to bringing out a wireless device and while they didn't mention an exact time frame, it appeared to be soon, perhaps within weeks. So, if you're waiting for a wireless Reader, whatever form it takes (built-in Wi-Fi or cellular), you should probably hold out a bit longer.
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Hunkered down in New York City, Executive Editor David Carnoy covers the gamut of gadgets and writes his Fully Equipped column, which carries the tag line "The electronics you lust for." He's also the author of "Knife Music," a novel. E-mail David. Follow David on Twitter. 
DRM required to play books? yes or no. is this is serious review?
The Sony Readers seem to support protected PDF files that normally require Adobe Digital Editions on the computer. Many libraries are using this format to allow people to "check out" digital versions of books that cannot be printed and expire after a certain period of time.
Anyone else find it amusing how the new wave of touch screen ebook readers (samsung's especially with PIM functions and handwriting recognition) are quite reminiscent of Palm Pilots of old? Have we finally come full circle in tech development and ended back at the humble PDA?!! Maybe Palm should have held out a bit longer, forgotten about the Pre and rereleased the Palm Pilot or Palm III albeit with E-Ink displays?????
Maybe Apple's rumoured tablet will in fact be a rereleased e-ink Newton?!!!
I was just thinking that. Three hundred bucks for a screen that's about as comfortable to read as a ten year-old Palm? No, thanks.
>> that's about as comfortable to read as a ten year-old Palm?
>> No, thanks.
Clearly you don't own or have used an eInk device. I had a Palm 10 years ago and have a PR-505 now. There is a WORLD of difference between reading on the two displays. eInk is a significantly better book-like experience.
But you probably tell kids to get off your lawn too.
Other than the current book I'm reading, a few reference books, and books that I plan to read in the next month or so, I don't see a need to have my entire library on my e-book reader.
Oooh - you really told me!
Jackass.
Sony PRS600-SC Reader Touch Edition ($299) features a 6? E-Ink display with simple, easy-to-use TouchScreen navigation. Turn pages with the swipe of a finger and enjoy fast and intuitive navigation of your favorite books. Take freehand notes and highlight sections of text you want to revisit later, just as you would in a real book, using the included stylus. If you prefer, a virtual keyboard is also available for entering quick notes or searching your eBooks. If you want, you can even export your notes to your computer using the eBook Library software. 512MB of onboard memory is also included (like the PRS-300) and lets you carry up to 350 of your favorite books at a time.
Measuring just 0.4? thin and weighing less than 9 ounces, the Reader Touch Edition is thinner and more lightweight than almost any book, and even many magazines. The PRS-600 also features a built-in Oxford American English eDictionary, and intuitive eBook Library software for PC & Mac. And just like the PRS-300, it has 5 adjustable font sizes to customize your reading experience.
Display:
?Screen Size: Vizplex 6 inches
?Resolution: 800 x 600 pixels
?Gray Scale: 8-levels gray scale
Power:
?Battery Type: Rechargeable Lithium-Ion (battery: DC 3.7 V)
?AC Power: DC 5.2 V
?Battery Life (Approx): 7,500 (BBeB Book)
Media Formats Supported:
Unsecured Text: EPUB File (Non DRM/ Adobe DRM protected), BBeB Book (Non DRM/ PRS DRM protected), PDF file (Non DRM/ Adobe DRM protected) DRM Text: Text file, RTF file, Word file (unsecured), Unsecured Audio: MP3 (Non encrypted), AAC (Non encrypted) Image: JPEG, PNG, GIF, BMP
Supplied Accessories:
USB Cable
Unit Dimensions:
6.9? L x 4.8? W x 4? D, Weight: 10.1 oz.
I actually own the Kindle and the first Sony e-reader and frankly I rarely leave home with out one or the other. Are their gadgets out there that have more functionality? Of course. Is there a device that brings the feel of reading a good novel better than an e-ink device? I do not believe so.
I certainly understand that this is not a product for everyone nor should it be. I honestly feel if you are not the type of person that is always in the process of reading a book these devices are not aimed at you.
I use my reader while exercising on the treadmill as does my wife. Time really flies!
Several of my friends who used to be skeptics of these e-reader devices are converts now. I can't imagine carrying a stack of books on my vacation when I have my e-reader. I've read 103 books since I got my reader in March.
I really like the 505, but went with the 700 due to the integrated backlight since I read often in dim light. The glare on the 700 takes a few minutes to get adjusted to however...
Sure, people could replace their paperbooks with a netbook, but they don't and they don't for a reason, because its a real chore to read on a netbook,ipod, laptop, etc. vs. a real book.
This device is for the avid reader of paper books, and frankly, it does an OK job....allthough they could improve it. It absolutely does need a light built in - thats an obvious win over a real book, and secondly -- translators built in, like the ectaco has, are a good idea....unfortunately the ectaco jetbook falls down in other ways, but the translator is real handy for reading foreign books.
Second - buying a netbook is throwing your money away. I cannot do any work on a 10-11 inch screen with very limited computing power. You are better off checking your emails and surfing the net on your mobile phone than on a netbook.
Third- the readers are one of the few things with real use, i.e. read books. Unfortunatelly some companies do listen to people like you and try adding unnecessary things to them, which ARE of no real use. Who needs internet browsing on a reader?!? I have 2 laptops, desktop, 2 smart phones - -why would I need my reader to be able to browse the internet or play videos? Have you watched a movie on a 50" TV? Now compare this to a 5" reader screen...Yeah...
Bottom line:
You want to watch movies - buy a TV, it offers the best experience.
Want mobile computing - buy a laptop, it offers the best experience.
Want a cellphone - buy a cellphone.
Want a reader - buy a reader.
These things will succeed only as e-readers when they can read almost any format, download/exchange wirelessly, and hold an individual's entire library (which can mean thousands, not hundreds, of books). Buyer's also know that storage is getting cheaper and cheaper over time so not offering HUGE capacity even if it's never fully used is silly. Think everyone's that trading up on iPods and other MP3 players have reached their storage limits - not! People trade up for features, which is also something these readers don't offer.
I can't see many people adding these to the gadget collection if it doesn't offer substantial advantages which they simply don't (Sony or any other maker).
When I see some prospect of the purchase of a reader actually saving me some money, I might consider it. Until then, thanks but no thanks.
Which one is better? Anybody know.......
1. A soft screen that rolls out of a scroll in increments so that I can chose a small reading screen for paperback sized books or larger for newspapers, magazines or larger books.
2. Full color (I know lots of books have zero pictures, but I want to also be able to subscribe to magazines and news.)
3. Plays movies (I can compromise on that one though I think it would be handy for reading news that has a vid attached like you can sometimes find at Huffington Post and other news sources.)
4. Reader software can read all formats available, no exceptions. I find Amazon's software too Orwellian.
5. An option to rent a book for a month as opposed to paying the full price to own it forever. I don't know about ya'll but I tend to read books once and then put them away. I wouldn't mind paying say, one or two bucks to rent a new release for two weeks.
6. An option to buy a hard copy of the book using credits from the e-purchase by allowing them to lock and erase your e-copy. So say you paid $9 for an e-copy of a book and decided you wanted to add it to your hard copy library. The bookseller you purchased from could offer $4 or 5 off your hard copy purchase as long as it was allowed to remove the book from your reader.
7. A feature that allows you to loan or sell e-books. It should be easy for the publsher to install a feature where they get a *small* percentage of the purchase price when you transfer the book to another reader. They could call it a transfer charge or something. I could work like Amazon's used book selling feature only be run through the publishers of the books. So if you bought a Tor book you'd go to their site to proctor the transfer from one reader to another thus allowing a small profit for the author and publisher that they *never* would have gotten from the sale of a used hard copy of a book.
I know I'll probably be waiting until the grave covers me over to see most of this, but being who I am I won't settle for having less control over my purchases than I have now.
Rose
I'll comment on your requirements:
1. The Readius (http://www.readius.com/) is the only reader I know of with a folding screen but they seem to have financing problems with the weak economy so they haven't been able to bring it to market. Readius is more like a Kindle in that it has wireless access which you can use to access news feeds. But Readius is pocket-friendly and extremely light weight. If Readius had a web browser and worked as a mobile phone, I would buy it in a heart-beat (even though it's likely to be $500-600 USD).
2. Like you say, full color and large size will be necessary for ERs to replace magazines, newspapers, and textbooks. It won't have to be folding, but that would be a very nice feature. Large full-color folding screens (size of a magazine page) are several years away, and they'll cost an arm and a leg. But when this happens and they are affordable, I give the printing industry 15 years until it's a niche service. It will be analogous to calculators replacing the slide-rule or computerized accounting replacing paper accounting. When you can carry hundreds of magazines, textbooks, newspapers, and/or blogs in your pocket, and comfortably read them, the printed word's only defense is price and in the gadget world that's a very thin shield. The line between blog and newspaper will disappear and only the quality of the journalism will distinguish different news publishers. News articles will be published as they are finished instead of forcing their delivery in bulk.
But the current ERs are already superior substitutes for paper novels, and I bet you'll agree once you try one. :)
3. Eh, this is a long way off and isn't necessary to replace all current printed media.
4. This is already available for free using the fabulous calibre (http://calibre.kovidgoyal.net/) program. Don't be fooled by the stark web site. It is easy to use software and transcodes between all the major e-book formats:
Input Formats: CBZ, CBR, CBC, EPUB, FB2, HTML, LIT, MOBI, ODT, PDF, PRC**, PDB, PML, RB, RTF, TXT
Output Formats: EPUB, FB2, OEB, LIT, LRF, MOBI, PDB, PML, RB, PDF, TXT
5, 6, 7. In theory these capabilities would be nice, but they are impossible to enforce without the DRM hindering legitimate users much more than it would hinder pirates. The honor system is the only sensible approach - it's obvious even to the average consumer that if no one buys books then authors won't write them. But since competition will drive ebook prices down astonishingly low as more people convert, it won't be necessary.
The e-rental concept is more relevant to other media like TV, movies, and songs. Books are way too easy to pirate because they're so small. Someone still cursed with dialup can download all the Harry Potter ebooks in a matter of minutes. Ironically, that someone couldn't even compensate JK Rowling if they wanted to because she has forbidden legitimate e-publishing of her books. Humans can be amazingly and stubbornly obtuse even when it's to their own detriment.
I'll add a couple requirements which caused me to take back the PRS-505 and wait for something else:
1. Light weight. This is the most important factor for recreational reading when I hold up the book for long periods of time with one hand. The PRS-505 is just a tad too heavy. The Cool-ER is lighter, but reviews on the buttons say they're very stiff and that would get very tedious.
2. Pocket size. This is the second most important factor. How am I supposed to carry around the PRS-505 when I prefer to not carry a bag or backpack? Pockets are key for taking the thing to places where I have to wait for some reason, i.e. in line, at a doctor's office, commuting, etc.
- by LtChambers August 19, 2009 7:18 PM PDT
- One thing that bugs the hell out of me is almost every ER review I've seen places a heavy emphasis on that vendor's ebook store - as if that mattered! It's exactly analogous to a review of a portable CD player talking about the vendor's site for selling CDs. It makes no sense. You can buy ebooks or CDs from a variety of competing stores, and multi-platform, vendor-agnostic ebook library programs like calibre make organizing your collection a breeze. And if some author is stupid enough to not offer their books in electronic form, have no qualms at all about pirating it: think of it as a $10 fine for being a *********.
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