I'm about to order a PRS 500 with the help of a buddy in Florida (I'm in the UK).

I was in Seattle in March, in Borders, queued for ages only to be told they didn't have any in stock - I was not happy! - it's been quite a mission! Luckily I just found this forum.

So my question is - is the cradle worth getting? I assume I don't need it to use the reader?

many thanks!

Welcome!

You don't need the cradle; IMHO it's not worth it. It looks cool, but its functions - charging and USB connection - can just as easily be done with the cords that are already included with the reader. It's not like you'll need to spend much time charging the battery :)

I spend more time loading and deleting books than I spend charging. It is a nice addition to a desk that keeps a lot of cords out of the way. It is a perhaps want not a need.

Welcome and congratulations, fekg. :nice:

I'd say that lumi has the general gist of the matter: you don't really need the cradle to use any function of the Reader, but some do find it a convenience not to have to futz with getting everything plugged in correctly. The cradle does offer a very visible charge indicator light,as the clear plastic part is lit when it's charging, and is visible from several meters away even in a lit room.

I'd say the real answer to your question of should you get one, is probably the counter question of how much do you, personally, value those conveniences? :shrug:

Awesome! :)
Thanks for the warm welcome and speedy replies.

I think I'll probably go for the cradle for the convience factor more than anything.
Dang, I can't wait to get my hands on this thing!!!

I think you'll be happy with the cradle. It works with or without a cover on the Reader, and it really is a feel-good item. Personally, I love docks and cradles instead of plugging in wire connectors. I probably would only connect my Reader to the PC when absolutely necessary if I didn't have it. But with a cradle, it's simple and aesthetically pleasing.

And that white glow when it's charging is really cool! ;-)

As mentioned by the others, however, it is most certainly not necessary, and some people even prefer just to use the two wires (USB connector and the A/C adapter) anyway. A cradle really does need a permanent spot on your desktop!

If you're going for accessories, to my mind the #1 would be a leather case rather than the cradle. Not only does it provide much better protection for the Reader than the supplied vinyl cover, and look good too, but you can also get hours of pleasure from sniffing it :grin:.

No you do not need it.

Charging: Just plug the Reader to the charger once a month.

Uploading books: How quickly do you read? You connect the reader to the PC and upload 10 books. How soon do you need to replenish your reading material?

And if you buy an SD card and an external card reader you will not need to plug your Reder to the PC. Unless you decide that you like the Connect software, that is ...

If you want to spend some money, the best place is a good cover and/or case.

If you're going for accessories, to my mind the #1 would be a leather case rather than the cradle. Not only does it provide much better protection for the Reader than the supplied vinyl cover, and look good too, but you can also get hours of pleasure from sniffing it :grin:.

I am second to HarryT's POV.

Well. Maybe minus the sniffing part... :rolleyes5

Aw, sniffing the cover is half the point of having it! :laugh4:

Ahhh, the smell of leather ... I'm with HarryT and NatCh on this one :)

i like leather, ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

I don't argue against :) I just don't have the cover yet. When I get it....we will see :D

I don't have a cradle, but when I first bought the reader I thought it would be useful because I would be updating RSS feeds every day. I soon found out the RSS feature is implemented poorly and don't use it at all.

I have too many docks sitting on my desk already (laptop, palm, phone, ipod, camera) so adding another doesn't excite me.

I agree with getting the leather case-- although I wish it was a nice smooth leather instead of the sueded surface.