Hi everyone.

Just got my eReader after utilizing the $50 Sony Card deal. I installed the Connect software and updated the eReader firmware. I had also bought the $10 Silk Pagoda .lrf DVD.

I imported a bunch of books to Connect and and bought some stuff from the Connect store using my $50 credit. I then stole one of my wife's 2gig SD cards and put a bunch of music and picture on the reader. All said and done, I've:
- listened to a bunch of albums (great-sounding player on this thing)
- put about 100 books on the reader and read about 100 pages of one
- changed the orientation to horizontal and started a slideshow
- etc.

All for about $65. Can't complain about that.

The best part is that I've done this all without looking at a manual, having anything crash or finding anything to complain about. I was also concerned that reading on the thing would seem weird in the beginning, but I've been surprised by how "natural" it seems in the early going.

In the initial going, I'd have to say "great job, Sony". I was concerned with Sony's rep for buggy, poorly desinged software, but Connect seems pretty good (I run XP SP2). We'll see how it holds up as I build the library (I've got, for example, about 100 gigs of music).

Now, if we could just get a simple, foolproof way to resize and reflow A4 PDFs and easily create .lrf files from RSS feeds...we'd be in good shape. The existing solutions seems tricky and far from guaranteed... Get on it, Sony!

Welcome to MobileRead Hio11.

Yes, the Sony is that easy to use. It does work very well. I've had mine since sometime April and I love it. It goes everywhere with me (jutst about) and while I still do read dead tree editions of books, I read a lot more electronically then I though possible. If you have any questions or issue, feel free to ask. Someone will be about to try to help you out.

What a refreshing change to read a post from someone who's HAPPY :). Welcome to the board!

To tell the truth, if I were working now , I would have bought one last night and registered for the $150 worth of ebooks and the $50 of classics. The device is beautiful and when in the dock, reminds me of something out of Star Treck TNG,
the desk readers they use. The Cybook and the Iliad are intriguing, but I know I could end up waiting forever for the next new.... etc. Besides I think Sony is on to something with the keep it simple. Its a book reader, not a note taker etc. Its polished and slick. I RPG and this would be the first viable electronic character sheet :) I have always been a proponent of specialized devices , verses jack of all trades master of none. I'm about 90% sure the sony will be the one for me.
One key question, how is the pdf conversion for PDF book files?? I ask because some of the RPG's I play are available as PDF's and I have long wanted electronic versions of the gaming books. These are full books you can print your self or take to Kinko's and the finished product would look much like the real book except for paper and binding quality. :cool:

digicatz

One key question, how is the pdf conversion for PDF book files?? I ask because some of the RPG's I play are available as PDF's and I have long wanted electronic versions of the gaming books. These are full books you can print your self or take to Kinko's and the finished product would look much like the real book except for paper and binding quality. :cool:

digicatz
The PDF support out of the box for the Sony is poor. Your RPG PDF being graphics won't display well. You'd need to use one of the various PDF tools to split it into pieces to read that way. The RPG PDFs are scans of the book. Not too good on the SOny. The screen is too small. To be honest, unless you get the Haneln (sp?) v9, you won't find good PDF support. The iLiad is better with it's larger screen and higher res. But is it good enough?

For your RPG files, try printing them at reduced size to match the screen size of the device you're considering, and see if you still find them readable. I'm able to read most A4/Letter pages on my iLiad without pan/zoom (except to eliminate margins), but small text doesn't bother me. I personally wouldn't want a character sheet I couldn't make notes on, though. :shrug:

Hi everyone.

Just got my eReader after utilizing the $50 Sony Card deal. I installed the Connect software and updated the eReader firmware.


Do you have special obligations with the card or can you resiliate the agreement. Is there a duration in contract or fees at the end of the year or humongous credit rates?

Basically, I just want to know if there is a catch of some kind.

The PDF support out of the box for the Sony is poor. Your RPG PDF being graphics won't display well. You'd need to use one of the various PDF tools to split it into pieces to read that way. The RPG PDFs are scans of the book. Not too good on the SOny. The screen is too small. To be honest, unless you get the Haneln (sp?) v9, you won't find good PDF support. The iLiad is better with it's larger screen and higher res. But is it good enough?

Actually the PDF's are not scans, these are the files that they print from, if you print it and bind it it will look the same as a regular book except for how it is bound. A friend of mine ordered aq hardcover version of the book, iits pages are identical. I will try printing a page smaller and see. Is the Haneln v9 or the ILiad available in the tates to see in person? The Sony is quite polished. Also the Iliad is $699, how much is the Haneln v9, and what is the support like in the US? Also , I do read a lot as well. RPG' books would just be a bonus, though I would like to if feasable.

digicatz

The Haneln V9 is not yet out. Nor is there a real announce date yet. As for the iLiad, I do not know where you can play with out ahead of time. I've not seen or heard of one in a retail shop in the US.

However, you could try ripping the contents of those PDF and see what happens. I would suspect that you might need acrobat to do it so you keep the graphics and text styles. Then hopefully you can convert the result to something else that looks good on an e-ink reader.

For your RPG files, try printing them at reduced size to match the screen size of the device you're considering, and see if you still find them readable. I'm able to read most A4/Letter pages on my iLiad without pan/zoom (except to eliminate margins), but small text doesn't bother me. I personally wouldn't want a character sheet I couldn't make notes on, though. :shrug:

How much is the iLiad? And what is batterylie like? Also what format ebboks?

digicatz

How much is the iLiad? And what is batterylie like? Also what format ebboks?

digicatz
The iLiad is $699. Battery I think is 5-10 hours. And it has MobiPocket and Fictionbook available for it. So for DRM content, you'd buy MobiPocket formatted books. And it can handle PDF with pan/scan in case the full screen mode is not readable enough for you.

Do you have special obligations with the card or can you resiliate the agreement. Is there a duration in contract or fees at the end of the year or humongous credit rates?

Basically, I just want to know if there is a catch of some kind.No. No catch. It was very good deal but I think it's dead now.

FatWallet thread about it:
http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/messageview.php?catid=74&threadid=745156&highlight_key=y&keyword1=sony

The deal is still going on until January 2008, I believe, but you don't get the free $50 book credit.

I noticed today that CostCo, who to my knowledge, never carried the Sony Reader, has begun selling the model 500 for $249.99. No doubt that this availability and price are directly related to the arrival of the 505.

Does anyone have an opinion on the value of the enhancements of the 505, given the difference in price?

Thank you in advance.

The iLiad is $699. Battery I think is 5-10 hours. And it has MobiPocket and Fictionbook available for it. So for DRM content, you'd buy MobiPocket formatted books. And it can handle PDF with pan/scan in case the full screen mode is not readable enough for you.

If you're using it for reading you should get a good 10h battery life from it. The battery life decreases if you use things which draw extra power, such as WiFi or the touch screen.

If you're using it for reading you should get a good 10h battery life from it. The battery life decreases if you use things which draw extra power, such as WiFi or the touch screen.


Thank you for that info on battery life. If only it were not so expensive. I could justify up to $200. Also I would prefer to see it in person.

It's the 8" screen that makes it expensive. The vast majority of the cost of these devices (probably 80-90%) is the screen.