So I've pretty much decided that I'll be getting two readers - a large work one (waiting to see how the Plastic Logic one looks), and a smaller personal ePub reader for reading fiction.

For the smaller one, the world has gotten more complicated recently. The two main contendors have just released 5" readers (Cybook Opus and Sony 300.) Intuitively, I think I'd prefer the larger size of a 6". But from what I'm reading, the relationship between size and readability isn't so obvious. (E.g., I read comments that the Opus may be as easy to read as the Kindle 2 in practice.) Unfortunately, it looks like my ideal reader would have been the Sony 505, which is now discontinued.

Does anyone have any thoughts to offer on the 5" vs 6" topic?

If you have good eyesight and can read a smallish font, I'd recommend the 5" as it's more portable.

I have to crank up my font to the largest setting all the time, so 6" fits more text on a screen for me.

I'd like to second Doreen. Depending on your preferred font size, you might be happier with a 6". The Booken Opus looks very nice, ergonomics-wise. Ideal for holding one-handed. Apart from the sony 300 and Opus, there's also the Hanlin V5 (Astak pocket Pro or Bebook mini). Besides, I could find a number of sony 505's on ebay, and there might still be some to find in shops as well - I wouldn't give up just yet. It's a nice device, espcially with the PRSCustumizer hack and calibre library application.

I'm now a "convert" to 5" devices; they are an excellent compromise between size and portability. The Opus is excellent.

Should you get a 5 or 6 inch device?

My answer would be YES!

Actually, I have read on both... and the 5inch one isn't really that much smaller than the 6inch.

Here is what I would suggest... if you are going to keep it at home, on the side table then get the 6inch...

...if you are going to expect to take it with you every where you go, then get the 5inch.... the smaller size will make it easier to carry around and also I think the smaller size will make it a bit more durable and not as subject to twisting pressure that could break the screen.

Now the only question is which 6 or 5 inch device to get... yea, you thought this would be easy?

BOb

I have 2 of the 6-inch devices; I set my Kindle on the #2 font, which is one size smaller than their default. The Sony I set on the smallest font and I could be happy with a slightly smaller font. That tells me that a 5-inch would be fine, and I've been hoping to get one this summer. It dawns on me that summer is almost over, so I'm hoping to figure out which one I want fairly soon. I'm also hoping that the prices are more reasonable when several of them hit the market.

I'm actually wondering the same, should I get a 5" (BeBook Mini) or a 6" (Sony 600) (or others...)

So far, I'm leaning on both... I like the small size of the 5" (I'm used to a 3.8" screen and I have that 7" screen too) but I like the touchscreen of the Sony 600...

I'm actually wondering the same, should I get a 5" (BeBook Mini) or a 6" (Sony 600) (or others...)

So far, I'm leaning on both... I like the small size of the 5" (I'm used to a 3.8" screen and I have that 7" screen too) but I like the touchscreen of the Sony 600...
The "lessons" I have learned so far, is to go for slightly more rather than less. I would say that the main feature of the 5" devices in comparison with the 6" is portability. If you don't need that extra portability, go for a 6" device. The touch screen and the dictionary lookup of the sony 600 seems to be the most important features. If they are important to you, go for the 600.

6". More text per page.

1" doesn't make much difference in portabilty. Neither size is going to fit in your pocket, and that diagonal inch doesn't make much difference for something that's going in a purse, bookbag, briefcase etc. when carried around anyway.

Now the only question is which 6 or 5 inch device to get... yea, you thought this would be easy?

Ha ha, tell me about it!

Thanks for all the input, folks. Yes, I don't really care about the extra portability of the 5", and it sounds like the extra screen real estate of the 6" is important for avoiding micro-type (which is important to anyone who has left their 30's behind, trust me.)

The trouble is that the most interesting new devices (the Opus and the 300) both went with the 5" format, giving less choice in 6" readers. I'd even consider the Iliad, but can't stomach the price.

Hmmm...

The trouble is that the most interesting new devices (the Opus and the 300) both went with the 5" format, giving less choice in 6" readers. This is because 5" screens are newly available. There should be new 6" (and larger) devices introduced before Christmas. The next "new" thing is probably going to be 3G/wifi (trying to replicate Amazon's success). If you don't want 3G, these devices will probably still be a step up on most current designs.

The 5" readers might offer more portability for a woman (perhaps the 6" won't fit in her purse but the 5"will), but for a man what difference does it make? Anything more than 4.2-4.3" with no edges around the screen will not fit into your pants pocket. And if you have a briefcase then both will fit easily.

And for reading I can imagine that the slightly bigger size is more comfortable. So the only issue might be price, though the difference is not much.

The 5" readers might offer more portability for a woman (perhaps the 6" won't fit in her purse but the 5"will), but for a man what difference does it make? Anything more than 4.2-4.3" with no edges around the screen will not fit into your pants pocket. And if you have a briefcase then both will fit easily.

And for reading I can imagine that the slightly bigger size is more comfortable. So the only issue might be price, though the difference is not much.

Actually, I find that the Jetbook (with a 5" screen) will fit in the front pocket of my jeans (Admittedly loose fit), and I think they would also fit in the front pocket of my Khakis (I don't wear them that much).

--
Bill

I was leaning to the Sony 600. After seeing the screen cloudiness, I'm leaning to the BeBook Mini (Astak). I personally wouldn't buy 2 readers at the same time with the technology maturing so fast.

As to the size differential, 6" models have 1" diagonal of marginalia by default. Blank space, progress bar, book title, battery indicator. Not only is the effective reading area 5", but it has correspondingly lower resolution. You can remove this margin on most models (Sony)... but not on Kindle (which I have). With 5" devices, on the other hand, the body of text goes nearly edge to edge by default.

Probably this partly explains why some people say the screen size difference seems small. I'm new and I'm judging a lot by online pics so please correct me if I'm off base on this.

Actually, I find that the Jetbook (with a 5" screen) will fit in the front pocket of my jeans (Admittedly loose fit), and I think they would also fit in the front pocket of my Khakis (I don't wear them that much).

--
Bill

You sure have deep pockets! :rofl:

Neither size is going to fit in your pocket,

Not so. My jetBook actually fits into my shirt pocket. Not that I would carry it there, but that shows that it certainly is pocketable.

The 5" readers might offer more portability for a woman (perhaps the 6" won't fit in her purse but the 5"will), but for a man what difference does it make? Anything more than 4.2-4.3" with no edges around the screen will not fit into your pants pocket. And if you have a briefcase then both will fit easily.

And for reading I can imagine that the slightly bigger size is more comfortable. So the only issue might be price, though the difference is not much.

I don't have a purse, neither will I ever have a purse. I have a nice big backpack.

The "lessons" I have learned so far, is to go for slightly more rather than less. I would say that the main feature of the 5" devices in comparison with the 6" is portability. If you don't need that extra portability, go for a 6" device. The touch screen and the dictionary lookup of the sony 600 seems to be the most important features. If they are important to you, go for the 600.

And that's why I can't decide. I want a portable reader, to replace my PDA as main reader. I'll be using the 7" JE100 in bed (backlight!) but it's not usable outside. And I mark mistakes on my book (to be updated in the source file later) while reading (which is why I want that touchscreen).

What I'm really looking for (but doubt I'll ever find) is a model like the Sony 600, with touchscreen and a 5" screen. I'll probably end up buying two readers :D

1" doesn't make much difference in portabilty. Neither size is going to fit in your pocket, and that diagonal inch doesn't make much difference for something that's going in a purse, bookbag, briefcase etc. when carried around anyway.

If I see this picture:

http://www.mybebook.com/images/newsitempics/bbm1.jpg

I think the 1" smaller does give a lot of size difference in model size.

The 5" readers might offer more portability for a woman (perhaps the 6" won't fit in her purse but the 5"will), but for a man what difference does it make? Anything more than 4.2-4.3" with no edges around the screen will not fit into your pants pocket. And if you have a briefcase then both will fit easily.

And for reading I can imagine that the slightly bigger size is more comfortable. So the only issue might be price, though the difference is not much.

The main issue I find with the 5" CyBook Opus, compared with the 6" Gen3, is that the Opus can comfortably be used one-handed, whereas the Gen3 cannot. I really do prefer the Opus.

I'd say 5" would be a better deal for many people. Trying to be a typography snob with these things is futile anyway...whether you have a 9" or a 6" or a 5" screen, it's really not possible to have beautiful books on them. So while a 6" will be marginally superior to 5" in terms of display, they're both poor enough that it doesn't matter. Get the one you're most likely to take with you...and for most people, that tends to be the smaller version.

I may not be your typical bloke, but I wear a jacket every day. Not a suit jacket, but a blazer/sportcoat. I cut a stiff board into the exact dimensions of a PEZ and it fit very nice into my inside pocket of my blazer. And on the off chance that one of my inside blazer pockets be too narrow, then the outer pockets will surely hold one.

i've been hooked with my 5 inch jetBook so far.

anything bigger and i cant fit it into my blazer pocket!

Not so. My jetBook actually fits into my shirt pocket. Not that I would carry it there, but that shows that it certainly is pocketable.

Well, I guess I should have been more specifically and said "neither is going to fit comfortably in typical pockets."

i.e. neither is going to be like a small cell phone you can lug around in your pocket with no worries and forget it's even there until it rings--unless you're wearing huge cargo pants or a jacket/blazer with giant pockets or something. :D

Personally, 99% of my Kindle use has been in bed, so the portability issue is pretty moot for me. So I'd go toward a bigger screen, since I seldom take mine out of the house anyway--and if I do it's on a flight and I have my briefcase/laptop case I can put it in.

But I guess that diagonal inch could matter more to people who take their e-reader everywhere and don't always have big purse or briefcase or bookbag with them to carry it in.

The main issue I find with the 5" CyBook Opus, compared with the 6" Gen3, is that the Opus can comfortably be used one-handed, whereas the Gen3 cannot. I really do prefer the Opus.

I was really hoping to purchase a 6 or 7-inch screen model but there are no good options right now in the US. I do want something portable and not just to read at home but am concerned the 5-inch screens are too small. I am also concerned the touch screen technology still has a ways to go. Since you own both a 5 and 6 inch model, is there really not that much difference in reading on the smaller screen? :chinscratch:

I was really hoping to purchase a 6 or 7-inch screen model but there are no good options right now in the US.


I guess that depends on your definition of good. You can probably find some good deals on new left over stock of Sony 505's... there is also the EZ Reader which many people seem to like.

I have read on a 5inch (Jetbook) and the screen really isn't that much of an issue if you are basically reading text.

BOb

I guess that depends on your definition of good. You can probably find some good deals on new left over stock of Sony 505's... there is also the EZ Reader which many people seem to like.

I have read on a 5inch (Jetbook) and the screen really isn't that much of an issue if you are basically reading text.

BOb

I do mostly read just text. I've looked at the EZ Reader but in following the Aztak forum, it sounds like their Mentor series is due out soon. The EZ Reader has been out for a while and I'd rather buy into the newer technology. I am sorely tempted to go buy a Sony PRS-505 before they disappear. The EZ Reader only has 4 gray scale levels and it seems like the newer models coming out have 8 or 16. I was hoping to buy a device and keep it for a few years before replacing it, but considering the e-reader devices are really still in their infancy, that might not be realistic. Guess I will keep reading this forum and ponder this for a bit more. :chinscratch:

Since you own both a 5 and 6 inch model, is there really not that much difference in reading on the smaller screen? :chinscratch:

Very little. The screens are the same resolution (600x800), so the 5" has a higher pixel density, which makes the text clearer and sharper than the 6". I find that it's comfortable to have the same amount of text on the 5" screen as on the 6".

I have had 6 in. screen readers and recently bought the Opus. I really like the Opus and have no problems with the screen being a bit smaller. And I am someone who doesn't like really small fonts but not huge either but I still manage to to have on average over 100 words on the page of the Opus. I love that its only 5.3 ounces. Crisper screen than the kindle 2 I had also. For me personally when reading a paperbook my preference is always mass market paperbacks because I like the smaller size and lighter weight . I hate to read hardbacks . It also has pretty decent ergonomics which are important to me as well. I am tempted by the Sony 600 though but I don't know if I want to give up a crisper screen.

One of the reasons I preferred my Sony PRS-505 over the original Kindle is that it will fit in my favourite shirt pockets --- the original Travelsmith design --- if anyone knows of an alternative (the re-design has smaller pockets), I'd be very interested.

William

One of the reasons I preferred my Sony PRS-505 over the original Kindle is that it will fit in my favourite shirt pockets --- the original Travelsmith design --- if anyone knows of an alternative (the re-design has smaller pockets), I'd be very interested.

PRS-300?

One of the reasons I preferred my Sony PRS-505 over the original Kindle is that it will fit in my favourite shirt pockets --- the original Travelsmith design --- if anyone knows of an alternative (the re-design has smaller pockets), I'd be very interested.

William

PRS-300?

I think he was referring to an alternative on shirts... Unless the PRS-300 is also a new clothing line for Sony :)

The 5" readers might offer more portability for a woman (perhaps the 6" won't fit in her purse but the 5"will), but for a man what difference does it make? Anything more than 4.2-4.3" with no edges around the screen will not fit into your pants pocket. And if you have a briefcase then both will fit easily.

I beg to differ. I have a brand-new 5" 300 (and a 6" 505), and the 300 fits nicely into my front pocket (jeans or dress pants), even with the included foam pouch. (The folding cover will be smaller.) And the 300 is a bit thicker and definitely sturdier than the 505 (smaller screen, same frame size), so I'm not afraid to pocket it.

Thanks for all the input, folks. Yes, I don't really care about the extra portability of the 5", and it sounds like the extra screen real estate of the 6" is important for avoiding micro-type (which is important to anyone who has left their 30's behind, trust me.)

The trouble is that the most interesting new devices (the Opus and the 300) both went with the 5" format, giving less choice in 6" readers. I'd even consider the Iliad, but can't stomach the price.

The text sizes are identical on the Sony 300 and 505. The 300 displays almost exactly 2/3 of the amount of text on a screen as the 505. ( (5/6)^2 is right about 2/3--and I checked with actual text!)

If you don't want a touchscreen/dictionary and slightly lower contrast, and portability isn't an issue I would recommend a 505. You can still find them for sale--it's an excellent device. (It is also very thin, even with the cover--just a bit too big for any pocket except cargo pants.)

The "lessons" I have learned so far, is to go for slightly more rather than less. I would say that the main feature of the 5" devices in comparison with the 6" is portability. If you don't need that extra portability, go for a 6" device. The touch screen and the dictionary lookup of the sony 600 seems to be the most important features. If they are important to you, go for the 600.

Seconded. The 300 is very comfortable for reading, but if portability isn't an issue, 6" screens mean fewer page turns.

Very little. The screens are the same resolution (600x800), so the 5" has a higher pixel density, which makes the text clearer and sharper than the 6". I find that it's comfortable to have the same amount of text on the 5" screen as on the 6".

The Opus may work differently. On the 5" Sony 300, the font size is identical to the 6" 505 (same bookfile, same size setting). So, the 300 displays about 2/3 of the text per screen as the 505. The text/page is NOT simply scaled down in size.

And, as someone mentioned, the 300 (and other 5" ebook devices, I imagine) is very easy to use with one hand.

I do mostly read just text.
<snip> The EZ Reader only has 4 gray scale levels and it seems like the newer models coming out have 8 or 16.

FYI: The gray scale will not affect you in any way if you are reading mostly text. It is only going to affect how well images display. Now, if you are reading many cartoons/manga or what have you then it is a much more important consideration.

BOb

FYI: The gray scale will not affect you in any way if you are reading mostly text. It is only going to affect how well images display. Now, if you are reading many cartoons/manga or what have you then it is a much more important consideration.

BOb

:chinscratch: This thread has been very helpful but I still cannot decide, although I am more open to purchasing a 5" unit now. I am waiting for my local Target store to get the new Sony models in stock so I can see the 5" and 6" screens side by side. They do have one last PRS-505 on the shelf that was obviously opened and returned, but it's not discounted any more than what Sony was selling them for. I did find a few online sources with some good prices though. Being that I am in northern Arizona (small town, slow deliveries), we will be one of the last to see the Sony shipment arrive. Maybe MR needs to start a poll to vote for the town most likely to be the last in the US to receive the new Sony models. :D

i'd get the 5" ezreader as it has text to speech the (6" hasnt) and also has sd card etc.
i also have a kindle 2 which has text to speech as well.

the only differnts i can see is the ezread can read over 20 ebook formats and the kindle only reads around 4. also the sd card slot is in use constantly on the ezreader.

the down side of the kindle2 is no card slot and limited ebook formats . plus if u have a pdf file u have to send it to amazon for a small price to get it converted.


get 5"- ez reader pocket it its best of both world

Actually, some websites got it wrong. It will not read 20 ebook formats. It's between 12-14 (i think), depending on the firmware. It does, however, support 20 languages.

Don't buy a reader expecting to put it in your pocket. I would not take the risk of damage.

the only differnts i can see is the ezread can read over 20 ebook formats and the kindle only reads around 4. also the sd card slot is in use constantly on the ezreader.

you know, to me, 20 formats are just tick marks... you really only need support for the basic text formats, txt and html. And then one reflowable format like ePub or Mobi. Since these are the formats that you can get 90% of the content in why would you need more?

I would rather have them focus on features for 1 reflowable format and have it support it very well with fonts, layout, hyperlinks, dictionary support, annotations, searching, etc.

BOb

you know, to me, 20 formats are just tick marks... you really only need support for the basic text formats, txt and html. And then one reflowable format like ePub or Mobi. Since these are the formats that you can get 90% of the content in why would you need more?

I would rather have them focus on features for 1 reflowable format and have it support it very well with fonts, layout, hyperlinks, dictionary support, annotations, searching, etc.

BOb

Some people sweat by PDF, or FB2, or others. Also, someone may have a very large library in FB2 or LIT, and it's good, i think, to at least support these without someone having to batch convert all of their books.

Some people sweat by PDF, or FB2, or others. Also, someone may have a very large library in FB2 or LIT, and it's good, i think, to at least support these without someone having to batch convert all of their books.

It is definitely a "bonus" especially if you already have a large library in one format it is good to try and get a device that supports it. But, if that format isn't well supported I would much rather convert than deal with inferior viewer. (No I am not saying that this is the case for some device, I don't really know.)

BTW: Converting a bunch of reports in batch is pretty simple. That's what we have computers for. Click a button and come back later and it is done.

BOb

Don't buy a reader expecting to put it in your pocket. I would not take the risk of damage.

I did just that. And I have put it in my pocket. And I feel comfortable with the sturdiness of it. Frame is wider relative to the smaller screen, and it is slightly thicker than the 505. No flex at all.

:D

After way too many hours of researching and pondering, I just purchased a Sony PRS-505 from Frys.com. They have a sale on them for $229.95 until 9/3. The silver and sangria red models are all they have left and the limit is one per household. I bought the silver model. Amazon also has a sale on the m-edge covers for $14.99 but I am waiting to see what the cover that comes with the 505 looks like first. Any 505 owners have advice on that?

I ultimately decided I really wanted the 6-inch screen but think I want to wait for the touch screen technology to mature a bit more before taking that plunge. In a year or so there should be some really nice devices available that will tempt me. I mostly read fiction and while the dictionary support and note taking of the touch screen models are tempting, I rarely write in my paper books and I am not usually that motivated to stop reading and reach for my paper dictionary.

And the 505 should fit in my purse. After all, the requirements for any purse I buy is that it has to hold those womanly necessities (which are fewer than you think) along with the book I am currently reading and a small bottle of water.

It is interesting to note the mixed reviews of the Sony 600 seems to be sparking a number of last minute sales on the 505. Hopefully Sony is watching their sales figures and taking notes.

So as the advice I read elsewhere on this site said, decide what features matter the most to you, do your research, and make the purchase (assuming a device currently exists to match your requirements, otherwise return to research mode). :bookworm: OK, so it took me a month of obsessing but I finally did it. :thanks: I do appreciate everyone on this forum. I don't think I would have gotten this far if I had not found this site.

Now I want my new toy!

Some people sweat by PDF, or FB2, or others. Also, someone may have a very large library in FB2 or LIT, and it's good, i think, to at least support these without someone having to batch convert all of their books.

The problem is, though, that most of the formats displayed by the BeBook and its clones are not displayed well; they could be described as "mediocre" at best. They seem to have concentrated on "quantity" of display formats at the expense of quality.

Personally, I'd rather have a reader which displays one or two formats really well, than a dozen formats poorly.

:D

After way too many hours of researching and pondering, I just purchased a Sony PRS-505 from Frys.com. They have a sale on them for $229.95 until 9/3. The silver and sangria red models are all they have left and the limit is one per household. I bought the silver model. Amazon also has a sale on the m-edge covers for $14.99 but I am waiting to see what the cover that comes with the 505 looks like first. Any 505 owners have advice on that?



Now I want my new toy!

Congrats! I love my PRS-505. I have never felt the need to replace the cover on my 505.

:D

After way too many hours of researching and pondering, I just purchased a Sony PRS-505 from Frys.com. They have a sale on them for $229.95 until 9/3. The silver and sangria red models are all they have left and the limit is one per household. I bought the silver model. Amazon also has a sale on the m-edge covers for $14.99 but I am waiting to see what the cover that comes with the 505 looks like first. Any 505 owners have advice on that?


The 505 is great. I prefer the OEM cover for the 505 but opinions differ. The m-edge cover is thicker, more padded, and is leather. If you don't want the 505 cover, I have an unused m-edge cover (black leather, original version) that I would swap for it in an even trade. Just pm me and let me know!

:D

After way too many hours of researching and pondering, I just purchased a Sony PRS-505 from Frys.com. They have a sale on them for $229.95 until 9/3. The silver and sangria red models are all they have left and the limit is one per household. I bought the silver model. Amazon also has a sale on the m-edge covers for $14.99 but I am waiting to see what the cover that comes with the 505 looks like first. Any 505 owners have advice on that?
I don't like the original cover. For one thing, it's syntetic leather, and the "tan" colour that goes with the silver reader, is a pretty ugly, thoroughly fake-looking colour. And it's plastic. I don't mind plastic, but I really don't like when it's trying to look like leather and fails utterly. That's my main gripe with the standard cover. Secondly it also feels a bit thin and flimsy, not sturdy enough for throwing into a purse/bag. I didn't trust it enough to keep the screen safe. The upside is that it is thin and has magnet closure - that's a very good idea.

So I finally go to try out a CyBook Gen III. I was quite surprised how cheap and plasticy it felt for such an expensive device. However, the positive thing that I learned is that I think I'll be quite happy with a 5" reader. The CyBook seemed considerably larger than my needs. I guess all this time reading on my PDA has made any real ebook reader seem positively huge.

I'm actually wondering the same, should I get a 5" (BeBook Mini) or a 6" (Sony 600) (or others...)

So far, I'm leaning on both... I like the small size of the 5" (I'm used to a 3.8" screen and I have that 7" screen too) but I like the touchscreen of the Sony 600...

I've got the Cybook Opus for 5 weeks now.
If you check the pics http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showpost.php?p=578431&postcount=145 you see: The difference between Sony 505 and Sony 300, just as an example, really is minimal.
It's about 1/2 inch in width and in height. Does this really increase mobility or portability?
Okay, the smaller the easier to hold in 1 hand. I see that myself when using the Kindle app on my iPhone.
But I can't imagine any situation, where this 1/2 inch actually might be crucial.
To me, the 5" units are at the limit. I can read on iPhone as well. But I do it for maybe 1 hour, but certainly not for 5 hours.
So, if it's going to be your sole reader and you intend to read quite intensively (> 90 minutes) personally I'd always recommend one of the 6" units.
5" to me is "second source", not sole unit.

I was really hoping to purchase a 6 or 7-inch screen model but there are no good options right now in the US. I do want something portable and not just to read at home but am concerned the 5-inch screens are too small. I am also concerned the touch screen technology still has a ways to go. Since you own both a 5 and 6 inch model, is there really not that much difference in reading on the smaller screen? :chinscratch:

No good options in the US? You certainly shouldn't move to "old Europe". It's way less options here. But on the other side, it's way more expensive...

I've got the Cybook Opus for 5 weeks now.
If you check the pics http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showpost.php?p=578431&postcount=145 you see: The difference between Sony 505 and Sony 300, just as an example, really is minimal.
It's about 1/2 inch in width and in height. Does this really increase mobility or portability?
Okay, the smaller the easier to hold in 1 hand. I see that myself when using the Kindle app on my iPhone.
But I can't imagine any situation, where this 1/2 inch actually might be crucial.


That size difference is actually critical. At least for guys. ;) This is from first-hand experience, not from looking at pictures. I have been using a 505 for almost 2 years. Great ebook device. Got a 300 recently.And I can slip it in my front pants pocket. Very easy to take along, and I don't know it's there.The 505 needed an overcoat pocket or backpack (or thigh pocket on cargo pants) to come along with me. The 300 slides in my jeans pocket (in the pouch, of course).

I've read about 4 books on the 300 so far. Very similar reading experience as the 505. Very different from the Palm and (more recently) blackberry on-screen reading. Totally comfortable when reading for hours on end (which I have done!). It's my daily, go-to ebook device now. (Even at home, I haven't felt the urge to pick up the 505 instead, although I could!)

That size difference is actually critical. At least for guys. ;) This is from first-hand experience, not from looking at pictures. I have been using a 505 for almost 2 years. Great ebook device. Got a 300 recently.And I can slip it in my front pants pocket. Very easy to take along, and I don't know it's there.The 505 needed an overcoat pocket or backpack (or thigh pocket on cargo pants) to come along with me. The 300 slides in my jeans pocket (in the pouch, of course).

The 300 slips into your jeans front pocket? And no problems when you are sitting down, etc? Since even 3.6" phones are a tight fit for me, my question is, are you as tall as a professional basketball player? :p

All depends on how tight you wear your jeans, Hans. :)

I've got the Cybook Opus for 5 weeks now.
If you check the pics http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showpost.php?p=578431&postcount=145 you see: The difference between Sony 505 and Sony 300, just as an example, really is minimal.
It's about 1/2 inch in width and in height. Does this really increase mobility or portability?
Okay, the smaller the easier to hold in 1 hand. I see that myself when using the Kindle app on my iPhone.
But I can't imagine any situation, where this 1/2 inch actually might be crucial.
To me, the 5" units are at the limit. I can read on iPhone as well. But I do it for maybe 1 hour, but certainly not for 5 hours.
So, if it's going to be your sole reader and you intend to read quite intensively (> 90 minutes) personally I'd always recommend one of the 6" units.
5" to me is "second source", not sole unit.

My primary time to read is in bed, at night. And I'll always use a backlit LCD screen for that (so, the JE100). But I want something to replace my PDA (as the JE100 doesn't have a transflective screen, it can't be used outside and other well-lit areas and I still use my PDA there). So, I need to have it portable.

My primary time to read is in bed, at night. And I'll always use a backlit LCD screen for that (so, the JE100). But I want something to replace my PDA (as the JE100 doesn't have a transflective screen, it can't be used outside and other well-lit areas and I still use my PDA there). So, I need to have it portable.

But if you compare measurements, it's about 1/2 inch in height and another 1/2 inch in width. Does this really decide about portability or not? I actually was surprised, how small a difference there is between Sony 505 and Cybook Opus or Sony300.
When discussion about 5" started (eInk, not PDAs, SmartPhones or Jetbook), I've expected some change in UI, to further increase compactness.
Something like "Highest comfort = lots of buttons and space for holding the unit" for 6" vs. "mainly the the display itself and wasting as little of additional space as possible" on 5".
Looking at Sony 300, it's more or less identical to its "predecessor" Sony 505. It's really just 1" for the screen (=diagonal) = less than 1" in height and width.
In my opinion, there certainly would be options, to further increase compactness.
Just an example: For turning pages, Sony 300 has buttons on the bottom, Cybook Opus on the right of the display.
Theoretically, those could be on the back. When holding you unit in your palm, you easily could press buttons on the back. Might increase depth of the unit by some millimeters, but further decrease height and width. Of course, one would have to consider how to handle such an option when having the unit in its cover. I'm not going for a patent here ;-), just to briefly describe my thoughts...

But if you compare measurements, it's about 1/2 inch in height and another 1/2 inch in width. Does this really decide about portability or not? I actually was surprised, how small a difference there is between Sony 505 and Cybook Opus or Sony300.


If the 1/2" is the difference between the unit fitting in your pants or shirt pocket or not, then yes, it really would make a difference regarding portability.

To my mind, there are different levels of portability. At one extreme, there is carry and ignore portability which PDAs, mobile phones and smart phones can achieve; they are so small, that you don't really notice them unless you are using them. At the other end, are devices that are transportable, but not something you are going to willingly bring with you without a very good reason; 17" laptops would be an example of this end of the spectrum.

For men at least, the difference between the 5" and 6" screen may well be a treshhold. I know my 5" jetbook fits in my loose fitting jeans or kahkis. My Wife's 6" PRS505 simply doesn't. Which am I more likely to bring with me?


When discussion about 5" started (eInk, not PDAs, SmartPhones or Jetbook), I've expected some change in UI, to further increase compactness.
Something like "Highest comfort = lots of buttons and space for holding the unit" for 6" vs. "mainly the the display itself and wasting as little of additional space as possible" on 5".
Looking at Sony 300, it's more or less identical to its "predecessor" Sony 505. It's really just 1" for the screen (=diagonal) = less than 1" in height and width.
In my opinion, there certainly would be options, to further increase compactness.
Just an example: For turning pages, Sony 300 has buttons on the bottom, Cybook Opus on the right of the display.
Theoretically, those could be on the back. When holding you unit in your palm, you easily could press buttons on the back. Might increase depth of the unit by some millimeters, but further decrease height and width. Of course, one would have to consider how to handle such an option when having the unit in its cover. I'm not going for a patent here ;-), just to briefly describe my thoughts...

I am not sure why you don't include the Jetbook... after all, it is a dedicated reader :). Anyway, I see where you are going, but I am not sure controls on the back of the unit are a great idea. I agree that they could make the unit more compact, but at I suspect that unless you always kept your hand in the same location, it would be too easy to hit the wrong button.

Now a 5" device with a touch screen could be the best over all choice for making a unit as compact as possible while at the same time making it easy to use. In fact, I imagine you might be able to make a 6" unit small enough to fit into many pants pockets... as long as you could make the unit robust enough to survive the occasional fall.

--
Bill

But if you compare measurements, it's about 1/2 inch in height and another 1/2 inch in width. Does this really decide about portability or not? I actually was surprised, how small a difference there is between Sony 505 and Cybook Opus or Sony300.

When I first saw the 300, I thought it could be smaller. The same with the Opus. Too much non-screen material (especially on the sides of the screen). Right now, I'm mostly divided between the Sony 600 and the BeBook Mini (Hanlin V5). If we win the state lottery tomorrow, I'll be buying both, but I'm not counting on that :D

we were reading ebooks on a pocket pc rx31155 but it decided to mess up. plus we need a tts which we can install now as the pda is old (no longer supported) so i got a kindle 2 for my birthday.

but i also been on the astak ezreader site (which i lost the link for).
the kindle dont do all the formats i want so i brought my parner a pocket pro which does all the formats i want and tts and sd card.

just wished i could get myself a ezreader too

I, like sweetpea, am trying to decide between the new pocket pro and the Sony 600. I've read so much helpful information from everyone here and want to express my gratitude for all that you share. My biggest issue between the two is the TTS on the PP vs. the highlighting and annotations on the 600, both of which would be of great value to me.

I, like sweetpea, am trying to decide between the new pocket pro and the Sony 600. I've read so much helpful information from everyone here and want to express my gratitude for all that you share. My biggest issue between the two is the TTS on the PP vs. the highlighting and annotations on the 600, both of which would be of great value to me.

The best thing to do is to prioritize. Make a list of Necessities and a list of Usefuls.

If touchscreen and highlight is mandatory, the 600 should be your choice. If multiple format or TTS is more important, then choose the PEZ.

But also look into support. The Sony is well-known and as such, has a history of support behind the name. Astak is relatively unknown, as they are new to the scene, however, just in the last month alone there have been 3-4 firmware updates, and another on the way, addressing certain issues, as well as another format support due very soon.

I honestly cannot supply information on Sony's firmware updates, as I am not following any of the threads. Perhaps someone else can elucidate me on that.

Anyway, suffice to say that the ebook reader market is a smörgåsbord of different devices for different readers. Good luck finding yours.

But also look into support. The Sony is well-known and as such, has a history of support behind the name. Astak is relatively unknown, as they are new to the scene, however, just in the last month alone there have been 3-4 firmware updates, and another on the way, addressing certain issues, as well as another format support due very soon.

I honestly cannot supply information on Sony's firmware updates, as I am not following any of the threads. Perhaps someone else can elucidate me on that.


Jinke (Astak) is one of the few (only?) supplying regular updates to its firmware. In addition, the Jinke device is supported by the third-party open source team at OpenInkpot.

I love Jinke's update process, but honesty forces me to note it may not be to everyone's taste. Arguably, the initial release had many rough edges. Jinke then listed to its customers and quickly polished the biggest issues. They have continued to re-release the software -- each time improving in areas requested by customers. I prefer this rapid development approach that is guided by customer feedback.

In contrast, Sony and Amazon have released much more polished products. With these two companies you may disagree with how the software works, but it is less arguable that the software is unfinished. On the other hand, history has indicated that it is unlikely you will see new releases with substantial revisions. Customers on Amazon have been asking for folders since day one, and even when new software came out for the K2 and the DX there were no steps in this direction.

I do recognize, however, that many people prefer the latter release approach.

I, like sweetpea, am trying to decide between the new pocket pro and the Sony 600. I've read so much helpful information from everyone here and want to express my gratitude for all that you share. My biggest issue between the two is the TTS on the PP vs. the highlighting and annotations on the 600, both of which would be of great value to me.
Check here (http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?p=591674#post591674) for more info on TTS on the Pocket Pro. There is even a link to a voice sample.

Thanks for the link, that was helpful! A comment underneath the linked article mentions that you can get better quality TTS for your computer inexpensively and convert it to mp3 and put it on your ipod or whatever. Hmm. If I'm putting a book on my computer first anyway it might make sense to do that, get the 600 for highlighting and such, and have the best of both worlds. It's a tough decision, but definitely between those two (Sony prs-600 and Astak pocket pro) for me. While I'm aware that everyone has different priorities, If anyone else has used both and has further insight as to glowing or not so glowing differences, I'm open to suggestion! I have been following specific threads on each of the devices, but because they are so different from each other I can't recall having seen them compared directly.

Thanks for the link, that was helpful! A comment underneath the linked article mentions that you can get better quality TTS for your computer inexpensively and convert it to mp3 and put it on your ipod or whatever.

For me its not about listening or reading -- I like to do both with the same book. When I'm driving in the car, I have it read to me (TTS). When I'm at a restaurant I read it. And I can switch seamlessly from one to another as I move from place to place. P.s. this is on my Kindle. I haven't tried TTS on the Astak yet.

Yes that's a good point. And really the reason I was interested in TTS in the first place. Oh this is hard.