MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - PR-505 vs Bebook mini vs Bebook (5'' vs 6'' screens)

aliettedb · 02-01-2010, 01:49 AM

Having watched the market for a while, I've finally decided to take the plunge and buy myself an e-reader. I wanted the following things:

-e-ink with no glare
-expansion slot
-cheap (not willing to go above 249 euros, case included)

I read a lot of stuff taken from the internet in epub or pdf format, with no DRM (but I have absolutely no issues running stuff through Calibre before loading it up on the reader). My computer is a Mac with Mac OS X Leopard. Also, I live in France, so doesn't quite leave me with the same options as the US market.

What I want rules out the new generation of Sony models. I browsed around what was available, and it seems to boil down to Hanlin V3/V5 (easiest for me to get would be the various Bebook models, so either Bebook One or Bebook Mini) or the previous generation of Sony 505, which apparently you can still find around with a little ingenuity.

The Hanlin V3 seems a little old to me, and I'm worried about issues like general speed and speed of transfers (those units are all USB1.1)--and the interface looks a bit clunkier than the V5 models.
The Sony-505 looks good, but getting hold of one is going to be a hassle, and I'm probably looking at a 249 euros pricetag instead of 199 euros for the Bebook Mini.

The one I like best is the Bebook mini, but I'm a little worried about screensize--I'm a fairly fast reader, and I worry that the 5'' screen is going to have me constantly turning pages (the comparison is a little overwrought, but my current means of reading ebooks is my ipod, and I have the feeling I spend more time turning pages than reading.).

Are there people with those units willing to share their impressions with me? Is the extra inch worth shelling out and getting an older generation model?

The only units I've seen in France are the Sonys. The PR-505 is a bit bulky but looks nice, the PRS-600 has way too much glare, and I was given to understand that the PRS-300 didn't quite have the same resolution in pixels as the Hanlin V5 models, so the comparison doesn't quite make sense.

Thanks in advance!

02-01-2010, 01:49 AM	#1
aliettedb Member Posts: 14 Karma: 12028 Join Date: Feb 2010 Device: Kobo Glo	PR-505 vs Bebook mini vs Bebook (5'' vs 6'' screens) Having watched the market for a while, I've finally decided to take the plunge and buy myself an e-reader. I wanted the following things: -e-ink with no glare -expansion slot -cheap (not willing to go above 249 euros, case included) I read a lot of stuff taken from the internet in epub or pdf format, with no DRM (but I have absolutely no issues running stuff through Calibre before loading it up on the reader). My computer is a Mac with Mac OS X Leopard. Also, I live in France, so doesn't quite leave me with the same options as the US market. What I want rules out the new generation of Sony models. I browsed around what was available, and it seems to boil down to Hanlin V3/V5 (easiest for me to get would be the various Bebook models, so either Bebook One or Bebook Mini) or the previous generation of Sony 505, which apparently you can still find around with a little ingenuity. The Hanlin V3 seems a little old to me, and I'm worried about issues like general speed and speed of transfers (those units are all USB1.1)--and the interface looks a bit clunkier than the V5 models. The Sony-505 looks good, but getting hold of one is going to be a hassle, and I'm probably looking at a 249 euros pricetag instead of 199 euros for the Bebook Mini. The one I like best is the Bebook mini, but I'm a little worried about screensize--I'm a fairly fast reader, and I worry that the 5'' screen is going to have me constantly turning pages (the comparison is a little overwrought, but my current means of reading ebooks is my ipod, and I have the feeling I spend more time turning pages than reading.). Are there people with those units willing to share their impressions with me? Is the extra inch worth shelling out and getting an older generation model? The only units I've seen in France are the Sonys. The PR-505 is a bit bulky but looks nice, the PRS-600 has way too much glare, and I was given to understand that the PRS-300 didn't quite have the same resolution in pixels as the Hanlin V5 models, so the comparison doesn't quite make sense. Thanks in advance! Last edited by aliettedb; 02-01-2010 at 01:58 AM.