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jbruce · 03-10-2009, 02:45 PM

As a fellow Mac user - I feel your pain - it's a lot less difficult than things used to be, with regard to hardware "requiring" a PC.

Using my Mac side: The latest edition of Calibre supports the PRS 700 - which means you can save/convert many of your files to the LRF/LRX format. (Or, leave them as PDFs - but, the files are significantly larger, and the PDF reader does weird things with line breaks and font size. These are the only two file formats supported - I've tried LIT, TXT, and a few others on mine - to no avail.)

Using my Mac side: I've downloaded a few free titles from Fictionwise in the LRF format - they work famously (however, there is a sweet spot to the zoom level for some books to chapter break logically).

Using Bootcamp + Windows XP (to get the free 100 titles): Loaded the software. Works like an exceptionally old version of iTunes. Send to cart (just like FictionWise). Checkout. Downloads to Computer. Then, the irritating part, no automatic sync I am aware of; therefore, you will be dragging the titles over.

The way I'm handling "The Classics": Go through Sony's 900+ and find the ones I want. Then see if I can get them somewhere else - absolutely free - and a bearable read (some of the Gutenburg's just aren't a pleasure to read because of formatting). The ones I can't find "in the ether" I go back to the Sony store and grab their free classic - which are generally well formatted.

So - the Mac issue - is pretty much a non-issue with how much competition/alternatives there are right now (reminds me of the browser wars in the mid-late 90s). Eventually standards will be adopted by developers - and we will all breathe easier - until then, don't worry too much about the Mac thing.

There isn't a dictionary built in. However, I have been able to find some eDictionaries - no links sorry - which supposedly can be used with it. Right now, to save storage space, I highlight the word. Later, when I have my dictionary handy I can look it up - and generally I don't get lost in the story, because context helps.

The Pogue article says that there is no multi-language support - at this time.

Regarding getting through the whole trip on one charge - it depends on how you will be reading. If you will be reading a lot (lots of page flips) and in the dark (internal lights on) - probably not. If you're going to read for about an hour a day with the text on Small - maybe. I would take the wall charger. Or, if you have a macbook - you can plug in the USB cable - it will charge, and you can transfer files - just won't have access to the Sony store.

Basically all the "negative" things you've heard about the PRS 700 are probably true. However, 90% of them - can be corrected by Sony via Firmware and Software updates - without having to buy another device.

Hope that helped in some small way.

Cheers,
Josh

03-10-2009, 02:45 PM	#5
jbruce Connoisseur Posts: 64 Karma: 88 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Sony PRS 700	As a fellow Mac user - I feel your pain - it's a lot less difficult than things used to be, with regard to hardware "requiring" a PC. Using my Mac side: The latest edition of Calibre supports the PRS 700 - which means you can save/convert many of your files to the LRF/LRX format. (Or, leave them as PDFs - but, the files are significantly larger, and the PDF reader does weird things with line breaks and font size. These are the only two file formats supported - I've tried LIT, TXT, and a few others on mine - to no avail.) Using my Mac side: I've downloaded a few free titles from Fictionwise in the LRF format - they work famously (however, there is a sweet spot to the zoom level for some books to chapter break logically). Using Bootcamp + Windows XP (to get the free 100 titles): Loaded the software. Works like an exceptionally old version of iTunes. Send to cart (just like FictionWise). Checkout. Downloads to Computer. Then, the irritating part, no automatic sync I am aware of; therefore, you will be dragging the titles over. The way I'm handling "The Classics": Go through Sony's 900+ and find the ones I want. Then see if I can get them somewhere else - absolutely free - and a bearable read (some of the Gutenburg's just aren't a pleasure to read because of formatting). The ones I can't find "in the ether" I go back to the Sony store and grab their free classic - which are generally well formatted. So - the Mac issue - is pretty much a non-issue with how much competition/alternatives there are right now (reminds me of the browser wars in the mid-late 90s). Eventually standards will be adopted by developers - and we will all breathe easier - until then, don't worry too much about the Mac thing. There isn't a dictionary built in. However, I have been able to find some eDictionaries - no links sorry - which supposedly can be used with it. Right now, to save storage space, I highlight the word. Later, when I have my dictionary handy I can look it up - and generally I don't get lost in the story, because context helps. The Pogue article says that there is no multi-language support - at this time. Regarding getting through the whole trip on one charge - it depends on how you will be reading. If you will be reading a lot (lots of page flips) and in the dark (internal lights on) - probably not. If you're going to read for about an hour a day with the text on Small - maybe. I would take the wall charger. Or, if you have a macbook - you can plug in the USB cable - it will charge, and you can transfer files - just won't have access to the Sony store. Basically all the "negative" things you've heard about the PRS 700 are probably true. However, 90% of them - can be corrected by Sony via Firmware and Software updates - without having to buy another device. Hope that helped in some small way. Cheers, Josh