ConsumerReports had a
hands-on look at the Sony Reader and here is what they like and don't like:
Pros:
- Decent legibility (the screen is "the best of any e-book we've seen so far")
- Easy downloads ("download a full-length novel to our computer within 15 seconds or so")
- Multimedia capability (play music "even while you're reading a book")
- Ample storage ("there's no limit to the storage capacity")
- Long battery life ("our informal testing suggests that the estimate [of 7,500 pages] might be an overstatement")
Cons:
- Disconcerting delay (screen refresh - "not fatally long, but hardly ideal")
- Display quirks ("you can't zoom in")
- Unfriendly controls ("usability in general could be easier")
- Missing features ("no built-in light")
- Limited book selection (content "nowhere near what you can get in print")
- Not compatible with Macs ("Sony says it hopes to support other platforms in the future")
Bottom line:
The Reader is better than earlier e-books we've tested and costs less than current rivals--notably the i-Rex Iliad, to be released soon at a price of $800. That said, like many new works, it could use some revision. The unit is back-ordered at least a month on Connect e-Books, which might suggest that sales are strong. Still, we don't believe this first-generation Reader is quite ready to be a mainstream bestseller.