Need Info on Sony Daily Edition!! Might buy it!

[CandyNJ66]

Hello, I might buy the Daily Edition from my local Best Buy but need to know a few things. I have sites bookmarked that have tons of epub files on my laptop and am wondering if I can put ANY epub file on the PRS-900?? If not, I will steer clear of the daily edition.

I used to use Calibre awhile ago before I had to reformat my hard drive (forgot how to use it now) when I had a Kindle and am wondering if it will sync up via the Daily edition's 3G?

Are there any free books in the Sony store? Are they that much expensive than Kindle editions?

Is the glare a deal breaker? I was so annoyed with the Kindle 2's lack of contrast that I returned it. The screen was too dark and I'm wondering if the PRS-900 has the same problem?

Please help me, I might get the Daily edition TODAY.

[Kolenka]

Originally Posted by CandyNJ66

Hello, I might buy the Daily Edition from my local Best Buy but need to know a few things. I have sites bookmarked that have tons of epub files on my laptop and am wondering if I can put ANY epub file on the PRS-900?? If not, I will steer clear of the daily edition.

The 900 supports ADE's DRM, and any un-DRM'd ePub. That covers pretty much every seller except Apple and B&N that provides ePub.

Originally Posted by CandyNJ66

I used to use Calibre awhile ago before I had to reformat my hard drive (forgot how to use it now) when I had a Kindle and am wondering if it will sync up via the Daily edition's 3G?

Calibre will send files to the 900 via USB, but the 3G is currently limited to accessing the Sony Store.

Originally Posted by CandyNJ66

Are there any free books in the Sony store? Are they that much expensive than Kindle editions?

Amazon tends to be a bit cheaper, but I like not being locked into Amazon's format. I can take books from Sony's store to other devices, which to me is worth an extra buck. I don't really use the 3G for free books because of places like feedbooks, so I can't say much here.

Originally Posted by CandyNJ66

Is the glare a deal breaker? I was so annoyed with the Kindle 2's lack of contrast that I returned it. The screen was too dark and I'm wondering if the PRS-900 has the same problem?

The Kindle's screen was too dark? I heard it was one of the better screens out there for e-ink. If the Kindle 2 was your first e-reader, I think you might be even more disappointed with the 900's screen, which is really the same as the Kindle 2's. The whites might be a bit whiter under the right light, but as these guys aren't backlit, they will all appear dark in low light.

I'd check out the 600/900 in a store first (Best Buy has display models of the 600, at the very least, as does Borders). Can't really answer this last, and important, question for you. You have to see it for yourself.

[dieterpops]

The 900 screen is much darker than the Kindle 2 screen. The other day I compared my 505 screen to my buddies K2 screen. They were almost identical. I just returned a 900 because of the 900s screen darkness. If you didn't like the Kindle, you will really not like the 900.

[olguy]

The Sony store has a few free ebooks. Open the Store page and on the left side of the screen there are a few links, one of which is Bargain Books. Open that and the 6 or so free ones are listed first. You can download to your computer and then install to your reader if you don't want to use the wireless. And I haven't had my reader long enough to have been watching the store to see if they offer different free books time to time.

There are a couple of Barnes and Noble owned sites that have free books. eReader.com and Fictionwise. However, both sites offer the same freebies.

[CandyNJ66]

Originally Posted by dieterpops

The 900 screen is much darker than the Kindle 2 screen. The other day I compared my 505 screen to my buddies K2 screen. They were almost identical. I just returned a 900 because of the 900s screen darkness. If you didn't like the Kindle, you will really not like the 900.

It's possible but I might like it a heck of a lot better. I didn't return the Kindle 2 just for that reason, you can't use your public library with it etc. I was getting used to the screen text but wanted to try another ebook reader with a bigger screen. The DX is huge a bit too huge and I don't like the Kindle 2's restrictions.

The Daily edition looks very good indeed with it's options. If I could get use to the screen, it looks like a great match for me.

[jswinden]

I think most of the complaints against the 900's screen are from people with little or no intuition or imagination. They look at the screen under one lighting condition and judge the 900. NO e-ink screen looks good in low light. Few, if any, look good in the flourescent lighting of department stores. However, if you read in direct sunlight, the screen on the 900 looks fabulous. If you use a good book light for low light reading and position that light appropriately, the 900 screen looks fabulous.

And do NOT look at a 600 screen and think the 900 looks the same. The 900 screen is MUCH better than that of the 600. Unfortunately, many Best Buys have 600 models on display but no 900 models on display.

[Kiasmama]

I just bought my Daily Edition yesterday and I love it. It's my first E Reader so I have nothing else to compare the screen glare to. I find that it's not a problem at all. I found a lot of free books, some at the sony store, some at the GP...so I"m happy. I also have my research papers on it, so I'm going to use it heavily for that. I just bought a clip on light for it, and that is working beautifully. I've read more today than I did in the last few months :-)

[dieterpops]

[QUOTE=jswinden;775187]I think most of the complaints against the 900's screen are from people with little or no intuition or imagination. They look at the screen under one lighting condition and judge the 900.


I don't want to get into an argument, but I disagree. Please don't make blanket statments. I tested the 900 under many conditions...very dull unless you have very good light.

[daffy4u]

Originally Posted by CandyNJ66

It's possible but I might like it a heck of a lot better. I didn't return the Kindle 2 just for that reason, you can't use your public library with it etc.

Too bad you didn't ask about the library before returning your K2 because you can read library books on it. It takes a little set up but there are lots of people doing it.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by dieterpops

The 900 screen is much darker than the Kindle 2 screen. The other day I compared my 505 screen to my buddies K2 screen. They were almost identical. I just returned a 900 because of the 900s screen darkness. If you didn't like the Kindle, you will really not like the 900.

No it's not. The touch layer on the 900 reduces the contrast a bit, but I'd say it compares favorably with my Kindle2. The Sony 505 is better display-wise than either of them. At the moment I use the 900 more than the others. The "glare" as people call it is not that big a deal.

To the original questions, it will display any non-drm epub or adobe DE DRM epubs -- including library check outs. It will NOT work with the new Barnes and Noble EPUB format.

If you are even a bit technical you can strip drm from most formats and convert them for display on the 900 (same with Kindle etc).

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by daffy4u

Too bad you didn't ask about the library before returning your K2 because you can read library books on it. It takes a little set up but there are lots of people doing it.

There are some libraries that lend in Mobi format, but you have to know your Kindle Mobi-Id -- there is an on line version of the script now to determine it from you serial number.

Most Libraries are moving to the EPUB format with Adobe DE DRM as best I can tell.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by Kiasmama

I just bought my Daily Edition yesterday and I love it. It's my first E Reader so I have nothing else to compare the screen glare to. I find that it's not a problem at all. I found a lot of free books, some at the sony store, some at the GP...so I"m happy. I also have my research papers on it, so I'm going to use it heavily for that. I just bought a clip on light for it, and that is working beautifully. I've read more today than I did in the last few months :-)

Congratulations!

[kennyc]

[QUOTE=dieterpops;775271]

Originally Posted by jswinden

I think most of the complaints against the 900's screen are from people with little or no intuition or imagination. They look at the screen under one lighting condition and judge the 900.


I don't want to get into an argument, but I disagree. Please don't make blanket statments. I tested the 900 under many conditions...very dull unless you have very good light.

I agree it's not as good as the 505, but it's really not bad either. I'm using it daily under a variety of lighting conditions from bright sunlight (walking at lunchtime) to bedside lamp and it all is good.

[daffy4u]

Originally Posted by kennyc

There are some libraries that lend in Mobi format, but you have to know your Kindle Mobi-Id -- there is an on line version of the script now to determine it from you serial number.

There were at least 2 GUIs for this long before the one you're talking about.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by daffy4u

There were at least 2 GUIs for this long before the one you're talking about.

Could be. I'm a late-bloomer.