sony or other reader

[slainte]

Ok i have the sony pr505 which I have got great use out of for the last 4 years. I am having problems with the battery life now, it drains very quickly when off so I can never be sure it has bettery when I turn it on if I have not used it for a while. I generally use my samsung galaxy tab for reading now. However I know that does not work in the sun and am going on holidays soon. Thinking of seeing if I can get a cheap ereader. I just need one that is ok in the sun, epub preferably to save having to convert my book collection but not necessary, touchscreen would be good because I have got use to it and it is a pain having to click to turn page and wifi would be good but not necessary. Am in Ireland and just did a quick scan in a few shops - the sony touch is about 169 euro which is a bit pricey, the kobo 6" wifi ereader is only 79 euro so looks good value, the kindle touch wifi is 128 euro. So which should I buy or has anyone any suggestions. Is the kobo any good?

[Cdesja5]

I have the Sony T1, my daughter has a Kobo Touch (which i manage for her). I myself prefer the user interface on my Sony ; I also had a prs505 until my battery died about 2 months ago.
The Kobo is good value, it is still getting regular updates and we haven't had any problems with it in the year that she's had it.
We manage our books with Calibre and both the Sony and the kobo work well with it although the Sony does have better wifi options such as downloading directly to the reader for public library books (ADE) and is more reliable for downloading books from Calibre using it's server.
I personally prefer having the physical page turn buttons that the T1 has but my daughter, never having used my Prs505 doesn't miss them on her Kobo...
I suggest going into a store which has demos of each and trying them out. You may decide that you don't mind paying the extra money for the Sony or then again may decide that the Kobo has what you need at a lower price...
I have no experience with the kindle and since my books are all epubs and I like borrowing from the library, I had no interest in getting one regardless of the many kindle owners out there that fervently recommend them.

[LuvReadin]

Originally Posted by slainte

OThinking of seeing if I can get a cheap ereader. I just need one that is ok in the sun, epub preferably to save having to convert my book collection but not necessary, touchscreen would be good because I have got use to it and it is a pain having to click to turn page and wifi would be good but not necessary. Am in Ireland and just did a quick scan in a few shopsthe sony touch is about 169 euro which is a bit pricey, the kobo 6" wifi ereader is only 79 euro so looks good value, the kindle touch wifi is 128 euro. So which should I buy or has anyone any suggestions. Is the kobo any good?

I have the Sony, but recently bought the Kobo Wifi as a present, so I tried it out. I was quite impressed with it, and although I think my Sony is brilliant, if I had to make the same choice again, then I'm not sure I'd have paid such a big price differential for what the Sony offers over the Kobo. However, note that the Wifi doesn't have a touch screen, which is what you say you want - you need the Kobo Touch for that. Like the other poster, I wouldn't buy the Kindle either - I want to use epubs and borrow from the library as well.

As you're in Ireland, have you checked out Easons? For starters, the Sony is €20 cheaper there. They also stock the iRiver for the same price - I have no experience of this, but perhaps other people might be able to give an opinion on it. On balance, though, as you say you want a cheap ereader, the Kobo would seem to give the best bang for your buck.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by LuvReadin

as you say you want a cheap ereader, the Kobo would seem to give the best bang for your buck.

Perhaps worth checking out the Kobo forum here, first. Some people do seem to have significant issues with the Kobo.

[Cdesja5]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Perhaps worth checking out the Kobo forum here, first. Some people do seem to have significant issues with the Kobo.

That was a week or so back, problems (for some, not all) users who got the update for 2.0 firmware. The roll-out was stopped and a fix was made for which not much has been seen in negative comments.
My daughter had no issues and 3 other friends with Kobos did not either. Kobo was very responsive to the problem when it appeared that it impacted more than a few users.
I wouldn't base my choice on those posts, it is a good reader generally.

[HarryT]

I just don't like device for which one has (?) to use desktop software to load books, as opposed to simply copying to a drive mounted via USB.

[Pomtroll]

I have a T1 & a Kindle Touch. Both are good readers. But if you want to be able to re-read any of your e-pubs it would be easier to stay with the Sony. I don't have a Kobo but have a friend with one. She likes hers. I guess the best thing is to try them out if you are able to.

[JSWolf]

I don't have a T1, but my mother does and so does my mother-in-law and I highly recommend the T1 as an upgrade for the 505. The only thing needed to do to the T1 is to install the June modified reader app after making sure the firmware is updated. Also, don't use Reader for PC to manage eBooks, use Calibre.

With the T1, you can still use fonts from an external directory and you can make your favorite fonts the default (using the June modified reader app).

[GlenBarrington]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Perhaps worth checking out the Kobo forum here, first. Some people do seem to have significant issues with the Kobo.

That being said, I prefer Kobo's bookstore over Sony's, and even over Amazon's. For some reason, the books seem . . . brighter and with better fonts.

I've been using my Droid Bionic as my ebook reader lately, and being Android, I have my pick of sources for ebooks. I bought Nathan Lowell's "Half Share" from Amazon and "Full Share" from Kobo. And the font from Amazon seems cluttered and less pleasant to read, and I couldn't figure out how to change fonts, while the one from Kobo, seemed to have better spacing and a 'cleaner' font. Plus it gave me the opportunity to change the font if I wanted to.

I still have my Sony 350, but my son has developed an interest in ereading, so I've been thinking about maybe getting a larger reader, my eyes are finally starting to show their age. I'm thinking about either going with Kobo because I like their bookstore, or with a 7" Android tablet. (leaning towards Google Nexus rather than Amazon, I really like the freedom Android gives me for source material).

I hate the Sony Bookstore! The worst part of the Sony experience. Well, then too, while the build quality is superb, I don't believe the premium you pay for a Sony is worth the increase in quality.

[kennyc]

Same issue here with the battery on my 505. I thought of replacing the battery, but will probably move to something else. I generally only use it when outdoors and use my Kindle Fire indoors, but the e-ink is a good thing....I may go with a kindle eink of some kind when the time comes ..... mine is still perfectly functional, but have to recharge it ever few days and it loses all it's bookmarks when I do (which may indicate another issue of some kind).

[robko]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I just don't like device for which one has (?) to use desktop software to load books, as opposed to simply copying to a drive mounted via USB.

Not sure which device you're talking here Harry, but Kobo allows sideload drag and drop of non-DRM e-pubs (anything DRM you're going to need to use ADE or possibly reader software same as any other reader).

[slainte]

Wifi not important to me because I have the galaxy tab for that but if there was no major difference pricewise would go for it. I could make do without the touch but to be honest I am used to it from the tab and find the sony reader annoying having to click to turn the page. The Kobo looks good the touch screen version is about 109 here so that appears to be the cheapest. I just want to make sure it doesn't have any problems I am unaware of. I have a friend in the US at present so maybe I could get her to get me a sony which would work out about the same price as the kobo. Decisions, decisions, decisions ............

[spindlegirl]

I have owned a Kobo Touch and a Sony T1, and have kept the T1 and given the Touch to my husband. I did not like the Kobo Touch because it was always unpredictable how it would behave and/or how the latest firmware release would make it behave.

I just wanted an e-reader that works well out of the box and stays that way, so I bought the Sony T1, which I overall like better. I also like that any firmware releases have to be specifically managed via USB rather than imposed on me via wifi syncs. So my T1 is exactly the same as the day I bought it, which I like.

[LuvReadin]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I just don't like device for which one has (?) to use desktop software to load books, as opposed to simply copying to a drive mounted via USB.

I loaded a number of PD books onto the Kobo I bought as a present, and it loaded from Calibre just like with the Sony. I didn't download any Kobo software. Don't know if the same would apply for DRM books, though.

[LuvReadin]

Originally Posted by slainte

I could make do without the touch but to be honest I am used to it from the tab and find the sony reader annoying having to click to turn the page. .

The T1 turns by touch so that won't be a problem. I'm the opposite - I much prefer using the buttons!