Sony PRS-T1 specs!

[Bookworm_Girl]

Originally Posted by Mycropht

So much disappointment in this thread...

I have a question about this part (broken English by Google Translate):

Look it up

The Sony PRS-T1 you have all the knowledge at hand, and Google Search on Wikipedia, so you're shy to answer a pressing question, then this e-reader you an answer. In the vicinity of a WiFi connection, of course.


Is this done right (ease of selection, speed, good presentation of the results, convenience...) on any of the current e-readers? (Which?)

The Sony 950 has Wikipedia lookup. You highlight the word(s) and in the dictionary popup there is an icon to launch Wikipedia. Then from the Wikipedia page there is a "continue reading" option to take you back to your page in the book. It's quick and easy. I use this feature often.

What is lost in translation is whether there will be a separate Google Search icon. In other words, when you highlight words you can launch a Google webpage directly from the book rather than having to open the browser application separately. The Kindle can do both Wikipedia and Google Search from highlighted words in a book. The Sony 950 just does Wikipedia. The Sony Wikipedia lookup is faster than Kindle (requires fewer clicks / touches), but both methods are easy and work fine.

[Squirsier]

Originally Posted by jj2me

Engadget has an interesting observation:

Tho unless I missed something from the new eRedears they're the same as previous models..

[Asawi]

Originally Posted by Tomoe

For those who comment about those who comment on the loss of metal casing:

I dislike it too. It was pretty much the only thing left that distinguished Sony from the rest of the bunch in this generation.

Sony is marketed and sold worldwide. Nook and Kobo aren't. Makes it VERY special to many of us! (But I do agree that loosing the metal casing is a pity.)

[jj2me]

Originally Posted by Squirsier

Tho unless I missed something from the new eRedears they're the same as previous models..

This link has a pic of the 650's buttons. The 650's right two buttons are zoom and Options, not back and menu. The T1's three right buttons are the three main Android buttons (sans the search button).

[Tomoe]

Originally Posted by Asawi

Sony is marketed and sold worldwide. Nook and Kobo aren't. Makes it VERY special to many of us! (But I do agree that loosing the metal casing is a pity.)

Of course, but where there's a will, there's a way. I don't live in USA, and Sony isn't sold in my country, so that doesn't mean much to me. My Sonys and my nooks came from US.

[SensualPoet]

Originally Posted by NextStep

Yes, funny those English translations of Dutch idiom . I tried to improve the Google Translate translation a bit. No doubt not faultless (English is not my native language), but still:

Thanks very much for your improved translation for Sony's sales copy in post 116.

The stylish, new design fits the Xperia mobile phone line and helps the device stand out from the pack; in contrast, other readers look "boxy".

At a more popular price, Sony has built on its excellent IR touch Pearl eink screen, added wifi, improved battery life, added live Google and Wikipedia search (which means a web browser of some sort else where do the Google searches go?), and removed 20% of the weight. One expects the UI will have been tweaked a little; but wholesale replacement on top of Android? Errr, no.

In sum, this is pretty much exactly what the Sony exec promised a few weeks ago when he said the line would be refreshed.

The second arrow in its quiver is some sort of colour Android tablet where the Harry Potter content will shine; this may replace a 7" eink model, simplifying the product line.

Toronto plays host to Word on the Street, an annual consumer book fair in which Sony has been a lead participant. This year's event in Sep 25 -- I fully expect the new units will be on display there even if the release date in still then a few weeks off.

[Squirsier]

Originally Posted by jj2me

This link has a pic of the 650's buttons. The 650's right two buttons are zoom and Options, not back and menu. The T1's three right buttons are the three main Android buttons (sans the search button).

Got it, thank you

[RockdaMan]

Originally Posted by Barcey

Disappointing. It appears that they're releasing a product that will compete with the other vendors year old products rather then leap frogging ahead.

Technology revs so quickly that to win today you need to skate ahead to where the puck will be, not where its been or even where it is right now.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by RockdaMan

Technology revs so quickly that to win today you need to skate ahead to where the puck will be, not where its been or even where it is right now.

Not in all segments...
...but definitely so in ebooks today.
It is a Red Queen's race, where you have to run as fast as you can just to stay where you are, and anything else leaves you as roadkill.
The listed specs merely put Sony roughly on par with Kobo and don't leapfrog any of the existing products. They may have an undocumented feature or three, a Jobs-ian "one more thing" for the intro dog and pony show, but until then disappointment is warranted; neither Kindle nor Nook is going to lose much market share to those specs.

[Tony1988]

I wonder if these new sonys will be more difficult to open to replace the battery. The x50 line and before had the easy to unscrew backs. I will bet these new readers have a harder to open case like the new nook and kobo.

[EatingPie]

Originally Posted by banjomike

It might be with the ePub support. The lack of ePub on Kindle is STILL the main reason I avoid Kindle.

As far as the Bose comparison goes we need to remember that for audiophiles (and I speak as someone with a wall full of Linn, Acoustic Research, and Denon kit) the quality of Bose is possibly more perceived than actual. I've never met or spoken or messaged an audio nut who ever bought or even seriously considered Bose, or Bang & Olufsen, etc. They have the rep but only sell to people who buy into that reputation. If Sony go that route, either deliberately or because we plebs think they have then they will end up with a range of kit which is too expensive, not QUITE good enough, but makes people go "Oooh, Nice".

I want good kit, reasonable prices, and ePub. Wifi would be nice if Calibre can support it so I can copy books to the device without worrying about whether the partial recharge the battery will get will shorten the life.

/end rant

The Bose comparison struck me as pretty funny, but not really accurate.

Bose are stylish and pseudo-high end, but audiophiles, as you point out, despise Bose. I liked them because they were the first quality speakers I heard as a kid, but when I could finally afford them and compared the sound directly, I was shocked at how poorly they performed.

Sony has that same "high end" reputation in some arenas, but it is generally deserved. Their software typically sucks, but their hardware -- particularly in terms of TV technology -- can be top notch. Their Readers really have been the pinnacle of quality -- with sucky software -- but the I just don't think the market is bearing the price. So plastic it is.

-Pie

[EatingPie]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Very true. Modern high-impact plastics (such as the Kindle uses) are very tough. Go to the Kindle forum and you certainly won't see a flood of reports of broken screens. Of course there have been flimsy plastic readers (the Bookeen CyBook Gen3, for example) but the readers from the big-name manufacturers all seem to be well-made.

I dropped my PRS-500 on the tile floor, and it dented the top-right corner. The screen functioned perfectly for years afterward, as did the Reader's bezel; the dent never interfered with holding or using the device.

If it was "high impact" plastic, I'm curious what would have happened. My Reader denting absorbed the impact. Wouldn't high impact plastic just shatter?

I actually don't like the look of the T1. BUT! I loved the PRS-500's style. When I saw pictures of the PRS-505, I hated it. But when I bought one, I fell in love with the style. The same goes for the PRS-650, pictures and real life were very different experiences.

In terms of look, we definitely need to give the T1 a chance.

-Pie

[Sapphire]

Originally Posted by NextStep

The Sony PRS-T1 is mimicking the looks of its mobile brother, the Xperia, with its curves and high quality chrome finish.

The new reader looks like their Xperia™ X10 smartphone.

[Hellmark]

Originally Posted by EatingPie

I dropped my PRS-500 on the tile floor, and it dented the top-right corner. The screen functioned perfectly for years afterward, as did the Reader's bezel; the dent never interfered with holding or using the device.

If it was "high impact" plastic, I'm curious what would have happened. My Reader denting absorbed the impact. Wouldn't high impact plastic just shatter?

I actually don't like the look of the T1. BUT! I loved the PRS-500's style. When I saw pictures of the PRS-505, I hated it. But when I bought one, I fell in love with the style. The same goes for the PRS-650, pictures and real life were very different experiences.

I have dropped my 505 on a few occasions, and there are dings in the corners of the aluminum, but all else is fine. The metal body did its job.

As far as the layout, I love my 505, and my girlfriend has a 300 that I am not as fond of. The 505 was designed to be ambidextrous with controls on either side, where as the 300 just put the stuff in the center. Yeah, still ambidextrous, but holding it with your left or right is just as uncomfortable. I often switch off hands, because of damage in my right (dominant) hand making it difficult to use all the time (I use my right when I can, but sometimes not an option).

I've not had a go at the 350 and 650s. The 600's blah touch screen made me lose interest. I have been hesitant to go with the touch screens due to what would seem like increased difficulty operating one handed. From what I have see, they do offer normal page turn buttons, but only on the left hand side.

[Latinandgreek]

I hope that the ability to read lrf files is intact on the new readers, I've been converting files that I have in Croatian to lrf because it does a good job with the diacritics that I need.

My 505 is built like a tank and withstood several drops. I'm not surprised or super disappointed that the new readers are made entirely of plastic. I would prefer aluminum, but but the lower price makes up for it.