505 is dead, traveler in need of a new reader.

JGB · 12-03-2010, 01:12 PM

My 505 has finally reached the point where I feel it's time to replace it, the upper corner broke in the sun, while I was reading, now the screen is getting vertical bars, the battery only lasts a day and a bit, the cover has large burn marks from hot scale when I'd read in school during heats, the time the metal is in the forge. I was at a blacksmithing school at the time.
I've read at least a few hundred books on it, many from here, a few from fictionwise.
I'm now a university student, in photography which normally means a tight enough budget, however I'm also doing a project/trip right now which means the budget is even tighter.
I'm riding an older(1979 CX500) motorcycle from Vancouver to Argentina and doing a website of photos/blog on the way, if I can figure out how and people want to read it, I'm hoping to make an ebook at the end of it.
my blog is up at BLog

My only requirment is screen size, at least as big as the 505.

main features I think are:

usb charging.
be nice if I didn't need to charge off the laptop, and just use any powered usb port but I do have one if needed.
No touch screen, the extra battery consumption and blurriness doesn't seem worth it. Unless it's gotten much better since the first generation of Sony ones.
Epub compatibility, PDF as well would be nice
SD card compatibility would be great, I use it to preview photo's or with photos of maps on walls etc for places that don't give out maps.
but isn't essential.

ProfCrash · 12-03-2010, 02:35 PM

It sounds like you are talking about the Nook.

I am not sure about the usb charging but I would guess that it does.

It does have a touch screen but it is a smaller LCD touch screen at the bottom of the screen. It does seem to suck battery life pretty fast.

It is EPub compatible and can read PDF although not all that well.

It has a memory card slot.

It is reasonably priced.

The new Sony's touchscreens are suppose to be very nice. They are reported to be not blurry and very responsive.

speedtouch · 12-03-2010, 05:56 PM

The PocketBook 301+ might work. No wifi, no touch screen, e-ink, epub support (plus countless others), decent PDF support, up to 16GB SD card, charges via USB, battery lasts a very long time, and it just works. Approx. $170 or so.

dordale · 12-03-2010, 07:14 PM

One downside to the nook is the battery life. Supposedly this is better since the latest firmware update, but I'm not yet convinced. Also, they are quite a bit heavier and bulkier than the new kindles/sonys. This may be annoying since you'll be travelling.

The new Sonys are very nice--the screen on my 650 is very crisp and clear and the battery lasts 2-3 weeks with fairly regular reading. Downside to the Sonys is the price. If you do decide to go for a Sony--make sure you stay away from the 600/700/900. Those are the first gen touchscreens--and are nowhere near the 350/650/950 in readability.

The kindle would be a good choice--except it doesn't have ePub support.

I don't know much about it, but the kobo might be a good choice for you. It has a 6" screen, supports ePub, has a memory expansion slot. It has an e-ink display, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't have the new "pearl" screens that the Kindle and Sonys do.

Good luck!
dordale

JGB · 12-04-2010, 06:07 AM

I suppose with the miracle of Caliber Epub isn't essential, I won't buy DRM'd books anyways. I just like at least semi open standards. No more LRF for me.

Whatever happened to the other standards like Cybook etc, Astak/Hanlin reader etc I remember from when I was buying my sony? Too bad the Readius never came true.

Battery life is pretty essential for me, I actually handled one of the Kobo readers, a family I stayed with in LA (3 adults including me a 3 kids in a tiny hotel made for some cramped quarters) They are definitely pretty nice, I liked the textured back. Does the pocketbook have the pearl screen too? They are the same price as the Sony ones after shipping, the extra battery capacity might be nice though.

I notice the 302/600 series pocketbooks have much larger battery capacities, I assume with a much larger price?

jj2me · 12-04-2010, 08:51 AM

I particularly like good contrast. If you do too, then consider limiting yourself to Pearl screens. That's Sony 350/650/950 and Kindle 3, and maybe there are other manufacturers coming out with Pearl screens, I haven't kept up.

The Kindle has advantages if you get Calibre periodicals (auto-delivery over wireless, Skip to next article). Great battery life if you mostly keep wireless off. But needs conversion to ePub.

The new (350/650/950) Sonys' touchscreens don't blur the nice screen. You can still turn pages using the page-turn buttons, but I believe you'll have to use the touchscreen for other operations (I don't have a new Sony, just a 505 like you).

[EDIT: I have a 1983 CX650. These CX's are great bikes. Good luck on your trip, sounds like a great adventure.]

speedtouch · 12-04-2010, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JGB

I suppose with the miracle of Caliber Epub isn't essential, I won't buy DRM'd books anyways. I just like at least semi open standards. No more LRF for me.

Whatever happened to the other standards like Cybook etc, Astak/Hanlin reader etc I remember from when I was buying my sony? Too bad the Readius never came true.

Battery life is pretty essential for me, I actually handled one of the Kobo readers, a family I stayed with in LA (3 adults including me a 3 kids in a tiny hotel made for some cramped quarters) They are definitely pretty nice, I liked the textured back. Does the pocketbook have the pearl screen too? They are the same price as the Sony ones after shipping, the extra battery capacity might be nice though.

I notice the 302/600 series pocketbooks have much larger battery capacities, I assume with a much larger price?

Good for you, I don't buy crippled books either. I refuse to license a book. I want to own it.

Cybook Gen3 is still around and I think they offer nearly the value of a PocketBook 301+. Unfortunately their price compared to a 301+ is much, much higher. Astak, unfortunately, is dead. Don't know anything about Hanlin, sorry.

I don't know about all models from PocketBook, but I do know the 301+ has excellent battery life. I think I charge it every 3-4 weeks. None of the PocketBooks have the new Pearl screen. The 301+, 302, and 360 have the 1st gen e-ink screen like the original Kindle. The 60x/90x have a new version of e-ink which is certainly better than 1st gen, but not as good as a Pearl screen.

Actually, the 302 models are just under $200 these days. Though I don't know how long their batteries last. The 60x/90x models are brand new, so I should refer you to the PocketBook forum to read about those models. I don't have one, so I have no info to offer you. The 602 is actually cheaper than a 302...

ChupaLibro · 12-04-2010, 02:46 PM

I'm of course partial to the Nook, but here's something I don't get. I think the Nook is pretty lightweight, and yet I hear people complain about the size / weight. Is it really a heft reader? I just don't see it.

Inquiring minds want to know...

ProfCrash · 12-04-2010, 03:10 PM

It is heavier then the Kobo and Kindle. I am not sure about the weight of the Sony. For people with joint problems, hand problems, carpel tunnel, and similar conditions the few ounces can make a difference.

sbtx99 · 12-04-2010, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JGB

No touch screen, the extra battery consumption and blurriness doesn't seem worth it. Unless it's gotten much better since the first generation of Sony ones.

The new Sony Touch edition is definitely better than the old one. I've owned the 600, 505, 300, and now have a 650, and the 650's Pearl e-Ink screen is the best of the Sony models that I've owned. For overall use, I like it much better than any of the earlier models, which is saying something as I really liked the 505 and 300 at the time I was using them.

The touch screen is more responsive than the one on the 600, and no reflection issues like on the 600. So far I've found the battery life comparable to that of the 505 and 300. It usually lasts 1.5 to 2 weeks between charges, depending on how much reading I've done and how often I've removed the memory stick to add new books.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChupaLibro

I'm of course partial to the Nook, but here's something I don't get. I think the Nook is pretty lightweight, and yet I hear people complain about the size / weight. Is it really a heft reader? I just don't see it.

Inquiring minds want to know...

According to this comparison chart at SonyStyle:
http://www.sonystyle.com/wcsstore/So...ison_chart.pdf

The nook models weigh 11.6 oz (wifi) & 12.1 oz (3G), the Sony Touch edition weighs 7.58 (oz), and the Kindle 3 models weigh 8.5 (wifi) & 8.7 (wifi+3G).

Pomtroll · 12-04-2010, 05:55 PM

The Nook is heavier than the Kindle but not enough to make that much difference to me. I have both.

doreenjoy · 12-04-2010, 06:26 PM

The Sony 650 is MUCH sharper than the 505, even with the touch screen. I don't think you'd be disappointed.

12-03-2010, 01:12 PM	#1
JGB Groupie Posts: 168 Karma: 1010000 Join Date: Jul 2008 Device: PRS505	505 is dead, traveler in need of a new reader. My 505 has finally reached the point where I feel it's time to replace it, the upper corner broke in the sun, while I was reading, now the screen is getting vertical bars, the battery only lasts a day and a bit, the cover has large burn marks from hot scale when I'd read in school during heats, the time the metal is in the forge. I was at a blacksmithing school at the time. I've read at least a few hundred books on it, many from here, a few from fictionwise. I'm now a university student, in photography which normally means a tight enough budget, however I'm also doing a project/trip right now which means the budget is even tighter. I'm riding an older(1979 CX500) motorcycle from Vancouver to Argentina and doing a website of photos/blog on the way, if I can figure out how and people want to read it, I'm hoping to make an ebook at the end of it. my blog is up at BLog My only requirment is screen size, at least as big as the 505. main features I think are: usb charging. be nice if I didn't need to charge off the laptop, and just use any powered usb port but I do have one if needed. No touch screen, the extra battery consumption and blurriness doesn't seem worth it. Unless it's gotten much better since the first generation of Sony ones. Epub compatibility, PDF as well would be nice SD card compatibility would be great, I use it to preview photo's or with photos of maps on walls etc for places that don't give out maps. but isn't essential.

12-04-2010, 06:07 AM	#5
JGB Groupie Posts: 168 Karma: 1010000 Join Date: Jul 2008 Device: PRS505	I suppose with the miracle of Caliber Epub isn't essential, I won't buy DRM'd books anyways. I just like at least semi open standards. No more LRF for me. Whatever happened to the other standards like Cybook etc, Astak/Hanlin reader etc I remember from when I was buying my sony? Too bad the Readius never came true. Battery life is pretty essential for me, I actually handled one of the Kobo readers, a family I stayed with in LA (3 adults including me a 3 kids in a tiny hotel made for some cramped quarters) They are definitely pretty nice, I liked the textured back. Does the pocketbook have the pearl screen too? They are the same price as the Sony ones after shipping, the extra battery capacity might be nice though. I notice the 302/600 series pocketbooks have much larger battery capacities, I assume with a much larger price? Last edited by JGB; 12-04-2010 at 06:14 AM.

12-04-2010, 08:51 AM	#6
jj2me Guru Posts: 820 Karma: 8820388 Join Date: Dec 2008 Device: Sony PRS-505, -350; Kindle 3 3G, DX, PW 2; various tablets	I particularly like good contrast. If you do too, then consider limiting yourself to Pearl screens. That's Sony 350/650/950 and Kindle 3, and maybe there are other manufacturers coming out with Pearl screens, I haven't kept up. The Kindle has advantages if you get Calibre periodicals (auto-delivery over wireless, Skip to next article). Great battery life if you mostly keep wireless off. But needs conversion to ePub. The new (350/650/950) Sonys' touchscreens don't blur the nice screen. You can still turn pages using the page-turn buttons, but I believe you'll have to use the touchscreen for other operations (I don't have a new Sony, just a 505 like you). [EDIT: I have a 1983 CX650. These CX's are great bikes. Good luck on your trip, sounds like a great adventure.] Last edited by jj2me; 12-04-2010 at 01:42 PM.

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12-03-2010, 02:35 PM	#2
ProfCrash Tea Enthusiast Posts: 8,554 Karma: 75384937 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Somewhere in the USA Device: Kindle1, Kindle DX Graphite, K3 3G, IPad 3, PW2	It sounds like you are talking about the Nook. I am not sure about the usb charging but I would guess that it does. It does have a touch screen but it is a smaller LCD touch screen at the bottom of the screen. It does seem to suck battery life pretty fast. It is EPub compatible and can read PDF although not all that well. It has a memory card slot. It is reasonably priced. The new Sony's touchscreens are suppose to be very nice. They are reported to be not blurry and very responsive.

12-03-2010, 05:56 PM	#3
speedtouch eBook Newbie Posts: 373 Karma: 1724 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Kobo Clara HD	The PocketBook 301+ might work. No wifi, no touch screen, e-ink, epub support (plus countless others), decent PDF support, up to 16GB SD card, charges via USB, battery lasts a very long time, and it just works. Approx. $170 or so.

12-03-2010, 07:14 PM	#4
dordale Wizard Posts: 1,731 Karma: 3472866 Join Date: Apr 2008 Device: Sony PRS-650 & 350; Kindle Voyage; Kobo Aura HD, Aura One, and Forma	One downside to the nook is the battery life. Supposedly this is better since the latest firmware update, but I'm not yet convinced. Also, they are quite a bit heavier and bulkier than the new kindles/sonys. This may be annoying since you'll be travelling. The new Sonys are very nice--the screen on my 650 is very crisp and clear and the battery lasts 2-3 weeks with fairly regular reading. Downside to the Sonys is the price. If you do decide to go for a Sony--make sure you stay away from the 600/700/900. Those are the first gen touchscreens--and are nowhere near the 350/650/950 in readability. The kindle would be a good choice--except it doesn't have ePub support. I don't know much about it, but the kobo might be a good choice for you. It has a 6" screen, supports ePub, has a memory expansion slot. It has an e-ink display, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't have the new "pearl" screens that the Kindle and Sonys do. Good luck! dordale

12-04-2010, 02:46 PM	#8
ChupaLibro Julio Angel Ortiz Posts: 74 Karma: 506490 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: Kindle Fire	I'm of course partial to the Nook, but here's something I don't get. I think the Nook is pretty lightweight, and yet I hear people complain about the size / weight. Is it really a heft reader? I just don't see it. Inquiring minds want to know...

12-04-2010, 03:10 PM	#9
ProfCrash Tea Enthusiast Posts: 8,554 Karma: 75384937 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Somewhere in the USA Device: Kindle1, Kindle DX Graphite, K3 3G, IPad 3, PW2	It is heavier then the Kobo and Kindle. I am not sure about the weight of the Sony. For people with joint problems, hand problems, carpel tunnel, and similar conditions the few ounces can make a difference.

12-04-2010, 05:55 PM	#11
Pomtroll Guru Posts: 822 Karma: 1341819 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Minnesota USA Device: Sony 350, Sony T1, Kindle Touch, Kindle PW1	The Nook is heavier than the Kindle but not enough to make that much difference to me. I have both.

12-04-2010, 06:26 PM	#12
doreenjoy 01000100 01001010 Posts: 1,889 Karma: 2400000 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Polyamorous	The Sony 650 is MUCH sharper than the 505, even with the touch screen. I don't think you'd be disappointed.