Will ipod touch acceptably replace my Sony 505?

cartz · 11-03-2008, 07:18 PM

I'm after people's opinions who have experienced e-ink and have also experienced reading on a device that is has backlight.

My situation is that I have been reading on a Sony 505 for all of this year and absolutely love it. I will never go back to paper books.

However my wife is now keen to go down the e-book path fully with me now (previously she occasionally read on an old Palm M125). Unfortunately the falling value of the Aussie Dollar makes it too expensive for us to buy another 505 (or any other e-ink device) from the US.

So I've been reading a lot about the ipod touch and have been thinking this could be an acceptable solution for us. However my wife's eyes aren't the best so I was thinking of maybe giving her my 505 and using the new touch myself.

First thing to say is that I don't mind reading from a small screen. I was reading using the non-backlit monochrome Palm M125 for years (very small screen). In fact my ideal device would probably be a pocketable e-ink one.

My main concern with taking this path is that while I want my wife to be happy, I don't want to feel that I've degraded my reading experience.

I guess the question is - do I take the chance that the backlight won't bother me too much?

BTW, I'm really after opinions purely focussed on reading (not the other functions of the ipod that I may or may not use or even the portability factor).

daffy4u · 11-03-2008, 07:35 PM

What's the price difference for you? I purchased my iPod Touch before the price drop. It actually cost more than my Kindle after insuring it.

I think it will be hard to go back to a tiny screen after using a larger e-ink for so long. If you're a heavy reader, I'd suggest saving for another 505. If you're a light reader and really want all the other functions of the iPod Touch, then go for it.

JSWolf · 11-03-2008, 07:38 PM

I have a 505 and my Wife has an iPod Touch. No way I'd ever consider using the Touch over the 505. The Touch's screen is too small. And the fingerprints can be annoying till you clean them off.

cartz · 11-03-2008, 07:47 PM

The price difference is that I can buy a new 2nd Gen touch for $AUD 320 whereas importing a new 505 would be around $AUD 450.

I hadn't thought about fingerprints on the touch - that would be annoying.

Actually just after posting I remembered the ebookwise 1150 and was thinking that maybe that would be a better compromise than the touch. It's certainly cheaper which means if I'm not happy enough with it then it is a less expensive mistake.

I also started to worry that the other functions of the touch might actually eat into my reading time - perhaps a dedicated reader is the best option (ie. the ebookwise 1150).

cartz · 11-03-2008, 08:10 PM

Just found out the cost of the ebookwise plus postage to Australia which roughly converts to $AUD 250.

So while it's cheaper than a new touch it is not that much cheaper (if fact I could get a second hand 1st gen touch for less than that).

If only I'd have made this decision six months ago when the USD and AUD were almost equal!

daffy4u · 11-03-2008, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cartz

Just found out the cost of the ebookwise plus postage to Australia which roughly converts to $AUD 250.

So while it's cheaper than a new touch it is not that much cheaper (if fact I could get a second hand 1st gen touch for less than that).

If only I'd have made this decision six months ago when the USD and AUD were almost equal!

Maybe when the 700 comes out, you can find a good deal on the 505 on eBay.

pilotbob · 11-03-2008, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cartz

The price difference is that I can buy a new 2nd Gen touch for $AUD 320 whereas importing a new 505 would be around $AUD 450.

Perhaps you can find a used Sony 500 or 505 on eBay or similar that will cost you less. Personally, reading on the iPod is not fun. While the screen is nice and sharp... it is too small and also the backlight will get to you if you plan to read for long sessions. If you are just going to read a few mninutes here and there it could be ok.

BOb

HarryT · 11-04-2008, 02:11 AM

I agree with the other posters; the iPod Touch is a completely different type of machine, and I think you'd find it a very disappointing reading experience after using an eInk device. I'd suggest looking for a 2nd hand PRS-500, which can be picked up very cheaply these days.

bill_mchale · 11-04-2008, 12:34 PM

I think generally, the biggest issue with the iPod Touch is the screen size. I have both an iPod Touch and a Ectaco Jetbook. Each have their strengths and weakness.

The iPod's biggest strength as far as I am concerned is the fact that Stanza and eReader are both available (as well as a couple of other ereader apps). If you load Stanza on both your desktop (Windows or Mac) and your iPod, you can pretty much take books in any major format and it will translate them into simplified ePub versions that the iPod version of Stanza uses. Thus, pretty much any non-DRM'd book you can find will be readable with Stanza. If you want a DRM'd book, the eReader software will allow you to read that (and we keep hearing that mobipocket will be available in the near future). Thus, compared to many dedicated readers it is more flexible.

The biggest disadvantage is the screen size. Now mind you it is perfectly readable, but I would estimate that at a reasonable text size, the iPod Touch holds maybe a 1/4 of what you would get in a printed mass market paperback. That being said, page turns are fast... but still you will be doing a lot of page turns to finish a book.

Personally, I never found the finger print issue to be a big one; but hey, each person has their own set of things that will annoy them

.

While I don't the device is perfect, the Jetbook I am currently using I think is a nice balance between the size of the 6" eInk devices and the PDA sized devices. It won't fit in my shirt pocket, but it will fit in my jean pockets and my jacket pockets making it easy to bring with me. The screen is very readable and battery life is useful. The only problem is very limited format support (which I admit is a major one) which means that most books will have to be converted into PDF's or plain txt files to read (or fb2; but that has its own challenges). That being said, they are looking to support ePub and mobipocket early next year.

--
Bill

11-03-2008, 07:18 PM	#1
cartz Zealot Posts: 115 Karma: 16544 Join Date: Jul 2007 Device: Inkpalm 5 Mini	Will ipod touch acceptably replace my Sony 505? I'm after people's opinions who have experienced e-ink and have also experienced reading on a device that is has backlight. My situation is that I have been reading on a Sony 505 for all of this year and absolutely love it. I will never go back to paper books. However my wife is now keen to go down the e-book path fully with me now (previously she occasionally read on an old Palm M125). Unfortunately the falling value of the Aussie Dollar makes it too expensive for us to buy another 505 (or any other e-ink device) from the US. So I've been reading a lot about the ipod touch and have been thinking this could be an acceptable solution for us. However my wife's eyes aren't the best so I was thinking of maybe giving her my 505 and using the new touch myself. First thing to say is that I don't mind reading from a small screen. I was reading using the non-backlit monochrome Palm M125 for years (very small screen). In fact my ideal device would probably be a pocketable e-ink one. My main concern with taking this path is that while I want my wife to be happy, I don't want to feel that I've degraded my reading experience. I guess the question is - do I take the chance that the backlight won't bother me too much? BTW, I'm really after opinions purely focussed on reading (not the other functions of the ipod that I may or may not use or even the portability factor).

11-03-2008, 07:35 PM	#2
daffy4u I'm Super Kindle-icious Posts: 6,734 Karma: 2434103 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Long Drive, Calinadia Candafornia Device: KDXG, KT, Oasis	What's the price difference for you? I purchased my iPod Touch before the price drop. It actually cost more than my Kindle after insuring it. I think it will be hard to go back to a tiny screen after using a larger e-ink for so long. If you're a heavy reader, I'd suggest saving for another 505. If you're a light reader and really want all the other functions of the iPod Touch, then go for it.

11-03-2008, 07:38 PM	#3
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,983 Karma: 128903378 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	I have a 505 and my Wife has an iPod Touch. No way I'd ever consider using the Touch over the 505. The Touch's screen is too small. And the fingerprints can be annoying till you clean them off.

11-03-2008, 07:47 PM	#4
cartz Zealot Posts: 115 Karma: 16544 Join Date: Jul 2007 Device: Inkpalm 5 Mini	The price difference is that I can buy a new 2nd Gen touch for $AUD 320 whereas importing a new 505 would be around $AUD 450. I hadn't thought about fingerprints on the touch - that would be annoying. Actually just after posting I remembered the ebookwise 1150 and was thinking that maybe that would be a better compromise than the touch. It's certainly cheaper which means if I'm not happy enough with it then it is a less expensive mistake. I also started to worry that the other functions of the touch might actually eat into my reading time - perhaps a dedicated reader is the best option (ie. the ebookwise 1150).

11-03-2008, 08:10 PM	#5
cartz Zealot Posts: 115 Karma: 16544 Join Date: Jul 2007 Device: Inkpalm 5 Mini	Just found out the cost of the ebookwise plus postage to Australia which roughly converts to $AUD 250. So while it's cheaper than a new touch it is not that much cheaper (if fact I could get a second hand 1st gen touch for less than that). If only I'd have made this decision six months ago when the USD and AUD were almost equal!

11-04-2008, 02:11 AM	#8
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I agree with the other posters; the iPod Touch is a completely different type of machine, and I think you'd find it a very disappointing reading experience after using an eInk device. I'd suggest looking for a 2nd hand PRS-500, which can be picked up very cheaply these days.

11-04-2008, 12:34 PM	#9
bill_mchale Wizard Posts: 1,451 Karma: 1550000 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Maryland, USA Device: Nook Simple Touch, HPC Evo 4G LTE	I think generally, the biggest issue with the iPod Touch is the screen size. I have both an iPod Touch and a Ectaco Jetbook. Each have their strengths and weakness. The iPod's biggest strength as far as I am concerned is the fact that Stanza and eReader are both available (as well as a couple of other ereader apps). If you load Stanza on both your desktop (Windows or Mac) and your iPod, you can pretty much take books in any major format and it will translate them into simplified ePub versions that the iPod version of Stanza uses. Thus, pretty much any non-DRM'd book you can find will be readable with Stanza. If you want a DRM'd book, the eReader software will allow you to read that (and we keep hearing that mobipocket will be available in the near future). Thus, compared to many dedicated readers it is more flexible. The biggest disadvantage is the screen size. Now mind you it is perfectly readable, but I would estimate that at a reasonable text size, the iPod Touch holds maybe a 1/4 of what you would get in a printed mass market paperback. That being said, page turns are fast... but still you will be doing a lot of page turns to finish a book. Personally, I never found the finger print issue to be a big one; but hey, each person has their own set of things that will annoy them . While I don't the device is perfect, the Jetbook I am currently using I think is a nice balance between the size of the 6" eInk devices and the PDA sized devices. It won't fit in my shirt pocket, but it will fit in my jean pockets and my jacket pockets making it easy to bring with me. The screen is very readable and battery life is useful. The only problem is very limited format support (which I admit is a major one) which means that most books will have to be converted into PDF's or plain txt files to read (or fb2; but that has its own challenges). That being said, they are looking to support ePub and mobipocket early next year. -- Bill