Can't make a decision - Kindle or Sony

[AbominableDavid]

I've had a Sony PRS-505 for quite some time now. I've been trying to make a decision on a new ebook reader for the last few weeks and I just can't seem to make my mind up between the PRS-650 and the Kindle.

I love my 505. It's been a great first ebook reader and I really have no complaints about the whole Sony ebook ecosystem, other than it doesn't have quite as many titles as Amazon. The PRS-650 has some nice new features and retains a lot of what I liked about the PRS-505.

The Kindle 3, on the other hand, looks pretty impressive too. There's a lot I really like about it, but since I don't know anyone locally who has one I can't really give it much of a hands-on. Still, I'm really leaning towards giving the Kindle a chance since almost everything I read about it is positive.

My biggest concern, at the moment, is with ebook formatting. If I purchase an ebook in epub format and find formatting errors, typos, or any other problems, I can pretty easily open up the epub and fix them, and this makes my inner OCD sufferer happy. I've seen some complaints about various things like margin size and other issues with Amazon ebooks, and this leads me to believe my correction process might not be as easily done with Amazon's format.

Other than that, I'd also like to get input from other people who've previously owned Sony ebook readers and who have switched to (or at least have used) the Kindle 3 - how do you feel about the switch?

(I've done searches and seen some old threads that cover some of my questions; I'd like to see if there's anything new)

[just_jeepin]

I'm a former Sony 505 user and LOVE my Kindle3! First off, the screen is gorgeous compared to the 505. I love the quick access to the dictionary (I had PRS+ on my 505 with a dictionary but it was a pain to look a word up) and note taking (for marking the typos). I've yet to read a Amazon purchased book, most of my books were non-drm epub that I just used Calibre to convert to mobi. When I go to fix typos I convert to epub, correct in Sigil, then use Calibre to convert the file back to mobi. I also bought the Amazon lighted cover and have to say it's wonderfully built and real leather unlike the fo-leather cover that came with my 505. I bought a 3-year Square Trade warranty for $19 on Amazon (as opposed to what Amazon sells which is more expensive and only 2-year). Overall I'm very happy and now my wife wants one (she wasn't impressed with the Sony)!

Almost forgot... my ONLY complaint is I was used to having more that one font per book (i.e. book title and chapter titles in Arial Bold and text in Times New Roman), BUT I don't miss it anymore. Plus the numerous font sizes are great (I'll be 40 soon). Also, Amazon has free books fairly often (I now have 361 freebies, some Public Domain but most aren't).

[AbominableDavid]

Just out of curiosity, do your books that weren't purchased from Amazon sync between devices? Like If you're reading it on your Kindle can you jump to Kindle for your phone and be on the same page?

I know you can do that for books you purchase from Amazon.

[SkyDream]

Try the 650 and you'll love it.
Don't believe you want a K3 after tasting the 650

[xnowimcoolx]

Abominable: The syncing is only available for books purchased within Amazon.

[SunnyE]

I am a long time Sony products user. Spent months research and hours in Sony story playing with Sony readers. Landed up buying Kindle a few weeks ago.
Many sites and blogs on comparison of two. Both are great and it boils down to few differences:

Kindle
1) Free 3G (freedom of buying books anytime anywhere)
2) Massive collection (ecosystem matters)
3) Lower price point - device and books (recurring cost)

Sony
1) Cool touchscreen
2) looks
3) Open format - if you care about library content, but many experienced users told me that a newbie thing, once you own the Kindle, you won't miss it. So far i agree with them.

I went back to Sony store after purchasing the Kindle and was glad to stick with my decision.

[pboss]

Originally Posted by SkyDream

Try the 650 and you'll love it.
Don't believe you want a K3 after tasting the 650

Sky, you came to the wrong place. This is our new "I'm a convert, too" thread.

[robkat]

Had a PRS-3oo then moved to Kindle 3.
Now I am really happy with quality of product and usage.
Takes less than a minute to ordering book online to appearing on the Kindle, fantastic.

[AbominableDavid]

Originally Posted by pboss

Sky, you came to the wrong place. This is our new "I'm a convert, too" thread.

I welcome comments from my Sony brethren, too, as long as it's something more than "Kindle sux, d00dz." And, I guess, as long as those comments don't violate any forum rules.

I thought about putting threads in both forums, actually, but didn't want to be too spammy. I put it here because I was already leaning towards the Kindle.

[TheKindleWorm]

I had a Sony PRS 600 but I hated it! Well maybe "hated" is a bit strong but I'm afraid that it and me did not get on at all. Looked gorgeous but it was cold and slippy to hold, did not get on with the touchscreen (not like the touchscreen on my iphone which is awesome technology) and had a lot of problems with it freezing and rebooting.

Perhaps the best thing about the Sony was the fact that I could read library books on it which you can't do with the Kindle - well not without resorting to underhand methods which I'm not personally going to stoop to.

I sold the Sony off after maybe a month of use and bought a Kindle 2 international (now upgraded to Kindle 3) and I prefer having a physical keyboard instead of the touchscreen and the screen clarity on the Kindle is definitely streets ahead of the Sony 600 at least - perhaps the new Sony is way better.

But I wonder if you really would make a good Kindle convert when you say you like the Sony 505 so much? Especially if you have no problems with the Sony ecosystem as you say. I think Amazon have hands-down the biggest and best selection, certainly of modern ebooks - for classics you're best off looking elsewhere like here!

For me, Kindle was streets ahead. But I'm not so blind as to believe that one ebook reader suits everyone.

[sirmaru]

My first eReader was the Sony PRS 505. My second was the Sony PRS 900. My third is the Kindle WiFi LG 3.

The latter is the best in my opinion. However, my wife uses the Sony PRS 900 now and I use the Kindle 3.

The major difference is syncing from PC to eReader and back. Kindle does it wirelessly while Sony requires it be done manually.

Plus, notes and highlights froze the Sony if too numerous. Kindle handles it without problems so far.

Kindle Bibles have Direct Verse Jump for rapid location of verses. Sony does not have this feature for their Bibles and makes their eReader worthless for Church and Bible Studies.

Also, Kindle has all their highlights and notes summarized at on online site for easy copying and use in chat rooms, documents and Bible Studies. Sony does not offer this feature at all.

Finally, reading on the Kindle 3 is much better than the Sony since it deals with light much better and does not reflect as much as the Sony.

[DiapDealer]

Abominable: The syncing is only available for books purchased within Amazon.

Technically true. But syncing between non-Amazon mobi's is possible if you're willing to get your hands a little dirty. You can't sync notes and highlights, "but furthest page read" is certainly do-able with the right mobi headers. But, yeah... it won't work "out of the box."

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by just_jeepin

I'm a former Sony 505 user and LOVE my Kindle3! First off, the screen is gorgeous compared to the 505. I love the quick access to the dictionary (I had PRS+ on my 505 with a dictionary but it was a pain to look a word up) and note taking (for marking the typos).

All that nice stuff you've mentioned pertains to the 650 as well. But one thing pertains to the 650 that doesn't pertain to the K3. The 650 is a lot easier to mark where your errors are that you want to fix then it is on a K3. Also, the dictionary on the 650 is faster and easier to use.

And one thing with the 650, you won't have to go converting to Mobipocket and also, you wont have to deal with the lovely left margin bug that the K3 has.

[sunnysmiles]

I have had both sony 500 and 600 and given a couple of them away . I found the battery life was very bad on the Sony especially now when I have compared it to the Kindle 3. Kindle 3 is so easy to use compared to Sony and a lot cheaper . It also has an archive of all your books so if your kindle crashes you still have your books.

I have found the books on Kindle are much cheaper than anywhere else and has a much bigger selection.

[AbominableDavid]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

And one thing with the 650, you won't have to go converting to Mobipocket and also, you wont have to deal with the lovely left margin bug that the K3 has.

Yeah, the left margin bug is one of the things holding me back from the Kindle purchase.

Is the fix, as I've read, simply a matter of removing any margin-left directives in the epub's css before converting? Or something more than that?