PRS-600 End of the experiment

ChristopherTD · 02-23-2010, 04:01 AM

After a month of carrying the Sony Reader in via bus, train and tube, I have reverted to iPhone only. While the Sony reading experience is better on the whole (the page is larger etc) the rest of the experience is less so. It is another device to carry, and it requires stowing in something when not in use, I can't just drop it into a pocket. The library management is reasonable, and I can navigate fairly easily around my collection of 800 books, but the eInk display is suboptimal for viewing cover art, and the process is just fractionally too slow to be comfortable. In contrast Stanza on the iPhone is pretty snappy (although I have considerably less than 800 books loaded) and cover art looks splendid. This is, of course, a minor consideration and separate to actually reading a book, but an area where the iPhones screen is clearly superior. Also, since getting the Sony I have used the excellent tools from Mobileread folk to make my library available to Stanza via OPDS and DropBox so that I can browse the entire collection from anywhere without having to have them all on the iPhone.

Note that these comments apply to using the device while commuting in London, which is a pretty hostile environment. For an extended read at home, or on a long flight (not that I do them much anymore) the Sony is a good thing to have.

So in summary, for me (just me) the Sony is a nice device, but the advantages are not compelling enough to carry it on my daily commute, compared to the ubiquity and extreme portability of the iPhone.

HarryT · 02-23-2010, 04:21 AM

If your main reading is done while commuting, then I completely understand your decision. Reading at home is a completely different experience to reading on the Tube!

Bremen Cole · 02-23-2010, 06:10 AM

Same experience for me, but reading at home is a different experience. I really think a lot of it has to do with being male, and not carrying a handbag. To my wife, it is no big deal to have her reader with her at all times. To me, my iPhone is a much better portable and on the go solution.

Berylmary · 02-23-2010, 06:48 AM

Bookeen Opus fits in my handbag better than the Sony's. It also fits in my anorak pocket.

iPod touch is much more portable but I can't put my DRM protected books on it so I am reading free books, of which there are many, when out and about.

Kosst Amojan · 02-23-2010, 08:06 AM

I take the bus and metro back and forth to work every day (almost an hour each way). And I couldn't imagine not having my Reader. I have an Ipod Touch ( which i have tried out as an ereader) but I wouldn't want to stare at that screen for very long and in order to make the text large enough to read I would have to be constantly scrolling.

And I simply don't view covers are being that important. I'm only going to look at it for a second anyway. And since I have my briefcase with me anyway, its hardly an extra burden.

ChristopherTD · 02-23-2010, 08:16 AM

To each his own - I fit around 80% of the text on an iPhone page that would fit on the Sony, so I am not paging much more, and the iPhone screen doesn't bother me at all. And if I leave the Sony at home I don't have to carry a bag, just wallet and iPhone. Easy equation for me...

Starka · 02-23-2010, 08:34 AM

Why not just carry a book?

I must confess that my experiment with an e-reader is decidedly negative.

Bremen Cole · 02-23-2010, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Starka

Why not just carry a book?

I must confess that my experiment with an e-reader is decidedly negative.

Then you should sell (or return) your reader. Any technology is not for everyone, nothing wrong if ereaders are not a fit for you.

I have not bought a paper book in 10 years. I am visually impaired, and if not for ebooks, I would not be able to read. Adjustable font sizes, back lighting and portability are awesome to me

Starka · 02-23-2010, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bremen Cole

Then you should sell (or return) your reader. Any technology is not for everyone, nothing wrong if ereaders are not a fit for you.

I have not bought a paper book in 10 years. I am visually impaired, and if not for ebooks, I would not be able to read. Adjustable font sizes, back lighting and portability are awesome to me

Clearly, for your situation the e-reader is a God-send.

I got an e-reader as a Christmas gift, and try as I might, I can't understand the allure of the device. Added to the mix is the fact that I've had technical problems with my reader, and Sony's help/support (or lack thereof) hasn't done a thing to improve my opinion.

As an aside, I have another Sony device with problems which sadly has led me to equate "Sony" with another four letter word beginning with "S".

banjobama · 02-23-2010, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bremen Cole

I really think a lot of it has to do with being male, and not carrying a handbag. To my wife, it is no big deal to have her reader with her at all times.

This.

I always carry a purse, therefore I always have room for my Reader, as well as anything my husband thinks he needs to bring along that won't fit in his pockets.

SCION · 02-23-2010, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by banjobama

I always carry a purse, therefore I always have room for my Reader, as well as anything my husband thinks he needs to bring along that won't fit in his pockets.

Very true. Sometimes I intentionally use a smaller bag so my husband won't do this!

Mike_73 · 02-23-2010, 03:17 PM

I've just got to out me here. I bought a really small messenger bag last saturday (I wanted to replace the one I use for going to work). Due to the grey color and the print, it doesn't acutally look like a purse when worn by me. If my wife would wear it, I would say that it very much looks like a purse

In the end, I think it is one, but it fits my needs and doesn't look too bad when I lug it around.

JSWolf · 02-23-2010, 03:47 PM

Sure, go ahead and read on your iPhone. Just remember, that you may not have enough battery for actually phone calls.

Bremen Cole · 02-23-2010, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Starka

Clearly, for your situation the e-reader is a God-send.

I got an e-reader as a Christmas gift, and try as I might, I can't understand the allure of the device. Added to the mix is the fact that I've had technical problems with my reader, and Sony's help/support (or lack thereof) hasn't done a thing to improve my opinion.

As an aside, I have another Sony device with problems which sadly has led me to equate "Sony" with another four letter word beginning with "S".

I of course don't know all the issues with your reader, but I can tell you that Sony software in general is ...er.... poop. That's why I didn't even bother installing the Sony reader software on my computer. I do audio work, and have tried and tried to use Sony's Acid software. If it worked it would be great, but it is without a doubt the buggiest software in the audio world. It is not just crashes, things just simply don't work. They come out with updates, and the same bugs are there as before (some have been in the software for years). It truly amazes me how they can release such screwed up software.... In general though I find their hardware to be okay. They don't seem to have higher rates of failure that other companies, at least in products that I have owned....

Bremen Cole · 02-23-2010, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Sure, go ahead and read on your iPhone. Just remember, that you may not have enough battery for actually phone calls.

And that is my REAL complaint of reading on my iPhone. I can get past the small screen, because it is so clear and bright. But at the end of the day if I want to read a few hours (after using the phone through the day) , forget it....

02-23-2010, 04:01 AM	#1
ChristopherTD Addict Posts: 343 Karma: 1010002 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: London. UK Device: Marvin Reader on iPad Air (via Calibre)	End of the experiment After a month of carrying the Sony Reader in via bus, train and tube, I have reverted to iPhone only. While the Sony reading experience is better on the whole (the page is larger etc) the rest of the experience is less so. It is another device to carry, and it requires stowing in something when not in use, I can't just drop it into a pocket. The library management is reasonable, and I can navigate fairly easily around my collection of 800 books, but the eInk display is suboptimal for viewing cover art, and the process is just fractionally too slow to be comfortable. In contrast Stanza on the iPhone is pretty snappy (although I have considerably less than 800 books loaded) and cover art looks splendid. This is, of course, a minor consideration and separate to actually reading a book, but an area where the iPhones screen is clearly superior. Also, since getting the Sony I have used the excellent tools from Mobileread folk to make my library available to Stanza via OPDS and DropBox so that I can browse the entire collection from anywhere without having to have them all on the iPhone. Note that these comments apply to using the device while commuting in London, which is a pretty hostile environment. For an extended read at home, or on a long flight (not that I do them much anymore) the Sony is a good thing to have. So in summary, for me (just me) the Sony is a nice device, but the advantages are not compelling enough to carry it on my daily commute, compared to the ubiquity and extreme portability of the iPhone.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
The Grand Experiment!	daffy4u	Sony Reader	186	02-22-2010 10:36 AM
DRM experiment	sanders	News	27	04-25-2008 12:59 PM
Picture Viewer experiment	skytalon	Amazon Kindle	11	04-04-2008 11:10 AM

02-23-2010, 04:21 AM	#2
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	If your main reading is done while commuting, then I completely understand your decision. Reading at home is a completely different experience to reading on the Tube!

02-23-2010, 06:10 AM	#3
Bremen Cole Wizard Posts: 1,115 Karma: 2718 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Texas Device: iPad	Same experience for me, but reading at home is a different experience. I really think a lot of it has to do with being male, and not carrying a handbag. To my wife, it is no big deal to have her reader with her at all times. To me, my iPhone is a much better portable and on the go solution.

02-23-2010, 06:48 AM	#4
Berylmary Enthusiast Posts: 25 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Bury St Edmunds Suffolk Device: Cybook Opus, iPod Touch 3G, Sony PRS600, iPhone 3Gs	Bookeen Opus fits in my handbag better than the Sony's. It also fits in my anorak pocket. iPod touch is much more portable but I can't put my DRM protected books on it so I am reading free books, of which there are many, when out and about.

02-23-2010, 08:06 AM	#5
Kosst Amojan Addict Posts: 207 Karma: 19597 Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Northern Virginia Device: Nook Glowlight Plus	I take the bus and metro back and forth to work every day (almost an hour each way). And I couldn't imagine not having my Reader. I have an Ipod Touch ( which i have tried out as an ereader) but I wouldn't want to stare at that screen for very long and in order to make the text large enough to read I would have to be constantly scrolling. And I simply don't view covers are being that important. I'm only going to look at it for a second anyway. And since I have my briefcase with me anyway, its hardly an extra burden.

02-23-2010, 08:16 AM	#6
ChristopherTD Addict Posts: 343 Karma: 1010002 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: London. UK Device: Marvin Reader on iPad Air (via Calibre)	To each his own - I fit around 80% of the text on an iPhone page that would fit on the Sony, so I am not paging much more, and the iPhone screen doesn't bother me at all. And if I leave the Sony at home I don't have to carry a bag, just wallet and iPhone. Easy equation for me...

02-23-2010, 08:34 AM	#7
Starka Anything BUT "Enthusiast" Posts: 45 Karma: 24 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: PRS 900BC	Why not just carry a book? I must confess that my experiment with an e-reader is decidedly negative.

02-23-2010, 03:17 PM	#12
Mike_73 Guru Posts: 750 Karma: 1323 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: PRS-505, PRS-600, iPad 16GB Wifi, Kindle Voyage, Nexus 6, Razr HD	I've just got to out me here. I bought a really small messenger bag last saturday (I wanted to replace the one I use for going to work). Due to the grey color and the print, it doesn't acutally look like a purse when worn by me. If my wife would wear it, I would say that it very much looks like a purse In the end, I think it is one, but it fits my needs and doesn't look too bad when I lug it around.

02-23-2010, 03:47 PM	#13
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,897 Karma: 128597114 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Sure, go ahead and read on your iPhone. Just remember, that you may not have enough battery for actually phone calls.

Advert

Advert