Sell/Purchase, Exchange or Not??

[F1Wild]

I'm an avid bedtime (and other-time) reader! We travel internationally from time to time and my husband got so sick of me (or he) carting around my stash of books he bought me a jetBook. I had already been doing a fair bit of research on devices and had already decided the jetBook was not for me (I wish I had shared my info with him!). I pretty much had decided on the Sony PRS 700 - mostly for the functionality, sidelights (as I read in bed with a booklight so as not to disturb my sleeping husband), ease of use and cost.

Well, the store where he purchased the jetBook will not allow a return or exchange, even though I want to purchase a more expensive device.

First, what recommendations do you all have for a device? I read, mostly at night, in bed. I want very easy to download (hint-not too much futzing around) and use. I want good quality that will last without having to update in order to function as others already do. Music would be cool, if also available for the device.

Should I try to sell my jetBook on the Flea Market thread or eBay then purchase a different device?

I appreciate the already tons of information available on this forum!!!!

[rjfarrell]

Hi there F1Wild, from your neighbor in Mesa, AZ!!

I have both a Sony PRS-700 and a Sony PRS-505. Hands down (for me) the 505 wins. I can always add the cover with the light, or a Mighty Bright book light. I have both, but I usually add the Mighty Bright Book light while reading in bed. Either light will do the trick.

The 700 is not a horrible device. However, there is a nasty problem with dust particles under the screen. They are multiplying. And the overall screen is a little cloudy at times for me to read thru. If they took care of those two issues, the 700 would knock them all out. But until then.....

The Greater Phoenix Library has books available for ebook checkout. They have a very few Mobi Books. Gads of Adobe pdf.

I am unfamiliar with the jetbook. However, I think I heard that the jetbook does not have a DRM compatability, and that would greatly reduce the more modern books/novels one could read.

Just my input.

[desertgrandma]

Originally Posted by F1Wild

I'm an avid bedtime (and other-time) reader! We travel internationally from time to time and my husband got so sick of me (or he) carting around my stash of books he bought me a jetBook. I had already been doing a fair bit of research on devices and had already decided the jetBook was not for me (I wish I had shared my info with him!). I pretty much had decided on the Sony PRS 700 - mostly for the functionality, sidelights (as I read in bed with a booklight so as not to disturb my sleeping husband), ease of use and cost.

Well, the store where he purchased the jetBook will not allow a return or exchange, even though I want to purchase a more expensive device.

First, what recommendations do you all have for a device? I read, mostly at night, in bed. I want very easy to download (hint-not too much futzing around) and use. I want good quality that will last without having to update in order to function as others already do. Music would be cool, if also available for the device.

Should I try to sell my jetBook on the Flea Market thread or eBay then purchase a different device?

I appreciate the already tons of information available on this forum!!!!

About the only advice I have, is that you NOT purchase from the store you bought the jetbook from.

If you are that unhappy with your jetbook, definitely sell it an go another way. We have members here who are delirious about their Sony505's, (just don't tell them which color you got), and those who love their Kindles. The lack of lighting is not as issue, because the clip on lights are so unobtrusive.

Because of the clarity issue with the 700, I would also suggest you see it in person to make sure you are happy with the display. The K2 also has issues with contrast, but the K1 hasn't.

Any device you get will be best for you, with a little research. Best of luck on your choice.

Check out our Wiki pages, on all the devices available, and look at the different forums for more info on them.

[Kris777]

I LOVE my jetBook and I will never Sell or Exchange it... F1WILD, why you don't like your jetBook? Where you purchase it? Maybe something wrong with your unit?
You can find many posts on this forum from people who like jetBook. I don't recommend
Sony 700. I tested it for several days and sent it back to Sony because it was impossible to read on this screen after jetBook screen.

[F1Wild]

Originally Posted by rjfarrell

Hi there F1Wild, from your neighbor in Mesa, AZ!!

I have both a Sony PRS-700 and a Sony PRS-505. Hands down (for me) the 505 wins. I can always add the cover with the light, or a Mighty Bright book light. I have both, but I usually add the Mighty Bright Book light while reading in bed. Either light will do the trick.

The 700 is not a horrible device. However, there is a nasty problem with dust particles under the screen.

Hi there neighbor and thanks for your input!! I've seen much more on the 505, but thought with the additional advantage of the lighting might be worth the 700 - maybe not. I have a Lightwedge now and although I find it great as a light source it is a bit heavy, cumbersome and I'm constantly changing the batteries.

Cheers!

[F1Wild]

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

About the only advice I have, is that you NOT purchase from the store you bought the jetbook from.
If you are that unhappy with your jetbook, definitely sell it an go another way.
The K2 also has issues with contrast, but the K1 hasn't.
Any device you get will be best for you, with a little research. Best of luck on your choice.

Thanks again for your advice - my husband tends to buy lots of cumputer-related and electronics from a certain place, but I always end up on the short end of the stick with their products - either problems with the product itself or their exchange/return policy.

You have the Kindle, I see - why 2 of them (if you don'tmind me asking)? I heard that you can only buy the books, etc. via Amazon, but you can download from anywhere - is that true? Also, I was told by a salesperson (at the shitty store) that you have to send it back to manufacturer in order to change the battery.

[F1Wild]

Originally Posted by Kris777

I LOVE my jetBook and I will never Sell or Exchange it... F1WILD, why you don't like your jetBook? Where you purchase it? Maybe something wrong with your unit?
You can find many posts on this forum from people who like jetBook. I don't recommend
Sony 700. I tested it for several days and sent it back to Sony because it was impossible to read on this screen after jetBook screen.

Thank you for your input, Kris. I cannot seem to get the lightsource/display to work in a manner in which I can see - it's either too much glare or too dark. Also, I find their support to be crap. They seem to have a lot of claims that are not fulfilled such as how easy it is to find books (I cannot find the books I want in a format it will accept), thery offer help to find books for you (I asked for Steinbeck and Pearl Buck books and I was sent links to a few basic sites that had neither).

[Jill75]

Originally Posted by F1Wild

Hi there neighbor and thanks for your input!! I've seen much more on the 505, but thought with the additional advantage of the lighting might be worth the 700 - maybe not. I have a Lightwedge now and although I find it great as a light source it is a bit heavy, cumbersome and I'm constantly changing the batteries.

Cheers!

I have the Sony 505 and I have seen also the 700. After reading much and going through the forum, there have been so much great reviews about the 505. As with Kindle, its also a good eReader but some limitations with Amazon on the books. But with functionality, the Sony 505 has a wider range of books and perspective on application.

[F1Wild]

Originally Posted by Jill75

I have the Sony 505 and I have seen also the 700. After reading much and going through the forum, there have been so much great reviews about the 505. As with Kindle, its also a good eReader but some limitations with Amazon on the books. But with functionality, the Sony 505 has a wider range of books and perspective on application.

Thanks for the info. I think I will be selling the jetBook maybe on the Flea Market thread and if not sold there go to Craigslist or eBay and then buying a Sony (still undecided which one).

[zelda_pinwheel]

as you can see from this thread, F1Wild, the only thing you can be sure of is that we've got a lot of passionate members who all love their own device the best ! that's because everyone has different needs, so devices are not "one-size-fits-all" as we can see comparing your experience with the jetbook to kris'... it's a lucky thing there are many different ones !

i have the sony 700 and i love it. i've not had any trouble with dust on the screen, and i've never had a problem with glare either as some have. it's true the screen is a bit inferior to the 505 (etc.) screen but this is most noticeable when you compare them side by side ; the screen is still perfectly readable. i read in bed a lot (in fairly dim lighting) with no trouble ; in the daytime, particularly outside in sunlight, it's even better. at first i was annoyed about the addition of sidelights because i don't like lit screens (they tire my eyes) and adding the sidelights is part of the reason for the decreased contrast / clarity of the screen, but i have to admit that i've used them several times and when i do need them they are great. one warning, they do drain the batteries MUCH faster than reading without them, but if you plan to use the lights intensively, i recommend getting a psp (non usb) style charger which plugs into the wall ; it charges much faster than the usb connection and i believe you can even read while it's charging that way, which would solve that problem.

i think either sony will be a good choice for you ; they are both excellent devices. the 700's lights seem to be pretty important to you, so maybe the best solution is to buy a 700 from a store where you are sure you could return / exchange it, and try it out for a few days to see how you like it. it's very hard to make up your mind based on other people's experiences since they might not have the same needs as you, however, one of our members has made a really nice video review of the 700 which might at least give you an idea of the device. you can see it here.

[F1Wild]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

as you can see from this thread, F1Wild, the only thing you can be sure of is that we've got a lot of passionate members who all love their own device the best ! that's because everyone has different needs, so devices are not "one-size-fits-all" as we can see comparing your experience with the jetbook to kris'... it's a lucky thing there are many different ones ! i have the sony 700 and i love it. one of our members has made a really nice video review of the 700 which might at least give you an idea of the device. you can see it here.

Thanks for the info and the link to Mos' video - so much better than a stock video from the manufacturer!!

[kelly1010]

I'm a bit late in chiming in here, but I have a 505 and I LOVE it. I read bestsellers and NEW releases, so the 505 was the perfect choice for me. Looking back, I was a bit blindsighted when I was researching ebook readers. I assumed that you could load any book onto any reader and be ready to read. I have since learned that is not the case. Luckily, I ended up going with the right reader, for my needs. I also have the lightwedge that goes with the Sony 505 and I am so glad I bought that.

Good luck with your decision, and hopefully you can sell your other reader soon!

[Elsi]

I own both a Kindle (1) and the Sony PRS-505. So far, I've not been tempted to replace either one of them with the newer models. My dear hubby bought me the Sony cover with the built-in lightwedge and I found it very nice for reading in the car at night. The book lights are easy to read with, but they tend to bounce off the reader's screen and get into his eyes as he is driving. So, on our road trips, I plan my reading so that I'm reading a book on the Sony at night, even though I might be reading on the Kindle earlier in the day.

You'll have the easiest book availability with the Sony or the Kindle (as well as some other brands), but the price of Kindle books is almost always less than the books for the Sony reader. It doesn't take long to catch up the difference in price at $2 - $5 per book.

[F1Wild]

Thanks Kelly & Elsi! I know botht he 505 & Kindle are at the top of my list and as soon as I sell, trade or whatever my jetBook the devine reading inspiration will hit and my decision will be obvious (fingers crossed). In the meantime, I find more and more helpful info almost daily from this website.