Sony Reader PRS-505 Review: Impressions after a longer tryout

[BenG]

It's a trade-off. Given a choice between the two, I prefer to have a device I can easily read outside rather than in the dark.

[PHugger]

The thing that Sony is trying to do is emulate books - period.

I hear many complaints about all sorts of missing features like web browsing, searching, and on and on. People seem to want a big PDA that is also a book reader. I'm glad it does it's One Thing well: it emulates books. Books don't have built in lights. I've used a book light for years. My current favorite is THIS LED MODEL. It uses AAA batteries and lasts for a long time - very bright. It works well with the reader, either clipped onto the back cover or laying on my chest as I read in bed.


PCH

[tdanzie]

Originally Posted by NatCh

There is definitely a shopping cart when you're finding books (I was just now looking at it ) -- what is sorely lacking, however, and may be what PHugger is referring to is there isn't any way to download more than one book at a time, except possibly you may be able to download all the books you've just purchased, I don't remember for sure.

Some sort of "select books to download" function is a big ol' smelly hole in the ConnStore's feature set.

I just added 12 of the free classic to the shopping cart, then I click "buy now", confirmed and after about 1-2mins all 12 were downloaded in my library. Make sure to remove the "buy now" feature from your global preference in account and you will be able to add the free classics to the cart and buy and download at one time.

[PHugger]

Originally Posted by tdanzie

Make sure to remove the "buy now" feature from your global preference in account and you will be able to add the free classics to the cart and buy and download at one time.

Thanks - that sounds like what I was missing - off to DL some more classics!




PCH



PS - Connect to the store -> Account -> Global Preferences -> check Buy Now On or Off

[astra]

Originally Posted by kangaroo

Well, I must say I’m disappointed by the need for an external light source since I prefer to read at night, in bed, without ambient lighting. For me, native lighting, however it’s executed, should be a CORE feature of an electronic product that attempts to replace a conventional book. In addition (and unfortunately), the external flex light Sony offers is dependent on coin style batteries as opposed to an on board power point.

Well, you don't have to use sony's light for the reader. There are plenty different lights out there. I found one myself and it has changed my reading experience completely.

However, even if I didn't find this light I would still go for eInk. Why? Because of the eInk, which is just like a real book and don't tax my eyes as any other type of screen.
I believe it is a matter of priorities. For you a core feature it to be able to read without external light, for me it is a screen that is different from modern LCD/TFT screens, a screen that do not strain my eyes anymore than a normal book. It is really good that we have a forum like that where we can figure out such details before we pay money for a gadget.

[kangaroo]

Originally Posted by astra_lestat

Well, you don't have to use sony's light for the reader. There are plenty different lights out there. I found one myself and it has changed my reading experience completely.

...

Which light did you find?

Perhaps, you could provide a link.

Thanks.

[astra]

Originally Posted by kangaroo

Which light did you find?

Perhaps, you could provide a link.

Thanks.

Sure. Give me a moment to find a few topics where I posted about it.

[astra]

Ok, here you go:

Here you will find a few pics I took with with lamp of my choice - Verilux
Verilux. However, there are more lights. Some people don't need very bright lamps or don't care so much for glare or even light across a whole screen.
1


Here is another topic about light.
In the end of the topic (pages 8 and 9)I have posted a few words about Verilux as well.
2

[JohnP]

Fantastic little book reader. Already, I much prefer it over a paperback book as I can bump the test size to M. I also much prefer it to a heavy tome of a book that gets tiring to hold after a while. Reading during a meal, I do not have to use the salt shakers or napkin holder to hold open the book! I removed the cover and it is SO much easier to hold one handed and flip pages.
Yep, PDFs really do not work well, just to small and grainy. Book Designer does a good job of converting books that are all over the torrents, especially mininova (search on Sony Reader).
Nice to have a monster Tom Clancy book in such a small format!
Lighting is NOT an issue, even with my bedside lamp on medium dim, the book reads fine.
Yep, menu takes a bit and try loading a gig of books on a flash card. Takes about 10 minutes to catalog.
Could NOT be happier!

[JSWolf]

I am finding that the Vizplex screen on the 505 is easier to read in dimmer light then the original eink screen on the 500.

[kangaroo]

Originally Posted by astra_lestat

Ok, here you go:

Here you will find a few pics I took with with lamp of my choice - Verilux
Verilux. However, there are more lights. Some people don't need very bright lamps or don't care so much for glare or even light across a whole screen.
1


Here is another topic about light.
In the end of the topic (pages 8 and 9)I have posted a few words about Verilux as well.
2

Thank you for the info.