PRS-600 PRS-600 tips and tricks

maxbookworm · 05-28-2010, 06:19 PM

I looked and haven't seen a thread like this dedicated to just the PRS-600. So I thought maybe everyone could put all the PRS-600 tips and tricks in one place. Since yesterday, here is what I have learned so far:

You can bookmark a page by double tapping the top right corner
You can jump to a page by tapping the page number at the bottom center
The "sort by date" toggles between ascending and descending dates each time you use it
Double-tapping a word brings up a small dictionary definition window at the bottom, but then tapping on the dictionary icon brings up the full dictionary page and you can then page back and forth within the dictionary
To change the page-turning swipe direction, touch "More" from the home page, then "Settings", then "Page Turn Gesture"
The unit will only charge if it does a USB handshake with a PC (no USB wall chargers).You can get a cheap conversion lead from USB to PSP charger plug and use that instead.
Sliding the power button over quickly puts the reader in sleep mode. Sliding it over for 10 seconds will power the unit down (better if you will not be using it for an extended period of time)

What other tips and tricks do you have?

Mike_73 · 05-29-2010, 04:51 AM

Not really sure if this is worth noting, but if you organise files without any program:
- transfer book to the reader
- put the same book in a folder on you pc for permanent storage (depending on your organisation)
- once you finished reading a book, press options, press the down button of the upcoming menu, delete the book directly on the reader (remember, there's still your storage copy on your pc)

Dreamnine · 05-29-2010, 06:47 AM

This is a good and useful thread to have

One thing I did notice from another forum is that it is best not to power down the PRS-600; rather just leave it on and it switches to sleep after 60 minutes.

When you next switch it on it comes to life almost instantly.

I believe it uses very little power on sleep but booting it up or shutting it down consumes rather more.

This is quite a nifty feature and one Sony use on most of their mp3 platers also.

elcreative · 05-29-2010, 09:59 AM

The default off (using the switch) does put it to sleep if you just slide it... using the switch doesn't turn it off fully unless you slide and hold it for around 10 seconds at which point you get a message on screen to confirm you want to switch it off...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dreamnine

This is a good and useful thread to have

One thing I did notice from another forum is that it is best not to power down the PRS-600; rather just leave it on and it switches to sleep after 60 minutes.

When you next switch it on it comes to life almost instantly.

I believe it uses very little power on sleep but booting it up or shutting it down consumes rather more.

This is quite a nifty feature and one Sony use on most of their mp3 platers also.

Dave W · 05-29-2010, 12:08 PM

Not sure if this is the thread to post this or not. I have a question about the best way to keep a book that I've purchased and read without cluttering up the reader. I bought a 2 GB SD card with the idea of transferring my finished books to it and removing them from the reader. That way, if I ever want to read the book again, I can either read it directly from the SD card or transfer it back to the reader memory.

I tried following the instructions in the 600 manual and get a successful transfer to the SD card, but am leary about deleting the books from the Sony eLibrary for fear of losing the books entirely. How can I store my books on an SD card and delete them from the reader and even the library on my computer? Will automatic synchronization cause the book to be deleted from the SD card as well as my library? I certainly don't want to do that.

By the way, I've been borrowing books from both the local library and the Boston Public Library. The download is a piece of cake and, when I'm finished reading the book, I right click on the book and select return book. It would be nice to be able to do that with my own books and have them simply stored on the SD card. I would also like to loan that card to a friend to read a book that I'm finished with, but that's another subject.

Dave W

Titus Petronius · 05-30-2010, 05:45 AM

Apolgies if I'm missing something, but you could back-up your SD card to a separate folder on your computer. You needn't use the book reader to do it if you have a separate SD card reader. You could then burn the files to CD, which as far as is known is pretty permanent storage.

s3ntient · 05-30-2010, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Titus Petronius

You could then burn the files to CD, which as far as is known is pretty permanent storage.

CDRs have been shown to not last very long. Manufacturers used to claim 100 years longevity, now that claim is down to 10 years, and I have CDs that I burned 6 or 7 years ago that are now unreadable. That's a far cry from permanent.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CD-R#Expected_lifespan

Dreamnine · 05-31-2010, 06:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elcreative

The default off (using the switch) does put it to sleep if you just slide it... using the switch doesn't turn it off fully unless you slide and hold it for around 10 seconds at which point you get a message on screen to confirm you want to switch it off...

Thanks! Have had mine a few days and am still finding stuff out, as well as reading a lot..

Halk · 05-31-2010, 04:17 PM

This is a wonderful thread in the making! Great idea Max - perhaps you might want to "own" the thread and edit the first post every so often to put everybody's tips in. I just got my PRS600 yesterday, and this is exactly the kind of information I was after.

My biggest discovery is that collections can be a poor man's folder support. Of course it isn't as good, but it does allow us to have, if you like, as many one deep directories as we choose. Using Calibre (I'd suggest Calibre as the best management software) all you need to do is add the group as a series name, and convert the book and it will add it to the ebook, and when put on the Reader it will add it to that category. So if you do have 3 books in a trilogy then adding them all with that on it will keep them under that collection. If instead you want to collect all of a particular author together, then just create a series e.g. "Philip K. Dick Books" and although they aren't a series, they'll appear in a collection together on the Reader... poor mans folders.

What seems to be a really important thing as well, I noticed in another thread (in case that thread vanishes) is the touchscreen can cease to function if a crumb gets underneath the edge.

Something I picked up myself (I'm sure I won't be the first!) is that the device will not charge unless it does a USB handshake. In other words those handy little wall plugs that have a USB port on them don't seem to work for me, I have to plug it into a PC - or use a proper wall charger. I would like it if someone could confirm that for me. I have a mobile phone that does the same thing, and the only workaround is to use a USB cable that just has power on it, no data, no idea if that'd work on the reader.

Nvidiot · 05-31-2010, 04:28 PM

You're correct about the USB plug charging. You can get a cheap conversion lead from USB to PSP charger plug and use that instead. The added benefit is that you can charge while you read with that plug as well.

Halk · 05-31-2010, 04:40 PM

Yeah, although it needs a 5.2V DC input, 5.0V is well within tolerance so I'll grab something for a few dollars off eBay rather than pay Sony the $30 they're after. I'll probably also grab the device you mentioned as well.

JanieB · 05-31-2010, 08:12 PM

I just discovered that you can change the page turn swipe direction! It always seemed counter-intuitive to swipe left-to-right to change the page. I like swiping the same direction I would turn a page in a paper book, from right-to-left. Go into the "More" directory, then "Settings", then look for "Page Turn Gesture". I don't think you can change the buttons though.

Mike_73 · 06-01-2010, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JanieB

I like swiping the same direction I would turn a page in a paper book, from right-to-left. Go into the "More" directory, then "Settings", then look for "Page Turn Gesture". I don't think you can change the buttons though.

Certainly true. Because you cannot change the buttons, I went back to the default settings. I was using the buttons the wrong way when I had the swipe right -> left for forward turning.

JanieB · 06-01-2010, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike_73

Certainly true. Because you cannot change the buttons, I went back to the default settings. I was using the buttons the wrong way when I had the swipe right -> left for forward turning.

I was doing that too for quite a while after changing it! I have to stop and think about it when I change from swiping to button pushing.

Halk · 06-02-2010, 01:37 AM

I got used to swiping the "wrong" way before I found the option to change the gesture, I'm afraid it's already set in stone that I swipe from left to right to go forward now, so that's the way I'll stick with it I think.

I haven't yet come to a conclusion if I really do find it easier swiping my finger across the screen to change a page, or if it's actually because the touch screen is my new toy and I'll go back to buttons. Time will tell I guess!

05-28-2010, 06:19 PM	#1
maxbookworm Addict Posts: 372 Karma: 1122865 Join Date: Apr 2010 Device: Kindle Voyage, Galaxy Note 2	PRS-600 tips and tricks I looked and haven't seen a thread like this dedicated to just the PRS-600. So I thought maybe everyone could put all the PRS-600 tips and tricks in one place. Since yesterday, here is what I have learned so far: You can bookmark a page by double tapping the top right corner You can jump to a page by tapping the page number at the bottom center The "sort by date" toggles between ascending and descending dates each time you use it Double-tapping a word brings up a small dictionary definition window at the bottom, but then tapping on the dictionary icon brings up the full dictionary page and you can then page back and forth within the dictionary To change the page-turning swipe direction, touch "More" from the home page, then "Settings", then "Page Turn Gesture" The unit will only charge if it does a USB handshake with a PC (no USB wall chargers).You can get a cheap conversion lead from USB to PSP charger plug and use that instead. Sliding the power button over quickly puts the reader in sleep mode. Sliding it over for 10 seconds will power the unit down (better if you will not be using it for an extended period of time) What other tips and tricks do you have? Last edited by maxbookworm; 06-02-2010 at 10:05 PM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Tips and tricks for PocketBook	kacir	PocketBook	170	07-04-2012 05:03 PM
PRS 350/650 Tips and Tricks	induna	Sony Reader	2	09-23-2010 04:55 AM
PRS-600 Shortcuts or Tips and Tricks	CarolB	Sony Reader	3	12-14-2009 03:55 PM
PRS-600 Tips & Tricks	Oh, Why Not?	Sony Reader	1	09-23-2009 07:49 PM
PRS-700 tips and tricks	igorsk	Sony Reader	8	11-20-2008 04:49 AM

05-29-2010, 04:51 AM	#2
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	Not really sure if this is worth noting, but if you organise files without any program: - transfer book to the reader - put the same book in a folder on you pc for permanent storage (depending on your organisation) - once you finished reading a book, press options, press the down button of the upcoming menu, delete the book directly on the reader (remember, there's still your storage copy on your pc)

05-29-2010, 06:47 AM	#3
Dreamnine Enthusiast Posts: 40 Karma: 471232 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Edinburgh, Scotland Device: Nexus 7, iPod Touch 5	This is a good and useful thread to have One thing I did notice from another forum is that it is best not to power down the PRS-600; rather just leave it on and it switches to sleep after 60 minutes. When you next switch it on it comes to life almost instantly. I believe it uses very little power on sleep but booting it up or shutting it down consumes rather more. This is quite a nifty feature and one Sony use on most of their mp3 platers also.

05-29-2010, 12:08 PM	#5
Dave W Connoisseur Posts: 61 Karma: 670 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Massachusetts Device: Sony PRS-600 & Nook ST w/glow light	Not sure if this is the thread to post this or not. I have a question about the best way to keep a book that I've purchased and read without cluttering up the reader. I bought a 2 GB SD card with the idea of transferring my finished books to it and removing them from the reader. That way, if I ever want to read the book again, I can either read it directly from the SD card or transfer it back to the reader memory. I tried following the instructions in the 600 manual and get a successful transfer to the SD card, but am leary about deleting the books from the Sony eLibrary for fear of losing the books entirely. How can I store my books on an SD card and delete them from the reader and even the library on my computer? Will automatic synchronization cause the book to be deleted from the SD card as well as my library? I certainly don't want to do that. By the way, I've been borrowing books from both the local library and the Boston Public Library. The download is a piece of cake and, when I'm finished reading the book, I right click on the book and select return book. It would be nice to be able to do that with my own books and have them simply stored on the SD card. I would also like to loan that card to a friend to read a book that I'm finished with, but that's another subject. Dave W

05-30-2010, 05:45 AM	#6
Titus Petronius Hopeless Case Posts: 8 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Somewhere outside the orbit of Jupiter. Device: PRS600	Apolgies if I'm missing something, but you could back-up your SD card to a separate folder on your computer. You needn't use the book reader to do it if you have a separate SD card reader. You could then burn the files to CD, which as far as is known is pretty permanent storage.

05-31-2010, 04:17 PM	#9
Halk Fanatic Posts: 534 Karma: 469999 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Scotland Device: Sony PRS-650 (PRS+ alpha - thanks Kartu!)	This is a wonderful thread in the making! Great idea Max - perhaps you might want to "own" the thread and edit the first post every so often to put everybody's tips in. I just got my PRS600 yesterday, and this is exactly the kind of information I was after. My biggest discovery is that collections can be a poor man's folder support. Of course it isn't as good, but it does allow us to have, if you like, as many one deep directories as we choose. Using Calibre (I'd suggest Calibre as the best management software) all you need to do is add the group as a series name, and convert the book and it will add it to the ebook, and when put on the Reader it will add it to that category. So if you do have 3 books in a trilogy then adding them all with that on it will keep them under that collection. If instead you want to collect all of a particular author together, then just create a series e.g. "Philip K. Dick Books" and although they aren't a series, they'll appear in a collection together on the Reader... poor mans folders. What seems to be a really important thing as well, I noticed in another thread (in case that thread vanishes) is the touchscreen can cease to function if a crumb gets underneath the edge. Something I picked up myself (I'm sure I won't be the first!) is that the device will not charge unless it does a USB handshake. In other words those handy little wall plugs that have a USB port on them don't seem to work for me, I have to plug it into a PC - or use a proper wall charger. I would like it if someone could confirm that for me. I have a mobile phone that does the same thing, and the only workaround is to use a USB cable that just has power on it, no data, no idea if that'd work on the reader.

05-31-2010, 04:28 PM	#10
Nvidiot Connoisseur Posts: 57 Karma: 30 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Netherlands Device: PW2	You're correct about the USB plug charging. You can get a cheap conversion lead from USB to PSP charger plug and use that instead. The added benefit is that you can charge while you read with that plug as well.

05-31-2010, 04:40 PM	#11
Halk Fanatic Posts: 534 Karma: 469999 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Scotland Device: Sony PRS-650 (PRS+ alpha - thanks Kartu!)	Yeah, although it needs a 5.2V DC input, 5.0V is well within tolerance so I'll grab something for a few dollars off eBay rather than pay Sony the $30 they're after. I'll probably also grab the device you mentioned as well.

05-31-2010, 08:12 PM	#12
JanieB Enthusiast Posts: 29 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada Device: Sony 600	I just discovered that you can change the page turn swipe direction! It always seemed counter-intuitive to swipe left-to-right to change the page. I like swiping the same direction I would turn a page in a paper book, from right-to-left. Go into the "More" directory, then "Settings", then look for "Page Turn Gesture". I don't think you can change the buttons though.

06-02-2010, 01:37 AM	#15
Halk Fanatic Posts: 534 Karma: 469999 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Scotland Device: Sony PRS-650 (PRS+ alpha - thanks Kartu!)	I got used to swiping the "wrong" way before I found the option to change the gesture, I'm afraid it's already set in stone that I swipe from left to right to go forward now, so that's the way I'll stick with it I think. I haven't yet come to a conclusion if I really do find it easier swiping my finger across the screen to change a page, or if it's actually because the touch screen is my new toy and I'll go back to buttons. Time will tell I guess!

Advert

Advert