Do you still love your Sony Reader?

[ThomWill]

RWood,

You are correct. And, they have also been known to inflict small but intensely painful cuts on the fingers of the careless that are remembered several days later when eating an orange. Something that the Ebook model does not seem to do.

[L1Wulf]

Originally Posted by yvanleterrible

As a drug addict would say. "I wish everybody were on it!"

So funny, and yet so true. I've caught myself praising my Reader, I'm sure with a fire in my eyes, to people I know are other readers, secretly hoping that they would buy one and bask in its glory. I've almost convinced my girlfriend to take the plunge, but she's convinced that she has a couple of other gadgets that need upgrading--not that I'm complaining. It wasn't so long ago that she saw my gadget lust as an illness. My devious ploy to convert her is almost complete!

Back on thread topic: Definitely love it just as much as when I first got it! As so many others have pointed out: It is used every day, goes with me everywhere and is almost always within arms reach (sitting on the coffee table corner right now).

Earlier today, while riding an elevator at a casino with my girlfriend, I reached into the inner pocket of my jacket and mumbled something about leaving my reader in the car. My girlfriend asked if I was seriously intending to pull it out for the short ride to the lobby. I told her no, but I could have read it while waiting in line for lunch. Then I told her that if I just sat at a slot machine, I could have one hand on the spin button and get some reading in at the same time. She just shook her head and I secretly wished I hadn't left it, but was too ashamed to admit that I wanted to go back for it. Yeah, I'm not much of a gambler.

[Nightwing]

Excersize you arm or excersize the mind.... Take the mind with the reader...

Do the same when waiting in line or dining. Pop out the reader and go for it!

Basical a big screen for the mind...

[wgrimm]

I bought this device in anticipation of the native .pdf support. Boy, was I disappointed, because none of the commercial .pdf's I bought can be read on it. Connect store? Yeah, sure, I am going to buy all of my reading material there (not really). Seems like all of the books that Connect has that I want to read, I have already purchased at ereader for my Palm. Ereader has a much bigger selection of books; why the heck can't books I bought there for the Palm be made in a version for the Sony? It's ridiculous- I am not going to buy a book 2 times to read on different devices.

And this is why all the Sony execs with $$ signs in their eyes are wrong. It is harder to get my books into the Sony than it is to get them in Palm or RB format. The RB, BTW, is easier and more comfortable to use. Think about it- if it was this hard to get your music collection from cd into an MP3 player, do you think the ipod would have taken off like it has?

In the final analysis, I like my Rocketbook and REB better. Only advantage Sony is giving me is long battery life/ability to read easily outdoors. The software isn't as good as the RB or Palm software. By far, to date, the easiest reading experience is with the Palm or RB. Too bad that with EVERY device, including the Sony with "native pdf support," I have to jump through hoops to make a pdf readable on the "readers."

[NatCh]

You're hitting the same old problem with proprietary formats, wgrimm. But in fairness, I'd point out that the eReader and RocketBook formats are just as proprietary as Sony's format, and Sony has just as little obligation to support other folks proprietary formats as eReader or RocketBook have to support Sony's.

The only real solution to this will only come with a standard e-book format, that's universally accepted. We're still getting there. For the moment, the fact that the Reader accepts RTF files (plus the fact that eReader doesn't) means that I can get a lot more stuff on it, with a lot less trouble, than I can get stuff into e-Reader on my Palm. In my view, the Reader's actually easier to use, as I don't have to convert stuff to get it on there. But if I want to, there are a number of tools to make my own LRF files.

As to PDF's, yeah, it would be nice if the Reader had support for encrypted/locked PDF files, but as they're all pretty much going to be A4 sized, they won't look good on any display smaller than A4. PDF really just isn't a good format for e-books in the first place, due to its lack of re-flowability.

I understand the frustration with having a large library of proprietary format files that can't be used on another platform, but that's kind of a gamble we take when we use any proprietary format. That's the main reason I've decided to minimize my exposure in proprietary formats.

[DougFNJ]

Originally Posted by NatCh

You're hitting the same old problem with proprietary formats, wgrimm. But in fairness, I'd point out that the eReader and RocketBook formats are just as proprietary as Sony's format, and Sony has just as little obligation to support other folks proprietary formats as eReader or RocketBook have to support Sony's. :

If you think about it, it's not so much an obligation, it's more of a lost opportunity for these companies to make money. If E-Reader and Connect, and all these companies that make their support for devices proprietary either removed the DRM's or just supported more devices, that is more money that goes into their pockets that they wouldn't had gotten before. If I wanted to purchase a book from E-reader and I can't because my device is not compatible, they don't get my money.....Connect does, and vice versa. If these guys all played together, they could all tend to make more profit. If they did it right, even if a small royalty were to be paid to each other, it still increases the customer base, along with the increased interest in user base on all sides.

I am not all that disappointed with the PDF support though, I knew it going in, and I don't have a lot of PDF Files that I am dying to have in my Reader.

[HarryT]

Putting my commercial hat on for a moment, it's clearly not in Sony's interests to support anyone else's DRM, given that they want people to buy books from the Connect Store. I don't know how much profit Sony make on a Reader, but I suspect it's rather little - the money comes from selling books, not the reading device.

[wgrimm]

[QUOTE=NatCh]You're hitting the same old problem with proprietary formats, wgrimm. But in fairness, I'd point out that the eReader and RocketBook formats are just as proprietary as Sony's format, and Sony has just as little obligation to support other folks proprietary formats as eReader or RocketBook have to support Sony's.

I don't believe that there is an electronic reader that exists that does NOT use a proprietary format. The Sony reader is okay in terms of functionality, but in terms of ergonomics, the Palm (T5, at least) and the RB blow it away. I can hold either device in one hand comfortably while I turn pages. With the Sony, you cannot. The RB and GEMs beat everything to date, ergonomically (and I have owned many ereader devices).

The only real solution to this will only come with a standard e-book format, that's universally accepted. We're still getting there. For the moment, the fact that the Reader accepts RTF files (plus the fact that eReader doesn't) means that I can get a lot more stuff on it, with a lot less trouble, than I can get stuff into e-Reader on my Palm. In my view, the Reader's actually easier to use, as I don't have to convert stuff to get it on there. But if I want to, there are a number of tools to make my own LRF files.

Well, I have had numerous problems getting RTFs on the Sony. Their Software sucks. I want to READ stuff on the device, not become a master at using conversion programs. Sorry, the Sony is just another ereader that requires me to have all sorts of conversion programs around, and spend alot of time preparing content to read- just as I have to do with the Palm and RB. Each has advantages and disadvantages, and the Sony is no clear winner in this device category.

[jæd]

Originally Posted by wgrimm

I don't believe that there is an electronic reader that exists that does NOT use a proprietary format.

The Iliad...?

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by wgrimm

I don't believe that there is an electronic reader that exists that does NOT use a proprietary format.

My last reader was a Bookeen "CyBook". That didn't have any proprietory format - instead it came with a number of book reading programs on it and you just used the one you wanted. It supported virtually everything except Microsoft Reader "Lit" files.

The Sony reader is okay in terms of functionality, but in terms of ergonomics, the Palm (T5, at least) and the RB blow it away. I can hold either device in one hand comfortably while I turn pages. With the Sony, you cannot. The RB and GEMs beat everything to date, ergonomically (and I have owned many ereader devices).

Don't you find the T5's screen to be rather on the small side?

Well, I have had numerous problems getting RTFs on the Sony. Their Software sucks. I want to READ stuff on the device, not become a master at using conversion programs. Sorry, the Sony is just another ereader that requires me to have all sorts of conversion programs around, and spend alot of time preparing content to read- just as I have to do with the Palm and RB. Each has advantages and disadvantages, and the Sony is no clear winner in this device category.

I'm interested to hear that you've had problems getting RTFs onto the Reader - what have they been? I've never had a problem - just drag and drop onto "Connect"; works flawlessly. The only think I do is bump up the font size a bit which takes a few seconds in "Word".

[NatCh]

Originally Posted by wgrimm

I can hold either device in one hand comfortably while I turn pages. With the Sony, you cannot.

I think that probably depends a bit on the size of your hands. I manage one-handed operation just fine with the Reader, though I do make use of a wrist-lanyard to support most of the weight (since they were nice enough to put the attachment point on it ).

I've had only a couple of issues getting RTFs on the Reader, and they were rather large files, and yeah, the problems were in the ConnSoft (which, I agree, initially sucked hard, but does seem to be a good deal more stable after the update )

In any case, I'm glad that the T5 and RocketBook work for you, that's the important bit, that we each find what works for us. For me, the Sony is just dandy.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by NatCh

I think that probably depends a bit on the size of your hands. I manage one-handed operation just fine with the Reader, though I do make use of a wrist-lanyard to support most of the weight (since they were nice enough to put the attachment point on it

I read in one of two ways:

1. When I'm sitting in a chair, two handed, holding the (leather) cover open just like I would a normal book.

2. When I'm in bed, one handed, with the bottom left corner of the Reader in the middle of my left palm, supporting the weight with the fingers of my left hand, and my left thumb falling naturally over the page turn "rocker".

I find both to be very comfortable.

[clintb]

The device itself is pretty darn good. The biggest limitation is the Sony book site with its fairly lame selection. The software isn't as bad as some reviewers suggest, but this ain't no iTunes either.

[Aprilbeginnings]

We have to remember that the Sony book site is new also. It is growing as far as selection, but this too just needs to take time. I am just glad I don't need the book site to rely on books to read.

In fact, with all the books I do have on the hard drive, I really don't need to purchase anything now anyway unless I really really want it. I mean how many books can you read at once? For me, it's one book at a time. How some of you may do a few books at a time is beyond me and Kudos if you can read in that manner!

[astra]

Originally Posted by Aprilbeginnings

I mean how many books can you read at once? For me, it's one book at a time. How some of you may do a few books at a time is beyond me and Kudos if you can read in that manner!

The same question I asked myself a numerous number of times while reading this board and some other booklovers forums