Sony PRS-700 Made The 100 Worst Gadgets of the Decade List

[brecklundin]

Originally Posted by DawnFalcon

Uhm? It's a downside for the PRS-700. I make absolutely no comment to the wider issues.

and you can say this from first hand experience?

[DawnFalcon]

...

I've looked at one yes (and compared to a 505 and a 600), but it's widely reported to be the case as as well. Like, the vast majority of people who've used one. What's your agenda on this?

[brecklundin]

Originally Posted by DawnFalcon

...

I've looked at one yes (and compared to a 505 and a 600), but it's widely reported to be the case as as well. Like, the vast majority of people who've used one. What's your agenda on this?

no agenda simply asking why you feel as you do...I also did not care for the setup but would not have gone so far as to say/imply it was not a worthwhile device. I did not find the screen worse that the 500 and only slightly different than the 505. My dislike was that the touch functionality was poorly implemented but not from a standpoint of readability, that part was OK in good light. I don't care for pretty much any eink brand display made so far because the contrast is not great with most fonts. A few seem better, but as a rule I do not care for the current panels at all. But everyone is different. Better to explain why than to simply say/infer a device is just bad. I could not care a flip about the "conventional wisdom" or what "everybody is saying" about a device, what matters is how it works FOR ME not anyone else. Observations on a device are what I find helpful.

Sorry if asking you to support your "sound byte" was out of line with your sense of what is OK. You know...like...what I mean?

[DawnFalcon]

...I didn't say it wasn't a worthwhile device, I said that the lighting layer impedes the visibility. Now, if you did ask me I'd point out it has been short lived, and it's not coincidence that it's basically been replaced by the PRS-600. It's entirely fair to say that the 700 in particular has not been a success, even though the Sony readers as a whole are successful.

But you seem to be making assumption after assumption about agendas in my post which simply don't exist! This is why I asked about yours, because both from my own experience and the posts of many other people I cannot see anything I typed which was not bluntly self-evident from comparing one with another reader.

While there are some value judgements in comparing e-reader screens, it's undeniable that, say, the PRS-600's screen is significantly more glossy than the 505 or 300's because of the touchscreen, and the 700 has yet another layer for the lighting!

If I meant anything else, I'd of typed it.

[LDBoblo]

I'm rather surprised more ebook devices didn't make the list.

[Donnageddon]

What an ignorant load of horse manure. The PRS 700 was a failure, to be sure, but it failed mainly due to the repeated slamming of it by people who did not want a touch screen eink reader with built in lighting. For those of us who do, the PRS 700 is an excellent reader whose screen "problems" are greatly exaggerated.

But if I received one with the "dust bunny" issue, I might feel differently.

[LDBoblo]

Originally Posted by Donnageddon

What an ignorant load of horse manure. The PRS 700 was a failure, to be sure, but it failed mainly due to the repeated slamming of it by people who did not want a touch screen eink reader with built in lighting. For those of us who do, the PRS 700 is an excellent reader whose screen "problems" are greatly exaggerated.

But if I received one with the "dust bunny" issue, I might feel differently.

One reason I said I was surprised that more ebook readers didn't make the list was because while Sony's done a pretty mediocre job with their design and undermining some of their own objectives, they're far from the only company to do it. The vast majority of ebook readers are tragic failures on a design/usability level, and I'm frankly astounded that they've made it as far as they have...especially when decent concept mockups of both devices and interfaces have been around for quite a long time.

So definitely...PRS-700 isn't a uniquely bad product...I think some people were sour that they decided to compromise on an already mediocre screen when the un-compromised version was a key selling point.

[DawnFalcon]

Okay LDBoblo, link to what you'd consider a decent design then.

[PennyPie]

So definitely...PRS-700 isn't a uniquely bad product...I think some people were sour that they decided to compromise on an already mediocre screen when the un-compromised version was a key selling point.

This whole area of technology is still in it's infancy. We must continue to live with compromise. I think that the next few years will hold many changes as the producers strive to develop their products into more sophisticated devices. I don't think there IS a 'perfect' devise. Everyone has a different idea of perfection.

For me, the compromise to have illumination was an easy choice. I choose lighting over the stark contrast...if I'm in low/no light, it don't matter HOW vivid a screen it is... I still need a light to read by!!! And since the vast majority of the time I spend reading is in those conditions, it's the best choice FOR ME. Your needs may be far different that mine. I, for instance don't need a dictionary, nor do I ever take notes. For me, those are worthless features, but I know that for many, they are key. It all boils down to personal preference.

[mbagsh55]

Originally Posted by Donnageddon

The PRS 700 was a failure, to be sure, but it failed mainly due to the repeated slamming of it by people who did not want a touch screen eink reader with built in lighting. For those of us who do, the PRS 700 is an excellent reader whose screen "problems" are greatly exaggerated.

But if I received one with the "dust bunny" issue, I might feel differently.

As someone who upgraded from a PRS-505 a year ago I have to agree entirely. While waiting for delivery I was getting worried given all the Internet reports of unusable screen reflection and readability. When I first turned it on I though oh-no it isn't as bright as my PRS-505...

Once I loaded my books onto it, and started to get used to the increased speed, the light and the swipe feature I began to appreciate the benefits it brought and would not go back.

MY daily commute is four hours with three spent standing (or sitting if lucky) on a train in a variety of lighting conditions and I have never once been unable to read my PRS-700.

I think Sony got scared by the bad press and put the PRS-700 out to pasture early to ensure the newer devices didn't get 'tar-brushed' with all the "reported" problems.