PRS-950 I love my (new-to-me) PRS-950.

[seajewel]

I just received my PRS-950 today. It was, unfortunately, not quite in the "almost new" condition as advertised, but the problems are all cosmetic-a few dings in the silver on the right side of the 950, a couple very light scratches on the back, and the bottom of the back has a mark that appears to have been made by a yellow highlighter. But the front is pristine, and the rest is covered up by the cover included by the seller. It's still a decent price for a Sony PRS-950 that is in every important way an amazing device (the screen is excellent).

I have an almost irrational love for this device right now. It's *beautiful* and sleek, and not heavy at all, as I'd feared.. somehow, even though it's a long and narrow device, it's well-balanced. I love it so much that I want to do something crazy, like buy an Oberon cover (for Nook 1 or K2 or something) just to do it justice!

and I finally appreciate the Pearl screen. It has a somewhat lighter background than my 505 and darker text. It is gorgeous and I don't know, I love it!

I went to Best Buy yesterday and checked out all the e-readers in person. Up til this point I'd only seen a K3 in person other than my 505 (and the refurbished 350 I still have). I have to say.. none of the current gen readers really wow-ed me. Nook STR is too chunky. T1 is just not beautiful the way the older metal ones are. They didn't have a Kobo Touch. The K4NT I liked the best out of everything out there, except for the lack of touch (which is a deal-breaker.. it's so much simpler using touch to select books & select words). I liked the buttons, and the font rendering is *superb* (but I can load similar fonts on my Sony reader in bold using PRS+ and achieve the same effect), but most of all, it's just that the software or whatever seems to showcase books better. The K4 had slight margins (which I like) and very neat looking books. The t1 for some reason had a book demo'ed on it where the top margin was non-existent to the point that the bezel was almost getting in the way.. it didn't look as nice.

But regardless, my 950 trumps all. and I am so sad that Sony isn't going to be making more 7 inch e-ink readers, or ones made of such nice casing. I know some people like the T1 and it has nice features, for sure better than the 950 (wireless library book lending is amazing), but I have to say I prefer the looks of the x50 series way more.

*I did, however, envy the Nook's ability to control line spacing and margins. I like small but square margins around the book, not a lot, but enough to make it look neat, professional, and book-like (to me). I know some don't like any margin at all. I wish Sony had focused more on giving us options like that, or that PRS+ could.

[Bookworm_Girl]

I'm glad you found a used 950 finally, seajewel! It is a beauty! Too bad Sony isn't making the 7" ereaders anymore. You could get a DecalGirl skin to cover the blemishes on the housing. I have the Oberon K2 cover for my 950, and I love it!

If your books don't have DRM, then you could modify them to get the line spacing and margins that you want. I use the Extra CSS setting in calibre.

[graycyn]

You aren't the only one who is sad about Sony not making these 7" readers anymore. It's gorgeous, and a wonderful reading experience. I'm glad you are liking yours, seajewel!

My feeling about my 950? "Until death do we part."

I have my 950 in an Oberon K2 cover, Hokusai Wave in navy.

It also fits nicely in my classic Nook cover. I'm contemplating the idea of selling the Nook cover, since I'm re-homing Nook to a nephew next week. It's in very good condition, no wool version, Van Gogh Sky in sky blue, just in case you are interested.

I will say that there is more edge protection with the K2 case, but the Nook cover has easier access to the power button, and a snugger fit.

[Ripplinger]

Grats on your new reader and glad you love it, seajewel. As already said, you might want to consider a DecalGirl skin to keep the housing from getting any more scratches, and the bonus of covering up the few existing scratches as well.

[seajewel]

I love the silver casing so much (although I would have preferred the red of the 600/650.. so beautiful!).. I was just meh on the silver on the 505, but somehow the silver 950 is just so sleek. I don't think I can cover it up with a decal (not to mention, I think decals are incredibly over priced.. $20 (for matte version) of something that is not reusable?), It's just that shiny silver part on the side.. I wish 950 had gone for the cheaper looking white plastic sides of the 350. I know, it doesn't look as good initially maybe, but I know from experience on the 505 that the shiny silver is extremely soft and chips/dents very easily, as must have been the case with the 950 I just bought.

Graycyn, thank you for letting me know about your Nook cover that may become available. I'm not sure yet what I want, and I am still thinking are Oberon covers rather heavy? They do look very substantial and gorgeous leather.

[boykster]

Still love my 950 I snagged from the Sony Outlet a few months back....I liked my PRS900 until I lost it, I LOVE my PRS-950!

[oivavoi]

I know I'm reviving an old thread now... But just gotta say this: I also received a used 950 some days ago. Decided to go with that instead of the t-1. And this reader is just so FREAKISHLY AWSOME! It's incredibly beautiful and stylish, for starters. Love the 7 inch screen. It's fast. PDFs - even large and complex ones - work like a dream. I love the feel of it in my hands, both with and without the lighted cover that came with it. Since I got it I've already finished two books on it. And prs+ makes it even better.

I'm going to stick with this one till the end, no doubt. And hope that sony puts out a new 7 inch reader at some point. Probably I'll also purchase a smaller and lighter reader for taking with me on the go. Maybe just the cheapest one, a kindle 4, or I'll wait for the "t-2" (by then I guess sony will have fixed the bugs). But for my couch and my office - I doubt that there's going to be any reader that will rival the 950 for quite some time.

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by oivavoi

I know I'm reviving an old thread now... But just gotta say this: I also received a used 950 some days ago. Decided to go with that instead of the t-1. And this reader is just so FREAKISHLY AWSOME!
...
I doubt that there's going to be any reader that will rival the 950 for quite some time.

I agree that the 950 w/PRS+ is a great reader. I bought one the week before the PRS-T1 was announced and it is great for all of my needs. However, I think in a month when the firmware update for the PRS-T1 comes out it will equal the 950 in most areas and its ability to download library books on the fly is a big plus.

[seajewel]

Still agree. I'm still in love with my 950. It is such a beautiful device and the 7 inch screen is nice! I think I might have liked it less long and narrow but it works well and I bet it is nice for reading PDFs in landscape mode. I don't read PDFs though. But regardless, every time I am holding it I love the look of it, the sleekness, the screen, everything! I ended up with two after my search and need to let go of one but I'm having a hard time.. haha!

ETA: I played with all three colors of T1 at the Sony Style store last week, and I still have to say.. I just don't like the design, no offense to those of you that do. the bezel was covered with fingerprints, is shiny, distracting, not sleek, it looks/feels cheap compared to my 950. It makes me sad, I hope next generation of e-readers will have something more comparable, because I do want wireless library lending and downloading of my books from sugarsync and all that T1 brings to the table.

[Ripplinger]

If you got them both at a reasonable price and love it that much, I'd put one away for when the eventual time comes that your 950 dies and needs to be replaced. Sony's x50 series of readers I feel is still the best out there (once you install PRS+).

[seajewel]

Originally Posted by Ripplinger

If you got them both at a reasonable price and love it that much, I'd put one away for when the eventual time comes that your 950 dies and needs to be replaced. Sony's x50 series of readers I feel is still the best out there (once you install PRS+).

I thought about that.. and yes, PRS+ is wonderful, but I hope that something will come along in a year or two, and one 950 should do for that long (unless I am unlucky with it.. accidents happen, but I did keep my 505 for so long without incident). I'm torn.. I'll think about it!!

[seajewel]

I am a little Sony Reader crazy, I have to admit. I picked up a new PRS-350 in pink, and the difference it makes! The pink is gorgeous. GORGEOUS. Ugh, this is like an affliction. I probably would have loved the red PRS-650 I got too, except I got scammed out of that one. I really love the pink PRS-350 because it is cute, but I may gift it to my friend.. I'm almost afraid to show her because I know she's going to love it too and I don't want to give it up! the x50 series really was amazing.. i still love the 7 inch screen of the PRS-950 the most, but the PRS-350 is a lovely color and is going to have to be my purse reader.

[Tony1988]

Originally Posted by seajewel

Ugh, this is like an affliction.

For some peolpe it is unfortunately. It starts to become more about the reader than the reading.

Did you get rid of the silver 350 yet??

[seajewel]

Originally Posted by Tony1988

For some peolpe it is unfortunately. It starts to become more about the reader than the reading.

Did you get rid of the silver 350 yet??

Haha it wasn't to me before until I started collecting all the x50 series! Right now I have 2x 950s and 2x 350s. I do still have the silver, but Sony told me I can return by January, so I still have some time. I'm going to show off my 950 and 350 to a close friend here who has been interested in buying an e-reader. I may gift the pink 350 to her if I can bear to part with it. I truly don't need it.. I kinda think it would be nice as a purse reader and it is such a stunning device in pink, but my smartphone works fine as a purse reader on-the-go.....

[fafaforza]

Hmm, makes me regret not buying a 950 that I saw on clearance for $99 at a RadioShack... But the lack of a cover like the one for the 650 would have sucked.