11-02-2007, 07:49 AM | #1 |
Groupie
Posts: 156
Karma: 25846
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: UK
Device: PRS505
|
Sony505 Vs. Cybook gen3?
I live in th UK have been a keen follower of the cybook gen3 for months now and have been awaiting it's release fervently - however, now that it's released I have found out rather unexpectedly that I prefer the look of the new Sony 505, so which one to buy?
Gen3: Expensive to buy - a few people are upset about the pricing scheme, however, I have a friend in the US who could forward it on but it looks like if I buy in the US then forward it on the price is similar at the end of the day by the time duties and the extra shipping from US to my home are paid. Great support for various formats - this was big plus for me, most of my books are in Mobi format -which I constructed from HTML files myself. It comes with no cover by defaut, making it even more expensive if I want to protect it from damage. Bookeen seem to be very positive about further developing the firmware for the future. In pictures available case looks cheap (compared to the 505, in my opinion) and Branding is too Stark for my taste Sony prs505: The big down for me on this one was the book format, but I have discovered a fantastic tool written by a member of this forum which takes most popular formats (including LIT's & HTML (but not I think multipage HTML)) and can convert them straight to LRF books, it can even do batch conversions so doing your entire library should be quite simple- since I kept the original source files for my books I can relatively easily get all my current books onto the Sony. The tool is here Here for those interested. I have converted a couple of books using this tool and they display perfectly (including inline graphics and formatting) on the PC LRF reader that comes with the tool - so book format is no longer an issue if I am willing to invest a little more time for my library. Cheaper than the Gen 3, but will have to come via my Friend again, in total it will be approx £50 (uk pounds) cheaper than the Gen 3 by the time it gets here and also comes with a cover (not leather I grant, but a cover nontheless) Unsure about ongoing future development for the firmware. Good design, smart looking case, discreet branding. So - which one to buy, what does everyone think? |
11-02-2007, 08:09 AM | #2 |
Sir Penguin of Edinburgh
Posts: 12,375
Karma: 23555235
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: DC Metro area
Device: Shake a stick plus 1
|
The creator of the tools you found hangs out here. (We love his work.)
The Cybook has a couple things going for it. But since you are comfortable with conversion, I am recommending the PRS505. |
Advert | |
|
11-02-2007, 08:31 AM | #3 |
Grand Sorcerer
Posts: 7,452
Karma: 7185064
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Linköpng, Sweden
Device: Kindle Voyage, Nexus 5, Kindle PW
|
I bought the Cybook and I had the same problem as you. The deciding factors for me was support for more formats, a good attitude from Bookeen about supporting many formats, dictionary lookup support, less weight and thinner form.
At first I though the images of the leather case gave a bad impression. Then I read it had magnets inside to keep it closed. And I realized that it did not look like an expensive electronic object inside the case and that is an advantage. |
11-02-2007, 10:17 AM | #4 |
Enthusiast
Posts: 32
Karma: 10
Join Date: Oct 2007
Device: none
|
Actually I think the specs say the Cybook is thicker and a bit longer then the Sony reader, though it does weighs less
Cybook: 118x188x8.5mm, 174g Reader: 122x175x8.0mm, 255g |
11-02-2007, 10:38 AM | #5 |
Grand Sorcerer
Posts: 7,452
Karma: 7185064
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Linköpng, Sweden
Device: Kindle Voyage, Nexus 5, Kindle PW
|
Ah, I see my mistake. I compared it with PRS-500.
|
Advert | |
|
11-02-2007, 10:58 AM | #6 |
Wizard
Posts: 1,531
Karma: 8059866
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Canada
Device: Kobo H2O / Aura HD / Glo / iPad3
|
Well I'm biased because I just bought a Cybook but I can give you my thought process.
I know a lot of people are upset about the pricing (and I personally don't agree with it) but Sony will not accept my money on their website at all because I live in Canada. I could get one through a US distributor but Sony wouldn't officially support me. Everything would have to go back through the distributor. Sony's online terms and conditions of their Online Book site say you have to be a US citizen to use it. Again I know there are work around solutions which many people on this site are using but you have to decide if you are willing to live with these. Bookeen is a smaller company without Sony's financial backing so there are risks associated with this but they are in the business of electronic books so they need to make it successful or go out of business. Sony can just opt out of the market and continue on. (Note: I've bought two Sony PDA's and then they decided to no longer sell PDA's in Canada so I'm biased). For the time being Sony made a business decision to only sell their product in the USA and I made a consumer decision to purchase elsewhere. Having said all that they'll probably announce support for Canada later today. :-) |
11-03-2007, 04:12 AM | #7 |
Martin Kristiansen
Posts: 1,546
Karma: 8480958
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Johannesburg
Device: Kindle International Ipad 2
|
A basic rule of life is "Don't try to eat where they don't want to feed you" I agree with you. I wont consider Sony under current conditions.
|
11-08-2007, 11:50 PM | #8 |
Addict
Posts: 322
Karma: 2257942
Join Date: Aug 2007
Device: Kindle Oasis 2 and 3, Scribe
|
I received my Cybook this morning and have been comparing it to my Sony 505. Both are beautiful in their own way. I really like the feel of the 505, the weight, brushed metal, and case. The Cybook's support of Mobipocket and the ability to do a dictionary lookup forced my hand.
The button to turn the pages on the Cybook is hard to get used to. I think the unit is slightly defective - it takes more force than it should. (BTW, I e-mailed customer support and they were extremely responsive. I may return the unit). The leather case for the Cybook bugs me. The magnets don't stick so it kind of flops open. I can't imagine not using a case of some kind. When I first turned the unit on I thought the Cybook display was better than the 505. I may be imagining things but In natural light the Cybook looks better. At best they are very similar. When I figure out how to load more fonts the edge will go to the Cybook. The fact that the Cybook is easily recognized by my PC and it's a piece of cake to transfer books is a great plus. I plan to deck out the family with Cybooks so I can forget about the hassles of converting LIT files, etc. and standardizing on the Mobipocket platform (via Fictionwise of course ). Viva La France! |
11-09-2007, 12:38 PM | #9 |
Connoisseur
Posts: 88
Karma: 44
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: amsterdam
Device: prs-505, kindle2, nook glow
|
i have both. bought the sony reader 505 in the us while i was travelling there and decided that carrying all the physcical books with me was too much. and sending them back home was getting too expensive since the us postal stopped the special book rate to send stuff back home.
i agree with joec concerning the looks of both. i decided to buy the cybook because the ability to buy new novels in the mobipocket format without the hassle of formatting and other technical things that i need to know about. i'm addicted to reading books and less a computerperson. and then i discovered that leaping gnome on this forum is willing to buy credits for non us residents so they can buy 'new' novels from the sony store. altho' that's an opportunity to get new books i'd rather have the feeling of being independent. differences in some features: control, filtering, greyscale, booting is quicker with the sony, when you stop reading and start again the sony opens up the page that you just left, like the fontschoices in the cybook, the lightness of it. mobipocket format is a big matter of taste i guess and if you want newly published books. |
11-09-2007, 12:43 PM | #10 | |
Grand Sorcerer
Posts: 11,470
Karma: 13095790
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Grass Valley, CA
Device: EB 1150, EZ Reader, Literati, iPad 2 & Air 2, iPhone 7
|
Quote:
Dale |
|
11-09-2007, 12:56 PM | #11 |
Connoisseur
Posts: 88
Karma: 44
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: amsterdam
Device: prs-505, kindle2, nook glow
|
black and white photos look better on the sony. more differentiation, more depth/contrast to see. altho' as a photographer i have other equipment to carry around my photos. but if you are into graphics i think the sony is the device to use.
reading books i hardly see any difference except on the sony the black is blacker. so there is a little more contrast. |
11-09-2007, 12:58 PM | #12 | ||
Resident Curmudgeon
Posts: 75,862
Karma: 134368292
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts
Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3
|
Quote:
Quote:
|
||
11-09-2007, 01:12 PM | #13 | |
Wizard
Posts: 1,531
Karma: 8059866
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Canada
Device: Kobo H2O / Aura HD / Glo / iPad3
|
Quote:
2) You can do the same drag and drop on the CyBook. It's also seen as a mass storage. I find this awkward because the filenames don't always line up with the book titles. The additional desktop reader software (Windows only) gives you additional features. You can create "reading lists" by dragging and dropping books on the list similar to iTunes. You're working with pictures and book titles rather then file names so I find it much easier. When done you just right click on the reading list and select "Send to Device..." |
|
11-09-2007, 01:21 PM | #14 |
eBook Enthusiast
Posts: 85,544
Karma: 93383043
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: UK
Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6
|
Mine's now 4 days old and already the cover is much better at staying closed than it was on the first day. The leather rapidly softens with use and becomes more flexible, so the magnets work.
|
11-09-2007, 01:21 PM | #15 | |
Connoisseur
Posts: 88
Karma: 44
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: amsterdam
Device: prs-505, kindle2, nook glow
|
Quote:
had no trouble with difference between filenames and booktitles.... |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Ended Cybook Gen3 | dahlia | Flea Market | 1 | 03-14-2010 12:30 PM |
Test du Cybook Opus et comparaison avec Cybook Gen3 | IreneDelse | Cybook | 24 | 10-23-2009 11:05 AM |
Deciding on a reader (cybook/sony505/bebook) | reader_uk | Which one should I buy? | 9 | 12-30-2008 07:42 PM |
Ended Cybook Gen3 | barney111 | Flea Market | 12 | 11-12-2008 06:28 AM |