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Old 06-07-2009, 08:25 AM   #16
Canuck_in_Japan
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Thanks for the helpful info Hari. I actually have a contact in the US who can get me a Sony through that Dell deal-I just wish there was an electronics store here in Tokyo where I could play with it for a bit first to see how I like it.
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Old 06-07-2009, 12:13 PM   #17
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Hi Canuck-in-Japan. My first post here a couple of weeks ago asked simply whether I should choose a Sony PRS-505 over a Kindle based on my research so far. It didn't ask the question "should I buy an e-book reader at all?" because in my opinion the second-generation 800x600 6" e-Ink screen has already reached a maturity that makes is an excellent reader for simple text (not for A4-sized pdfs or for books with illustrations).

The weight and dimensions are small enough that the device practically disappears while reading. It's a little more cumbersome to hold a printed paperback open than to read a novel with my eReader.

Any cons to my PRS-505? Well, critics will say, justifiably, that the white background isn't truly paper-white and the black text isn't truly inky-black. But my experience after owning one for a week is that the e-Ink screen is incredibly comfortable to read and the PRS-505 form factor in particular is a joy to hold. If I had an gripe, and it's just a minor one, I would wish that the next-page and prev-page buttons were a little larger and required less pressure to activate. But they really don't get in the way of my enjoyment of the device.

I do think that US$300 or more is too steep a price for any e-book reader, but if you can get in on the $150 deal it's really a no-brainer.

As Harry-T mentioned, the readers command decent resale prices so you could always upgrade when something better comes along. But you could also use this compact and enjoyable device for years to come without any regrets.
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Old 06-07-2009, 12:40 PM   #18
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Well you could always check them out in a store that has them on display wherever you live. Watch some of the demonstrations of them on Youtube also. My feeling on it is that if you have the money and a need for one, go for it. Just research it a lot first to find what really fits your needs. If you just like the idea of it but it's not urgent, wait until next year because some nice advances are coming down the pike like more durable readers made with screens that probably won't break so easily like the current ones do if you drop them the wrong way, and maybe color eink screens in 2011.

I like that youtube idea! Never would have thought of that.
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Old 06-07-2009, 01:24 PM   #19
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Unfortunately I'm in Japan I don't think they have an e-readers here because believe me I would love to get my hands on one and see what it is like in real life. That's the biggest thing that keeps me from jumping in right now. However I'll be visiting Canada in July so I may do something then.
You just shattered the image I had about Japan ;-))))
I thought that in 秋葉原電気街, Akihabara Denki Gai they are supposed to have Ab-So-Lu-Te-Ly EVERYTHING.

You might try to find Sony Librie - those are not sold anymore and are supposed to be quite rare, but still ... do not tell me that nobody in 秋葉原電気街, Akihabara Denki Gai has one on display
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Old 06-07-2009, 01:36 PM   #20
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I like that youtube idea! Never would have thought of that.
here's a very good youtube review made by one of our members, of the sony 700, to get you started.
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Old 06-07-2009, 03:45 PM   #21
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Thanks Z and thanks MOS! Very good job. Now I'm even more confused about which reader is best for me.
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Old 06-07-2009, 05:28 PM   #22
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And since Sony PRS-500 came out almost 3 years ago it is perpetually high time to buy one. I still use my PRS-500 daily and despite the fact it uses the oldest e-ink screen in existence it is more than adequate for reading fiction.
Actually, "the oldest e-ink screen" was in Librie.
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Old 06-07-2009, 06:47 PM   #23
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There will be probably be a cheaper, better device in 6 months. Or perhaps not. The PRS-505 is still one of the best device today, yet it went out in 2007 (that is, during prehistory, at this date we were probably still painting mammoth and bison on the walls of some damp cavern).

But, if you wait, have you though about how much reading you are gonna miss?
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Old 06-07-2009, 09:38 PM   #24
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Youtube really helped my decision a lot. I had seen a 505 and 700 in one store and the 700's screen looked horrible. I suspected that particular one might be defective because it looked way worse than the video's I had seen of 700s on Youtube. As a side note I had seen mos' excellent video during my Youtube research before I ever came to MobileRead, so when I saw her post here I thought to myself "Hey cool she's here too!" I checked out the readers in a second store and the 700 looked way better there. If I had not seen those Youtube videos first I may not have even bothered to check out the 700 at a second place and never bought it. By the way my wife is very happy with it so it worked out well.

Certainly the better videos can give you a good idea of how the screens look, how easy they are to operate, and how fast they change pages and such. The only thing you won't be able to tell is how much they weigh and how they feel in your hand. I couldn't even tell that at Borders because they had the readers in brackets so all you could do is push buttons but not hold it. I can't blame them for that though because if you let people handle them they would be broken within a week from an accidental dropping or two like the 505 I saw at Brookestone which had the telltale signs of screen damage.
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Old 06-07-2009, 10:05 PM   #25
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I've already owned 5 different e-readers, sold all but one. The technology hasn't changed much in the past 4 years IMO.

If you want to read with convenience, get one! No reason to wait.
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Old 06-07-2009, 10:42 PM   #26
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I just want to make one comment about seeing an eInk reader in a video or a photo. If the video or photo was taken under bright light (which they typically are), then the eInk screen will look better than it does under average to dim light.

I'm not saying this to start a big argument. It is simply a fact of how a reflective eInk display works. Every photo/video that I saw of the Sony 505 was done with strong light and the screen looked very nice. I bought one at Target and when I got it home, found that the contrast wasn't good enough FOR ME under the typical light I read under.

Many here on MR don't have a problem with the contrast. I only bring this up so that you will be aware of the issue. Whatever you buy, make sure you can return it if necessary.
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Old 06-08-2009, 12:48 AM   #27
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I was unemployed when I bought my 505...THAT was more of an issue than whether something better would come along in 6 months. It's not like I had $269.99 just laying around. But, I needed a little retail therapy for some other things that were happening in life, and I had been wanting one for awhile. I figured I may as well jump in now so I can start reading ebooks and start getting my money's worth. I have no regrets! Good luck with your decision.
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Old 06-08-2009, 02:11 AM   #28
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jgray you should've tried to find a store that had a demo model of the 505 and compared it to your 505 because you might have gotten one with a defective screen. The 2 505s I saw in Borders had excellent contrast but the 700 I saw in one store had terrible contrast while the other was better. It seems there is some consistency problems in manufacturing these screens as I have seen similar issues being raised by Kindle owners also. Unless of course you are reading in near dark and that's the problem. Really these readers are meant to be read with sufficient lighting like with any book.

Certainly nothing beats seeing a reader in person to decide if it's right for anyone's needs but I still think the videos provide a good visual idea of what to expect in addition to reading reviews of it.

By the way did Target return it with no hassles? I was going to buy a 505 there but since I decided to get the 700 instead (for the PDF note taking support my wife needs) I couldn't do that since Target doesn't carry them. I am curious how good Target's return policy is in case I decide to get a 505 for myself in the future.

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Old 06-08-2009, 02:33 AM   #29
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Certainly nothing beats seeing a reader in person to decide if it's right for anyone's needs but I still think the videos provide a good visual idea of what to expect in addition to reading reviews of it.
That is the best way--to see it in person, in the level of lighting you are going to use. No one in my little town had a display model. I just wanted to let the OP know that with these displays, the brighter the light, the better they look.

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By the way did Target return it with no hassles?
No problems returning it. I simply told them my reason. Actually, when I bought it, the clerk told me that I had 90 days to return it. This is much more than most stores.
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Old 06-08-2009, 03:10 AM   #30
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Actually, "the oldest e-ink screen" was in Librie.
And it is my understanding that PRS-500 had exactly the same model of screen as Librie.
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