sony prs-300 vs Aluratek Libre pro

[mrmojo]

Hi i'm considering either the sony prs-300 or the aluratek libre pro. Both are the same size i think.

Here are the cons and pros as I understand:

Sony

+more stylish
+e-ink can be viewed in sunlight
-e-ink pages take a while to appear

aluratek

+LCD display can more quickly display pages as compared to e-ink
+handles pdfs better than the sony
+can take an SD card.

I'll mostly be using pdf's, including some with graphs/pics.

Suggestions? I'm leaning toward the aluratek because of the sd card compatibility and supposed better pdf support, but if e-ink is really better in most situaitons i'll get the sony.

[asperger]

LCD display on aluratek libre pro can be viewed in sunlight, direct and otherwise, not so great in low light conditions.

If I had to do it over again ( i have an aluratek I play with more than I read with ), and i'm sure I will at some point in the future, i'd buy an Ipad. It's horrible in the sun, drop dead gorgeous anywhere else. Till then, I just use the paper versions; still far superior to anything vying to replace them.

[TGS]

I'd say that both are a bit small for PDF unless the PDFs are specifically formatted for the device - which you can do but it takes a lot of faffing about.

Sorry to sound negative but if you are buying a reader specifically for reading PDFs it is as well to be aware of the limitations.

[Ankh]

Originally Posted by mrmojo

+can take an SD card.

When I bought my prs505, SD card was high on my wish list.

However, due to the peculiarities of Sony device, I later reversed my opinion. The amount of internal memory on 505 (300 has beefed up its internal flash) is comfortable for holding very big "to read" set of books. Add to that awkward handling of huge collections on Sony (one can see 10 titles at the time, 1 second refresh as you page through the collection, etc.), and I pulled my SD card out of the device for good. Calibre and/or Sony library software are way better suited for book management. Every so often, I plug my device to recharge it anyway.

Unless you are planning a really prolonged trips to the area where access to computers is questionable (military deployment, for example) I would not be concerned about the storage space. If it is insufficient, you are in trouble with the management of your "to read" list, and you should spend some time organizing that list on the device.

As TGS said, PDF is not the greatest format for (I would say all) Sony PRSes. One can read it in landscape mode (one half-page displayed), or re-flow its content but it is cumbersome/ugly. PDF's with graphics (tech manuals?) are simply unusable, as there is no zoom in function. For PDF's, you really need to look into bigger tablets or eInks, and those are not cheap.

[mrmojo]

I'm thinking more along the line of text book pdf's, with the occasional graph/illustration -- the sony wouldn't be any good for these because you can't zoom?

[HarryT]

No 5" device would be a good choice for such books. You want at least an 8" device for such material.

[Ankh]

Originally Posted by mrmojo

I'm thinking more along the line of text book pdf's, with the occasional graph/illustration -- the sony wouldn't be any good for these because you can't zoom?

Most of the PDF's are formatted for letter/A4 format, and the assumption that paper copy will be printed at, at least, 300 dpi (300 dots per inch) is frequent, the level of detail is adjusted to print nicely or show in full glory on computer screens. The principal Sony 300 (and 505) resolution is 600x800, 200/177 DPI, respectively. The simple math reveals the scope of the problem.

Bigger screen is a must, and that explains why HarryT has mentioned 8"+ as an absolute minimum.