Kindle Keyboard or Sony PRS-600

[Naloomi]

I finally found my missing Kindle Keyboard, this was after I picked up a Sony PRS-600 through Craigslist (after I further broke the Kindle Keyboard a buddy loaned me). Now I have to decide which one to 'keep' and which to hand down to my almost 9 year old daughter.

She's currently on a Sony PRS-500. It works, but battery life isn't long, and contrast isn't great (needs good light to ready by, not just decent light).

I'm torn between the 2 devices. Let me share my needs, and I would like to hear responses.

I read on my e-reader. I don't notate. I don't web browse. I don't look up words (or when I do, I reach for my iPhone). Just read. I'm not reading text books, PDF's, word doc's from publications. I read novels. Primarily fantasy and sci-fi. When I want to read comics I get out the 1st Gen iPad.

I like the Kindle Keyboard for the buttons on the right hand side making it easy to turn pages. But Kindle uses .mobi and that format is almost always a larger book than the epubs I have.
Benefits - It has 3G and Wi-Fi, but I have used it maybe 3x in the last year. Can easily get new books or send books to device remotely (I can login to my server remotely and send ebooks if it's not already loaded on.). Case has it's own kickstand when reading on tabletop.
Drawbacks - Does not handle collections easily (IMO). I have to use a plugin to generate them after adding books from Calibre (tedious and annoying step). Uses .mobi format

The Sony PRS-600 is nice. Seems like it's built like the PRS-500 (IE, can take a licking and keep on ticking). It supports ePub (my preferred format). (Side note, I really don't like having to use multiple formats, but that's what I get for buying used instead of new.) It's a touch screen, but I haven't really messed that aspect.
Benefits - has slots for SD Card and Memory Stick (don't know max of either, and not utilizing either currently). Handles collections easily (I use Calibre to handle my ebook library). Case has a built in light (haven't used it yet, as it is not bright enough). Supports .epub
Drawbacks - the page turning is only on the bottom (some gesture does it, but I haven't figured it out yet. Done it by accident a few times. LOL) It feels heavier than the Kindle. There is reflection/glare.

Over all, they both have Pros/Cons and I am having a difficult time in deciding between the 2 devices. Keep in mind, I 'read books'.

Now, I occasionally read on my iPhone using Stanza. (REALLY hope it works in iOS 7. Didn't work in iOS 6 Beta's but continued to work in release). Stanza does not sync with either device. Neither device can download my books directly from my server (box.com) while my iPhone can. But the iPhone is hard on the eyes, and battery life for reading just isn't there.

So, thoughts? Ideas? Feedback? Tweaks to help me choose one over the other? (Kindle is hacked, Sony isn't yet but I'm willing too.) Thank you.

Chris
aka Naloomi

[soulfuldog]

I guess it really depends on what is most important to you.

If it's being able to keep all your books on your ereader and easily sort them into collections, then the Sony edges it since it doesn't require the extra step with the collections plug-in. The plus of having expandable storage with the SD Card maybe isn't so important when you only read novels (the 3-4GB of the KK can hold a heck of a lot of novels).

If pure reading enjoyment is more important, the Kindle Keyboard wins as it doesn't have any issues with a reflective screen, and IMHO you simply can't beat the ease/comfort of the side page turn buttons over the buttons at the bottom. Plus the Kindle has a better battery life so will need charged less often.

Also, are you positive you can't download books to the Kindle Keyboard from your cloud storage? I know for example that you can do so with dropbox, by using the Kindle's web browser to navigate to the site and log in to your account.

[Naloomi]

While I am not 100% positive I have tried to download books from my cloud storage (box.com) and they have never downloaded. If they had them the kindle would win for that simple fact alone. I've for a 50GB account on Box and 11GB is just ebooks. :-)

Although, I do have my own web domain, and have been playing with storing cloud data on my personal domain via ownCloud. I have not tested downloading from there yet.

Chris
Aka Naloomi

[JSWolf]

I would not go with the 600. The touch layer is going to really be a bother. Go with the PRS-T2. You will like it a lot better plus, it has ePub support.

[Naloomi]

I am not going to buy another reader JSWolf. I now have 3 dedicated readers (PRS-500, PRS-600, 3G Kindle Keyboard) that all work. The PRS-500 is missing a couple screws and lasts a few days, but that is enough for my camping trips.
I also had a difficult enough time convincing the Mrs to let me buy the PRS-600 for $30 when I broke the loaner Kindle while my Kindle Keyboard was MIA.

Now that my Kindle is no longer MIA I need to decide between the 2 devices. My son will get the PRS-500 (hopefully later this summer) as he starts to read. That leaves me with either the Kindle Keyboard or e PRS-600.

Chris
aka Naloomi

[AnemicOak]

I'd personally go with the Kindle, because I can't stand the way the touch layer on the 600 degrades quality and adds more glare. The Kindle also uses the newer Pearl screen which generally gives better contrast. For me the quality of the actual reading experience is what's most important. Then again if the screen quality on the 600 doesn't bother you...

IMO Mobi vs ePub isn't a big difference for most books and you can always go AZW3/KF8 instead of Mobi if there's an ePub that has some special formatting you must have. Collections definitely are a bit easier on the Sony though.

I assume the Kindle's browser will work with Box in a similar way to it working with DropBox. Being able to download books from my DropBox is one thing I really like about readers with a web browser. Note it usually works best to try the mobile site so for Box go to https://m.box.com/ instead of the regular box.com

[Rizla]

I'm a long-time Sony user, and I strongly recommend you go with the Kindle. Sure, the 600 has by far the better build-quality, but the screen contrast sucks. Sony really screwed up on the 600. In comparison, the KK screen is, from what I've seen (I've never owned one) very clear. Plus the KK comes with the superlative Caecilia font (the stock Sony font sucks). Easy decision.

P.S. If you've got the 600 and the 650 mixed up, then reverse the above decision. The 650 is on-balance superior to the KK.

[markom]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I would not go with the 600. The touch layer is going to really be a bother. Go with the PRS-T2. You will like it a lot better plus, it has ePub support.

It takes less than five minutes to add epub support to Kindle, along with djvu support and much better pdf reader than native one.

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho....php?p=2466450

[JSWolf]

If you do have a 600, time to try to sell it. It's just a pain to read from. The reflection is going to be a big bother.

Try to pick up a 650, T1, or T2 and then you have a Sony worth using.

As for Stanza, it doesn't work on any iOS 6 and above. Time to lay it to rest and install Bluefire on your iPhone.

[Naloomi]

Stanza works fine on my both of my iOS 6 devices so I don't see me dumping it any time soon.

As for the fate of the left over device: try re-reading my original post. Whichever device I choose (leaning towards the kindle) gets used by me and the leftover device goes to my daughter later this summer when my son status to read and inherits the PRS-500.

I won't be selling it to buy a device you think I should buy.

Chris
aka Naloomi

[soulfuldog]

Originally Posted by Naloomi

While I am not 100% positive I have tried to download books from my cloud storage (box.com) and they have never downloaded. If they had them the kindle would win for that simple fact alone. I've for a 50GB account on Box and 11GB is just ebooks. :-)

OK just tried box.com on my own Kindle, and it didn't work It must open a new window when you download as it returns the error 'could not open this link because opening multiple windows is not supported'. Pity, as it works fine with dropbox. Not much use for you though!

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Naloomi

Stanza works fine on my both of my iOS 6 devices so I don't see me dumping it any time soon.

As for the fate of the left over device: try re-reading my original post. Whichever device I choose (leaning towards the kindle) gets used by me and the leftover device goes to my daughter later this summer when my son status to read and inherits the PRS-500.

I won't be selling it to buy a device you think I should buy.

Chris
aka Naloomi

OK, picture this.. take your bathroom mirror and put words on it. Now read those words while you have the reflection of the room and yourself staring you right in the face. That is what your daughter or you will get when using the 600. You'll get words and reflections. It won't be enjoyable. I don't want to read on a Reader where I get that kind of reflection.

I'm only suggesting replacing the 600 because you or your daughter won't like it.

[Rizla]

You can improve the 600 experience by re-compiling books with a bold font. Caecilia's best, but it's not free. Also use a book-light with it. Then it should be usable, but yes, I suppose it is a bit glary, but at least you can do something about the contrast.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Rizla

You can improve the 600 experience by re-compiling books with a bold font. Caecilia's best, but it's not free. Also use a book-light with it. Then it should be usable, but yes, I suppose it is a bit glary, but at least you can do something about the contrast.

The best solution is to sell the 600 and get something else. If you make the font too dark, it will just look bold and annoying. I agree that upping the weight is good, but too much up and it's just too dark. Also, if you go too much up, you can spoil the font's look as the auto bolding fills in some of the bits that should be empty like in the letter e.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The best solution is to sell the 600 and get something else.

As the OP said that's not an option.