MobileRead Forums - View Single Post

UbiquitousPhoton · 09-22-2010, 03:44 PM

Hi all,

To introduce myself I am a bit of a longtime lurker, as I have fancied an e-reader for some time (bit of a techie, so its kinda suprising I haven't got one already). I am in the UK, so my choice of e-readers is slightly limited, however I have narrowed it down to two...

Anyway, I came within a hairs breadth of buying a PRS 600 earlier in the year, but seeing the 300 and the 600 side by side, I decided that the 600 screen was just not good enough, and the 300 was too small, annoyingly. Thus I decided that the time for an e-reader had still not come, and to save my pennies.

Therefore, colour me interested when both the Kindle 3 and the Sony PRS650 appear on the scene in quick succession, both with vastly superior screens, and both looking rather attractive.

I was waiting until I had a proper hands on with the 650 before I made a final decision, but basically I have discovered I have an opportunity to pre-order a 650 slightly cheaper, but only in the next couple of days. Bugger.

So, these are my points.

1. I have a number of technical books in pdf format. I know that up till now the Sony readers have had a definate advantage for pdf rendering (in as much as can be done with a screen that small) but apparently the Kindle 3 is a lot better when it comes to pdf render / reflow - is the Sony still the crown holder here?

2. The amazon store ... which is unfortunately the only sensible way to buy e-books in this country, its the cheapest, and has the best range. It would obviously be a complete faff to get books from the amazon store onto the sony reader, but not impossible... but then I also do like the greater flexibility of the Sony when it comes to formats, so no real winner there. Other than the PDFs I am mostly only bothered about the best reading experience for bog standard books, no manga or the suchlike.

3. Battery life - can those lucky people who already got a 650 confirm that the battery life is comparable to the Kindle? The Sony appears to only quote a standby figure of 5 days, which seems somewhat ... short, specially for a device with no wifi / 3g capabilities. I presume this is something to do with the touch screen?

4. Price .... admittedly even with the reduction I have managed to get, the kindle is still a great deal cheaper, although when you include cases etc, things even out a bit more. Wireless is a pull, although I think the touch screen outweighs that - if you can't smear your greasy fingers over a device these days, then its not worth having!

So yeah, can the forum illuminati please help with my rather excruciating decision? (Fanbois need not apply, I know these things are pretty much down to personal preference....)

THANKING YOU....!

09-22-2010, 03:44 PM	#1
UbiquitousPhoton Junior Member Posts: 8 Karma: 22 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Cambridgeshire, UK Device: Kindle Voyage	Help! Kindle 3 vs Sony PRS 650 Hi all, To introduce myself I am a bit of a longtime lurker, as I have fancied an e-reader for some time (bit of a techie, so its kinda suprising I haven't got one already). I am in the UK, so my choice of e-readers is slightly limited, however I have narrowed it down to two... Anyway, I came within a hairs breadth of buying a PRS 600 earlier in the year, but seeing the 300 and the 600 side by side, I decided that the 600 screen was just not good enough, and the 300 was too small, annoyingly. Thus I decided that the time for an e-reader had still not come, and to save my pennies. Therefore, colour me interested when both the Kindle 3 and the Sony PRS650 appear on the scene in quick succession, both with vastly superior screens, and both looking rather attractive. I was waiting until I had a proper hands on with the 650 before I made a final decision, but basically I have discovered I have an opportunity to pre-order a 650 slightly cheaper, but only in the next couple of days. Bugger. So, these are my points. 1. I have a number of technical books in pdf format. I know that up till now the Sony readers have had a definate advantage for pdf rendering (in as much as can be done with a screen that small) but apparently the Kindle 3 is a lot better when it comes to pdf render / reflow - is the Sony still the crown holder here? 2. The amazon store ... which is unfortunately the only sensible way to buy e-books in this country, its the cheapest, and has the best range. It would obviously be a complete faff to get books from the amazon store onto the sony reader, but not impossible... but then I also do like the greater flexibility of the Sony when it comes to formats, so no real winner there. Other than the PDFs I am mostly only bothered about the best reading experience for bog standard books, no manga or the suchlike. 3. Battery life - can those lucky people who already got a 650 confirm that the battery life is comparable to the Kindle? The Sony appears to only quote a standby figure of 5 days, which seems somewhat ... short, specially for a device with no wifi / 3g capabilities. I presume this is something to do with the touch screen? 4. Price .... admittedly even with the reduction I have managed to get, the kindle is still a great deal cheaper, although when you include cases etc, things even out a bit more. Wireless is a pull, although I think the touch screen outweighs that - if you can't smear your greasy fingers over a device these days, then its not worth having! So yeah, can the forum illuminati please help with my rather excruciating decision? (Fanbois need not apply, I know these things are pretty much down to personal preference....) THANKING YOU....!