MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - I confess, I broke down and now I have BOTH readers

mdibella · 11-21-2007, 09:32 AM

Yup, I am an inveterate gadget freak and I now own both a Sony 505 and a Kindle. I thought I would post my own comparisons in case anyone is interested...

For comfortable holding while reading, the Sony wins hands down. Sony incorporated the cover to improve the book-like feel of the device while the Kindle's cover is clunky at best. I can see using it to protect the screen while I carry the Kindle around, but it is not at all comfortable to hold while reading. The good news is, the Kindle slides in and out of it easily.

The Kindle is larger, heavier, and I'm not sure yet how I feel about that keyboard. I use an ebook reader for reading (duh), and that keyboard seems like a lot of extra baggage to carry. I can slide my Sony in my purse, but the Kindle will not fit...Sony wins this one, too. Really the ergonomics of the Sony are hard to beat, I think.

In a side-by-side screen comparison, frankly I can't see any difference. The pictures on the Amazon website make it look like the Kindle's screen is a lot whiter than it actually is. Both screens have dark grey lettering on a light grey screen.

Kindle has a user-replaceable battery, which is nice...and the SD memory slot is under a rubber cover on the back, nicely protected. I'm always afraid I will lose the memory card from my Sony, since hitting it at just the right angle pops it out. I'm not saying it is easy to remove, mind you, but it is not protected like it is on the Kindle.

The Kindle has much better software for organizing and using ebooks, and I do like being able to purchase them directly from the device. I bought a couple of books using my PC on the Amazon website, and they 'showed up' on my Kindle immediately. I bought one using the Kindle, and it also popped up fast. Very nice. Oh and the most expensive was still less than 10 bucks, which is a lesson Sony could stand to learn. It's bugged me for awhile that some ebooks I purchased from Sony could have been had in hardcover format for the same price or even less.

As we all know, both devices are saddled (some would say 'crippled') by the use of proprietary formats. Sony claims their reader will accept PDF files, and it will, but frankly it doesn't display them very well. I learned quickly that I was better off converting them to Sony's format, and there is a lot of software around to do this. Ditto converting ebooks in lit format, text, html, etc etc, a little time spent with Google will provide lots of conversion software.

Kindle uses its own format, but it will also accept Mobi format books (oddly enough, the documentation doesn't say this, but it does work). I downloaded MobiReader (it's free) and imported ebooks in several different formats...the MobiReader converts them as part of the import process. Then I moved them to the Kindle using the USB cable they included in the box, and the books look just fine. So, in both cases, books can be converted for use on the reader without too much trouble. This is good news for those of us who have a goodly collection of ebooks in many formats.

The Kindle comes with a standalone charger, but it will also charge via USB, as can the Sony. This is nice because I carry a universal USB charger in my tote bag, one that works for my cell phone and iPod and a few other gadgets I carry. Either ebook reader adds nicely to this collection.

So....both readers are nice. Both have things that need a bit of work. Neither is perfect. If I could have the Sony's look and feel with the Kindle's features, I'd be a happy camper. I will use both readers (good thing, too, because neither was cheap) and I do not regret either purchase.

11-21-2007, 09:32 AM	#1
mdibella Groupie Posts: 193 Karma: 1107 Join Date: Oct 2007 Device: Infinite Kindles, Occasional Sony's	I confess, I broke down and now I have BOTH readers Yup, I am an inveterate gadget freak and I now own both a Sony 505 and a Kindle. I thought I would post my own comparisons in case anyone is interested... For comfortable holding while reading, the Sony wins hands down. Sony incorporated the cover to improve the book-like feel of the device while the Kindle's cover is clunky at best. I can see using it to protect the screen while I carry the Kindle around, but it is not at all comfortable to hold while reading. The good news is, the Kindle slides in and out of it easily. The Kindle is larger, heavier, and I'm not sure yet how I feel about that keyboard. I use an ebook reader for reading (duh), and that keyboard seems like a lot of extra baggage to carry. I can slide my Sony in my purse, but the Kindle will not fit...Sony wins this one, too. Really the ergonomics of the Sony are hard to beat, I think. In a side-by-side screen comparison, frankly I can't see any difference. The pictures on the Amazon website make it look like the Kindle's screen is a lot whiter than it actually is. Both screens have dark grey lettering on a light grey screen. Kindle has a user-replaceable battery, which is nice...and the SD memory slot is under a rubber cover on the back, nicely protected. I'm always afraid I will lose the memory card from my Sony, since hitting it at just the right angle pops it out. I'm not saying it is easy to remove, mind you, but it is not protected like it is on the Kindle. The Kindle has much better software for organizing and using ebooks, and I do like being able to purchase them directly from the device. I bought a couple of books using my PC on the Amazon website, and they 'showed up' on my Kindle immediately. I bought one using the Kindle, and it also popped up fast. Very nice. Oh and the most expensive was still less than 10 bucks, which is a lesson Sony could stand to learn. It's bugged me for awhile that some ebooks I purchased from Sony could have been had in hardcover format for the same price or even less. As we all know, both devices are saddled (some would say 'crippled') by the use of proprietary formats. Sony claims their reader will accept PDF files, and it will, but frankly it doesn't display them very well. I learned quickly that I was better off converting them to Sony's format, and there is a lot of software around to do this. Ditto converting ebooks in lit format, text, html, etc etc, a little time spent with Google will provide lots of conversion software. Kindle uses its own format, but it will also accept Mobi format books (oddly enough, the documentation doesn't say this, but it does work). I downloaded MobiReader (it's free) and imported ebooks in several different formats...the MobiReader converts them as part of the import process. Then I moved them to the Kindle using the USB cable they included in the box, and the books look just fine. So, in both cases, books can be converted for use on the reader without too much trouble. This is good news for those of us who have a goodly collection of ebooks in many formats. The Kindle comes with a standalone charger, but it will also charge via USB, as can the Sony. This is nice because I carry a universal USB charger in my tote bag, one that works for my cell phone and iPod and a few other gadgets I carry. Either ebook reader adds nicely to this collection. So....both readers are nice. Both have things that need a bit of work. Neither is perfect. If I could have the Sony's look and feel with the Kindle's features, I'd be a happy camper. I will use both readers (good thing, too, because neither was cheap) and I do not regret either purchase.