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restonreader · 11-21-2007, 10:17 AM

Sorry (in advance) for the long post, but I've been a user of the Sony products (500 and 505) for quite some time and yesterday my Kindle arrived. So I thought I'd share my impressions of the three devices. I'll first compare them as book readers and then later as gadgets.

As a pure reader, I've found there are three important factors in a device.

Screen. As many have reported, the screen of the Sony 505 is superior to the screen of the 500. It could be that my 500 is getting old, but in all light conditions my 505 is far better. Surprisingly (since they both use Vizplex), my Kindle isn't quite as good as my 505. My Kindle's screen is slightly less white when viewed under certain conditions. Please note that, in general, the Kindle's screen is quite good (much better than my 500), so the difference I'm seeing is comparatively small and could be just a manufacturing variance, or it could be some other difference -- maybe Amazon spec'd them with lower contrast for some reason? On a scale of 1-10, score 8 for the Sony 505; 7 for the Kindle; and 3 for 500.
Buttons. When I first got the 505, my biggest gripe was the buttons, in that I found them somewhat hard to press. I actually prefer the "dish button" (lower left) on the 500 to its counterpart on the 505. When I saw pictures of the Kindle, I thought my button problems would be solved. On the positive side, the Kindle's buttons are very easy to locate and press. The problem is, they are too easy. Let me explain. Because the page turn buttons on the Kindle run the full length of the device, I constantly find myself "bumping" the buttons and unintentionally triggering a page turn. This is most problematic when trying to pick up the device. There is no good way to grab it without hitting a button. This is NOT a problem when sitting and reading, but if you are moving around (or even shifting positions) it is an annoyance. Another problem with the Kindle's buttons is that because the right side page turn button runs the full length, it is harder to hold it in your right hand and read. Score 7 for 500; 5 for 505; 3 for the Kindle.
Cover. As with the buttons, I actually prefer the cover of the 500 to that of the 505 and the Kindle for two reasons. First the cover of the 500 is the easiest to open and fold under the device. This is important because it makes it easy to hold the device in the left hand and operate the page turn buttons. It is possible to do this with the 505, but the cover is stiffer and a bit bulkier. And the Kindle is bulkier yet (it is wedge shaped, so is thickest on the left). Moreover, the Kindle doesn't attach to the cover in any way, it just slides in (well, there is a little tab on the back, but it is ineffective). So when you attempt to read with it in the cover, it tends to slide out. When you try and push it back in, you cannot do so without accidently pushing the right side page turn button (UGH!!). Second, the cover of the 500 attached to the back of unit, which means that as you open and close the cover, it does not move with the device. This made attaching a book light easy. It is more difficult, but still doable, on the 505. With the Kindle, using the cover is such a bother, that I don't. However, this presents a problem when you need to attach a light (which I've not tried). Scores: 8 for the Sony 500; 5 for the Sony 505; 1 for the Kindle.

Other differences are that they use different fonts; the Sonys have more white space around the text on the page (the Kindle runs the text closer to the edge); the Kindle puts more spacing between the lines of text; the Sony gives you the current page number and total pages, the Kindle gives you "location" and a progress bar; page turns on the Kindle are slightly faster; and the Kindle has more font sizes.

Of course, everyone will view the relative importance of these items differently. For instance, while the 500 has better buttons and a better cover than the 505, I prefer the 505 because of the better screen. However, the difference between the screens of the Kindle and the 505 are slight enough, where it isn't a factor for me. But someone who likes to keep their device in the cover, and likes to hold the device in their left hand, would probably prefer one of the Sony devices.

Comparing the devices as "gadgets" is where the Kindle shines. The Sony devices are pure readers. The introduction of the keyboard and wireless access takes the Kindle to the next level. The keyboard, despite a noticeable typing lag, is still quite useful for searching books and the Amazon store. The scroll wheel is neat and useful for selecting items. And the ability to download items directly to the device will be particularly useful for travelers -- I can easily envision downloading newspapers and magazines while waiting for a plane/train, or if out of town.

What I cannot see, however, is subscribing to my favorite newspaper or magazine. I hate to say it, but I miss the graphics and the ability to glance at an article to determine if it is worth reading. Kindle based periodicals make this difficult. In fact, many of the articles are just headlines (without intro text), which don't always convey meaning. For example, here are some headlines (on my Kindle) from today's NYT:

Opponents of California Ballot Initiative Seek Inquiry
Deal is Reached in New Orleans Bias Case
How to Improve Your Prospects
Op-Ed Contributor: Make it an Early Bird
Plant Approved, With Carbon Study

Opening each of these, and then paging forward a screen or two, then jumping back to the TOC, is much more cumbersome than flipping through the physical paper (or even browsing the website). But again, if traveling, or just away from the house (think soccer game) this is a great alternative.

So, which device is best. As always, it depends. If you already have a 505 loaded up with the free Harvard Classics or with 100 free Classics from Sony, then you've got plenty to read and the best pure reader available today (IMHO). If, however, you like to gadgets and travel regularly, then maybe the Kindle is the device for you!

Good luck!

11-21-2007, 10:17 AM	#1
restonreader Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 118 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Sony Reader	Kindle vs. Sony Readers Sorry (in advance) for the long post, but I've been a user of the Sony products (500 and 505) for quite some time and yesterday my Kindle arrived. So I thought I'd share my impressions of the three devices. I'll first compare them as book readers and then later as gadgets. As a pure reader, I've found there are three important factors in a device. Screen. As many have reported, the screen of the Sony 505 is superior to the screen of the 500. It could be that my 500 is getting old, but in all light conditions my 505 is far better. Surprisingly (since they both use Vizplex), my Kindle isn't quite as good as my 505. My Kindle's screen is slightly less white when viewed under certain conditions. Please note that, in general, the Kindle's screen is quite good (much better than my 500), so the difference I'm seeing is comparatively small and could be just a manufacturing variance, or it could be some other difference -- maybe Amazon spec'd them with lower contrast for some reason? On a scale of 1-10, score 8 for the Sony 505; 7 for the Kindle; and 3 for 500. Buttons. When I first got the 505, my biggest gripe was the buttons, in that I found them somewhat hard to press. I actually prefer the "dish button" (lower left) on the 500 to its counterpart on the 505. When I saw pictures of the Kindle, I thought my button problems would be solved. On the positive side, the Kindle's buttons are very easy to locate and press. The problem is, they are too easy. Let me explain. Because the page turn buttons on the Kindle run the full length of the device, I constantly find myself "bumping" the buttons and unintentionally triggering a page turn. This is most problematic when trying to pick up the device. There is no good way to grab it without hitting a button. This is NOT a problem when sitting and reading, but if you are moving around (or even shifting positions) it is an annoyance. Another problem with the Kindle's buttons is that because the right side page turn button runs the full length, it is harder to hold it in your right hand and read. Score 7 for 500; 5 for 505; 3 for the Kindle. Cover. As with the buttons, I actually prefer the cover of the 500 to that of the 505 and the Kindle for two reasons. First the cover of the 500 is the easiest to open and fold under the device. This is important because it makes it easy to hold the device in the left hand and operate the page turn buttons. It is possible to do this with the 505, but the cover is stiffer and a bit bulkier. And the Kindle is bulkier yet (it is wedge shaped, so is thickest on the left). Moreover, the Kindle doesn't attach to the cover in any way, it just slides in (well, there is a little tab on the back, but it is ineffective). So when you attempt to read with it in the cover, it tends to slide out. When you try and push it back in, you cannot do so without accidently pushing the right side page turn button (UGH!!). Second, the cover of the 500 attached to the back of unit, which means that as you open and close the cover, it does not move with the device. This made attaching a book light easy. It is more difficult, but still doable, on the 505. With the Kindle, using the cover is such a bother, that I don't. However, this presents a problem when you need to attach a light (which I've not tried). Scores: 8 for the Sony 500; 5 for the Sony 505; 1 for the Kindle. Other differences are that they use different fonts; the Sonys have more white space around the text on the page (the Kindle runs the text closer to the edge); the Kindle puts more spacing between the lines of text; the Sony gives you the current page number and total pages, the Kindle gives you "location" and a progress bar; page turns on the Kindle are slightly faster; and the Kindle has more font sizes. Of course, everyone will view the relative importance of these items differently. For instance, while the 500 has better buttons and a better cover than the 505, I prefer the 505 because of the better screen. However, the difference between the screens of the Kindle and the 505 are slight enough, where it isn't a factor for me. But someone who likes to keep their device in the cover, and likes to hold the device in their left hand, would probably prefer one of the Sony devices. Comparing the devices as "gadgets" is where the Kindle shines. The Sony devices are pure readers. The introduction of the keyboard and wireless access takes the Kindle to the next level. The keyboard, despite a noticeable typing lag, is still quite useful for searching books and the Amazon store. The scroll wheel is neat and useful for selecting items. And the ability to download items directly to the device will be particularly useful for travelers -- I can easily envision downloading newspapers and magazines while waiting for a plane/train, or if out of town. What I cannot see, however, is subscribing to my favorite newspaper or magazine. I hate to say it, but I miss the graphics and the ability to glance at an article to determine if it is worth reading. Kindle based periodicals make this difficult. In fact, many of the articles are just headlines (without intro text), which don't always convey meaning. For example, here are some headlines (on my Kindle) from today's NYT: Opponents of California Ballot Initiative Seek Inquiry Deal is Reached in New Orleans Bias Case How to Improve Your Prospects Op-Ed Contributor: Make it an Early Bird Plant Approved, With Carbon Study Opening each of these, and then paging forward a screen or two, then jumping back to the TOC, is much more cumbersome than flipping through the physical paper (or even browsing the website). But again, if traveling, or just away from the house (think soccer game) this is a great alternative. So, which device is best. As always, it depends. If you already have a 505 loaded up with the free Harvard Classics or with 100 free Classics from Sony, then you've got plenty to read and the best pure reader available today (IMHO). If, however, you like to gadgets and travel regularly, then maybe the Kindle is the device for you! Good luck!