Quote:
Originally Posted by DrMoze
Why I think I might not like the Kindle (note: I haven't seen one in person yet!):
I suspect the battery life is short. Unlike the Sony, which gives me a couple of weeks easily of spare-time reading between charges. I fear the wireless and other 'extra' Kindle features will eat up battery life. I do *not* want another device that has to be charged every day or 2.
The Kindle appears bulky/heavy/awkward compared to the Sony. Is it? I sometimes hold the Sony in one hand, using fingertips to turn pages. Is the Kindle a 2-hander?
I also don't need lookup capabilities (dictionary, word search), nor do I want to read online blogs. I just want to read the books on my device. Are these extras (and the apparent bulk associated with them) significant negatives for me?(Online access is not an issue. I am already carrying a full bookshelf with me, and swapping some files every 1-2 months is not an issue.)
Am I missing something that would tilt me toward the Kindle? Or am I better off with my no-frills Sony? (I'm still up in the air between the 500 and 505 if I get another Sony--the 505 screen is a plus, and I think hacking ability on the 505 would decide it for me over the 500.)
BTW, I don't understand the last line of the OP--saying the Kindle might be better if you travel frequently. My first thought is the Sony is better for travel, because you don't even have to bring a charger on any reasonable-length trip (or worry about charging it for my daily subway commute) --more like a 'real' book you just take along. Am I missing something?
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You can turn the wireless off. With it on, you will need to charge every day or two. With it off, I'm guessing a charge will last as long as the Sony, but this is only a guess. One nice feature is that you can access the battery, which means you can bring a spare (I think Amazon sells them for $20).
As compared to either Sony, the Kindle is bulky and awkward. I've not noticed it feeling heavier. Because of the wedge shape, the device itself it thicker and so is the case. In fact, with all three devices in their cases, the Kindle is as thick as the two Sonys stacked on top of each other. Moreover, the placement of the buttons makes it difficult to "hold" the Kindle in one hand. There is no real way to grip it with your right hand, although you can let it rest in the palm of your right hand (more like cradling it vs. gripping it). The placement of the buttons makes it slightly easier to grip in your left hand, but you have to hold it near the keyboard to do so. You cannot hold it on the middle left as you can with the 500.
My comment about the Kindle being better if you are a traveler was a nod to the wireless capabilities of the Kindle. I live in DC, so the Washington Post is my local paper. When I am out of town, for less than $1, I can have the Post downloaded to my Kindle first thing in the morning.
Given your needs, I don't see a good reason to switch to the Kindle.
p.s. After posting this, I noticed I was/am logged on with my second account.
Just to be clear, bluemoon and restonreader are the same person, so this account also qualifies as the OP. Sorry about that.