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Originally Posted by Bic
Thanks, Bookworm Girl, but these are not for the PRS-950. Other than the EBook Reader review and the ones on YouTube (which I've seen, but thanks varmemester), all the major tech sites seem to be ignoring the 950.
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I think it's hard to find in-depth views of the 950 because it's only been out for a month. The 950 is also known as the Daily Edition. The Engadget review that I linked to covers all 3 models (350/650/950). Keep scrolling to the bottom of the review and there is a paragraph dedicated to the Daily Edition (950). Also check out the photos in the gallery. Photo 31 shows all three models side-by-side so you can get an idea of size (950 is on the right). Photos 44-48 are close-ups of the 950. The CNET link goes to a review of the 950 as well (although it shows photos and discusses the other models too).
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Originally Posted by Bic
I'm glad to hear about the Android apps (I have Kindle for Android, not bad for my 4.3 inch Sprint Evo screen).
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You can see more about the apps at this link. I think it is great that Sony is finally introducing mobile apps. However, I doubt they will have the ability to sync your reading spot between your phone and ereader like the Kindle app can.
http://ebookstore.sony.com/rme/
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Originally Posted by Bic
I do like the light weight of the K3, don't mind pressing buttons to turn pages (concerned about fingerprints when reading a touchscreen), but do like the idea of 7" screen. When I went to BestBuy they didn't have any demo models of the 950.
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Not all Best Buy's have updated their displays yet. If you have seen a 350/650, then it will give you a good idea of the 950. The screen clarity will be the same. The menu structure and user interface is also the same. Most of the reviews you read on the 650 will apply to the 950. The main difference is that the 950 has the extra inch of screen, the web browser and 3G / Wi-fi access to the Sony Store. MobileRead has a hardware matrix where you can compare specs. The 950 and Kindle are about the same size, and I can't really tell the difference in weight between the two models. The 950 is really light-weight as well. Also I was surprised at how well the touchscreen doesn't show fingerprints (much better than my iPhone screen).
https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/E-book_Reader_Matrix
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Originally Posted by Bic
My other concern is that inkmesh.com (which searches for ebooks and compares prices) claims that Sony books are still more expensive on average than Amazon or B&N and have more problems in getting many ebooks compared to the other two.
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Inkmesh is one of my favorite sites! I would search your favorite authors on inkmesh to make sure they are not exclusive to Amazon. I have very diverse reading tastes and have never found a lack of ebooks to purchase for my Sony. Also the 950 works with digital libraries so I have access to loads of free books. The Kindle is not compatible with the ebook format that e-libraries use. The great thing about EPUB is you are not locked to the Sony bookstore so you can buy from other stores like Borders, Kobo, fictionwise and booksonboard. You can't buy from B&N since it uses a different DRM-encryption that doesn't work with Sony. Check out the sticky thread at the top of the Sony forum for a long list of alternate bookstores. Also visit the Sony or other ebookstores directly and start clicking around to see if it has the books you are interested in. I put a link below to the Sony store. Since 5 of the big publishers have fixed their pricing, there is less difference between the stores than there used to be.
http://ebookstore.sony.com/
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Originally Posted by Bic
Finally, I worry about Customer Service -- the few times I tried calling Sony to ask some questions, it was a miserable experience. Amazon on the otherhand has been terrific.
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I think there is no doubt that Amazon has better customer service than Sony from what I've heard. I don't really use either. I mostly come here to MobileRead for help!
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Originally Posted by Bic
so you can see I'm on the fence between K3 and Sony 950 and weighing all factors before I jump in. That's why I was hoping to read some first-hand accounts of the 950 (not the 650 or 350) here, but I'm surprised at how few there are (here and in the tech blogs)
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I have both the 950 and the K3, and I like them both. I think most buyers could be happy with either one. Why do I have both?
I use the 950 as my primary ereader because I love the extra inch and the touch-screen. I also like the user interface of the Sony better. It has a really excellent collection system for organization, and I like that I can view my book lists as cover images.
I use the K3 for newspapers, magazines and blogs. The Kindle really excels in this area. The selection is much better. Also I have accumulated quite a few promotional free ebooks for the Kindle. Lastly, a handful of authors are exclusive to Amazon so I have the best of both worlds by having both brands.
Good luck with your research!