MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - cybook gen3 vs sony ereader 505 which one?

dcalder · 01-27-2008, 12:14 AM

Frankly, now that I've actually had my hands on all three of the Cybook Gen 3, the Sony Reader PRS-500, and the Sony Reader PRS-505, I'd have to admit that I'd probably go with one of the Sony's, if I had to make the choice all over again. And that's despite the fact that, being in Canada, I'd have a heck of a time using the Sony warranty if it was necessary.

For someone who actually lives in the US so that the Reader's warranty is easily usable, it seems like an even more clear-cut choice. The Sony Readers are considerably cheaper, have a much more satisfying and solid "feel", and include the cover, all at a price lower than that of the Cybook sans cover. The buttons on the Sony feel sturdier and, ergonomically, both the 500 and 505 seem marginally more comfortable than the Cybook, especially for page turning. The buttons also seem to be more responsive - maybe too much so, however, if you have a heavy touch.

As far as title availability goes, check the MS Reader (.lit) formats rather than either the Sony-specific or the Mobipocket (for the Cybook). Even though the Cybook supports DRM'ed Mobipocket, I buy .lit if at all possible and convert, for the sake of future flexibility and access to my purchases. It would be equally easy to do so for the Reader. Until the publishing industry gets their collective heads out of their you-know-wheres and supports a unified standard for DRM'ed files - one which is not dependent on an outside server - or gets really smart and brave and offers everything as multi-format or *gasp* DRM-free, you may as well resign yourself to having to convert everything you buy unless you want to take a chance on it being inaccessible to your future ebook reading devices.

Theoretically, if your local library offers Overdrive ebooks for loan, the Cybook works. In practice, results may vary and certainly won't be entirely satisfactory until Bookeen gets around to fixing a few bugs in the firmware. Unless and until there's a genuine fix, you might just as well count on Sony issuing a firmware update that would allow the Reader to handle Overdrive's library-loan PDFs.

01-27-2008, 12:14 AM	#3
dcalder Zealot Posts: 127 Karma: 9856 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Ontario, Canada Device: Sony PRS-300/Kindle Keyboard/iPad Mini	Frankly, now that I've actually had my hands on all three of the Cybook Gen 3, the Sony Reader PRS-500, and the Sony Reader PRS-505, I'd have to admit that I'd probably go with one of the Sony's, if I had to make the choice all over again. And that's despite the fact that, being in Canada, I'd have a heck of a time using the Sony warranty if it was necessary. For someone who actually lives in the US so that the Reader's warranty is easily usable, it seems like an even more clear-cut choice. The Sony Readers are considerably cheaper, have a much more satisfying and solid "feel", and include the cover, all at a price lower than that of the Cybook sans cover. The buttons on the Sony feel sturdier and, ergonomically, both the 500 and 505 seem marginally more comfortable than the Cybook, especially for page turning. The buttons also seem to be more responsive - maybe too much so, however, if you have a heavy touch. As far as title availability goes, check the MS Reader (.lit) formats rather than either the Sony-specific or the Mobipocket (for the Cybook). Even though the Cybook supports DRM'ed Mobipocket, I buy .lit if at all possible and convert, for the sake of future flexibility and access to my purchases. It would be equally easy to do so for the Reader. Until the publishing industry gets their collective heads out of their you-know-wheres and supports a unified standard for DRM'ed files - one which is not dependent on an outside server - or gets really smart and brave and offers everything as multi-format or gasp DRM-free, you may as well resign yourself to having to convert everything you buy unless you want to take a chance on it being inaccessible to your future ebook reading devices. Theoretically, if your local library offers Overdrive ebooks for loan, the Cybook works. In practice, results may vary and certainly won't be entirely satisfactory until Bookeen gets around to fixing a few bugs in the firmware. Unless and until there's a genuine fix, you might just as well count on Sony issuing a firmware update that would allow the Reader to handle Overdrive's library-loan PDFs.