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Originally Posted by Prestidigitweeze
It seems to me, Lucid Dreams, that there's a point at which fisking every single statement an opponent makes begins to look indiscriminate, and doing so on a thread where people are excited about their (relatively) new purchase seems a tad uncivil.
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I thought this was a forum where people can have an open discussion. Perhaps I was wrong and should have read the etiquette rules for posting. I also own the PRS-350 so I'm speaking to my experience with the device. So I don't know what's so uncivil about that. But at least my postings were done in a non-condescending way. Sadly, I can't say the same with regards to your last posting.
The majority of keyboards are made of plastic, even on laptops. The point I'm making is that for things that we hold/touch companies use materials that are comfortable. That's why some premium keyboards and mouses include the use of rubber to make the devices more comfortable to use. The problem with eReaders is they're a standalone solution where the device and interface/screen are integrated. And unlike a laptop people hold the devices for hours. It's important to note that not all Sony PRS devices are made the same. Only the front bezel which also covers the left side is aluminum on the PRS-350, the rest of the device is plastic. That doesn't add much in quality of construction or durability.
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Originally Posted by Prestidigitweeze
But telling another user that "Audio support on an eReader is subjective" is unhelpful because you're implying that other kinds of support (i.e., features) are not subjective.
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eReaders are mainly single purpose device. But this line might get more blurred going forward as companies add more features to outdo their competition. But with regards to audio support on an eReader, it doesn't add any value to the reading experience. That's why I consider it subjective. Features that enhance the reading experience are less subjective (font selection, display adjustment, formatting control, etc.) and could be a deal breaker.
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Originally Posted by Prestidigitweeze
That said, the PRS series are end-of-cycle readers and the Nook Touch is an end-of-gen budget reader with a lot of good features and perhaps a few fin-du-processor innovations. For a lot of people, it would be a good purchase and you're right to recommend it.
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Last I checked Sony doesn't yet have a replacement for the PRS series. Nor do we know when the replacement models will be available. It could be 5-6 months before we see a new Sony eReader model which would put the current PRS series about midway through it's life cycle. I also don't consider the Nook Touch a "budget" eReader. It's positioned at the same level as the Kindle 3 and most don't consider Amazon's device a budget eReader. The original Kobo that's now $99 is what I would label a budget eReader.
I'm not championing the new Nook Touch. As I stated before if a small form factor is #1 then the PRS-350 is hands down the best and pretty much the only choice, no one else has a 5" eReader. Sadly, the PRS-650 is in limited supply and those places that have it for sale are charging MSRP or higher. With that said, it's hard to recommend the PRS-650. More so now that the pricing level and Touch feature has been challenged by the new Kobo/Nook Touch eReaders.