MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Cory Doctorow: "Hardware ebook readers are a dead end"

BJN · 03-05-2008, 09:05 PM

I'm reading my first and last book on my Sony PRS-500. It's disappointing in so many ways I don't know where to start.

-The poor contrast display is substantially inferior to ink on paper. The handling of typography at various magnifications is poor, especially for extended character set letters. The "page" size is tiny compared to a paperback. I crank up the magnification and I'm treated to several pagelets and lots of paging button pushes as a result.
-The promise of a page display that requires no power to maintain the image is totally lost on this device. You have to turn it off and that means wiping the zero current draw image from the display. The reader uses power even when turned off and the "off" life without charging is annoyingly short. I've read here that there's a way to really turn it off but that that means a long reboot and I assume lost session settings.
-The Sony bookstore selection is pathetic. I bought the reader with the idea of consolidating field guides for birding, geology, river information, etc. in a handy single device. Bad idea. I can't even view pdfs on this thing reasonably if they're not formatted to the reader's page specs. The zoom for pdf reading isn't sticky so dealing with letter size pdf documents is a PITA.
-I can stuff a paperback into a bag and never worry about crushing it, having the power cube for it, or worrying about its remaining charge. I can drop a paperback without a care. The reader is a prissy piece of electronics to handle with care.
-Since I can't put what I want into the reader, perhaps it could earn its keep doing something else useful? Nope. Other than an extremely poor MP3 player, it offers no other utility. No thesaurus, no calendar, no handy reference function of any kind.
-The reader's interface is lame. I realize the new model is somewhat improved, but this isn't a device that's brilliant in its single function.

Someday the e-ink displays will live up to their promise. Then I'll buy a UMPC with a decent size and resolution display to serve as my "reader" and a universe other functions. Cory's right.

03-05-2008, 09:05 PM	#48
BJN Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: Sony Reader	I'm reading my first and last book on my Sony PRS-500. It's disappointing in so many ways I don't know where to start. -The poor contrast display is substantially inferior to ink on paper. The handling of typography at various magnifications is poor, especially for extended character set letters. The "page" size is tiny compared to a paperback. I crank up the magnification and I'm treated to several pagelets and lots of paging button pushes as a result. -The promise of a page display that requires no power to maintain the image is totally lost on this device. You have to turn it off and that means wiping the zero current draw image from the display. The reader uses power even when turned off and the "off" life without charging is annoyingly short. I've read here that there's a way to really turn it off but that that means a long reboot and I assume lost session settings. -The Sony bookstore selection is pathetic. I bought the reader with the idea of consolidating field guides for birding, geology, river information, etc. in a handy single device. Bad idea. I can't even view pdfs on this thing reasonably if they're not formatted to the reader's page specs. The zoom for pdf reading isn't sticky so dealing with letter size pdf documents is a PITA. -I can stuff a paperback into a bag and never worry about crushing it, having the power cube for it, or worrying about its remaining charge. I can drop a paperback without a care. The reader is a prissy piece of electronics to handle with care. -Since I can't put what I want into the reader, perhaps it could earn its keep doing something else useful? Nope. Other than an extremely poor MP3 player, it offers no other utility. No thesaurus, no calendar, no handy reference function of any kind. -The reader's interface is lame. I realize the new model is somewhat improved, but this isn't a device that's brilliant in its single function. Someday the e-ink displays will live up to their promise. Then I'll buy a UMPC with a decent size and resolution display to serve as my "reader" and a universe other functions. Cory's right.