MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Opinions wanted

Elfwreck · 06-27-2011, 06:00 PM

I have a Sony PRS-505 and an EZReader Pocket Pro; I used to read on a Clie PDA; my daughter has a Kindle & my husband has a Sony 300. Haven't changed the standard firmware on anything.

I want a 5" screen version of the 505. (And I don't mean a 300 or 350. I like the memory card, and I don't want a touchscreen.)

The Sonys have the best PDF support; I much prefer the 5" screen's portability; I like the navigation options on the Sony better than the Pocket Pro, which is annoying because I do really like the "recently opened" category, and I like folder groupings but I also like being able to see all by title or author; the Pocket Pro only shows filename listings, not metadata.

PocketPro's support for everything not ePub is mediocre. The .mobi files get the tops of letters chopped off in italics, and the page counts are wrong. (I regularly see a ~20% over-estimate of number of pages; a book will tell me it's 630 pages long, and I'll get to page 548, and the next page is 630. Also, paging to the end and then moving backwards doesn't work; the way pages are calculated requires starting at the beginning.)

The support for RTF, HTML & TXT formats is pathetic; it adds line breaks in the middles of words, including one-syllable words. However, the sizing for ePub and reflowed PDF is good; lots of size options. PDF reflow is as good or better than the PRS, and the sizing is better. The buttons seem less responsive; I often have to push the next-page button twice to get it to work. And I think the battery meter is basically useless.

I love the Kindle's web browser, but not enough to give up ePub support or deal with the larger device. Can't speak for actual filetype support; haven't looked at it that much.

I miss the extreme portability of the Clie, but not the short battery life. I'd prefer a backlit screen if they lasted longer; I can't wait for solar-powered ebook readers. (Hey, basic calculators used to be expensive, too.) E-ink, especially, ought to be low enough drain for a solar cell to work for power.

All of them theoretically offer MP3 support; I've yet to bother trying it.

06-27-2011, 06:00 PM	#20
Elfwreck Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,187 Karma: 25133758 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: SF Bay Area, California, USA Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3 (Past: Kobo Mini, PEZ, PRS-505, Clié)	I have a Sony PRS-505 and an EZReader Pocket Pro; I used to read on a Clie PDA; my daughter has a Kindle & my husband has a Sony 300. Haven't changed the standard firmware on anything. I want a 5" screen version of the 505. (And I don't mean a 300 or 350. I like the memory card, and I don't want a touchscreen.) The Sonys have the best PDF support; I much prefer the 5" screen's portability; I like the navigation options on the Sony better than the Pocket Pro, which is annoying because I do really like the "recently opened" category, and I like folder groupings but I also like being able to see all by title or author; the Pocket Pro only shows filename listings, not metadata. PocketPro's support for everything not ePub is mediocre. The .mobi files get the tops of letters chopped off in italics, and the page counts are wrong. (I regularly see a ~20% over-estimate of number of pages; a book will tell me it's 630 pages long, and I'll get to page 548, and the next page is 630. Also, paging to the end and then moving backwards doesn't work; the way pages are calculated requires starting at the beginning.) The support for RTF, HTML & TXT formats is pathetic; it adds line breaks in the middles of words, including one-syllable words. However, the sizing for ePub and reflowed PDF is good; lots of size options. PDF reflow is as good or better than the PRS, and the sizing is better. The buttons seem less responsive; I often have to push the next-page button twice to get it to work. And I think the battery meter is basically useless. I love the Kindle's web browser, but not enough to give up ePub support or deal with the larger device. Can't speak for actual filetype support; haven't looked at it that much. I miss the extreme portability of the Clie, but not the short battery life. I'd prefer a backlit screen if they lasted longer; I can't wait for solar-powered ebook readers. (Hey, basic calculators used to be expensive, too.) E-ink, especially, ought to be low enough drain for a solar cell to work for power. All of them theoretically offer MP3 support; I've yet to bother trying it.