wow...that device is even better than I thought it would be...disappointed in the screen size though, I was hoping for something larger as Sony was intentionally vague if the measurement was for the height not the diagonal. I would hardly call a 7.1" diagonal measurement a "large format" reader. Still I really like the way it works. I am really interested in seeing how well the dual page mode works out for people. That has to really feel like a book.
I like the cover and at the same time, maybe not as the reviewer failed to address how to get it the heck out of the way when using the device in landscape orientation. It would be spiffy if there was something along the lines of a magnetic latch to allow folding it all the way back and out of your way.
I look forward to reading how well people like the touch interface using just a finger rather than one of those gawds awful skinny stylus things...I carry around an Avery Triple Click because it has a built in stylus and is nice and fat so i can hold it with not a lot of pain. Still, I do not want to have to hold a pen in one hand while reading just to navigate easily. I do, however, trust Sony in that area and they will have done things pretty well to allow folks with fat fingers like mine to work the device.
My biggest reluctance when looking at Sony readers is the fact Sony will abandon a device in the blink of an eye...even if people LOVE the device. If it is making a profit, but not enough of a profit, odds are it will be gone within a couple years and these days support seems to evaporate at the same time. And since Sony devices ALL, even the old Clies running PalmOS, have closed and proprietary OS's, there is not a chance for 3rd party support for the hardware and improving features by users & developers.
Speaking of the Clie, I have to wonder of Sony did not "Clie" this new reader right out of the market with the $399 price tag. I don't see, even with the other accessories, that it is a value. I compare to the Clie because the last new Clie, an "N" I dunna remember what comes after the "N", was priced at $899...for a flipping PDA...so that release killed off the Sony PDA division on very short order and by most accounts it was simply due the the price point on entry into the model. I bet if Sony made this device around $325 the would sell 10x more of them over the course of a year...and they can KEEP the AC adapter, I could give a flip as I have plenty of those and can always use USB. The carrying case, again it's nice but I don't see a need for me personally. it has a nice cover sort of built-in it appears which should be good enough. Let me decide to add the other parts as I need to...
Anyway, I did like the comment about the font being more readable...first time I have heard such statement said about a device using an Eink brand panel. It struck me how it was said with such conviction and seemed completely genuine as it not just being an slight improvement if we pixel peep the characters.
Nice first take on the reader...gotta say it is back on my list for now, but not at $399 as it does not bring that much more to the table for what I want...the speed was really impressive for sure!