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jcatl · 02-01-2010, 02:45 PM

I bought the Sony PRS-900 yesterday at Fry's. They had a few on the shelf but they were very hard to find. I had to drive about 20mi to get there and thought they were mistaken about actually having them in stock but finally found them on the top shelf with no shelf labeling. I almost bought it at Best Buy and they also had trouble locating the one (1) they had in stock, but due to their restocking fee I walked away from it. Fry's has a 30-day, no questions asked policy so it was worth the drive. They'll also price match if it shows up cheaper in the next 30 days.

Anyway, this is my first foray into the ereader world. I had hoped the iPad would be more than an overgrown iPhone and so that pushed me over the edge towards a dedicated device. I'm impressed with the Sony so far, especially the build quality. Given the way it's packaged I'm almost certain there will be a cheaper offering without the Case Logic add-on, but then it may come without the charger as well so I have no idea if I should have waited. Of course with the Amazon/MacMillan to-do recently the entire e-book world may be getting turned upside down, so I wanted a device that was more open than the Kindle 2.

The only hesitation I have about the device is the much discussed glare problem. Frankly, only if the light source is shining directly on the panel is it an issue, and this is pretty easily resolved by tilting it slightly one way or another. Under good, non direct light, the display is great and very clear. I normally wear contacts or distance glasses and can read the display easily at Medium font even with sub-optimal lighting. I replaced my nightstand bulb with a 100W (CF equiv) and with that much light believe I may revert to small text.

The touch functionality is great with the stylus, and most navigation can be accomplished with a fingertip. It requires a more deliberate press or swipe than my iPhone, but that's due to the type of panel used. Of course using the stylus prevents fingerprints and smudges.

My only other direct experience with an ereader was with my sister's Kindle DX, and that only for about 2 minutes. Too large for me.

I'm about 90% sure I'll be keeping the PRS-900, but if not I'll update this thread with my reasons.

John

02-01-2010, 02:45 PM	#279
jcatl Enthusiast Posts: 29 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2010 Device: Sony PRS-900	First post I bought the Sony PRS-900 yesterday at Fry's. They had a few on the shelf but they were very hard to find. I had to drive about 20mi to get there and thought they were mistaken about actually having them in stock but finally found them on the top shelf with no shelf labeling. I almost bought it at Best Buy and they also had trouble locating the one (1) they had in stock, but due to their restocking fee I walked away from it. Fry's has a 30-day, no questions asked policy so it was worth the drive. They'll also price match if it shows up cheaper in the next 30 days. Anyway, this is my first foray into the ereader world. I had hoped the iPad would be more than an overgrown iPhone and so that pushed me over the edge towards a dedicated device. I'm impressed with the Sony so far, especially the build quality. Given the way it's packaged I'm almost certain there will be a cheaper offering without the Case Logic add-on, but then it may come without the charger as well so I have no idea if I should have waited. Of course with the Amazon/MacMillan to-do recently the entire e-book world may be getting turned upside down, so I wanted a device that was more open than the Kindle 2. The only hesitation I have about the device is the much discussed glare problem. Frankly, only if the light source is shining directly on the panel is it an issue, and this is pretty easily resolved by tilting it slightly one way or another. Under good, non direct light, the display is great and very clear. I normally wear contacts or distance glasses and can read the display easily at Medium font even with sub-optimal lighting. I replaced my nightstand bulb with a 100W (CF equiv) and with that much light believe I may revert to small text. The touch functionality is great with the stylus, and most navigation can be accomplished with a fingertip. It requires a more deliberate press or swipe than my iPhone, but that's due to the type of panel used. Of course using the stylus prevents fingerprints and smudges. My only other direct experience with an ereader was with my sister's Kindle DX, and that only for about 2 minutes. Too large for me. I'm about 90% sure I'll be keeping the PRS-900, but if not I'll update this thread with my reasons. John