A couple of months ago I bought a Sony Daily Edition (PRS900). I really liked it for the most part, though the screen is never going to compare to the Pocket Edition (PRS300) or the older 505. I've owned the 505, 300, 600, and 900, as well as the Kindle2. Although the 900 seems to my eyes to have a better screen than the 600, I thought it was just a bit difficult to read with the Sony default fonts. So I decided to return my 900 to Best Buy and try a few other Readers, devices, and MIDs (Media Internet Tablets) in hopes of finding the perfect device for reading eBooks.

Well I didn't find the perfect reading device because one doesn't exist, but here is what I found in my quest.

The best solution I found for viewing PDFs and for reading via a backlit screen is my Asus T91MT netbook tablet. At 2.1 lbs it is slightly heavier than the iPad and definitely thicker because it has a keyboard built in. For luggable viewing of eBooks, Internet exploring, and Office apps it is really good. Unlike the iPad, the T91MT is a real computer with multiple/usable ports and the muscle to get whatever task therein related accomplished. But it is expensive at $500 and it is luggable rather than being truly portable. Its heft and size mean it requires a two handed approach that will soon leave my arms tired if I don't balance it on my tummy.

I thought about the iPad until it was released and quickly ruled it out. The specs are not up to my requirements, Apple is too controlling, and like the T91MT even though it would make a great eBook reader it has to be considered another two handed, luggable. In the luggable category the T91MT wins hands down over the lackluster iPad.

I had a Kindle2 for a while. But I did not like the form factor or the cheap build quality. I definitely did not like the Amazon formats either and found that ePubs are easier to deDRM and work with. So the K2 went to an eBay bidder.

I then tried a couple of MIDs. The first was the Archos 5IT purportedly running Android. The size was just about perfect for single handed operation with a 5 inch backlit screen. Unfortunately the Archos 5IT has a mix of Android and Archos OSes making it a difficult little MID to use. It did function fairly well as a reader, but just. It certainly doesn't compare to a Windows 7 PC when it comes to reader software. I then tried the SmartQ V7 because it was advertised as having three OSes preinstalled: Android, Linux, and WinCE. This device had a 7 inch backlit screen. Unfortunately the reader software for those three OSes don't compare to Windows 7 reader software. Also the SmartQ V7 was more Chinese than English and simply served to prove to me that Android sucks as an OS. Neither of these devices are for for the casual, non-techie type of user. Only techies could love them, and people like me hate them.

As I mentioned earlier, I owned a PRS300. I really love it for its portability and non-glare screen. But it is a bit difficult to read in low light when using the Sony default fonts. I decided to try another 5 inch reader, the Aluratek Libre. This was a pretty good little reader and at $140 a very good deal. On the plus side it came with a SD card slot, which the PRS300 doesn't have. The SD card slot makes it quick and easy to transfer ebooks without using a server like Calibre or Sony's software. The Libre has a reflective, grayscale TFT LCD screen. Though a little easier to read in low light than the PRS300, I found that I missed the software functionality of the PRS300, namely the table of contents function which was missing from the Libre. I could go to a page number, and I could do searches for words, but the Libre was not good at finding a particular chapter. In the end I decided I liked my PRS300 much better and returned the Libre.

Along the way to trying out different devices I learned some neat tricks to use with Sony readers. Namely I learned how to add fonts to Sony readers and how to use CSS via calibre to select a better font and make it bold. The readability level of my PRS300 shot way up, especially in low light situations. Then it dawned on me that using these font tricks I could greatly improve the readability of PRS900 too.

And that is what I did. So after trying a lot of devices I found myself returning to the PRS900 and being happy that I did. I still like the portability of the PRS300 as well as its non-glare screen, but 90% of my reading is on the PRS900. The functionality, power (speed), and form factor is the best I've tried. And I love being able to quickly and easily copy files to the SD card rather than using a sluggish and cumbersome server like that of Calibre or the Sony Reader Library. From all the devices I've tried, including a Kindle2, the Sony Daily Edition (PRS900) works the best for my reading habits.