PRS-350 Testing a PRS-350?

[barium]

My PRS-350 will be delivered today! I have 14 days to evaluate it, and I'm wondering if it has any limitations or special features I should test out during this period. I plan to:

Try several different PDF types I read frequently;
Play with the multi-column and zoom-lock view options for PDFs;
Test the rapid page advance feature;
Try to create "Collections" of different types of material using Calibre (which I use with my current reader [a cell phone]);
Test access to a books' table of contents;
Read it in low light situations; and
Try to change the default font style for epubs.

Is there anything about the PRS-350 or other E-Ink readers that you were disappointed by? I'd like to focus on the negatives, to make sure I can live with them. I haven't owned an E-Ink reader. The little experience I have (with a Nook in the BN store) isn't all positive. I disliked E-Ink's sluggishness and page turn flashes, which make it very difficult to scan through a text. But once you find a series of pages you definitely want to read, E-ink displays seem fantastic. I'm still considering a Nook Color, which seems like a much better value than the PRS-350, has much better PDF compatibility, and doesn't have E-Ink's drawbacks. But the NC's more expensive, more cumbersome, and, if it's like an iPad, text rendering isn't as crisp as on an E-Ink screen, so I hope the PRS-350 is good enough to keep for a few years.

[Angst]

Under Options | Adjust view there are 6 settings:
-original
-saturated
-details
-brighter
-darker
-custom

I haven't played with them yet. They might be worth checking out.


The only complaint I have is that when I want to go to a specific page I have to click Options | GotTo | SelectPage just to get to the page# screen. Then I have to touch EnterPage# + the page number + Go. Too much work to find a particular page. I like the prs-505 better for this function.

I did like the MarginCut in PageMode for PDFs. I haven't used the Zoom + manual settings + lock with PDFs. Looks complicated to figure out.

To change the default font style you have to Russify the software. Unfortunately the later versions of the software re-purpose the size and options buttons to back and forward. You have to hold the zoom and options to perform the original functions.

[BeccaPrice]

after awhile, the page blink in eink doesn't bother you, and it's pretty fast in the 350 - faster than my K2 Kindle.

I fully charged my Sony a couple of days ago, put it to sleep, and didn't touch it for 3 days... now I'm recharging it and it's acting like the battery power was completely exhausted, and taking forever to recharge. Next time I don't use it for awhile, I'll make sure to turn it completely off. This is not an issue with my kindle.

One complaint I have about the 350 that I didn't expect: the metal bezel is quite cold in my hands, and makes my wrists ache (I have carpal tunnel). I'm waiting to get a DecalGirl skin for it, and hope that the vinyl will be warmer to the touch.

One thing I loved about using the Sony with Calibre: it automatically created collections for me based on the series tags I'd put in the files with Calibre. Nice!

The advantage of eink over a color unit such as the NookColor is battery life. I get about 2 weeks on my K2, and expect to get that with the Sony as long as I remember to turn it totally off between uses rather than just let it go to sleep.

Also, if you desire to read out doors during sunny days, try that out. The eInk screen is perfectly viewable in direct sunlight. However, some of us find the the metal bezel on the silver 350 to be too reflective in direct sunlight. The chromed buttons are especially reflective. Not the smartest choice of colors by Sony, but then I doubt the designers even use the readers or they would have been designed differently.

[jackie_w]

Originally Posted by Angst

The only complaint I have is that when I want to go to a specific page I have to click Options | GotTo | SelectPage just to get to the page# screen.

Surely it's faster just to tap the page no. in the status bar?

Originally Posted by Angst

To change the default font style you have to Russify the software. Unfortunately the later versions of the software re-purpose the size and options buttons to back and forward.

FYI - Russifying also has the option to to leave the Size and Options buttons functionality as-is. Home - Settings - About then set the Paging Type to normal, not OPTION.

[Bookworm_Girl]

Originally Posted by BeccaPrice

One complaint I have about the 350 that I didn't expect: the metal bezel is quite cold in my hands, and makes my wrists ache (I have carpal tunnel). I'm waiting to get a DecalGirl skin for it, and hope that the vinyl will be warmer to the touch.

I find the ereader is cold to the touch too. I just put a DecalGirl skin on my 950. It definitely is an improvement and makes the ereader warmer to hold.

[Angst]

Originally Posted by jackie_w

Surely it's faster just to tap the page no. in the status bar?



FYI - Russifying also has the option to to leave the Size and Options buttons functionality as-is. Home - Settings - About then set the Paging Type to normal, not OPTION.

Thanks!

[BeccaPrice]

er... what is Russifying? (I take it it's named after Russ?)

[elcreative]

Modifying firmware/OS in the reader with third party software... see Sony Reader Dev Forum on this site... generally called Russifying because of replacement of Dutch with Russian and/or authoring of the hacks...

Originally Posted by BeccaPrice

er... what is Russifying? (I take it it's named after Russ?)

[Angst]

Russian software. It adds support for a Cyrillic alphabet. They also add in other handy tools like changing fonts.

[barium]

Thanks for all the helpful responses. First impression: this thing is AWESOME! So far, I only wish I'd gotten one sooner.

I think Russifying is flashing the device with custom firmware, which allows you to rebind hotkeys, change fonts, and do some other things. I wonder if any custom firmware binds a command to double-tapping corners other than the top-right corner. (Tapping the top-right corner bookmarks the current page in the Sony firmware.) A quick way to go to the previous view would be nice for navigating between footnotes and body text.

[delphin]

Originally Posted by BeccaPrice

after awhile, the page blink in eink doesn't bother you, and it's pretty fast in the 350 - faster than my K2 Kindle.

I fully charged my Sony a couple of days ago, put it to sleep, and didn't touch it for 3 days...

One complaint I have about the 350 that I didn't expect: the metal bezel is quite cold in my hands, and makes my wrists ache.

If left more than a few days, the unit is supposed to automatically do a hard power down anyway. So, really strange that your unit runs down like that. The only thing that will cause such a fast drop on my 650 is leaving the background MP3 playback running by accident (and the 350 lacks MP3 playback, so obviously that can't be it).

Sorry you find the unit uncomfortable to hold. I also found my 650 a little awkward, simply because the it's so thin and doesn't have much of an area to grab onto.

I ended up buying the Proporta padded book cover for it, and it's really a huge improvement. The only thing that some might not like is, like a real book, this cover doesn't easily fold completely back on itself (you can do it, but it leaves the cover creased a bit). I like to just hold it open cradled in one hand like a real book, and find the soft padded cover really nice in my hands.

Like the Sony cover, it's a little pricey, but if the decals don't do the trick you might want to check it out, as I see that they also have a version of the Proporta Cover for the PRS-350.

[injapan]

my wife has a 350 and also finds the battery goes down quite fast if not used (very strange?)

[doreenjoy]

Originally Posted by injapan

my wife has a 350 and also finds the battery goes down quite fast if not used (very strange?)

I get about 2 or 3 weeks of battery life from each charge, whether I use the reader or not. Keep in mind that there is some battery drain while the reader is in standy mode.

[Poppaea]

Originally Posted by doreenjoy

I get about 2 or 3 weeks of battery life from each charge, whether I use the reader or not. Keep in mind that there is some battery drain while the reader is in standy mode.

Almost a dito, as I use it all the time, but still opening and putting it to sleep at least 10 times a day leaves me with 2 weeks battery life (could be more but I get nervous when I see it down to the last bar).