Looking for an uprgade (PRS-950 owner)

Noobien · 02-02-2014, 12:53 AM

Hi everyone, I'm currently looking to upgrade my PRS-950 as it seems to be getting on a bit now. The battery life has gone down dramatically despite me never using the Wi-Fi or 3G and looking at all the new readers out is making it feel a bit dated. The logical choice would be another Sony I suppose, I had a look at the PRS-T3 and was actually kind of impressed. I like the integrated cover and the form factor since it's pretty much the size of the old 350 but has a larger screen. I'd say the price seems pretty good too at $150AU and I don't really want to spend more than that to be honest. I personally don't see much wrong with it, but reviews of the device seem less than stellar? From what I can see, the specifications sheet looks alright, it has a decent resolution, a much faster processor than what's on my 950, it also uses eInk Pearl which is what most other readers use?

As far as my own preferences, I mainly side load all my books and use exclusively ePubs. The frontlight or lack thereof isn't a huge deal to me as I have my own dorm room and usually just keep the bedside lamp on while reading. WiFi and social media integration aren't very important. Basically the things that do matter to me are that the reader should be snappy and responsive, bug free and should provide a good reading experience. The screen should have a good contrast, text should be crisp and if I can manage to read manga on it comfortably then that petty much seals the deal but isn't a requirement.

Basically the only two devices I'm aware of are the PRS T3 and the Kobo Aura HD. The problem with the Aura HD is that it's wandering dangerously close into Nexus 7 territory with the $220 price tag it has, although I understand that it can be had for less (I think someone on another forum managed to haggle it down to $180). Any other suggestions are welcome

eschwartz · 02-02-2014, 01:06 AM

The Kindle is pretty snappy and responsive, and Amazon is good at producing ereaders that don't have bugs. You would have to convert from EPUB to AZW3, but that isn't difficult if you use calibre.

Don't ignore a ereader, if it is a good ereader, just because it doesn't read EPUB!

davidfor · 02-02-2014, 01:27 AM

If the Aura HD is to expansive, you should have a look at the Kobo Glo. Or even the Kobo Touch. Their RRP is $159 and about $120 respectively. But, the Touch can be found for $99.

Both a 6" e-ink. The Touch is 800*600 and the Glo 1024*758 which I think is the same as the TRS3. All the Kobo e-ink devices share the same firmware (but the Mini is a few versions behind). If you have played with one, the others are the same.

Noobien · 02-02-2014, 01:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidfor

If the Aura HD is to expansive, you should have a look at the Kobo Glo. Or even the Kobo Touch. Their RRP is $159 and about $120 respectively. But, the Touch can be found for $99.

Both a 6" e-ink. The Touch is 800*600 and the Glo 1024*758 which I think is the same as the TRS3. All the Kobo e-ink devices share the same firmware (but the Mini is a few versions behind). If you have played with one, the others are the same.

I can probably stretch it a bit and get the normal Aura if that's any better than the Glo/Touch, is it better in any way?

davidfor · 02-02-2014, 03:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Noobien

I can probably stretch it a bit and get the normal Aura if that's any better than the Glo/Touch, is it better in any way?

That's one of the things people are arguing about

Unfortunately, I haven't had my hands on an Aura, so anything I know about it is from reading here.

The differences for the Aura is that it has a capacitance touch screen rather than IR. This seems to make the touch more accurate and Kobo are implementing some multi-touch features. The other difference is that the screen is flush with the bezel. But, people seem to be saying the text isn't as good as the Glo and is a long way from the Aura HD. If size is important, the Aura is the most compact.

The upgrade from the Touch to the Glo was definitely worth it. But, upgrading from the Glo to either the Aura or Aura HD isn't. If the Glo broke, I don't know. I would be more tempted by the Aura HD, but I think I'd end up with another Glo.

booklover6 · 02-02-2014, 07:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidfor

The upgrade from the Touch to the Glo was definitely worth it. But, upgrading from the Glo to either the Aura or Aura HD isn't. If the Glo broke, I don't know. I would be more tempted by the Aura HD, but I think I'd end up with another Glo.

How interesting! It's good to read your perspective.

I have been very happy with my Glo. It is the only lighted e-ink reader I own. I love the size and weight (among other things). It's the best e-ink reader I have ever owned. The Aura and HD have tempted me, but I haven't succumbed. My Glo does what I need it to do, and does it well.

soulfuldog · 02-02-2014, 08:39 AM

If you like your Sony, and a built-in light isn't really a major plus for you, I'd just go with the PRS-T3. While the T1/2/3 range is generally not as well regarded due to people liking the build quality of the older PRS 350/650/950 range, I don't think there are really many negatives about the T3 except for the fact Sony has been left behind a little by not going with the integrated light.

Compared to your 950, the T3 will feel lighter, smaller and far faster, and the screen should look a little bit nicer & sharper too.

Kobo now has a very good range of ereaders and has overtaken Sony, but unless you want the light or the bigger & better screen of the Aura HD (which would be good for your manga) they don't do anything better than the Sony, and you are probably more likely to find bugs with the Kobo's than the Sony.

In saying that, personally speaking, if money wasn't an issue, and the bonus of the integrated light was at all attractive (it is handy to have), and I liked to read manga, I'd probably buy the Aura HD.

kougei · 02-07-2014, 06:47 PM

Hi, own a Sony PRS-505 but got out of the e-book habit, in favour of audible on the smartphone for last couple years. I still pack the Sony for overnight trips, as I have a stack of books on there yet to read, but I guess the battery is going as it always needs charging before and after a trip.

But there's an author I want to read whose earlier titles are not available on audible, just Kindle, so used some Xmas vouchers, but despite my large Nokia 1520 6" smartphone, just couldn't get into the Kindle smartphone reading experience. Although the Sony was/is a great e-reader, it just seems a bit too heavy, wieldy and a bit 'needy' to want me to carry it on the daily commute.

So I was prepared to get a Kindle device, I'd bought a few books on Kindle since the demise of Fictionwise, and things like whispersync, and the audible compatibility made sense apart from ....

...I tried the current Kindle devices in Waterstones, and didn't like anything about them. In reality the £109 Paperwhite was the only realistic choice, but I didn't find it comfortable to hold, navigate, didn't like the look and feel, felt it seemed a bit cheap and flimsy for a premium device, and would need to budget for a £30 cover on top.

...I tried WHSmith with all the Kobo's - and a great offer on the Kobo Touch (£29), though again you'd need a £29 cover to make it usable. Yet they didn't give me a sense of quality, either in the hardware, or screen, and I'd seen complaints on the buggy software on here, as I'd prepped up on the current devices of choice. The Aura HD I was keen to see, but again felt unimpressed, especially at £129, and there was only 1 case available, again at £29. Again the device itself didn't feel comfortable to hold and navigate, and despite the extra screen size and resolution it felt way over-priced to me.

...then at the Sony store there was the T3. I instantly felt that it was the best looking of all the devices I'd seen. I then picked it up and the overall size and weight felt the most comfortable. The build quality seemed head and shoulders above everything else. Then using it, the grip and navigation felt natural, obviously the touch/swipe was new to me, but the hard page turn buttons still feel the most easy to use when reading. As for the screen/display it certainly matched anything else I'd seen, and I really couldn't perceive any noticeable difference between the supposedly superior Paperwhite, or higher rez/size Aura HD. And it was only £99 and included a cover. Yes, there's no light, but I never needed this before, and you do have the accessory option if you need it.

Most importantly it is slim and compact enough to carry every day, and the battery life thus far is exceptional. It certainly overall seems the ideal size, weight and form for me, it wasn't even a close comparison. Using Calibre, which fully supports the device, I've had no problems recovering and loading my library, from Lit to mobipocket, to e-reader, to latest Kindle.

I had no particular loyalty or bias to Sony, I started convinced the only choice was the Kindle paperwhite, but feel the T3 had by far the best overall quality, and in practical terms was the cheapest of the high-end devices.

02-02-2014, 12:53 AM	#1
Noobien Enthusiast Posts: 29 Karma: 2135976 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: none	Looking for an uprgade (PRS-950 owner) Hi everyone, I'm currently looking to upgrade my PRS-950 as it seems to be getting on a bit now. The battery life has gone down dramatically despite me never using the Wi-Fi or 3G and looking at all the new readers out is making it feel a bit dated. The logical choice would be another Sony I suppose, I had a look at the PRS-T3 and was actually kind of impressed. I like the integrated cover and the form factor since it's pretty much the size of the old 350 but has a larger screen. I'd say the price seems pretty good too at $150AU and I don't really want to spend more than that to be honest. I personally don't see much wrong with it, but reviews of the device seem less than stellar? From what I can see, the specifications sheet looks alright, it has a decent resolution, a much faster processor than what's on my 950, it also uses eInk Pearl which is what most other readers use? As far as my own preferences, I mainly side load all my books and use exclusively ePubs. The frontlight or lack thereof isn't a huge deal to me as I have my own dorm room and usually just keep the bedside lamp on while reading. WiFi and social media integration aren't very important. Basically the things that do matter to me are that the reader should be snappy and responsive, bug free and should provide a good reading experience. The screen should have a good contrast, text should be crisp and if I can manage to read manga on it comfortably then that petty much seals the deal but isn't a requirement. Basically the only two devices I'm aware of are the PRS T3 and the Kobo Aura HD. The problem with the Aura HD is that it's wandering dangerously close into Nexus 7 territory with the $220 price tag it has, although I understand that it can be had for less (I think someone on another forum managed to haggle it down to $180). Any other suggestions are welcome

02-02-2014, 08:39 AM	#7
soulfuldog I ♥ Calibre Posts: 2,073 Karma: 5678911 Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis, Voyage, Sony PRS-350, Hudl2	If you like your Sony, and a built-in light isn't really a major plus for you, I'd just go with the PRS-T3. While the T1/2/3 range is generally not as well regarded due to people liking the build quality of the older PRS 350/650/950 range, I don't think there are really many negatives about the T3 except for the fact Sony has been left behind a little by not going with the integrated light. Compared to your 950, the T3 will feel lighter, smaller and far faster, and the screen should look a little bit nicer & sharper too. Kobo now has a very good range of ereaders and has overtaken Sony, but unless you want the light or the bigger & better screen of the Aura HD (which would be good for your manga) they don't do anything better than the Sony, and you are probably more likely to find bugs with the Kobo's than the Sony. In saying that, personally speaking, if money wasn't an issue, and the bonus of the integrated light was at all attractive (it is handy to have), and I liked to read manga, I'd probably buy the Aura HD. Last edited by soulfuldog; 02-02-2014 at 08:42 AM.

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02-02-2014, 01:06 AM	#2
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	The Kindle is pretty snappy and responsive, and Amazon is good at producing ereaders that don't have bugs. You would have to convert from EPUB to AZW3, but that isn't difficult if you use calibre. Don't ignore a ereader, if it is a good ereader, just because it doesn't read EPUB!

02-02-2014, 01:27 AM	#3
davidfor Grand Sorcerer Posts: 24,905 Karma: 47303824 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Sydney, Australia Device: Kobo:Touch,Glo, AuraH2O, GloHD,AuraONE, ClaraHD, Libra H2O; tolinoepos	If the Aura HD is to expansive, you should have a look at the Kobo Glo. Or even the Kobo Touch. Their RRP is $159 and about $120 respectively. But, the Touch can be found for $99. Both a 6" e-ink. The Touch is 800600 and the Glo 1024758 which I think is the same as the TRS3. All the Kobo e-ink devices share the same firmware (but the Mini is a few versions behind). If you have played with one, the others are the same.

02-07-2014, 06:47 PM	#8
kougei Member Posts: 16 Karma: 11 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Brighton, UK Device: Sony Reader PRS-505	Hi, own a Sony PRS-505 but got out of the e-book habit, in favour of audible on the smartphone for last couple years. I still pack the Sony for overnight trips, as I have a stack of books on there yet to read, but I guess the battery is going as it always needs charging before and after a trip. But there's an author I want to read whose earlier titles are not available on audible, just Kindle, so used some Xmas vouchers, but despite my large Nokia 1520 6" smartphone, just couldn't get into the Kindle smartphone reading experience. Although the Sony was/is a great e-reader, it just seems a bit too heavy, wieldy and a bit 'needy' to want me to carry it on the daily commute. So I was prepared to get a Kindle device, I'd bought a few books on Kindle since the demise of Fictionwise, and things like whispersync, and the audible compatibility made sense apart from .... ...I tried the current Kindle devices in Waterstones, and didn't like anything about them. In reality the £109 Paperwhite was the only realistic choice, but I didn't find it comfortable to hold, navigate, didn't like the look and feel, felt it seemed a bit cheap and flimsy for a premium device, and would need to budget for a £30 cover on top. ...I tried WHSmith with all the Kobo's - and a great offer on the Kobo Touch (£29), though again you'd need a £29 cover to make it usable. Yet they didn't give me a sense of quality, either in the hardware, or screen, and I'd seen complaints on the buggy software on here, as I'd prepped up on the current devices of choice. The Aura HD I was keen to see, but again felt unimpressed, especially at £129, and there was only 1 case available, again at £29. Again the device itself didn't feel comfortable to hold and navigate, and despite the extra screen size and resolution it felt way over-priced to me. ...then at the Sony store there was the T3. I instantly felt that it was the best looking of all the devices I'd seen. I then picked it up and the overall size and weight felt the most comfortable. The build quality seemed head and shoulders above everything else. Then using it, the grip and navigation felt natural, obviously the touch/swipe was new to me, but the hard page turn buttons still feel the most easy to use when reading. As for the screen/display it certainly matched anything else I'd seen, and I really couldn't perceive any noticeable difference between the supposedly superior Paperwhite, or higher rez/size Aura HD. And it was only £99 and included a cover. Yes, there's no light, but I never needed this before, and you do have the accessory option if you need it. Most importantly it is slim and compact enough to carry every day, and the battery life thus far is exceptional. It certainly overall seems the ideal size, weight and form for me, it wasn't even a close comparison. Using Calibre, which fully supports the device, I've had no problems recovering and loading my library, from Lit to mobipocket, to e-reader, to latest Kindle. I had no particular loyalty or bias to Sony, I started convinced the only choice was the Kindle paperwhite, but feel the T3 had by far the best overall quality, and in practical terms was the cheapest of the high-end devices.

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