Frontlit no WiFi reader

[AnotherWanderer]

Hi all,

Relatively new owner of an old PRS-505 with a light cover here.

I'm comparatively happy with it, but after a couple of weeks have decided that I really want a reader with a built in frontlight. Preferably something warm rather than the horrible looking pictures I've seen of the PRS-700.

There's a few wants and a few musts for my ideal reader, hoping that somebody can throw some suggestions my way. As no internet connectivity is a must for me I fully accept I'll be picking from older devices.

Must haves:

• Frontlit
• Native (or easy to install) Cyrillic support. Something easily available like PRS+ is fine
• No internet connectivity
• No larger than 6" screen
• As little fluff (games/etc) as possible

Nice to haves:

• Touchscreen / ability to annotate
• Higher contrast/higher resolution screen than the PRS505
• Right justified text
• Real italic support

Hoping somebody here can point me in the right direction with some suggestions.

Thanks!

[JSWolf]

You can have everything you want except for no internet. They all have WiFi. But you don't have to turn it on after you've registered.

Given that you want a 6" screen, I highly recommend the Kobo Clara HD. But I also highly recommend the Kobo Libra 2 which higher contrast.has a 7" screen. I went from a 6" Sony Reader PRS-T1 to a 6.8" Kobo Aura H2O and I'm glad I did go with a larger screen.

The Kobo Readers will read all of the ePub eBooks that your Sony is able to read. The screen's are 300DPI and higher contrast. Though the Libra 2 is even higher contrast then the Clara HD. Even Amazon is moving away from 6" screens.

[AnotherWanderer]

Were there no frontlit devices made without internet connectivity other than the PRS-700?

No internet connectivity and frontlit are a joint number 1 must have, so sadly the Kobos are off the list (unless any of the older generations were frontlit and lacking wifi?). Thanks for the suggestions though

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by AnotherWanderer

Were there no frontlit devices made without internet connectivity other than the PRS-700?

No internet connectivity and frontlit are a joint number 1 must have, so sadly the Kobos are off the list (unless any of the older generations were frontlit and lacking wifi?). Thanks for the suggestions though

The 700 is no longer made and even if you could find one, chances are the battery could be worthless. Also, reading with a 700 is terrible. It's very cloudy, and the screen is very reflective. Think mirror. You'll hate it.

You are not going to find a Reader that has a font light that does not have WiFi. But like I said, once you register, you can turn off WiFi and keep it off. I mostly keep the WiFi off on my Kobo and I have no problem doing so.

[AnotherWanderer]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The 700 is no longer made and even if you could find one, chances are the battery could be worthless. Also, reading with a 700 is terrible. It's very cloudy, and the screen is very reflective. Think mirror. You'll hate it.

You are not going to find a Reader that has a font light that does not have WiFi. But like I said, once you register, you can turn off WiFi and keep it off. I mostly keep the WiFi off on my Kobo and I have no problem doing so.

Don't worry, I have no plans on trying to track down a PRS-700. I'd have no concerns pulling it apart to replace a battery, but from the pictures I've seen it looks like it'd be alot worse than even the PRS-505 with light cover.

Even the possibility of internet connectivity is a no for me, so if the PRS-700 really is unique as being the only frontlit ereader without WiFi, something homebrew might be in my future. Thanks for your input.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by AnotherWanderer

Don't worry, I have no plans on trying to track down a PRS-700. I'd have no concerns pulling it apart to replace a battery, but from the pictures I've seen it looks like it'd be alot worse than even the PRS-505 with light cover.

Even the possibility of internet connectivity is a no for me, so if the PRS-700 really is unique as being the only frontlit ereader without WiFi, something homebrew might be in my future. Thanks for your input.

Why is it that you cannot have WiFi even if it's not used?

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by AnotherWanderer

Were there no frontlit devices made without internet connectivity other than the PRS-700?

No internet connectivity and frontlit are a joint number 1 must have, so sadly the Kobos are off the list (unless any of the older generations were frontlit and lacking wifi?). Thanks for the suggestions though

The only one I know of (personally) is the PocketBook PB615 (Russian version). You may be able to find one in the used market — the only outward differences I can tell between it and the Basic Lux (also a PB615) is that the 4-way button "highlight" was green on the PB615 (Russian) and the PB615 Basic Lux had an orange "highlight." And, if you see the default screen, the Russian "PB615" is labeled that way, not as a "Basic Lux." That said, if you bought a PocketBook Basic Lux, you could open it up and disconnect the WiFi module from the main board. (I'm guessing you could probably do the same with the Basic Lux 2 and Basic Lux 3 — now the current model). Since PocketBooks are big sellers in Russia I'm guessing Cryllic wouldn't be problem.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by AnotherWanderer

Don't worry, I have no plans on trying to track down a PRS-700. I'd have no concerns pulling it apart to replace a battery, but from the pictures I've seen it looks like it'd be alot worse than even the PRS-505 with light cover.

Even the possibility of internet connectivity is a no for me, so if the PRS-700 really is unique as being the only frontlit ereader without WiFi, something homebrew might be in my future. Thanks for your input.

The Sony PRS-X50 line was a vast improvement over the 700. None of them had lights, but the PRS-350 which was not WiFi capable also had a lit case, so kinda, sorta what you’d like. The 350 is/was a lovely little device and there are probably some still out there. I think the battery’s replaceable? (People will be able to correct me on that.). Only 5”, but you said no bigger than 6”.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by issybird

The Sony PRS-X50 line was a vast improvement over the 700. None of them had lights, but the PRS-350 which was not WiFi capable also had a lit case, so kinda, sorta what you’d like. The 350 is/was a lovely little device and there are probably some still out there. I think the battery’s replaceable? (People will be able to correct me on that.). Only 5”, but you said no bigger than 6”.

The battery is not replaceable like the 950 is. It's the standard open it up and remove the battery and put in the new one. It may or may not be easy to do.

But the OP wanted a 6" screen so that would be the 650. But I would think most 650s would have a need for a new battery. I know mine does. That's why I moved to the T1.

[salamanderjuice]

Why the insistence on no WiFi? You can get models that never need to be connected to WiFi like Oynx Boox's. Kobo's can also be registered on a PC and then just used offline.

Besides ancient designs floating around on aliexpress from random companies I don't think anyone makes an eReader sans-Wifi anymore let alone with a front light. Some of the aliexpress ones look like maybe they do but...

[tomsem]

The ‘no WiFi’ restriction really limits the choices.

There are some ‘secure’ work environments where WiFi capable personal devices would be prohibited, and some people claim sensitivity to WiFi frequencies (though with WiFi antenna turned off on the device, it’s unclear what the concern would be).

I don’t think you can go wrong with a 7” screen. I didn’t think I needed or wanted one, but I can’t go back now…

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The battery is not replaceable like the 950 is. It's the standard open it up and remove the battery and put in the new one. It may or may not be easy to do.

The 950 opened pretty much like the 350 and 650. It was the 900 that had a battery compartment like an old style cell phone. The 600 and 900 had terrible screens -- the only good x00 reader was the PRS-300, and it was heavy and bulky (these, the 300s, are constantly up on Shop Goodwill).

Originally Posted by JSWolf

But the OP wanted a 6" screen so that would be the 650. But I would think most 650s would have a need for a new battery. I know mine does. That's why I moved to the T1.

I've still have a couple 650s that have good batteries -- but I don't think they were used much. Both the 350 and 650 used the same battery and they seem to be widely available.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fro...acat=0&_sop=15

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=sony+prs-...price-asc-rank

Battery replacement seems fairly easy on both...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feRYVQz2FMo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hr0B2bT9UGs

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by salamanderjuice

Why the insistence on no WiFi? You can get models that never need to be connected to WiFi like Oynx Boox's. Kobo's can also be registered on a PC and then just used offline.

Besides ancient designs floating around on aliexpress from random companies I don't think anyone makes an eReader sans-Wifi anymore let alone with a front light. Some of the aliexpress ones look like maybe they do but...

Some people aren't allowed anything with Internet access by court order.

Though if you don't know the password for the wifi, the Internet can't be used. Also electro-sensitivity is now proven conclusively by double blind testing to be imaginary, WiFi or Mobile.

[ZodWallop]

Unless there is some outside requirement about the device not having WiFi (like the court order as mentioned), just buy a modern reader and don't turn on WiFi.

If this is just a privacy concern and fears that the evil device manufacturers are spying on you, it doesn't happen. I have been using ereaders for over a decade and don't use WiFi and I have NEVER had an ereader surreptitiously connect and share my personal data.

There is one reader right now (the Kobo Sage?) that has a glitch that can kick on the WiFi when messing with the settings. But that is a software error rather than a nefarious plan.

[JSWolf]

I have never read of anyone having a Reader hacked when using WiFi.