Planning on PRS-650, but...

[bakura82]

I am planning on getting a PRS-650, but I wanted to know if you guys think I should consider any other devices? The following is what I am looking for:

- epub support
- pdf support
- SD card slot
- around 6"
- touch screen or keyboard with good annotation ability (although higlighting passages must be hard without touch)

Thanks for your input!

[Sweetpea]

It's not that hard to highlight on the Kindle (but that one doesn't fit two of your requirements). But personally I prefer the no-nonsense look of the Sony instead of a reader with a physical keyboard (like the Kindle). And all other devices that do have that physical keyboard, I find ugly, too large bezels generally...

[ProfCrash]

Originally Posted by bakura82

I am planning on getting a PRS-650, but I wanted to know if you guys think I should consider any other devices? The following is what I am looking for:

- epub support
- pdf support
- SD card slot
- around 6"
- touch screen or keyboard with good annotation ability (although higlighting passages must be hard without touch)

Thanks for your input!

Based on that list the Sony 650 is your best bet. It is easy to use, easy t take notes with, it is 6 inches, has good PDF support, and supports EPub.

Your other choice is the Nook. It does not have the best PDF support and it is suppose to be hard to annotate.

I don't think that the Kobo allows for highlighting and annotating yet.

Highlighting and annotating is really easy with a Kindle. Disgustingly simple actually. (winks)

[boswd]

the nook also fits your requirement, if you have a Barnes and Noble or a Best Buy near buy you can go and play with both.

the big difference is wireless and price the 650 is a rather pricey unit for no wireless the nook can be had for $149 wi fi only and $199 wifi/3G

I like the barnes and noble bookstore platform alot better than Sony's.

both are the two best in hardware in my opinion. Both are gorgous ,both have touchscreen (the nook being the second color LCD screen) both can do ePub with or without Adobe Digital, both wil do PDF's, though I think the Sony 950 (the 650's bigger brother) is the leader in the eink department for Pdf's.

Now another option for you, if reading on an LCD screen does not bother you, is the nook color, which is about the same price as the Sony 650. It's a full color touchscreen LCD captactive screen eReader that is also wireless through wi fi. It not only fits all your needs but will excel in many of them as well and has features that eink either just can't match or does not have. .

Especially notes, highlighting ( you can highlight in different colors for color coding) your notes have sticky's than you can hide or show, It really is quite the featured packed eReader. Especially for notes, annotations, highlights, etc plus the ability to tap a word and have a Google Search, WikiPedia, dictionary options pop up. You can also share passages with people on Facebook or Twitter or email.

But again that is if reading on an lcd doesn't bother you. I thought it would with me but after some tweaking of the settings , I'm actually enjoying this better than eink because of the sharper contrast.

[bakura82]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

Your other choice is the Nook. It does not have the best PDF support and it is suppose to be hard to annotate.

Originally Posted by boswd

the nook...

I have considered the Nook in the past and I am not sure what their latest model is like. Have they followed suit with Amazon and Sony in upgrading the display, firmware and etc? When I tried the Nook before, I had to remove the back cover to get the SD card in and out. Does one still have to do this?

Originally Posted by boswd

the big difference is wireless and price[.] the 650 is a rather pricey unit for no wireless the nook can be had for $149 wi fi only and $199 wifi/3G

I have a PRS-600 now and the problem with upgrading to wireless (such as the PRS-950) is that it doesn't let me connect to my PC or my own server where I might store books and PDFs. The wireless aspect only allows me to download books from the manufacture's store. Since I have a plethora of PDFs and I typical buy eBooks from sources other than Sony, I don't think Wifi will be very useful to me. I may be more inclined to buy from the B&N store since there prices are pretty good at times, but I can't guarantee. The truth is, much of what I read are PDF journals, free material, or library books that are not available at Sony or B&N.

Originally Posted by boswd

Now another option for you, if reading on an LCD screen does not bother you, is the nook color...

I won't be using LCD. I should have stated e-Ink as a requirement.

I guess what I really want to know is if there are competitors out there to take serious that are NOT Amazon, B&N, Borders, and Sony?

[boswd]

Originally Posted by bakura82

I have considered the Nook in the past and I am not sure what their latest model is like. Have they followed suit with Amazon and Sony in upgrading the display, firmware and etc? When I tried the Nook before, I had to remove the back cover to get the SD card in and out. Does one still have to do this?

There firmware is uptodate, since it's inception they have had 5firmware upgrades. there are on v1.5 now. The screen is really nice. The last firmware upgrade bolded the text. I would say the new nook eink screen is at least on par with the new Pearl screen. Maybe sligthly marginal difference.
You still have to remove the back for the sd card slot.

I have a PRS-600 now and the problem with upgrading to wireless (such as the PRS-950) is that it doesn't let me connect to my PC or my own server where I might store books and PDFs. The wireless aspect only allows me to download books from the manufacture's store. Since I have a plethora of PDFs and I typical buy eBooks from sources other than Sony, I don't think Wifi will be very useful to me. I may be more inclined to buy from the B&N store since there prices are pretty good at times, but I can't guarantee. The truth is, much of what I read are PDF journals, free material, or library books that are not available at Sony or B&N.


If you have alot of PDF's then I would go with the 950, it is very overpriced, but if PDF's are going to be a good chunk of your reading material, then I wouldn't bother with the 650 or the nook or anyother 6 inch eink. The 950 is the star of the group for PDF's the nook does a good job on novels in PDF form but I haven't done much with them beyond novels. No graphs or anything like that.
the nook is great for buying ePubs from around the net and the Library, so it does though very well. I won't be using LCD. I should have stated e-Ink as a requirement.

I guess what I really want to know is if there are competitors out there to take serious that are NOT Amazon, B&N, Borders, and Sony?

Hmm the Entourage Edge, but that's up in iPad money territory.

[bakura82]

Originally Posted by boswd

There firmware is uptodate, since it's inception they have had 5firmware upgrades. there are on v1.5 now. The screen is really nice. The last firmware upgrade bolded the text. I would say the new nook eink screen is at least on par with the new Pearl screen. Maybe sligthly marginal difference. You still have to remove the back for the sd card slot.

Hmmm. I may have to reconsider the Nook after all then.

Originally Posted by boswd

If you have alot of PDF's then I would go with the 950, it is very overpriced, but if PDF's are going to be a good chunk of your reading material, then I wouldn't bother with the 650 or the nook or anyother 6 inch eink. The 950 is the star of the group for PDF's...

Don't the 650 and 950 have the same software? How is one more inch on the 950 going to make that much of a difference?

Originally Posted by boswd

Hmm the Entourage Edge, but that's up in iPad money territory.

ha! I just looked it up and that is by far the craziest thing I have ever seen. lol. I don't even know what to call it. *grin*

[bakura82]

I forgot to add requirement:

- e-ink
- epub support
- pdf support
- SD card slot
- around 6"
- touch screen or keyboard with good annotation ability (although highlighting passages must be hard without touch)
- exportable annotations

Does the Nook export annotations (including highlights) as the Sony's do?

[dordale]

I have both a nook and a Sony 650. The new firmware for the nook did bring many improvements to the nook, but I still prefer the Sony. Even though the screens are the same size, since the Sony doesn't have the LCD screen it's quite a bit smaller and lighter than the nook. It also has much better PDF support and better battery life.

I do like my nook and still use it on occasion, but the Sony is definitely my first choice as reader.

Good luck with your decision!

dordale

[bakura82]

Thanks. I assume you have the nook color, right?

[dordale]

bakura--if you're post is directed at me, I have the Original e-ink nook. (Just for clarity, the LCD screen I was referring to in my previous post is the small touch screen below the e-ink screen on the nook.)

dordale

[bakura82]

Ah. Thanks for the clarification.

[jehane]

One thing to keep in mind with buying books from BN is that they use their own DRM, ie books bought from BN can *only* be read on the Nook or Nook apps. However the nook will read ADE epubs.

[jj2me]

Originally Posted by bakura82

Don't the 650 and 950 have the same software? How is one more inch on the 950 going to make that much of a difference?

Here's a thread in the Sony forum that addresses your question.

[bakura82]

Originally Posted by jj2me

Here's a thread in the Sony forum that addresses your question.

You have to be teasing me. lol. I was the one that started one. It has to do with PDF viewing differences between the 650 and 950.

My goal with this thread is to see if there are any OTHER devices aside from the 650 and 950 that I should consider which mean the following:

- e-ink
- epub support
- pdf support
- SD card slot
- around 6"
- touch screen or keyboard with good annotation ability (although highlighting passages must be hard without touch)
- exportable annotations

I realize there are many manufacturers that aren't as well known as Sony or Amazon, so I want to give them a try is they are really worth it.


And thanks for the heads up jehane.