PRS-650 My 650 impressions

[John F]

Originally Posted by Rizla

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Can you read while charging other E-readers?

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Yes.

In regards to the crashes... My crashes may very well be unique to me. I'm using an old version of Calibre to convert other formats to LRF. My 505 also crashes, but it seems to be limited to opening books which haven't been pre-processed before. Crashes started occuring (on my 505) a lot more once I started using Calibre to transfer LRF files.

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Now, did the OP reformat the internal memory just in case it needs it? Reset the 650?

I did not reformat the memory. This was a brand new unit. I've already given the present, if I get a lot of complaints, I'll try looking into this. As far as reseting, there were multiple reboots, which must have reset the device, and I did do a physical reset (paperclip in the hole) for at least one lockup.

Jon (or anyone) maybe you could try repoducing the problem:

1) Add 10 new books thru the Sony library software
2) Transfer them to the device
3) create a collection
4) add the new books to the collection
5) cleanly eject the device
6) goto the collection and quickly press the options button multiple times

[JSWolf]

Have you tried a newer version of Calibre to make our LRF?

[John F]

Not to try and get rid of the crashes. I prefer the older version because (for me) it seems to work better (I like the formatting) for converting LRFs.

[astra]

Originally Posted by John F

I brought a 650 as a gift, so following are my impressions. I've had a 505 for about two years and it's seen a lot of use.

I had 505 for 3 years and 500 for one year before 505

I have mostly LRF files, and I loaded about 50 onto the reader.

On my 650 there are 62 ebooks. Only 7 are ePubs, 2 pdf and the rest are LRF.

In the 2 hours I used it at home, I probably had about 15 crashes that would happen at strange times. For example, if I went to a collection, pressed option, then pressed option again, I may get a crash. The only pattern that I can guess at is that I loaded a lot of books, and maybe it was doing stuff in the background and didn't like me doing stuff while it was busy (just a WAG). The crashes seemed to be more frequent early on and diminish over time. (FWIW, I also get crashes with my 505).

I have my reader for 27 days. So far, no crashes. My 505 has crashed maybe twice for 3 years? maybe only one time. The fact that you had crashes on 505 means you have buggy LRF files.

IMO, I think the Sony software (on the reader) could be a lot better. Other readers seem to offer more. The Nook lets you pick between different fonts. The IPad lets you pick any font size you want. Other software let's you pick things like margin size, line spacing, ...

True. Although, I am not interested in fonts or additional font sizes. I played with fonts in my 500 time and found it unnecessary. Built-in fonts do it for me. I read the text, I do not admire letters' curves. 505 had only 3 font sizes and I found it to be the perfect setup. I have a lot more now on 650 but I use only 3. The XS one is too small, font sizes bigger than L are far too large and I don't like having 2 words per line and 5 rows altogether. I wanted 6" reader vs. 5" and smaller because I like to have a sizeable chunk of text on a screen.

I like the next and prev page buttons on the 650, but with my 505 I can read both left handed AND right; I found with 650, I only wanted to read holding it with my left hand. I don't like to swipe, and wish that they could add options to make the UI a little more configurable (like a single tap to advance the page).

You don't have swipe across the whole length of screen.
When you hold the reader in your right hand, a small swipe with your thumb is enough. So basically, it is the same as holding the reader in your left hand and pressing buttons with you thumb.

I wish that charging was more universal. I wish I could just plug the USB into whatever and it would charge. I tried a hub, it didn't charge. I tried awallwart that worked with my Zune (the iPad wallwart), but that didn't charge. I tried a cellphone charger and that worked, but I don't think I could read while using the charger.

I am unhappy with the new charging method too. I was just lucky to have a charger that was a part of logitech wireless mouse kit that charges the reader. Otherwise I would have to buy a new one on top of the premium price. On the other hand iTALKonline Quality 3 Pin Mains UK Mains Charger for Amazon Kindle for only £5 would not break the bank. It is cheap. (Excuses excuses...in all honesty, they should have included the charger for premium price they charge)

Bottom line, IMO, if Sony wants the 650 to be a "premium" book reader, they need to step up and make a better product.

Although the price is too high it is the best reader for me. Sexy? Like kindlekitten's avatar

[Jerry Cornelius]

Originally Posted by astra

When you hold the reader in your right hand, a small swipe with your thumb is enough. So basically, it is the same as holding the reader in your left hand and pressing buttons with your thumb.

The direction of the swipe, for page turns can be changed in the options. To move one page forward, it could be either a movement from right to left (when you hold the reader in your right hand), or a movement from left to right (can be useful is you hold the reader in your left hand – even if counter-intuitive..).

[John F]

... I read the text, I do not admire letters' curves. ...

Same for me, I prefer a sans serif font, and many books seem to use serif. Even a choice of serif vs sans serif would be nice.

... You don't have swipe across the whole length of screen.
When you hold the reader in your right hand, a small swipe with your thumb is enough. So basically, it is the same as holding the reader in your left hand and pressing buttons with you thumb. ...

I made my comments fully aware of being able to swipe with only my thumb.

... means you have buggy LRF files.

I agree. The problem (for me) is that Calibre lets me format the books the way I like. If the reader had more formatting options, I wouldn't need to use Calibre.

I'm also a little surprised that Calibre is making buggy LRFs. When I first started using my 505 with Calibre, I wasn't reading about 505 crashes, and I think some people were also using Calibre in a similar fashion as me.

Another thing is the intermittancy of the bugs. One time it will crash on an LRF, reboot, and then the LRF will be fine (it goes thru the pre-processing steps both times). Also it's not like it crashes every time on the same LRF. If I delete the LRF and reload it, it won't crash. If I do this a bunch of times, it will crash. I would say it happens one out of 5 times (on my 505) when pre-processing an LRF.

Astra, could you try my test. Add 10 new books, add them to a collection, view the collection and quickly press the Options button multiple times, and then click on the X to close the options window.

[astra]

Originally Posted by John F

I agree. The problem (for me) is that Calibre lets me format the books the way I like. If the reader had more formatting options, I wouldn't need to use Calibre.

I'm also a little surprised that Calibre is making buggy LRFs. When I first started using my 505 with Calibre, I wasn't reading about 505 crashes, and I think some people were also using Calibre in a similar fashion as me.

Another thing is the intermittancy of the bugs. One time it will crash on an LRF, reboot, and then the LRF will be fine (it goes thru the pre-processing steps both times). Also it's not like it crashes every time on the same LRF. If I delete the LRF and reload it, it won't crash. If I do this a bunch of times, it will crash. I would say it happens one out of 5 times (on my 505) when pre-processing an LRF.

Astra, could you try my test. Add 10 new books, add them to a collection, view the collection and quickly press the Options button multiple times, and then click on the X to close the options window.

If you are such a control freak (like me), then forgo using Calibre and use Book Designer.
For transferring books use Sony s/w, it does the parsing? paginating? of LRFs for you. Somebody said that the latest version doesn't do it anymore, after that I opened a few LRF books for the first time and it took a second to change font size, so I suspect that Sony s/w still does the job.

I never use Calibre...

Sorry, but I am not going to do the test.
1. I have never created collections (never had more than 98 books at the same time).
2. I am going through battery test period to determine how long I can use the reader without a recharge.

[dordale]

First--I'm able to read when I have my 650 plugged in to AC with either my Droid or my nook chargers (both are microUSB). I can't read when it's plugged in to the computer. This is consistent with the 505.

I also find the 650 to be very stable. I don't believe I've had any crashes in the three months I've owned it. However, I only have a few LRFs on it. My guess is this is probably the OP's problem. The old Sony software would pre-paginate LRF books before sending them to the reader. It's my understanding that for reasons unknown Sony decided to remove this functionality from the new software--which means the reader has to do all the pagination calculations itself--even when the newer versions of the Sony software is used

When I began trying to use Calibre to upload LRF files to my old 505, I'd have all kinds of problems with the reader crashing. Since the 650 supports fully justified ePubs, I don't convert my ePubs to LRFs before transferring to the reader, so I have no idea if I'd have problems with the reader crashing upon uploading LRFs.

dordale

[astra]

Originally Posted by dordale

First--I'm able to read when I have my 650 plugged in to AC with either my Droid or my nook chargers (both are microUSB). I can't read when it's plugged in to the computer. This is consistent with the 505.

[John F]

... Somebody said that the latest version doesn't do it anymore, ...

I used to use the Sony software for transferring, and it was great (it did the pagination/processing). But, for me, one of the newer releases stopped doing the processing, (and actually "reset" the pagination for ALL books whenever I transferred ANYTHING to the 505). Calibre was a much better option (for me) for transferring (at least it didn't reset all the pagination for ALL the books). And this was also when I started getting the crashes.

Which is what I don't get about the 650 crashing. The new software seems to be doing the pagination for the 650, so I can't explain the crashes.

[astra]

Originally Posted by John F

Which is what I don't get about the 650 crashing. The new software seems to be doing the pagination for the 650, so I can't explain the crashes.

Settings you are using when creating lrfs in Calibre. What else could it be?

[John F]

Settings you are using when creating lrfs in Calibre.

I'm setting line height, additional space between paragraphs, sans serif font, font size, header, margins.

What else could it be?

I would say it is the LRFs.

[vulcan_girl]

Originally Posted by Jerry Cornelius

The direction of the swipe, for page turns can be changed in the options. To move one page forward, it could be either a movement from right to left (when you hold the reader in your right hand), or a movement from left to right (can be useful is you hold the reader in your left hand – even if counter-intuitive..).

I find I can swipe down to advance and up for the previous page.

[doreenjoy]

All of my LRFs were created in Calibre, but transferred them using Sony Library. They're all in Collections. Not sure what else to suggest.

[elcreative]

Got to agree with doreenjoy somewhat... I have thousands of lrf files and have had no trouble with them on my 505, 600, or 650 and most of them were created with calibre using specific font size and reader output setting for the rest rather than customising everything... but I'm lazy.

Could you also explain why the multiple presses of the option key as I can't think of circumstances where I'd do this whilst reading?