Sony, Nook, Kindle

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by lor2ie

The reason ereaders are now more plastic than metal is to keep the weight down.

Another major reason is that many of them now incorporate WiFi or 3G, and are at least partially made of plastic to avoid blocking the signal, which a metal case of course would.

[Miss Understood]

Originally Posted by jocampo

Removing the DRM protection won't give you Amazon whispernet. That's exclusive to Kindle devices and one of the big hits of Amazon, allow you to buy and read a book, from Amazon, in just seconds.

Certainly, if you like that feature, I didn't like the "buy it now" type feature that is available for the Nook. I prefer to download books to my computer and then add them to my device using Calibre.

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by Miss Understood

Certainly, if you like that feature, I didn't like the "buy it now" type feature that is available for the Nook. I prefer to download books to my computer and then add them to my device using Calibre.

Fair enough, but it is not the act of downloading itself but being able to browse, download and read, thousand of books in just seconds.

And I understand you don't like the feature but I believe is more convenient and faster than downloading to a computer and later transfer via USB. Either way, Kindle users are able to do that as well if we want, including the use of Calibre for books management.

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by HarryT

This is incorrect, Jo. Surface gravity on the Moon is approximately one sixth of what it is on Earth. Your MASS is the same as it is on Earth, but your WEIGHT is one sixth its value on Earth.

Well, 80% less weight? That's almost like weight nothing. But the mass does not change. Weight and mass are not the same concepts in engineering anyway.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by jocampo

Well, 80% less weight? That's almost like weight nothing. But the mass does not change. Weight and mass are not the same concepts in engineering anyway.

Yes, as a physicist I'm well aware of that . However, on Earth, weight is proportional to mass, and therefore it's a matter of practical convenience to use units of mass as if they were units of weight, even though they are different things.

[SolRaven]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Another major reason is that many of them now incorporate WiFi or 3G, and are at least partially made of plastic to avoid blocking the signal, which a metal case of course would.

As in the iPad wifi and the iPad wifi+ 3G.

Hmmm... But my Droid X is all metal.

[delphin]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Yes, as a physicist I'm well aware of that . However, on Earth, weight is proportional to mass, and therefore it's a matter of practical convenience to use units of mass as if they were units of weight, even though they are different things.

Indeed, but even ignoring this for the moment, jocampo is simply WRONG.

The gram is the CGS unit of MASS, not weight.

Aside from this being the accepted definition by every Physicist on Earth, it is defined that way in Websters, the Oxford English Dictionary, Wikipedia, and the Encyclopedia Britannica.

Although not as well suited to scientific calculations, the English unit the OUNCE has ALSO been redefined to represent MASS (otherwise, as I sure you are aware, a lot of Physics formulas will simply not work, even after unit conversions)

[delphin]

Originally Posted by SolRaven

As in the iPad wifi and the iPad wifi+ 3G.

Hmmm... But my Droid X is all metal.

I think it fair to say that it does take more care to design an effective antenna into a metal case.

Witness Apple's famous iPhone screwup.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by delphin

Indeed, but even ignoring this for the moment, jocampo is simply WRONG.

The gram is the CGS unit of MASS, not weight.

Very true, and I said as much in my previous post. The gram is most assuredly a unit of mass.

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by delphin

Indeed, but even ignoring this for the moment, jocampo is simply WRONG.

The gram is the CGS unit of MASS, not weight.

Aside from this being the accepted definition by every Physicist on Earth, it is defined that way in Websters, the Oxford English Dictionary, Wikipedia, and the Encyclopedia Britannica.

Although not as well suited to scientific calculations, the English unit the OUNCE has ALSO been redefined to represent MASS (otherwise, as I sure you are aware, a lot of Physics formulas will simply not work, even after unit conversions)

Mass is not same as weight, period. You said it was. Im not a physicist but an engineer (Mechanical and System) it is not and it's not fair to confuse people or treat those as they are.

The problem is that for not scientific people it is difficult to understand or make a differentiation between both terms so the fine line between both becomes more fine and thin. But weight is not the same as mass and mass is not the same as weight. And people can't calculate or predict weight just because the way it looks or how big a device is, that just wrong. Size probably, that's more visual, but not weight. So when someone uses perception or psychological terms to talk about weight ... That's just inaccurate ...

[lor2ie]

Think this has gotten way of topic.......especially for jbcohen original topic. Came across this link which i found interesting. I know the Sony PRS -505 has being replaced but still many around to be purchased 2nd hand as I have. The author of this piece also agree same as me that Sony is heavier than the Kindle. I am sure newer Sony's would be lighter but I can only speak of my own experience of using the Kindle wifi and Sony PRS 505. . Here is the article... http://tinyurl.com/6gq3wqv I know its a bit outdated but some of the pros and con are still valid.

[Poppaea]

Originally Posted by lor2ie

Think this has gotten way of topic.......especially for jbcohen original topic. Came across this link which i found interesting. I know the Sony PRS -505 has being replaced but still many around to be purchased 2nd hand as I have. The author of this piece also agree same as me that Sony is heavier than the Kindle. I am sure newer Sony's would be lighter but I can only speak of my own experience of using the Kindle wifi and Sony PRS 505. . Here is the article... http://tinyurl.com/6gq3wqv I know its a bit outdated but some of the pros and con are still valid.

Yes, you are right, the 505 is heavier than the K3. But your argument is not valid as you are comparing an old and a new device with one another. The real comparison would be:

Sony PRS-505 vs. Kindle1

Weight: Kindle 1: 10.3 ounces
Weight: Sony PRS-505 9 oz

And there it is again: The Kindle is heavier. So sorry

from our WIKI

[SolRaven]

Originally Posted by Poppaea

Yes, you are right, the 505 is heavier than the K3. But your argument is not valid as you are comparing an old and a new device with one another. The real comparison would be:

Sony PRS-505 vs. Kindle1

Weight: Kindle 1: 10.3 ounces
Weight: Sony PRS-505 9 oz

And there it is again: The Kindle is heavier. So sorry

from our WIKI

Oddly, the Kindle looks like it got it's design from Sony's first reader that came out in 2004, 3 years ahead of Kindle. It is 6.7 oz and 10.6 oz with 4 AAA alkaline batteries. Of course now we have lithium AAA batteries, so it would be lighter even with standard removable batteries. Even Sony's next one, the PRS-500 was only 9 oz. and that's when they started making them out of aluminum. I think the 650 feels ridiculously light. I was surprised at how light it was when I took it out of the box.





2006 Sony 500 & 2008 Sony 505. The Kindle 1 was released in 2007. The Kindle 2 came out 2 years after the 505.





For size comparison. Kindle has always been the largest in size for a 6" reader. Even larger than the original reader, Sony's Librie.

[Poppaea]

Originally Posted by SolRaven

2006 Sony 500 & 2008 Sony 505. The Kindle 1 was released in 2007. The Kindle 2 came out 2 years after the 505.

Thank you for the pictures. I never saw the first models before.

Our Wiki states slightly different release dates for the 505, but this is not important at all.

Sony Reader PRS-505: Released to market in October 2, 2007, now only available in limited markets.

Amazon Kindle 1: The original Kindle has been replaced and no longer available from their web site (not sold outside of the USA). Released to Market November 19, 2007.

The next edition of those devices set them weight wise more or less on parr. Nonetheless the Kindle is always a trifle heavier:

Sony Reader PRS-600: Released to market in August 25, 2009
weight: 10.1 oz

Kindle 2: Ordering began 02/09/09
weight: 10.2 oz

Sony PRS-650: Released: September 2010
Weight: 7.58 oz (215 grams)

Kindle 3 Released: July 28 2010
Weight: 8.7 ounces (247 grams)

[SolRaven]

Originally Posted by Poppaea

Thank you for the pictures. I never saw the first models before.

Our Wiki states slightly different release dates for the 505, but this is not important at all.

You know, it was in October 2007. I remember when it was released. Specifically, I remembered longing for it, but thought it was too expensive, at the time.