Sony PRS-T1 specs!

[EatingPie]

Originally Posted by Hellmark

On Sony Style, the ereaders link only takes you to the T1 page. The Sony Reader Store still lists the various models in the side nav bar, but if you click them you're greeted with "No longer available for purchase at Sony Store.". If they were out of stock, they'd simply state "out of stock" (which Sony does list "out of stock" for non discontinued items).

In the past, the "out of stock" and "no longer available" buttons were used with impunity. I saw the PRS-350 silver "no longer available," and then a week later back in stock! While the Black 650 showed "out of stock" in May or June and never returned.

That said, they have been out for a month or two across the board. I think we can conclude that the current models have been truly discontinued. Are other sizes coming back? They still may announce other sized screens, but in the past they rolled everything in to one announcement, so I'm not counting that as likely.

-Pie

[Hellmark]

Originally Posted by EatingPie

In the past, the "out of stock" and "no longer available" buttons were used with impunity. I saw the PRS-350 silver "no longer available," and then a week later back in stock! While the Black 650 showed "out of stock" in May or June and never returned.

That said, they have been out for a month or two across the board. I think we can conclude that the current models have been truly discontinued. Are other sizes coming back? They still may announce other sized screens, but in the past they rolled everything in to one announcement, so I'm not counting that as likely.

-Pie

The biggest thing for me, is that if Sony was not discontinuing the 350 and 950, they would still link to those on the style style site.

Also, why not use a signature?

[fishman69]

Will it handle the old Sony BBeB format? I ___***DETEST***___ ePub, which is what I seem to be stuck with since I lost my PRS-650 just before Sony discontinued it and I replaced it with a Barnes & Noble Nook Touch, which is not a bad reader except for the ePub thing. My biggest problem with ePub is that the page numbers are fixed when the book is originally digitized and will not reflow when you change type size. BBeB always seemed able to do that.

[Hatgirl]

Originally Posted by fishman69

Will it handle the old Sony BBeB format? I ___***DETEST***___ ePub, which is what I seem to be stuck with since I lost my PRS-650 just before Sony discontinued it and I replaced it with a Barnes & Noble Nook Touch, which is not a bad reader except for the ePub thing. My biggest problem with ePub is that the page numbers are fixed when the book is originally digitized and will not reflow when you change type size. BBeB always seemed able to do that.

That's nothing to do with the EPUB format. That's how the reading software, ADE, chooses to interpret pages. The same EPUB in non-ADE-based reading software, like Calibre, FBReader or IbisReader, wouldn't have the pages counted in that way.

[readingglasses]

The european and canadian and japan sony sites all have various models still available, not just the x50 but even the 505, which was a very quality ereader, just sans touchscreen. Is that unsold inventory or is it still made? Does it matter for the consumer's purposes?
Only the europeans have the T1 with pre order pricing information.
There's no way to tell what will ultimately be discontinued or not. Maybe sony is just making a big deal on its own USA website because it's trying to "get your ATTENTIONNNN!!!!"
and later on, when the T1 is for sale, so maybe will other models be as well.
I'm more curious about whether it really is android. All we have now is the "confirmation" that it is, anonymously, reported by engadget.

Reminds of homer simpson, web reporter (transcript from source snpp.com)

Homer: That lousy pothole. Why don't they fix it?
Bart: [walks in with a cookie and a glass of milk] I heard Mayor
Quimby spent the street repair fund on a secret swimming
pool for himself.
Homer: Get out. Who told you that?
Bart: Nelson.
Homer: Hmmm. That's the kind of dirt that belongs on my web
page.
Lisa: You can't post that on the Internet. You don't even know
if it's true!
Homer: Nelson has never steered me wrong, honey. Nelson is gold.
Bart: You know, it might have been Jimbo.
Homer: Beautiful, we have confirmation. [Lisa sighs in
exasperation]
-- More Americans get their news from Nelson than from any other
source, "The Computer Wore Menace Shoes"

[Hellmark]

Originally Posted by Hatgirl

That's nothing to do with the EPUB format. That's how the reading software, ADE, chooses to interpret pages. The same EPUB in non-ADE-based reading software, like Calibre, FBReader or IbisReader, wouldn't have the pages counted in that way.

Yeah, I really wish that it was an option to set page count by ADE's method, or by screen size. Really sucks when you have the page number at the right side covering text.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by fishman69

Will it handle the old Sony BBeB format? I ___***DETEST***___ ePub, which is what I seem to be stuck with since I lost my PRS-650 just before Sony discontinued it and I replaced it with a Barnes & Noble Nook Touch, which is not a bad reader except for the ePub thing. My biggest problem with ePub is that the page numbers are fixed when the book is originally digitized and will not reflow when you change type size. BBeB always seemed able to do that.

BBeB has a number of issues that ePub overcomes. Also, given that the T1 has 8 different font sizes, that means that the difference between them is going to be smaller then it was in BBeB. One thing that was a big issue in some eBooks with BBeB was the fact that BBeB mishandled em-dashes so instead of splitting at the em-dash, it moved word—word onto the next line leaving huge gaps.

But to be honest, with BBeB, it's stuck to a Sony Reader. ePub goes with you to any other reader except a Kindle.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Hellmark

Yeah, I really wish that it was an option to set page count by ADE's method, or by screen size. Really sucks when you have the page number at the right side covering text.

The x50 and T1 Readers do not have the page number on the right side. Good reason to upgrade. Plus, they support full justification.

[khalleron]

Originally Posted by Squirsier

Also, one thing I really liked about the PRS-350 and 650 is how their covers fit nicely with the eReader itself by using hinges. It's transparent and looks like a real book. Now, the covers just look gimmicky (in my humble opinion).

My guess is that plastic bodies and hinged covers don't mix - remember the problem with the Kindle hinged covers causing the Kindles to crack?

A hinge makes a stress point - it was OK with the older Sonys which had metal bodies, but with new 'lighter' bodies, hinges are out.

[EatingPie]

Originally Posted by Hellmark

The biggest thing for me, is that if Sony was not discontinuing the 350 and 950, they would still link to those on the style style site.

Also, why not use a signature?

I agree that they are likely discontinued for the same reason (I was just pointing out the buttons being an unreliable metric). It's the new generation now. Out with the old, and all that.

They only question now is if they'll release 350/950 equivalents of the new models. I hope they do, especially in the smaller screen form-factor, since it is super convenient, and set them apart from all other e-Readers!

-Pie

[fishman69]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

BBeB has a number of issues that ePub overcomes. Also, given that the T1 has 8 different font sizes, that means that the difference between them is going to be smaller then it was in BBeB. One thing that was a big issue in some eBooks with BBeB was the fact that BBeB mishandled em-dashes so instead of splitting at the em-dash, it moved word—word onto the next line leaving huge gaps.

But to be honest, with BBeB, it's stuck to a Sony Reader. ePub goes with you to any other reader except a Kindle.

I am not stuck with Sony with BBeB as there is always Calibre. But I still hate ePub and I sincerely hope that the new reader will handle it. If it does not, then I am highly unlikely to buy one.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by fishman69

I am not stuck with Sony with BBeB as there is always Calibre. But I still hate ePub and I sincerely hope that the new reader will handle it. If it does not, then I am highly unlikely to buy one.

Well, the Sony UK site says the T1 supports BBeB. I don't know if this is correct or not. The only way to find out is to take your microSD down to a Sony shop and try it out (when they are on demo).

[charleski]

Originally Posted by fishman69

My biggest problem with ePub is that the page numbers are fixed when the book is originally digitized and will not reflow when you change type size. BBeB always seemed able to do that.

Is that it? You **DETEST** ePub because the page numbers aren't recomputed when you change font size? Umm, ok...

[Scot]

If the north american price is a direct conversion of the euro price, i cant imagine this thing even being competitive. The multi-touch is nice, but who would really be willing to pay an additional 60-70$ over a nook touch or kobo touch? This isnt like a kindle, where it can get extra sales off its bookstore since pretty much all the major book sellers now(other than amazon) offer epub's.
I personally like the style of the older[read:metal] sony readers but there is no way i would pay that big a premium for them... and since this model has gone over to plastic(and exceptionally glossy plastic, from what i have seen on the engadget video) i cant see anyone using its physical design as an excuse to pay extra for it.
If sony were to match the kobo or nook i bet a lot of people would consider it, and maybe even hold off on buying something until they got a chance to try it out... but even than, the things it offers over the other touch-capable competition seem kinda insignificant. Multi touch sounds cool, but i bet it would be a headache with the slow cpu, and incredibly slow response time on the screen.(Like pinching to zoom on one of those ultra cheap, import from china for $60 android tablets)

I thought sony's ereader division was dead in the water 2 generations ago when the kindle 2 and kobo were both at around $130 and its prs600 was still $250. Than last generation, it became pretty much irrelevant after the initial curiosity wore off on its fancy new lazer touch screen.(and than being implemented on cheaper, some might say better readers)
If there newest answer is to emulate the competition and add in a single gimmick, but keep the ridiculous price point, they might as well just sit this generation out. 'Sony quality' might have stood for something back in the 80's, but now a days they arnt up against iffy brands like Pulsar or Goldstar.

[molman]

Originally Posted by khalleron

My guess is that plastic bodies and hinged covers don't mix - remember the problem with the Kindle hinged covers causing the Kindles to crack?

A hinge makes a stress point - it was OK with the older Sonys which had metal bodies, but with new 'lighter' bodies, hinges are out.

The other thing people are forgetting re: the plastic housing is that this also contains wifi now. Yes you can design around the RF issues of a metal housing but it does become trickier and likely more $ (base cost of metal vs. plastic aside).