Changing my PRS-505?

Ansileran · 06-14-2013, 10:55 AM

Hi everyone!

I have an old, perfectly working PRS-505 and I am wondering whether it is worth replacing it. The new readers all look shiny (great marketing ^^) but I would need a bit more than the thrill of a new toy to justify a new purchase...

Here is what I like about the PRS-505:

reads pdf, doc, rtf, txt and epub files
reflows pdf
very easy to transfer files from any computer (without internet)
has an extensible memory (sdhc)
can be used as storage / sd card reader
has a good battery life (even after over 5 years)
has a very nice design (metal + leather cover)
has a timer to turn it off after a while (if I might fall asleep while reading)
can be used with a small lamp to read in the dark
it's easy to back up my books

And what I don't like / miss:

it's slow, like a full second to turn the page on a reflowed pdf
it's heavy
format is not compatible with the biggest online English bookstores (Amazon, B&N)
no "book rental" possibilities
some new readers have lights at screen level, which is better in the dark
screen is too small, though it looks like most readers are 6"
no wifi, but that's not a deal breaker
no touchscreen but again, doesn't matter much

So far I've taken a look at a few readers.

Sony (newer models): looks familiar, few additionnal features and expensive. Unless they make one with a bigger screen, wouldn't change for one of those.
Kobo: absolutely dreadful. The touchscreen was imprecise, the reader was slow, it was hard to find books and wouldn't resize my pdfs. I returned it...
Kindle: no epub, pdf and doc need to be sent by e-mail (or has that changed?), you get stuck with Amazon for the rest of your life, no easy back-up, if Amazon goes bankrupt you lose all your books, history of violation of consumer rights (though they back-tracked)... but they have a 9" reader, a cloud system in case of hardware failure, some books can be rented and obviously it's compatible with it's own e-books ^^. Still, I feel a bit distrustful.
Archos: no, I'm not buying one of their products ever again and forget supporting local companies. They have a history of not providing customer support for longer than two years, their firmware is never upgraded... Never again.

What about B&N's Nook? Can it read "standard" epub (even if their own can't be read elswhere)? Can their files be read on computers and android devices? What about a back-up system?

I've seen some booken reader but they were out of stock before christmas so I couldn't try them... Anything else? Bigger than 6"? Or should I stick with the one I already have?

Thanks for your help!

HarryT · 06-14-2013, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Kindle: no epub, pdf and doc need to be sent by e-mail (or has that changed?), you get stuck with Amazon for the rest of your life, no easy back-up, if Amazon goes bankrupt you lose all your books,

There's such a lot that's wrong in this that it's difficult to know where to begin. You certainly "don't get stuck with Amazon for the rest of your life". It's extremely easy to back up your books, and you assuredly don't lose them if Amazon goes bust. Where did you get such misleading information from? Amazon have the best bookstore around, and customer service that puts every other bookstore to shame.

Moreover, although it's perfectly true that Amazon don't support ePub, their "KF8" book format is essentially "ePub in a wrapper", and using a tool like Calibre it's extremely easy to convert seamlessly between ePub and KF8, so you don't lose access to your ePub books.

Ansileran · 06-14-2013, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

There's such a lot that's wrong in this that it's difficult to know where to begin. You certainly "don't get stuck with Amazon for the rest of your life". It's extremely easy to back up your books, and you assuredly don't lose them if Amazon goes bust. Where did you get such misleading information from? Amazon have the best bookstore around, and customer service that puts every other bookstore to shame.

Moreover, although it's perfectly true that Amazon don't support ePub, their "KF8" book format is essentially "ePub in a wrapper", and using a tool like Calibre it's extremely easy to convert seamlessly between ePub and KF8, so you don't lose access to your ePub books.

Well, so far, only Amazon's Kindle can read books purchased in Amazon's "KF8" format and it has been that way since they started in 2007, so you are indeed stuck with their reader (or their apps for android/IOS/Windows - no Linux here /cloud reader). Their policy (took me a while to find it) states that it is illegal (or at least a breach of their policy) to try and read their content (books) in any other apps / device than the ones they provide. Doing so is a breach of policy and they state that if you do, they may deny you access to all your (or rather their, since it licensing) content. Converting files to another format is also a breach of policy ^^.

In 2009 there was quite a scandal when they deleted some G. Orwell books which they had illegally sold (they offered a settlement afterward) and there was something more recently with a (Finnish?) account being deleted (and again re-instated when it became public knowledge).

Other than that, I quite like the features of their 9" Kindle, the possibility to borrow for "free" (you still have to pay to become a prime member) and their extensive collection.

The thing is, epub seems to be the standard for books in French (other than at Amazon) and while I like to read in English, I also enjoy some French from time to time...

HarryT · 06-14-2013, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ansileran

Well, so far, only Amazon's Kindle can read books purchased in Amazon's "KF8" format and it has been that way since they started in 2007, so you are indeed stuck with their reader (or their apps for android/IOS/Windows - no Linux here /cloud reader). Their policy (took me a while to find it) states that it is illegal (or at least a breach of their policy) to try and read their content (books) in any other apps / device than the ones they provide. Doing so is a breach of policy and they state that if you do, they may deny you access to all your (or rather their, since it licensing) content. Converting files to another format is also a breach of policy ^^.

All bookstores' terms of service say silly things - doesn't mean that they have any legal meaning. Nobody's ever been "cut off" for converting their Kindle books to other formats, and nobody's ever likely to be. Amazon are the best English-language bookstore bar none.

But if you want to read French, an ePub device is probably a better choice.

Ansileran · 06-14-2013, 12:41 PM

I'll keep that in mind, especially since converting epubs to a Kindle readable format is so easy and the ability to "rent" book is quite appealing... The basic 6" version isn't that expensive either but without the *shiny* features of course. It may be worth a try. Any input on the pdf issue?

If I decide to forego Amazon, I found some readers with a bigger screen (more expensive) from Icarus. Their 8" model would still be affordable, heavier but not too much. Any input on this model (or dealing with the company)? Of course the 9.7" model with wacom stylus appeals to my geek side but it is way more than I am willing to spend on a reader at the moment, and much to heavy for everyday use.

Ansileran · 06-14-2013, 02:09 PM

Due to a bug of the "quick reply", the post ended up posted twice...

Ansileran · 06-14-2013, 02:19 PM

After a couple hours spent researching Amazon's Kindle, turns out that amazon.fr is not accessible abroad at all (so forget any recent French book if you don't live in France) and amazon.com is not available from China, where I'm moving this summer. Amazon specifies that you can only access amazon.cn from there, which I checked. Basically, unless you want to read classics, there is nothing. French classics are only available in English ^^. Oh, and of course the interface is in Chinese only...

This also means that your account won't be available (in case you wanted someone at home to buy the books for you) and as such your previously purchased books are un-downloadable. No book renting via the prime account either...

This is probably not Amazon's fault but the result is the same: no Kindle for me.

Ansileran · 07-08-2013, 04:37 AM

So I'm still looking for the perfect reader to buy... I have updated my requirements a bit :

Required:
- Format supported: epub, pdf, txt
- Ability to display the following languages (epub/txt): French, German, Chinese, Russian, Spanish and of course English
- Translation dictionaries for the above languages (natively or added)
- Collections/shelves... whatever the name
- sd/micro-sd card
- easy to turn pages one handed
- not heavier than my PRS-505 (around 260g)
Desired:
- Frontlit
- 7inch-ish screen
- Book rating and order by rating (when browsing the library)
- Book summary displayed when browsing library (directly - no "long press")
- easy to turn pages one handed when holding with the left hand, even with a "book style" cover
- Edit the collections without a specific software
- PDF reflow
Bonus:
- Handwritten notes (wacom style stylus)
- Cheap ^^

So here is the list of the readers I checked and whether they meet my requirements

Kindle: No
Sony: ?
Kobo: No (damn, I really liked the Aura)
Onyx: Languages?
Cybook: Yes
PocketBook: Chinese?
Boyue: No
Hanwang (Hanvon): Languages? (I like the N618)
Nook: not interested
Ectaco: didn't see anything that fit

So did I miss any reader (e-ink only) that would fit? Or got the characteristics wrong? The latest Cybook doesn't look half bad, having at least another to choose from would be best though.

Thanks!

HoraceWimp · 07-08-2013, 06:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ansileran

So did I miss any reader (e-ink only) that would fit? Or got the characteristics wrong?

I recently went through a similar process myself, although my requirements were perhaps less stringent than yours. I ended up with the Sony PRS-T2 which suited my requirements perfectly and I’m very pleased with it.

I dismissed Amazon/Kindle for the same reasons you did. My primary reading formats were going to be epub and pdf and I think the Sony handles pdf’s really well. I also wanted a touch screen, wi-fi, expandable memory and the ability to download and read e-books from my local library all of which the Sony can do. Another bonus of the Sony I’ve found is how light it is—I think it’s one of the lightest e-readers on the market. The only features it seems to lack that I would have liked is a higher resolution screen and a back light, both of which I can happily live without.

I have no idea what the Sony’s capabilities are with regards to non-English translation and dictionaries as that wasn’t an issue for me.

It might be worth taking a look at as it seems to fulfill your primary requirements and as Sony are bringing out another model in a few months the T3, it might be worth having a look at that one too.

davidfor · 07-08-2013, 07:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ansileran

Kobo: No (damn, I really liked the Aura)

Why not? The only things missing from your required list is dictionary support for Chinese and Russian. There are instruction in the Kobo forum for installing a Chinese dictionary. I suspect Russian could be handled the same way. The text display for both languages is just a matter of loading the right fonts.

You get about half of the desired with one handed page turns depending on how big your hands are. Unfortunately, you don't get either the "Bonus", it definitely isn't cheap,

Ansileran · 07-08-2013, 07:42 AM

I have just taken a look at the PRS-T2. It's really light, but without front-light and still quite expensive... The design felt strange too. It seems to be halfway between touch and button and it felt a bit awkward. I guess I'm not used to devices with both. They had quite a few dictionaries installed on the demo device (though not the one I needed). Funny, for a device sold in France, they didn't even have a French dictionary!
So... Sony, maybe, but I think I'm going to wait for the T3 (or buy a used T2)

@davidfor:

I saw the instructions (or at least a post about it). You actually have to disguise the Chinese dictionary as a Japanese on. They also suggested setting the language of Chinese e-books to Japanese so that you would get the right dictionary. Not sure how well this works as Japanese is right-to-left and Chinese is left-to-right...

I tried the Aura today. It seemed quite fine otherwise. I liked the front light and could turn pages holding it with my left hand. The touch interface was much more responsive than the Sony's and felt more instinctive. Too bad they didn't have it in stock, I might have been tempted.

I haven't been able to get my hands on a bookeen so far, well, not sinc the store that sold them closed...

davidfor · 07-08-2013, 08:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ansileran

I saw the instructions (or at least a post about it). You actually have to disguise the Chinese dictionary as a Japanese on. They also suggested setting the language of Chinese e-books to Japanese so that you would get the right dictionary. Not sure how well this works as Japanese is right-to-left and Chinese is left-to-right...

Yes, its a hack. I assume it works as the only issues I can remember seeing with it were some changes with different firmware versions.

Ansileran · 07-08-2013, 08:54 AM

hmmm... I'm usually very reluctant about hacking portable device (heck I usually do not even root them in order to not void the warranty) but I might decided to take a look at the issue... but after I move to China, too many things to do at the moment...

HoraceWimp · 07-08-2013, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ansileran

I have just taken a look at the PRS-T2. It's really light, but without front-light and still quite expensive... The design felt strange too. It seems to be halfway between touch and button and it felt a bit awkward.

I agree it’s a little strange having a touchscreen and buttons but I tend to view that as being a kind of belt and braces approach. You can pretty much choose which you want to use.

I’ve found turning pages one handed pretty easy to be honest using the touch screen. The device is light enough to be held comfortably in one hand and flicking pages with the thumb or finger is easy.

Did you try out the pinch and zoom feature on pdf’s?

I agree the RRP is highish and like you suggest, I bought mine second hand and paid a pretty reasonable price for it. I’m very happy with what I paid and what I got for it.

It’s hard to know what features the new T3 will have, but I suspect a back light and higher resolution screen. There’s a thread here discussing the new T3.

Overall, I have to say I’m delighted with my T2—it does everything I want it to as well as being light and easy to use

HarryT · 07-08-2013, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HoraceWimp

It’s hard to know what features the new T3 will have, but I suspect a back light and higher resolution screen. There’s a thread here discussing the new T3.

FRONTlight. eInk screens can't be backlit for the simple reason that they're opaque.

06-14-2013, 10:55 AM	#1
Ansileran Zealot Posts: 136 Karma: 614774 Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: China, Yunnan, Kunming Device: Sony PRS-505, Kobo Aura HD, Cybook Odyssey HD	Changing my PRS-505? Hi everyone! I have an old, perfectly working PRS-505 and I am wondering whether it is worth replacing it. The new readers all look shiny (great marketing ^^) but I would need a bit more than the thrill of a new toy to justify a new purchase... Here is what I like about the PRS-505: reads pdf, doc, rtf, txt and epub files reflows pdf very easy to transfer files from any computer (without internet) has an extensible memory (sdhc) can be used as storage / sd card reader has a good battery life (even after over 5 years) has a very nice design (metal + leather cover) has a timer to turn it off after a while (if I might fall asleep while reading) can be used with a small lamp to read in the dark it's easy to back up my books And what I don't like / miss: it's slow, like a full second to turn the page on a reflowed pdf it's heavy format is not compatible with the biggest online English bookstores (Amazon, B&N) no "book rental" possibilities some new readers have lights at screen level, which is better in the dark screen is too small, though it looks like most readers are 6" no wifi, but that's not a deal breaker no touchscreen but again, doesn't matter much So far I've taken a look at a few readers. Sony (newer models): looks familiar, few additionnal features and expensive. Unless they make one with a bigger screen, wouldn't change for one of those. Kobo: absolutely dreadful. The touchscreen was imprecise, the reader was slow, it was hard to find books and wouldn't resize my pdfs. I returned it... Kindle: no epub, pdf and doc need to be sent by e-mail (or has that changed?), you get stuck with Amazon for the rest of your life, no easy back-up, if Amazon goes bankrupt you lose all your books, history of violation of consumer rights (though they back-tracked)... but they have a 9" reader, a cloud system in case of hardware failure, some books can be rented and obviously it's compatible with it's own e-books ^^. Still, I feel a bit distrustful. Archos: no, I'm not buying one of their products ever again and forget supporting local companies. They have a history of not providing customer support for longer than two years, their firmware is never upgraded... Never again. What about B&N's Nook? Can it read "standard" epub (even if their own can't be read elswhere)? Can their files be read on computers and android devices? What about a back-up system? I've seen some booken reader but they were out of stock before christmas so I couldn't try them... Anything else? Bigger than 6"? Or should I stick with the one I already have? Thanks for your help!

06-14-2013, 02:09 PM	#6
Ansileran Zealot Posts: 136 Karma: 614774 Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: China, Yunnan, Kunming Device: Sony PRS-505, Kobo Aura HD, Cybook Odyssey HD	Due to a bug of the "quick reply", the post ended up posted twice... Last edited by Ansileran; 06-14-2013 at 03:56 PM. Reason: posted twice

07-08-2013, 04:37 AM	#8
Ansileran Zealot Posts: 136 Karma: 614774 Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: China, Yunnan, Kunming Device: Sony PRS-505, Kobo Aura HD, Cybook Odyssey HD	So I'm still looking for the perfect reader to buy... I have updated my requirements a bit : Required: Format supported: epub, pdf, txt Ability to display the following languages (epub/txt): French, German, Chinese, Russian, Spanish and of course English Translation dictionaries for the above languages (natively or added) Collections/shelves... whatever the name sd/micro-sd card easy to turn pages one handed not heavier than my PRS-505 (around 260g) Desired: Frontlit 7inch-ish screen Book rating and order by rating (when browsing the library) Book summary displayed when browsing library (directly - no "long press") easy to turn pages one handed when holding with the left hand, even with a "book style" cover Edit the collections without a specific software PDF reflow Bonus: Handwritten notes (wacom style stylus) Cheap ^^ So here is the list of the readers I checked and whether they meet my requirements Kindle: No Sony: ? Kobo: No (damn, I really liked the Aura) Onyx: Languages? Cybook: Yes PocketBook: Chinese? Boyue: No Hanwang (Hanvon): Languages? (I like the N618) Nook: not interested Ectaco: didn't see anything that fit So did I miss any reader (e-ink only) that would fit? Or got the characteristics wrong? The latest Cybook doesn't look half bad, having at least another to choose from would be best though. Thanks!

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06-14-2013, 12:41 PM	#5
Ansileran Zealot Posts: 136 Karma: 614774 Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: China, Yunnan, Kunming Device: Sony PRS-505, Kobo Aura HD, Cybook Odyssey HD	I'll keep that in mind, especially since converting epubs to a Kindle readable format is so easy and the ability to "rent" book is quite appealing... The basic 6" version isn't that expensive either but without the shiny features of course. It may be worth a try. Any input on the pdf issue? If I decide to forego Amazon, I found some readers with a bigger screen (more expensive) from Icarus. Their 8" model would still be affordable, heavier but not too much. Any input on this model (or dealing with the company)? Of course the 9.7" model with wacom stylus appeals to my geek side but it is way more than I am willing to spend on a reader at the moment, and much to heavy for everyday use.

06-14-2013, 02:19 PM	#7
Ansileran Zealot Posts: 136 Karma: 614774 Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: China, Yunnan, Kunming Device: Sony PRS-505, Kobo Aura HD, Cybook Odyssey HD	After a couple hours spent researching Amazon's Kindle, turns out that amazon.fr is not accessible abroad at all (so forget any recent French book if you don't live in France) and amazon.com is not available from China, where I'm moving this summer. Amazon specifies that you can only access amazon.cn from there, which I checked. Basically, unless you want to read classics, there is nothing. French classics are only available in English ^^. Oh, and of course the interface is in Chinese only... This also means that your account won't be available (in case you wanted someone at home to buy the books for you) and as such your previously purchased books are un-downloadable. No book renting via the prime account either... This is probably not Amazon's fault but the result is the same: no Kindle for me.

07-08-2013, 07:42 AM	#11
Ansileran Zealot Posts: 136 Karma: 614774 Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: China, Yunnan, Kunming Device: Sony PRS-505, Kobo Aura HD, Cybook Odyssey HD	I have just taken a look at the PRS-T2. It's really light, but without front-light and still quite expensive... The design felt strange too. It seems to be halfway between touch and button and it felt a bit awkward. I guess I'm not used to devices with both. They had quite a few dictionaries installed on the demo device (though not the one I needed). Funny, for a device sold in France, they didn't even have a French dictionary! So... Sony, maybe, but I think I'm going to wait for the T3 (or buy a used T2) @davidfor: I saw the instructions (or at least a post about it). You actually have to disguise the Chinese dictionary as a Japanese on. They also suggested setting the language of Chinese e-books to Japanese so that you would get the right dictionary. Not sure how well this works as Japanese is right-to-left and Chinese is left-to-right... I tried the Aura today. It seemed quite fine otherwise. I liked the front light and could turn pages holding it with my left hand. The touch interface was much more responsive than the Sony's and felt more instinctive. Too bad they didn't have it in stock, I might have been tempted. I haven't been able to get my hands on a bookeen so far, well, not sinc the store that sold them closed...

07-08-2013, 08:54 AM	#13
Ansileran Zealot Posts: 136 Karma: 614774 Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: China, Yunnan, Kunming Device: Sony PRS-505, Kobo Aura HD, Cybook Odyssey HD	hmmm... I'm usually very reluctant about hacking portable device (heck I usually do not even root them in order to not void the warranty) but I might decided to take a look at the issue... but after I move to China, too many things to do at the moment...