Sony's PRS-T3, more leaked specs, to debut at IFA on September 4

[MickeyC]

My first eBook reader was a Sony 505 and, had I not dropped it walking into the gym one day, I'd still be using it. I replaced it with a T1 but would rather still have the 505.

Got my hands on a Kobo Aura the other day and really liked it. I'll check out the T3 but, based on what I've read here, think I'll go with the Aura.

[jlynton]

Originally Posted by Iskariot

It is of great quality and the screen is very evenly lit, even at the bottom where the 5 lights are. I use the light at a 2% setting (yes, that is 2), which is more than adequate to read with at night, and in the day time it enhances the contrast and makes the screen look more white like paper.
The Onyx front light is of very good quality too, by the way, but the Kobo software is much more refined.

Thanks for your answer, which of the two can have the light at a lower level (less light)? I have a kobo glo, and find the light too bright for reading in a dark room, even at the lowest setting.

[samy2]

The Kobo Aura may be a fine e-reader, but i don't know why many people her compare it with the Sony Reader. For me personaly the Sony Reader is the best, because of a few feature no other reader has, also no Kobo Aura (HD). Fore example the dicitionaries...

[Phil_C]

Originally Posted by Ripplinger

Right now the most recent version of PRS+ since December is 2.1.0.2 alpha. But it's so stable, I haven't had one issue with it at all. Once in awhile someone will post with an odd bug that's not reproducible by others, so it's not certain if it's because of PRS+ or not. But I've used PRS+ since my first 350 and I wouldn't be without it. It's like having a new reader with all the options you'll have.

Thanks for the advice. I will investigate further, and see if I want to give it a try on one 350.

[donnieparker]

Originally Posted by samy2

The Kobo Aura may be a fine e-reader, but i don't know why many people her compare it with the Sony Reader. For me personaly the Sony Reader is the best, because of a few feature no other reader has, also no Kobo Aura (HD). Fore example the dicitionaries...

People are making the comparisons because Kobo is one of the last major companies producing ePub e-readers that are competitive with Amazon.

For whatever reason, Sony doesn't seem interested in innovating anymore, which is a shame, because by all accounts on this forum, the x50 series was absolutely adored (I'm using my PRS-350 until the Kobo Aura arrives).

[lems1995]

Originally Posted by donnieparker

People are making the comparisons because Kobo is one of the last major companies producing ePub e-readers that are competitive with Amazon.

For whatever reason, Sony doesn't seem interested in innovating anymore, which is a shame, because by all accounts on this forum, the x50 series was absolutely adored (I'm using my PRS-350 until the Kobo Aura arrives).

What's mean for you "innovation", front-light?. I bought last yearn prs-t2, my first e-reader, i am waiting for innovation, support epub3 for exemple, more ram, fast processor int it, and least not last light one in weight.

For front-light, i found a solution, i bought a light in my bed-room 15€.

Sorry for ma bad english!.

Originally Posted by lems1995

What's mean for you "innovation", front-light?.

For some people yes. The front-light, at least on the Aura, provides uniform illumination across the page and fine control over the amount of illumination. It is also an integrated solution that is with you where ever you go, which adds an element of convenience. I'm sure that the advocates of integrated lights can add other reasons too.

i am waiting for innovation, support epub3 for exemple, more ram, fast processor int it, and least not last light one in weight.

To a lot of readers, technical details don't matter as long as their ereader gets the job done properly and efficiently. Even as far as I'm concerned, as a technical user, the technical details don't matter as long as the ereader gets the job done properly and efficiently (though I will use those technical details to compare different generations of reader from the same vendor). The thing is, an ereader is sold as an appliance. As long as the appliance meets expectations as it ships, things like the processor and RAM don't really matter because you don't need to know those details to know which additional software the device will run since you will rarely install new software (beyond updates).

For front-light, i found a solution, i bought a light in my bed-room 15€.

That works for you. That even works for me. It doesn't work for other people though.

[donnieparker]

Originally Posted by lems1995

What's mean for you "innovation", front-light?. I bought last yearn prs-t2, my first e-reader, i am waiting for innovation, support epub3 for exemple, more ram, fast processor int it, and least not last light one in weight.

For front-light, i found a solution, i bought a light in my bed-room 15€.

Sorry for ma bad english!.

The front light is one thing. Software, form factor, etc. I think all are wins for Amazon and Kobo. I feel like both companies are trying to make e-readers more modern and usable. By contrast, Sony seems like they're mailing it in.

[Josieb1]

Nothing could part me from my Kindle Paperwhite for books, but the Sony software for the 650 was perfect for my fan fiction, particularly for collection management and with a few thousand stories that's really important to me, which is why I've bought one from eBay. In hindsight I should never have sold mine on.

Collection management worked through Calibre for the Kindle Keyboard, but not any Kindle model since.

[faithbw]

I get the sense that Sony really doesn't care about e-readers anymore. They have great quality products. For instance the Xperia line of tablets and phones is excellent. I was a actually thinking about upgrading my phone to an Xperia because of the design, features and waterproofing. I decided to keep my current phone a little longer.

Why they're not putting the same effort into their e-readers anymore is a bit of a mystery. Part of me thinks that Sony will eventually bow out of the e-reader market. Maybe they think it's not worth it. Plus, they don't have a major ebook store like Amazon or Kobo. I know they have a store but it's not the first place I go for e-books. I mean if the specs of the current T3 are correct then it's hard to believe that Sony is even taking their e-reader business seriously.

[Sil_liS]

Originally Posted by Alexander Turcic

RAM: 2 GB, expandable to up to 32 GB (microSD)

Are you sure that this is RAM, and not storage capacity?

[Iskariot]

Originally Posted by samy2

The Kobo Aura may be a fine e-reader, but i don't know why many people her compare it with the Sony Reader. For me personaly the Sony Reader is the best, because of a few feature no other reader has, also no Kobo Aura (HD). Fore example the dicitionaries...

Because in many respects Kobo is building open system ereaders with features I would have liked in a new Sony reader.

-For example the slightly bigger screen of the Aura HD. Sony once made a 7" PRS-950. No more.

-The Aura HD has 4 Gb of onboard memory (My Onyx Firefly even has 8Gb). I and many others have been asking for more on-board memory for ages. Sony always ignored it.

-Kobo builds readers with high quality, low energy front lighting. Sony executives tell me ereader buyers don't want that.... But many, many do! Certainly after they experienced the high quality of modern front lighting and the incredible convenience of it.

Sony is making the wrong choices. And former Sony owners like me react strongly to it because we are in love with our x50 series and expected, or hoped for a modern successor that again would place Sony readers in the limelight were we feel they belong. But Sony has chosen the path of mediocrity and ignores the wishes of potential customers.

As far as Sony's dictionaries are concerned... they are a strong point.
But Kobo has a large selection of dictionaries and translation dictionaries too. You can activate all of them in setup and they will be synched to your reader when you connect to the Kobo desktop application.
The only thing is that the Sony readers make the use of dictionaries more convenient. And perhaps the Sony dictionaries are of better quality.

[Iskariot]

Originally Posted by lems1995

For front-light, i found a solution, i bought a light in my bed-room 15€.

I suppose you yourself can also think of reasons why that would not be convenient for everyone? The same thing goes for those pesky clip on lights.

Yes, of course you can use a common light in your bedroom and you are welcome to it, but we have words for build-in, low energy front lighting: convenience, or progress.
You can also sell your car and go buy a donkey and a cart, or sell your fridge and bury you food in a hole in the ground. It is all possible, but less convenient I think.

[samy2]

Kobo isn't really open. Many features just for Kepub. And yes there are plugins etc but that's not kobos work...

And than:
Forced firmware updates, forced registration and more. For Sure not very open and free

[taming]

Originally Posted by samy2

Kobo isn't really open. Many features just for Kepub. And yes there are plugins etc but that's not kobos work...

And than:
Forced firmware updates, forced registration and more. For Sure not very open and free

My sense has been that Kobo is building the epub3 changes into the kepub format, but is waiting (maybe to see what adobe does) to make any changes to the other epubs. Anyone wanting the more advanced features for sideloaded books can just switch drivers, if they use calibre.

Although you will probably always have to register the device with Kobo, I would not be at all surprised to see an option to refuse any other communication with them--including FW updates--very shortly. Of course when you do that, you may miss out on things like the new ability to use Pocket on their devices and other things.

I'll be the first to admit that Kobo FW is sometimes half baked when they are changing things, but from my very personal point of view, I can put up with some annoyances and find workarounds for others in return for their constant efforts to add features I really like.

If you find a reader you really love and want it to stay exactly as it was when you bought it, then Kobo is not for you. It will change over time. OTOH, when they bring out a new device with new features, they will make an effot to bring those features to the older devices as well. It's up to the user to decide if they are improvements .

For people who read a lot, like many of us at MR, a reader is a very important personal device. I can make do with pretty much any refrigerator, but my reader...