New Sony model to be called PRS-300 and PRS-600

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by kazbates

It makes me wonder if this is all a red herring.

Not true. BMW had their 3 series and 5 series and they then came out with the more entry level 1 series.

BOb

[starrigger]

Makes me really glad I got my 700 when I did. An ebook reader that cannot be used in low light or darkness is a nonstarter for me.

[JasonB]

I see nothing in either of these that would make me ever want to replace my 505. I don't like touch screens, and the lack of side page turn buttons would be a real problem for me. I'll gladly keep my 505 until it stops working - assuming that Sony keeps on putting out new models that don't match the 505.

[Shadowplay]

Originally Posted by JasonB

I see nothing in either of these that would make me ever want to replace my 505. I don't like touch screens, and the lack of side page turn buttons would be a real problem for me. I'll gladly keep my 505 until it stops working - assuming that Sony keeps on putting out new models that don't match the 505.

I guess I'm in the same boat. I'm very happy with my 505 and definitely don't want to lose having bottom *and* side page turn buttons. If anything I wish the side buttons were just a touch bigger or stuck out a little more. That and how "clicky" all the buttons are would be about the only hardware complaints I have for the 505 and obvious they are pretty minor for me.

[Crowl]

Originally Posted by BlackVoid

Maybe he does not like a screen with greasy fingerprints.

I have to say that was one of the reasons why I didn't mind too much that they don't sell the 700 in europe, even if it doesn't happen much, why would you want to make the pages harder to read.

Originally Posted by Over

What's the purpose of the 600 model?

I think sony want to get rid of both the 505 and the 700 with one model to reduce costs and give them the scope to introduce a new highend model at a later date after they draw in new customers with the low pricing we are expecting from the 300.

[Dr. Drib]

Hmmm....

Has there been any discussion yet on whether they've moved to a hard plastic or are they keeping the metal?

Don

[pking36330]

Well, they've heard the cry for adjustable grayscale settings:

From page 8 in the 600 manual:
If there are no image files, screen is filled with grayscale color.
Press the [<]/[>] buttons, change the grayscale color.
WHITE LIGHT GRAY DARK GRAY BLACK
When the setting of “17. Slideshow Setting” is turning on, the
image files (or grayscale color) are changes by the automatic
operation.

And based on the writing style, this is a non-native English translation which is EXACTLY what you'd think Sony would post in a service manual which makes this a very credible reference.

[Shadowplay]

Sorry if I'm derailing this thread a bit here. Quick question that seems appropriate for the people following this thread:

Price aside, would you prefer reading on a 5", 6" or 9.7" screen? My totally unfounded suspicion is that a 6" screen is just about right for an ebook device *except* for those who need better PDF/textbook/etc. support.

[Elfwreck]

Originally Posted by Kostas

And who needs a card with 440 Mb internal memory? It's enough memory for 400-500 ebooks.
I never understood why people would want to have their whole library on their device. I don't think that anyone of us can read more than 50-100 in a whole year.

It's enough memory for 400-500 .lrf or .epub ebooks. (Well, 300-400 ebooks. 1.5mb ebooks are fairly common. No idea what Sony does with their LRX files that makes them so large.) PDFs, even relatively small ones, are often 3-7mb each. Scanned or image-only PDFs are huge; a 64-pg graphic novel can easily be 18mb.

And while image-based PDFs are certainly not the intended main use of a 5" ebook reader, that doesn't mean they go away.

Sony's 5" ebook reader:
No expansion card
No expectation of folder support
No side page turn buttons
No mp3 (which I don't use now, but I expect some people care about)
Older CPU

The Aztak Pocket Pro is looking better and better.

Anybody want to bet whether the PRS-300 will cost less than the Pocket Pro? I'm guessing that, since the 505 had a Sony price of $300 (nevermind how easy it was to find $270 in a dozen places online, and $250 with a diligent search), the PRS-300 may have a list price of $249. Maybe $229. I'm not expecting to see it listed at $200 or less.

[Lady Blue]

Originally Posted by porkupan

Wow, you're right! That's pretty bad, using a 5 year old microprocessor, not recommended for new designs, in a "brand new" device. Well, perhaps they are using one of the newer Freescale modifications of MX-1...

Sounds like they are trying to come up with a super basic ebook reader (maybe only LRF/X and EPUB support, no PDF). Something real cheap so they don't even need to sell content to make money.

I don't know how they are planning to compete with Netronix and Jinke with their armies of clones in that space.

I have to admit, I didn't do more than skim through the linked manuals and I don't know if there were any dates associated with these manuals, but wouldn't it be ironic (since the technology seems to be outdated) if these were drafts of manuals for a pre-500 or pre-505 (or even pre-700) prototype model they were toying with but discarded as a final design; and they were dug up from some deep, dark archive and released (or leaked) by some sly soul for grins and giggles, and they have no semblance to the actual next generation reader that might be coming our way?


(Tongue-in-cheek, grain of salt, and the Twilight Zone tune playing in the background . . . )


No, I guess not. Just playing games in my head. Never mind.

[Kostas]

Lady Blue, "2009" is indicated in several places in those manuals.

[rrburton]

Originally Posted by djgreedo

Why do some people want WiFi on an ereader? For Internet access?

I really don't see a need. I have my phone if I really need to access the Internet on the go, and that's in colour and runs a proper browser, has email, etc.

At home, I have computers to access the Internet.

If it's for downloading books, I can't see the attraction of WiFi either. If I want to download a book I can do it at home. My reader holds hundreds of books potentially. I could never be without reading material.

Buying from a shop over WiFi could be cool if shops supported it.

What am I missing that makes wireless connectivity attractive?

If the specs of these devices are as mentioned in this thread I predict a price cut. The 300 will be quite cheap, and the 600 maybe a fair bit cheaper than the 700 (considering also that gadgets tend to get cheaper as they mature). Ereaders need to cease being an expensive early adopter technology soon.

Personally, I would want wifi so that I don't have to jerk around with connecting the reader to the computer, etc. etc. I would just be able to pick it up somewhere within my home wifi zone and then navigate to the home server where I store files so that I may retrieve whatever book it is that I wanted at that moment.

[Elfwreck]

Originally Posted by Lady Blue

... wouldn't it be ironic (since the technology seems to be outdated) if these were drafts of manuals for a pre-500 or pre-505 (or even pre-700) prototype model they were toying with but discarded...

In the interest of not starting bizarre web rumours...

The PDFs were created June 29, 2009. That, of course, doesn't mean much; an older file could've been re-created recently. They were created in Adobe InDesign CS4 (released Sept 2008), version 6.02, which was released in May of 2009.

The PDFs were created with software that didn't exist when the 505 and 700 were being designed. Doesn't mean it's impossible for them to have been ported from an older version and re-created, but that's a bit unlikely.

[Lady Blue]

Originally Posted by Kostas

Lady Blue, "2009" is indicated in several places in those manuals.

Like I said, I just skimmed the pages and was only musing anyway.

On the other hand, if pictures can be easily altered and look authentic, then I suppose it would be nothing to alter the date on a document.


I'm just kidding.

[kazbates]

Originally Posted by Moejoe

Colour me unimpressed. I love my prs505 (the weight and metallic industrial nature of the design give it some substance) but these look like a step-backward design wise. Come on Sony, get the Vaio team on this and give us something worthy.

I agree.

Originally Posted by lilac_jive

I'm quite glad they did minimal design changes. I'm quite happy with the current design. I think the no card reader thing is one of the ways they are cutting cost to make the 300 a much cheaper device. They at least keep the option open on the 600.

Guys, just imagine if this is a $200 or less device. The market is going to go crazy. That's a third off retail price (including almost all the other devices new). Remember the huge grab for the 505 when they went to $199 at Borders for three days? That might have been a test. Clearing existing inventory and seeing what that price point will do.

Lowering the price point for an entry level reader and possible for an entry level touch screen reader seems the only justifiable reason for these potential readers.

[

Originally Posted by HarryT

I honestly don't see any real need for a card reader in an entry-level device. I have 300 books on my CyBook, many of them multi-book omnibus versions, and am using roughly 40% of the 512MB memory of the CyBook.

I like using SD cards to decrease the number of ebooks on my reader and to help me separate my books, almost like folders. However, I can understand why someone who isn't as obsessive compulsive and doesn't need to keep all their ebooks available at all times wouldn't need a card reader.

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Not true. BMW had their 3 series and 5 series and they then came out with the more entry level 1 series.

BOb

I stand corrected.

Originally Posted by Lady Blue

I have to admit, I didn't do more than skim through the linked manuals and I don't know if there were any dates associated with these manuals, but wouldn't it be ironic (since the technology seems to be outdated) if these were drafts of manuals for a pre-500 or pre-505 (or even pre-700) prototype model they were toying with but discarded as a final design; and they were dug up from some deep, dark archive and released (or leaked) by some sly soul for grins and giggles, and they have no semblance to the actual next generation reader that might be coming our way?


(Tongue-in-cheek, grain of salt, and the Twilight Zone tune playing in the background . . . )


No, I guess not. Just playing games in my head. Never mind.

My first thoughts exactly, Lady Blue. I wondered if there was a file date attached to the manuals to give an indication as to when they were created. I guess great minds think alike. Wouldn't it be a tad embarrassing if we found out that the Sony people were sitting in there cubicles, reading MR and rolling in laughter at all our conjectures!