5" or 6"?

[jgray]

Originally Posted by dmaul1114

Neither size is going to fit in your pocket,

Not so. My jetBook actually fits into my shirt pocket. Not that I would carry it there, but that shows that it certainly is pocketable.

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by HansTWN

The 5" readers might offer more portability for a woman (perhaps the 6" won't fit in her purse but the 5"will), but for a man what difference does it make? Anything more than 4.2-4.3" with no edges around the screen will not fit into your pants pocket. And if you have a briefcase then both will fit easily.

And for reading I can imagine that the slightly bigger size is more comfortable. So the only issue might be price, though the difference is not much.

I don't have a purse, neither will I ever have a purse. I have a nice big backpack.

Originally Posted by Ea

The "lessons" I have learned so far, is to go for slightly more rather than less. I would say that the main feature of the 5" devices in comparison with the 6" is portability. If you don't need that extra portability, go for a 6" device. The touch screen and the dictionary lookup of the sony 600 seems to be the most important features. If they are important to you, go for the 600.

And that's why I can't decide. I want a portable reader, to replace my PDA as main reader. I'll be using the 7" JE100 in bed (backlight!) but it's not usable outside. And I mark mistakes on my book (to be updated in the source file later) while reading (which is why I want that touchscreen).

What I'm really looking for (but doubt I'll ever find) is a model like the Sony 600, with touchscreen and a 5" screen. I'll probably end up buying two readers

1" doesn't make much difference in portabilty. Neither size is going to fit in your pocket, and that diagonal inch doesn't make much difference for something that's going in a purse, bookbag, briefcase etc. when carried around anyway.

If I see this picture:



I think the 1" smaller does give a lot of size difference in model size.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by HansTWN

The 5" readers might offer more portability for a woman (perhaps the 6" won't fit in her purse but the 5"will), but for a man what difference does it make? Anything more than 4.2-4.3" with no edges around the screen will not fit into your pants pocket. And if you have a briefcase then both will fit easily.

And for reading I can imagine that the slightly bigger size is more comfortable. So the only issue might be price, though the difference is not much.

The main issue I find with the 5" CyBook Opus, compared with the 6" Gen3, is that the Opus can comfortably be used one-handed, whereas the Gen3 cannot. I really do prefer the Opus.

[LDBoblo]

I'd say 5" would be a better deal for many people. Trying to be a typography snob with these things is futile anyway...whether you have a 9" or a 6" or a 5" screen, it's really not possible to have beautiful books on them. So while a 6" will be marginally superior to 5" in terms of display, they're both poor enough that it doesn't matter. Get the one you're most likely to take with you...and for most people, that tends to be the smaller version.

[griffonwing]

I may not be your typical bloke, but I wear a jacket every day. Not a suit jacket, but a blazer/sportcoat. I cut a stiff board into the exact dimensions of a PEZ and it fit very nice into my inside pocket of my blazer. And on the off chance that one of my inside blazer pockets be too narrow, then the outer pockets will surely hold one.

[LuBiB]

i've been hooked with my 5 inch jetBook so far.

anything bigger and i cant fit it into my blazer pocket!

[dmaul1114]

Originally Posted by jgray

Not so. My jetBook actually fits into my shirt pocket. Not that I would carry it there, but that shows that it certainly is pocketable.

Well, I guess I should have been more specifically and said "neither is going to fit comfortably in typical pockets."

i.e. neither is going to be like a small cell phone you can lug around in your pocket with no worries and forget it's even there until it rings--unless you're wearing huge cargo pants or a jacket/blazer with giant pockets or something.

Personally, 99% of my Kindle use has been in bed, so the portability issue is pretty moot for me. So I'd go toward a bigger screen, since I seldom take mine out of the house anyway--and if I do it's on a flight and I have my briefcase/laptop case I can put it in.

But I guess that diagonal inch could matter more to people who take their e-reader everywhere and don't always have big purse or briefcase or bookbag with them to carry it in.

[hike_gc]

Originally Posted by HarryT

The main issue I find with the 5" CyBook Opus, compared with the 6" Gen3, is that the Opus can comfortably be used one-handed, whereas the Gen3 cannot. I really do prefer the Opus.

I was really hoping to purchase a 6 or 7-inch screen model but there are no good options right now in the US. I do want something portable and not just to read at home but am concerned the 5-inch screens are too small. I am also concerned the touch screen technology still has a ways to go. Since you own both a 5 and 6 inch model, is there really not that much difference in reading on the smaller screen?

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by hike_gc

I was really hoping to purchase a 6 or 7-inch screen model but there are no good options right now in the US.

I guess that depends on your definition of good. You can probably find some good deals on new left over stock of Sony 505's... there is also the EZ Reader which many people seem to like.

I have read on a 5inch (Jetbook) and the screen really isn't that much of an issue if you are basically reading text.

BOb

[hike_gc]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

I guess that depends on your definition of good. You can probably find some good deals on new left over stock of Sony 505's... there is also the EZ Reader which many people seem to like.

I have read on a 5inch (Jetbook) and the screen really isn't that much of an issue if you are basically reading text.

BOb

I do mostly read just text. I've looked at the EZ Reader but in following the Aztak forum, it sounds like their Mentor series is due out soon. The EZ Reader has been out for a while and I'd rather buy into the newer technology. I am sorely tempted to go buy a Sony PRS-505 before they disappear. The EZ Reader only has 4 gray scale levels and it seems like the newer models coming out have 8 or 16. I was hoping to buy a device and keep it for a few years before replacing it, but considering the e-reader devices are really still in their infancy, that might not be realistic. Guess I will keep reading this forum and ponder this for a bit more.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by hike_gc

Since you own both a 5 and 6 inch model, is there really not that much difference in reading on the smaller screen?

Very little. The screens are the same resolution (600x800), so the 5" has a higher pixel density, which makes the text clearer and sharper than the 6". I find that it's comfortable to have the same amount of text on the 5" screen as on the 6".

[lisreed]

I have had 6 in. screen readers and recently bought the Opus. I really like the Opus and have no problems with the screen being a bit smaller. And I am someone who doesn't like really small fonts but not huge either but I still manage to to have on average over 100 words on the page of the Opus. I love that its only 5.3 ounces. Crisper screen than the kindle 2 I had also. For me personally when reading a paperbook my preference is always mass market paperbacks because I like the smaller size and lighter weight . I hate to read hardbacks . It also has pretty decent ergonomics which are important to me as well. I am tempted by the Sony 600 though but I don't know if I want to give up a crisper screen.

[WillAdams]

One of the reasons I preferred my Sony PRS-505 over the original Kindle is that it will fit in my favourite shirt pockets --- the original Travelsmith design --- if anyone knows of an alternative (the re-design has smaller pockets), I'd be very interested.

William

[igorsk]

Originally Posted by WillAdams

One of the reasons I preferred my Sony PRS-505 over the original Kindle is that it will fit in my favourite shirt pockets --- the original Travelsmith design --- if anyone knows of an alternative (the re-design has smaller pockets), I'd be very interested.

PRS-300?

[griffonwing]

Originally Posted by WillAdams

One of the reasons I preferred my Sony PRS-505 over the original Kindle is that it will fit in my favourite shirt pockets --- the original Travelsmith design --- if anyone knows of an alternative (the re-design has smaller pockets), I'd be very interested.

William

Originally Posted by igorsk

PRS-300?

I think he was referring to an alternative on shirts... Unless the PRS-300 is also a new clothing line for Sony