New Sony Readers Too Large, Too Small, and too cloudy - Page 2

amjbrown · 01-13-2010, 08:18 AM

My 600 is on eBay - I stole the 505 back from my wife who hadn't yet formed an attachment.

I think the light conditions I read in are lower than others. I loved everything about the 600 except the display, but for me that is the most important thing. I find the 505 display superbly crisp with great contrast and virtually no reflection.

I don't regret buying the 600 and having the chance to play with the new features. And I really hope that the next Sony model in the 6" class is back to the clarity of the 505 - I'd buy it like a shot. I worry that the slew of new technologies, and pressure to include video and colour, will mean that the 505 remains the pinnacle of reading technology for some time to come

amjb

jckatz · 01-13-2010, 11:17 PM

AMJ,

I agree with you about the display quality of the 505 being the best. I also feel that the six of the 505 is also perfect.

I have not had the opportunity to use the 600, but wanted to know your opinion about its size compared to the 500s.

I tend to keep my reader in my front pants pocket when I take the bus or subway and it fits perfectly.

Mike_73 · 01-14-2010, 03:16 AM

I totally agree about the size and display of the 505. After looking at some bigger screen readers, I finally found out that it's rather the speed and pdf support I'd love to be better (like zooming pdf and moving it like I need to, instead of the predefined areas). Did you try pdfs and concerning the turn time of pages on the 600?

mgmueller · 01-14-2010, 05:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LDBoblo

I find the 505 has terrible ergonomics, poor speed, and a mediocre display, along with pretty much no usability beyond simple page display.

The 600 has slightly more usability and slightly better speed, slightly more mediocre display and somewhat better ergonomics.

300 is just a dwarf 505 pretty much.

900 may be their best model with the fewest compromises and most features, but it does't have quite the same level of portability.

...then there are other brands you know...quite a few. They tend to shift the tradeoffs around a little bit, but none will be fast, none will have a great display, and none will be particularly versatile. Ergonomics and software stability/capability and services are where the big (if you can call them big) variations are. It's mostly a cookie-cutter market so far...

Sony 505 = mediocre display??? Which reader does have a better one?
Of all my readers, I still consider Sony 505 benchmark...

HarryT · 01-14-2010, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mgmueller

Sony 505 = mediocre display??? Which reader does have a better one?
Of all my readers, I still consider Sony 505 benchmark...

LDBoblo thinks that all eInk displays are "mediocre".

vivaldirules · 01-14-2010, 08:06 AM

There's no doubt in my mind that eink has a long way to go. I'm glad to hear my 505 has the best clarity or contrast available. I like it and use it a lot. But surely most here would agree that, if we could have what we truly desired, we would have something which had much better clarity, contrast, and resolution, wouldn't we?

BookCat · 01-14-2010, 10:07 PM

In the current eink market my answer to those who don't like the display of the 505 is: read a paperback!
I'm sure the technology will improve; I hope manufacturers focus on display quality rather than gadgets like touch screens which, while fun, aren't really necessary. When I was a student and needed to make notes, I hated writing on books, prefering to jot things down on real paper! But then Shakespeare didn't have a word processor.

amjbrown · 01-15-2010, 04:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jckatz

AMJ,

I agree with you about the display quality of the 505 being the best. I also feel that the six of the 505 is also perfect.

I have not had the opportunity to use the 600, but wanted to know your opinion about its size compared to the 500s.

I tend to keep my reader in my front pants pocket when I take the bus or subway and it fits perfectly.

jckatz

The sizes of the two devices are almost identical. Certainly using them you wouldn't notice any fractions of mm difference!

The 600 is a lovely device - just make sure you are happy with the screen, it's different from the 505.

amjb

Stitchawl · 01-15-2010, 04:50 AM

I can't think of a single negative for my Sony 505. It fits me comfortably for one-handed reading, (either hand,) has wonderful contrast and clarity, and displays the books I want to read beautifully. The size of the unit is just right for my jacket pocket or the outside pocket of my shoulder bag, there aren't millions of buttons all over it taking up screen room, the page turns are more than fast enough for me, and I get a full two weeks of reading from a charge-up.

I wouldn't care for it so much if I needed a dictionary when I read, or it I wanted to annotate. But I don't do or need those. I wouldn't have bought it to read magazines or technical pdf's with graphics. It's not made for those. I can read text pdfs with no problem, and I don't find other languages to cause problems for me.

All in all... I haven't seen anything that I'd prefer to have.

Stitchawl

kartu · 01-15-2010, 05:22 AM

I love my 505. It's not only has the best screen in the whole ebook line, but can be "unbricked" no matter what I am experimenting with.

Newer Sony ebooks are not as robust and could be bricked into a state, when the only option is soldering + nand chip programming.

JSWolf · 01-15-2010, 05:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

LDBoblo thinks that all eInk displays are "mediocre".

Then why does he have one?

kartu · 01-15-2010, 06:26 AM

I agree with the fact that in the room lightning conditions all eink displays are mediocre compared to LCD or paper. In the sun it's the opposite.

Ridiculously long battery life and the fact that there are NO reader devices (there is REB 1100 but afaik it has worse screen than eink readers) of comparable size that are NOT based on eink.

So we are actually forced to choose: eink or nothing.

LDBoblo · 01-15-2010, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Then why does he have one?

I've stated quite a few times, including once in this thread already. I guess I can ramble on about it again and make all the fawning e-ink admirers ignore me.

Yes, all e-ink screens are mediocre so far. I tolerate one because I'm lame enough to want to read English books while living in a country where they're not always easily available for a reasonable price, and while moving frequently enough and occasionally living in small enough places to make possession of a satisfactory physical library exceptionally difficult. I still have quite a lot of books, and I almost never read on my Sony at home (if I have the paper book, I'll read that, and if I have the ebook, I'll read it on my PC if it's on). During my long commutes, if I'm bogged down with other books or don't have the paper copy, I keep the Sony around. It can be a handy distraction.

The Sony is a thoroughly mediocre device in pretty much every respect, excepting battery life and wake-from-standby time, both of which I do appreciate. Thinness may be admirable, though ergonomics are poor and offset the advantages of thinness pretty effectively. It may be good to bear in mind though that my meaning of mediocrity bears little to no emphasis on the negative connotation. Even my stronger negative language is tempered by reality somewhat. It can be a set of tolerable tradeoffs for relative convenience, depending on standards and situation.

When some Pixel Qi products come to market in the near future, I will reassess my personal tradeoff situation as 3Qi will introduce a bunch of new compromises (in terms of fixed-image optical properties though, I'll have no problem calling 3Qi mediocre as well, since it's apparently inferior to even E-Ink).Then likely again as other e-paper products that overcome E-Ink's current limitations get adopted in products.

Penforhire · 01-15-2010, 04:01 PM

A co-worker got the 6" touchscreen Sony for Xmas. We put it side-by-side with my 505 and we were both shocked at how much crisper the 505 display is (same font & size). i thought it would be a more subtle difference. I like the industrial design touches in the new Sony but no friggin' way am I buying a new reader with LESS contrast or definition than my 505.

DoctorOhh · 01-16-2010, 02:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kartu

I agree with the fact that in the room lightning conditions all eink displays are mediocre compared to LCD or paper. In the sun it's the opposite.

In room lighting it is subjective. I'm 51 and there is no way I could read a novel on any lcd due to the eye strain induced by the back lighting. When I was younger sure but no more. This means that as far as I'm concerned eink is a superior display for novel reading than lcd.

I expect there will be even better displays for reading in the near future, but for me eink is it currently the best choice.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Penforhire

A co-worker got the 6" touchscreen Sony for Xmas. We put it side-by-side with my 505 and we were both shocked at how much crisper the 505 display is (same font & size). i thought it would be a more subtle difference. I like the industrial design touches in the new Sony but no friggin' way am I buying a new reader with LESS contrast or definition than my 505.

I too compared my 505 side-by-side with a 600 of a friend and noticed the same degree of difference. If the 600 was my first reader I'm sure I would love it. I would require a little brighter light for reading but it would be fine.

After one year I'm still impressed with how well suited the 505 is for recreational reading.

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01-13-2010, 08:18 AM	#16
amjbrown Addict Posts: 322 Karma: 1231044 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: London, UK Device: Kindle Oasis 3, Kindle app on the iPhone	My 600 is on eBay - I stole the 505 back from my wife who hadn't yet formed an attachment. I think the light conditions I read in are lower than others. I loved everything about the 600 except the display, but for me that is the most important thing. I find the 505 display superbly crisp with great contrast and virtually no reflection. I don't regret buying the 600 and having the chance to play with the new features. And I really hope that the next Sony model in the 6" class is back to the clarity of the 505 - I'd buy it like a shot. I worry that the slew of new technologies, and pressure to include video and colour, will mean that the 505 remains the pinnacle of reading technology for some time to come amjb

01-13-2010, 11:17 PM	#17
jckatz Connoisseur Posts: 51 Karma: 216 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Chicago, IL Device: SONY PSR-500	AMJ, I agree with you about the display quality of the 505 being the best. I also feel that the six of the 505 is also perfect. I have not had the opportunity to use the 600, but wanted to know your opinion about its size compared to the 500s. I tend to keep my reader in my front pants pocket when I take the bus or subway and it fits perfectly.

01-14-2010, 03:16 AM	#18
Mike_73 Guru Posts: 750 Karma: 1323 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: PRS-505, PRS-600, iPad 16GB Wifi, Kindle Voyage, Nexus 6, Razr HD	I totally agree about the size and display of the 505. After looking at some bigger screen readers, I finally found out that it's rather the speed and pdf support I'd love to be better (like zooming pdf and moving it like I need to, instead of the predefined areas). Did you try pdfs and concerning the turn time of pages on the 600?

01-14-2010, 08:06 AM	#21
vivaldirules When's Doughnut Day? Posts: 10,059 Karma: 13675475 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Houston, TX, US Device: Sony PRS-505, iPad	There's no doubt in my mind that eink has a long way to go. I'm glad to hear my 505 has the best clarity or contrast available. I like it and use it a lot. But surely most here would agree that, if we could have what we truly desired, we would have something which had much better clarity, contrast, and resolution, wouldn't we?

01-14-2010, 10:07 PM	#22
BookCat C L J Posts: 2,911 Karma: 21115458 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Birmingham UK Device: Sony e-reader 505, Kindle PW2, Kindle PW3, Kobo Libra2	In the current eink market my answer to those who don't like the display of the 505 is: read a paperback! I'm sure the technology will improve; I hope manufacturers focus on display quality rather than gadgets like touch screens which, while fun, aren't really necessary. When I was a student and needed to make notes, I hated writing on books, prefering to jot things down on real paper! But then Shakespeare didn't have a word processor.

01-15-2010, 04:50 AM	#24
Stitchawl Opsimath Posts: 12,344 Karma: 187123287 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand Device: Sony PRS-650, iPhone 5, Kobo Glo, Sony PRS-350, iPad, Samsung Galaxy	I can't think of a single negative for my Sony 505. It fits me comfortably for one-handed reading, (either hand,) has wonderful contrast and clarity, and displays the books I want to read beautifully. The size of the unit is just right for my jacket pocket or the outside pocket of my shoulder bag, there aren't millions of buttons all over it taking up screen room, the page turns are more than fast enough for me, and I get a full two weeks of reading from a charge-up. I wouldn't care for it so much if I needed a dictionary when I read, or it I wanted to annotate. But I don't do or need those. I wouldn't have bought it to read magazines or technical pdf's with graphics. It's not made for those. I can read text pdfs with no problem, and I don't find other languages to cause problems for me. All in all... I haven't seen anything that I'd prefer to have. Stitchawl

01-15-2010, 05:22 AM	#25
kartu PRS+ author Posts: 1,637 Karma: 2446233 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Sony PRS-300, 505, 600, 650, 950	I love my 505. It's not only has the best screen in the whole ebook line, but can be "unbricked" no matter what I am experimenting with. Newer Sony ebooks are not as robust and could be bricked into a state, when the only option is soldering + nand chip programming.

01-15-2010, 06:26 AM	#27
kartu PRS+ author Posts: 1,637 Karma: 2446233 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Sony PRS-300, 505, 600, 650, 950	I agree with the fact that in the room lightning conditions all eink displays are mediocre compared to LCD or paper. In the sun it's the opposite. Ridiculously long battery life and the fact that there are NO reader devices (there is REB 1100 but afaik it has worse screen than eink readers) of comparable size that are NOT based on eink. So we are actually forced to choose: eink or nothing.

01-15-2010, 04:01 PM	#29
Penforhire Wizard Posts: 2,230 Karma: 7145404 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern California Device: Kindle Voyage & iPhone 7+	A co-worker got the 6" touchscreen Sony for Xmas. We put it side-by-side with my 505 and we were both shocked at how much crisper the 505 display is (same font & size). i thought it would be a more subtle difference. I like the industrial design touches in the new Sony but no friggin' way am I buying a new reader with LESS contrast or definition than my 505.