Sony PRS-T3 leaks in various Internet stores / coming on Sep 19?

[speakingtohe]

Originally Posted by Ripplinger

My Sony 350s are still my favorite ereader, but when I'm out, it's usually the Kobo Glo I take because I need the light. Just riding public transportation, you're in and out of tunnels where you'd have to pop the light on and off constantly with a clip on light or lighted cover. With the front light, you don't have to do a thing, there's zero interruption to your reading as you go into dark and bright areas.

Not to mention how really geeky the lighted covers with arms extending over the text look .

So even for me, while I really want the Sony stability and software, I really want a front-lit screen as well.

Ahh, I used the 350 and the Mini on buses because of size without a lighted cover. Most transit has adequate lighting where I live. My biggest problem reading was glare from the sun blazing in the windows.

I am in a mass transit free place till October, but I will have to take the Aura on the bus on a sunny day to see if I can still read comfortably with the sun shining directly on it. I think I would still stick with a 5 inch reader for outside the house, because I always have one in my backpack and if I ma not taking my backpack it goes into my pocket so easily.

Helen

[Iskariot]

Sony [profane language edit - moderator] up with this one ...... again.

I have been waiting for ages now to buy a new Sony reader with front lighting.
I had hoped that this would be my new reader.

I am so disappointed it is hard to put into words.
Sony is totally unaware of the progress that has been made in front lighting technology. And they do not realize how convenient front lighting is.

This means I will finally break my last ties with Sony ereaders.
This is really hard for me as I love the Sony software and their superb selection of dictionaries.

[Iskariot]

Originally Posted by jersysman

Maybe they do not believe it, but for the vast majority, once shoppers have experienced a frontlit reader they will not be going to a non-lit screen again. Sure, there will be some who will, but not enough to make a dent in what would be needed to make inroads on Amazon and Kobo.

Well, that is my experience.
I believe that build-in front lighting is the best thing since the invention of the reader itself. I feel the lighting of the Onyx Firefly is near perfect. I cannot think of any disadvantage.
I use the light all the time on its lowest setting and it in daylight makes your screen appear just a tad whiter and gives it more contrast, while in the evening the convenience is indescribable. I am so sick of those clip-on lights or those covers with lights.

Front lighting is so convenient to use compared to those clip-on nuisances. I would have been prepared to pay double the price of other brands if Sony had only added front lighting. They could have even kept the low res of the old screens as far as I am concerned.

I love Sony's dictionaries and software, but they seem to live in the days of yesteryear. To me having no front lighting on a modern ereader is like having a car without headlights, but instead having a guy with a lantern on a stick walking in front of it to show you the road.

[Ripplinger]

Originally Posted by speakingtohe

Ahh, I used the 350 and the Mini on buses because of size without a lighted cover. ...

Helen

Because the Kobo Glo doesn't have buttons on it, for its 6" screen it's only about 3/8" taller and wider in its cover than the Sony 350 is in its unlighted cover. And it's actually 3/8" narrower than the 350 in the Sony lighted cover. So it's a tiny bit snugger fit for my pockets and the small purse I'm forced to use during the hot summer months, but it fits everywhere the 350 does.

But picking up the 350 still just "feels" so much nicer ... even to the smoother glass finish of the screen, I just can't get used to the rough texture of the Glo screen when swiping. But the light on the Kobo Glo is superb.

[Tony1988]

Originally Posted by Iskariot

Well, that is my experience.
I believe that build-in front lighting is the best thing since the invention of the reader itself. I feel the lighting of the Onyx Firefly is near perfect. I cannot think of any disadvantage.
I use the light all the time on its lowest setting and it in daylight makes your screen appear just a tad whiter and gives it more contrast, while in the evening the convenience is indescribable. I am so sick of those clip-on lights or those covers with lights.

Front lighting is so convenient to use compared to those clip-on nuisances. I would have been prepared to pay double the price of other brands if Sony had only added front lighting. They could have even kept the low res of the old screens as far as I am concerned.

I love Sony's dictionaries and software, but they seem to live in the days of yesteryear. To me having no front lighting on a modern ereader is like having a car without headlights, but instead having a guy with a lantern on a stick walking in front of it to show you the road.

Sad that some will leave sony because of the light. I think i may eventually get a t3...depends on the software. I am not too crazy about ereader lights right now due to the issues they seem to have with tears. plus the color of the screen and glow just remind me too much of a tablet or those flourescent digital watch lights. Many covers with lights now do an excellent job of illuminating the screen.(Refer to the link in my earlier post) If a built in light can acheive the soft glow of a white or yellow light on paper like the clip on or cover lights....im all in. But as of now they have a long way to go in that regard as well as their stability.

[speakingtohe]

Obviously we all want the best of each reader in one delightful package. ANd why wouldn't we?

I have no great loyalty to Sony, but their firmware suits my usage better than the others and the hardware is good enough.

If I like the new Sony I'll buy it and if something way better comes out a month later, at a price I can afford, I'll buy that one too with no regrets. It's pretty easy to sell a used ereader or two if they start taking over my closets.

Helen

[jersysman]

Originally Posted by speakingtohe

Not quite sure who you mean by previous Sony owners. Do you mean people who have only owned Sony or those who have owned a Sony or a kindle as well?. . .

Helen

I meant mainly those who have mainly owned Sonys before. Not the ones who have tried and/or bought the newer Kindles and Kobos. The later group have probably tried a frontlit reader, such as myself, and most likely would not get a non-frontlit reader again. I am sure there will be exceptions.

[trocchietto]

Why buying it?
Really disappointed, what mktg should understand is the word conpetitors
Honestly i do not think an athlete after one year should slow down if Apple and Amazon will run twice faster!

[Iskariot]

Originally Posted by Tony1988

Sad that some will leave sony because of the light. I think i may eventually get a t3...depends on the software. I am not too crazy about ereader lights right now due to the issues they seem to have with tears. plus the color of the screen and glow just remind me too much of a tablet or those flourescent digital watch lights. Many covers with lights now do an excellent job of illuminating the screen.(Refer to the link in my earlier post) If a built in light can acheive the soft glow of a white or yellow light on paper like the clip on or cover lights....im all in. But as of now they have a long way to go in that regard as well as their stability.

If you have seen ereader front lighting that resembles a fluorescent digital watch than there is something seriously wrong with that ereader, or its light setting was absurdly high.

In everyday use setting the frontlight at its minimum setting or just slightly higher is enough. In the day time people who do not know my Onyx reader has frontlighting do no even notice it is on and are surprised about the whiteness and contrast of my ereader surface. But when I turn the lighting off the screen is just as grey as that of other readers like Sony's.

It is truly amazing, even when used at day time.

And I can't even begin to describe the ease of use at night. It is so cool to have a reading device with everything you need build right in.

Really, if you have used a reader with good quality front lighting like the Onyx or the Kobo I assure you that you will never want one without this feature again.

I love my Sony PRs-950. In my mind it is the most beautiful reader on the market with its 7" screen, great software, great selection of dictionaries, internal silo for the stylus and its beautiful and strong aluminum body. But Sony has lost almost all of that. And they refuse to incorporate the most innovative ereader feature of late: build-in front lighting.

It is incomprehensible to me.
Why would I buy an expensive Sony ereader that lacks almost everything it had going for it if I can buy the Kobo Aura HD for the same price?

If Sony had upgraded the PRS-950 with a higher res screen, stronger processor, larger internal memory and front-lighting I would have been willing to pay a huge premium without even thinking twice. As far as I am concerned they could have asked 400 bucks for it and I would have run to the store to get it.

As it is now I will leave Sony behind. Just as other ereader brands have left Sony far behind them, standing still on the road of innovation and progress.

My disappointment is indescribable.
After my experiences with the magnificent PRS-950 I had such high expectations of the PRS-T3. I really felt Sony would finally produce an ereader that would again rule them all. But instead it appears to be not even close to the hardware other ereader brands like Kobo and Onyx are producing.

(EDIT: corrected some of the errors and typos)

[HansTWN]

After buying a very innovative Sony PC again recently I thought they had turned the corner. But this "next generation" reader is just sad. A real shame. Well, I am set with my new Kobo, anyway.

[samy2]

[QUOTE=HansTWN;2604896 But this "next generation" reader is just sad. A real shame. Well, I am set with my new Kobo, anyway.[/QUOTE]

Yes? You know every detail of the Sony Reader PRS T3 to judge it? Can you share your information?

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by samy2

Yes? You know every detail of the Sony Reader PRS T3 to judge it? Can you share your information?

Well, my comments are obviously based on the leaks cited in this thread. We may well be pleasantly surprised, but I doubt it. I always hope for new products that push the envelope.

[Rizla]

I don't really care that much about Sony losing the plot. I bought a couple of cheap Nook STs and rooted them and run Coolreader. So software stability and ease of use etc is not an issue for me because I've stepped outside the manufacturer's box and use a rooted Android OS. I would have bought a Nook Glo but the lighting system sucks.

But I do like the build-quality of Sony products. Saying that, I had a 650 die on me after 14 months. What a waste of money. That was the last time I bought a new Sony and when Sony lost me. Crap customer support. So now I buy cheap and root.

I would like a front-light for those occasional dark tunnels, but from what I read, it's no replacement for a clip-on light in a dark room. Maybe I'll look at a Tolino Shine at some point. The Android e-readers coming out of Russia and the Far East look interesting, but they work out expensive. I won't blow big-bucks on an e-reader. Waste of money.

[booklover6]

Originally Posted by Rizla

I won't blow big-bucks on an e-reader. Waste of money.

You have a good point. The Nook simple touch (got mine for $40) is an awesome reader (mine is rooted and running Mantano). I plan to root the Nook Glow I ordered the day it gets here. It was $20 more, but hey, I can sell the NST. You can get good readers cheap! I recently bought my SIL a brand new Aluratek Libre Pro with all kinds of accessories for $25. She is deliriously happy with it.

[samhy]

Originally Posted by Rizla

I would like a front-light for those occasional dark tunnels, but from what I read, it's no replacement for a clip-on light in a dark room.

For me, it is. I do prefer the evenness of a built-in light to the halo of an external one. And once again, I can read with the window open without attracting too much mosquitoes (or outside, now that it's getting dark around 9:30 pm again). One thing though, I don't put the light higher than maybe 11% because it would become too bright for a dark room.

There is no definitive answer because it really depends on everyone's sensibility and reading preferences.