Any more reviews of PRS-950? - Page 2

Bookworm_Girl · 01-03-2011, 03:57 PM

Hi, mtpaper.

To answer your questions:
1, 4. Yes, the 3G is only limited to the Sony Store. You need Wi-fi to access any other websites like gmail. If you were traveling on the road, then you would have to stop somewhere with Wi-fi like McDonald's or Starbucks.

2. The Sony web-browser comes with a preset link to Facebook so I assume that means it works. I don't use Facebook so I can't comment how well it works. Again, it would only work via Wi-fi and not 3G.

3. Library books have to be downloaded from your library website on your computer and then transferred via USB cable to your ereader. You cannot wirelessly download library books either with Wi-fi or 3G. You can get newspaper subscriptions from the Sony Store via 3G wireless downloads on the 950. You can find there selection here.
http://ebookstore.sony.com/category/newspapers

Hope that helps!

Maggie-Me · 01-03-2011, 06:46 PM

I just bought the Sony 950 and love it. I have not gone thru everything but indeed I believe I read that the 3g is only to access the book store.

I have always been a fan of the Sony eReader and just replaced the prs 700 with the 950. My opinion is that none of the others can compare to the quality (sorry if I offend anyone but I have looked at all of them and even bought the nook color which I returned)
The Sony bookstore was rough at the beginning but I think it compares with the best now and don’t forget you can get ebooks from the library.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtpaper

I have questions about the Sony 950 and its 3G-abilities....

1. I do not plan to surf the web via the 3G, but I would like to know if I can use it in the car to check gmail. I do not expect to respond by email using 950; I just want to check incoming emails (and this is only about once a month)

2. Can my daughter access facebook via the 950? Again, not to post anything; just to read new posts.

3. I do not have WiFi in the house and that will not change. Is it reasonable to think I can use the 950's browser to access the public library for downloads, or for reading newspapers?

4. I have read that the 3g-ability is limited to only accessing the Sony Store.... is that true?

Thank you -

Aurora W · 01-03-2011, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bookworm_Girl

I use the 950 as my primary ereader because I love the extra inch and the touch-screen. I also like the user interface of the Sony better. It has a really excellent collection system for organization, and I like that I can view my book lists as cover images.

I use the K3 for newspapers, magazines and blogs...

I've had my 950 for a few weeks, and find myself doing something similar - only with the iPad. I'm using the 950 for my book reading (much like I did with my very used 505), and am using the iPad as a RSS reader.

I prefer the screen on the Sony for reading, and the touchscreen is a huge added bonus...not to mention the 950 weighs next to nothing compared to my iPad.

mtpaper · 01-03-2011, 10:35 PM

thanks folks -
My life would be easier if we had a dataplan, but we need it so infrequently....

patomonk · 01-05-2011, 12:08 AM

The reasons I got the Sony:

PDF support is so much better than either the kindle or the nook. Just the fact that I can set a custom zoom that will cut the margins to the exact spot that I want is huge for me. That, plus the fact that the screen is a little wider than the kindle means that most pdf books from Googlebooks or archive.org can be read in portrait mode very easily. Plus most pdfs can be reflowed, even scanned ones from Google! [Ones that aren't text based (scanned) can often be forced to reflow using the two page horizontal view option.]

In addition, it seems to handle very large pdfs easier than the kindle. I have several pdfs that are over 100mb and it opens them and flips through them like a breeze, whereas I think that my friends kindle takes longer on the page turns.

The touch screen makes is so easy to:

-Look up a word in the dictionary, which I find myself doing quite frequently even though I have (although I do say so myself) a very good vocabulary. This is more tedious on the kindle.

-Click on a footnote. I actually haven't tried this on a kindle; my friend says it doesn't work, but I couldn't say.

-Highlight, etc.

-Scan through the book by swiping and holding. This is very convenient because instead of loading and refreshing each page it only refreshes when you arrive where you want to be.

-Go to a certain page. One touch at the bottom of the page and you can type in any page you want - And the Sony uses actual page numbers! unlike the strange system of the kindle.

-and just about everything else. It is much faster than using a key board for most things.

The size is perfect. over all it is just a little bigger than the kindle but the screen itself is considerably bigger so the reading experience is better, in my opinion. Plus, the two page landscape mode is great.

Kindle doesn't have page numbers, so citing is a joke.

Expandable memory.

Library books. There are so many available, and I hate the fact that if I buy a book from Amazon for example, I don't own the book, I just have a license to read it. Why not just check it from the library then? of course one wants to have some books always available and Amazon does have a great selection, but to me the library is a no-brainer.

Kindle plusses:

Free 3g - this was a huge attraction for me and really the only thing that made me waver between the two.

Landscape mode for browser and a wonderful article mode. For me the place where the kindle excels is browsing the internet. Plus you can download files directly. Of course you don't have as wide a variety of file options, but regardless, that is very nice.

External speakers. Nice, but I don't think that in reality I would use them a lot. However I really wish the Sony had them!

Text to speech. I can't imagine using it to listen to any sort of literature, but my friend is now using it to listen to a study guide while he watches his kids, and even though it won't go slow enough to be able to be really effective, it is something.

Really long battery life. The Sony's is long but the kindle's is longer.

I think that's about it. I really like the kindle and if it had better pdf options then I might have chosen it instead. And the kindle has some features that the Sony lacks, and is quite a bit cheaper - the wifi version especially, but I would get the 3g version myself!, but as far as reading goes, for me the Sony wins hands down. After using it for a while I can't imagine enjoying reading on a kindle as much as I used to.

mtpaper · 01-05-2011, 04:35 PM

on the 950.....

if you want a book from the library, and you do not have Wi-Fi, but you are near a computer that is connected to the web, can you download the book to your computer,and then to the 950?

Bookworm_Girl · 01-05-2011, 06:03 PM

Yes, you do not need to use Wi-fi or 3G if you don't want to. You can buy books from many different websites besides Sony and also borrow books from a digital library. You download them to your computer. Then you connect the 950 to your computer via USB cable to transfer the books. Sony provides software called Reader Library to manage your book collection on your computer and help with the transfer. There are also other free alternatives like Adobe Digital Editions or calibre. That's how I organize most of my books rather than wirelessly.

01-05-2011, 12:08 AM	#20
patomonk Enthusiast Posts: 30 Karma: 400 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: U.S.A Device: PRS-950	The reasons I got the Sony: PDF support is so much better than either the kindle or the nook. Just the fact that I can set a custom zoom that will cut the margins to the exact spot that I want is huge for me. That, plus the fact that the screen is a little wider than the kindle means that most pdf books from Googlebooks or archive.org can be read in portrait mode very easily. Plus most pdfs can be reflowed, even scanned ones from Google! [Ones that aren't text based (scanned) can often be forced to reflow using the two page horizontal view option.] In addition, it seems to handle very large pdfs easier than the kindle. I have several pdfs that are over 100mb and it opens them and flips through them like a breeze, whereas I think that my friends kindle takes longer on the page turns. The touch screen makes is so easy to: -Look up a word in the dictionary, which I find myself doing quite frequently even though I have (although I do say so myself) a very good vocabulary. This is more tedious on the kindle. -Click on a footnote. I actually haven't tried this on a kindle; my friend says it doesn't work, but I couldn't say. -Highlight, etc. -Scan through the book by swiping and holding. This is very convenient because instead of loading and refreshing each page it only refreshes when you arrive where you want to be. -Go to a certain page. One touch at the bottom of the page and you can type in any page you want - And the Sony uses actual page numbers! unlike the strange system of the kindle. -and just about everything else. It is much faster than using a key board for most things. The size is perfect. over all it is just a little bigger than the kindle but the screen itself is considerably bigger so the reading experience is better, in my opinion. Plus, the two page landscape mode is great. Kindle doesn't have page numbers, so citing is a joke. Expandable memory. Library books. There are so many available, and I hate the fact that if I buy a book from Amazon for example, I don't own the book, I just have a license to read it. Why not just check it from the library then? of course one wants to have some books always available and Amazon does have a great selection, but to me the library is a no-brainer. Kindle plusses: Free 3g - this was a huge attraction for me and really the only thing that made me waver between the two. Landscape mode for browser and a wonderful article mode. For me the place where the kindle excels is browsing the internet. Plus you can download files directly. Of course you don't have as wide a variety of file options, but regardless, that is very nice. External speakers. Nice, but I don't think that in reality I would use them a lot. However I really wish the Sony had them! Text to speech. I can't imagine using it to listen to any sort of literature, but my friend is now using it to listen to a study guide while he watches his kids, and even though it won't go slow enough to be able to be really effective, it is something. Really long battery life. The Sony's is long but the kindle's is longer. I think that's about it. I really like the kindle and if it had better pdf options then I might have chosen it instead. And the kindle has some features that the Sony lacks, and is quite a bit cheaper - the wifi version especially, but I would get the 3g version myself!, but as far as reading goes, for me the Sony wins hands down. After using it for a while I can't imagine enjoying reading on a kindle as much as I used to. Last edited by patomonk; 01-05-2011 at 12:23 AM.

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01-03-2011, 03:57 PM	#16
Bookworm_Girl E-reader Enthusiast Posts: 4,873 Karma: 36536965 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Southwest, USA Device: Kindle Oasis 3; Kobo Aura One; iPad Mini 5	Hi, mtpaper. To answer your questions: 1, 4. Yes, the 3G is only limited to the Sony Store. You need Wi-fi to access any other websites like gmail. If you were traveling on the road, then you would have to stop somewhere with Wi-fi like McDonald's or Starbucks. 2. The Sony web-browser comes with a preset link to Facebook so I assume that means it works. I don't use Facebook so I can't comment how well it works. Again, it would only work via Wi-fi and not 3G. 3. Library books have to be downloaded from your library website on your computer and then transferred via USB cable to your ereader. You cannot wirelessly download library books either with Wi-fi or 3G. You can get newspaper subscriptions from the Sony Store via 3G wireless downloads on the 950. You can find there selection here. http://ebookstore.sony.com/category/newspapers Hope that helps!

01-03-2011, 10:35 PM	#19
mtpaper Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: none	thanks folks - My life would be easier if we had a dataplan, but we need it so infrequently....

01-05-2011, 04:35 PM	#21
mtpaper Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: none	on the 950..... if you want a book from the library, and you do not have Wi-Fi, but you are near a computer that is connected to the web, can you download the book to your computer,and then to the 950?

01-05-2011, 06:03 PM	#22
Bookworm_Girl E-reader Enthusiast Posts: 4,873 Karma: 36536965 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Southwest, USA Device: Kindle Oasis 3; Kobo Aura One; iPad Mini 5	Yes, you do not need to use Wi-fi or 3G if you don't want to. You can buy books from many different websites besides Sony and also borrow books from a digital library. You download them to your computer. Then you connect the 950 to your computer via USB cable to transfer the books. Sony provides software called Reader Library to manage your book collection on your computer and help with the transfer. There are also other free alternatives like Adobe Digital Editions or calibre. That's how I organize most of my books rather than wirelessly.

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