Is the Sony PRS-700 your next device? - Page 2

Faenad · 10-02-2008, 08:18 PM

The 700 is not good enough to upgrade from the 505, but if I was in the market today I would certainly buy one even considering the higher price.
When I shopped a while ago it was a close choice between the Cybook & the 505 but with the 700 it seems now that Sony offers by far the best reader in the 6" category.

I feel kinda disappointed though, I feel the best move for Sony and the Ebook market in general would rather have been a cheaper (smaller, like 5"?) device than a new high end one.

igorsk · 10-02-2008, 08:20 PM

Wired thinks they're aiming for textbook market.

Quote:

Several major textbook publishers were in attendance at the release, further emphasizing the fact that Sony envisions college students as their target market.

But the PRS-700 is $100 more expensive that the previous reader at $399, which is likely to turn many students away. Perhaps if Sony worked out a cheaper package deal with textbook publishers, the cost would be more manageable.

c-not-k · 10-02-2008, 09:07 PM

My nearly year-old 505 got broken 6 weeks ago. I will be replacing it. I voted "No". I was that happy with my 505, and the 700 doesn't seem to offer features I deem important. I will wait for a hands-on review (and maybe test-drive one at a retail store.)

lionfish · 10-02-2008, 09:25 PM

The newly added features are not that useful. With the touch screen, a dictionary should be implemented easily, why not add it?

vivaldirules · 10-02-2008, 10:49 PM

Sounds like another nice hardware device from Sony. I really like the idea of the soft keyboard, searching, and the light. But if Sony gave me a $100 for my 505 (which I already like a lot), I would.......go buy a Kindle for which I could buy a lot more books that I want to read. You're just not helping me out here, Sony.

M0zza · 10-03-2008, 04:09 AM

My nearly year old 505 (well... my wifes, but she's got mine now) has a damaged screen. And so I'm going to be looking for a replacement at some stage soon (I can still make use of the damaged one for now). But as I'm in the UK and don't want to be ordering from the US. I voted no.

I prefer the looks of the 505, and the new features of the 700 don't do anything for me. So I think a new 505 around christmas, or whenever I see a good offer (I can hope!) will be my next purchase.

AshW · 10-03-2008, 04:17 AM

In a lot of ways I'm relieved. As I've only just bought a 505 (just released in the UK) I was worried it would get an upgrade that made me regret not waiting. But it hasn't. The touch screen does nothing for me... the light, I guess that's nice, but I can live without.

If both where available when I was buying I probably would have got the 505 still. I kind of like the idea of minimal features in a reader. To me it's a book with a couple of buttons.

martinbradford · 10-03-2008, 04:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShortNCuddlyAm

Just bought a 505, and there's nothing here that would make me regret that

Likewise - there's certainly not enough difference to make me replace my 505 while it's still working. In a few years when the 505 is wearing out, I would certainly consider the 700. If the 505 doesn't last at least two or three years, I would have to question the value of the product.

Martin

Riocaz · 10-03-2008, 06:57 AM

Maybe, but probably not.

My reader will hit it's first anniversary in the next week or two. And it still matches most of my needs. The 700 is nice, but I don't see that it's features justify an upgrade at this point.

If I manage to kill the 505 in the next year then I might change my mind, otherwise I will look at whats on offer then.

kacir · 10-03-2008, 07:28 AM

No.
The touch screen is interesting, and it opens the device to some other uses.
BUT for the page turning a couple of buttons located on left, right and bottom edge of the device would work much much better (IMHO) than a swipe.

Come on.
I hold the reader by one hand while reading. How am I supposed to make the swipe with the same hand I use for holding the device? Do not tell me I need to turn pages with two hands like when reading a hardback.
Perhaps if it could be configured to turn the page when you lightly touch the screen near the border ...

For now, my trusty PRS500 does everything I need from a book reader.
I might update my PRS500 to a PRS505 if the price of second-hand 505s falls down when early adopters rush to update to PRS700.

BlackVoid · 10-03-2008, 08:38 AM

No. I hate greasy fingerprints on any screen.

jerryleejr · 10-03-2008, 09:01 AM

If and I mean IF I was in the market for a Reader and had no experience with the 505 then I would probably buy it. But knowing what I know about the 505 and having owned one for just over a month. Then i would say No I will wait for a couple more versions with features I want. Like WI-FI or Bluetooth, Mac support etc.

JJ

giedre · 10-03-2008, 12:48 PM

I think that even if Sony put out a reader with something akin to Amazon's whispernet, it still would not outshine the Kindle. I love the way the 500/505 look, they're sexy, slim and much more portable due to the size. The Kindle is somewhat awkward, bulky and yes, not very pretty.
However, the number of books one can get from Amazon, and most importantly the price of those books makes my Kindle much more valuable to me. If only they could make the Kindle more attractive!

jamesdmanley · 10-03-2008, 12:59 PM

meh..

edit: if it was bigger or had higher resolution maybe. im just not so infatuated with touching things that ill pay an extra $150 to do it

Liviu_5 · 10-03-2008, 01:05 PM

This is a large step in the right direction with touch and integrated lighting. Too expensive for now, but if I decided to go for an eink - for now I still find the advantages of an eink screen not compensating fro the many disadvantages so the 770 is still my main device with the Touch as a backup - I would take this over Kindle by far.

If Sony makes a smaller screen eink with touch and lighting and half price and they may finally get a serious mass market device.

View Poll Results: Would you buy the Sony PRS-700?
Yes!	127	35.57%
No.	125	35.01%
Maybe...	105	29.41%
Voters: 357. You may not vote on this poll

10-03-2008, 12:59 PM	#29
jamesdmanley Groupie Posts: 156 Karma: 817 Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: houston Device: prs-500	meh.. edit: if it was bigger or had higher resolution maybe. im just not so infatuated with touching things that ill pay an extra $150 to do it Last edited by jamesdmanley; 10-03-2008 at 01:01 PM.

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10-02-2008, 08:18 PM	#16
Faenad Ad astra per aspera Posts: 347 Karma: 724 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Mexico Device: PRS-505, PRS-300 & HTC HD2	The 700 is not good enough to upgrade from the 505, but if I was in the market today I would certainly buy one even considering the higher price. When I shopped a while ago it was a close choice between the Cybook & the 505 but with the 700 it seems now that Sony offers by far the best reader in the 6" category. I feel kinda disappointed though, I feel the best move for Sony and the Ebook market in general would rather have been a cheaper (smaller, like 5"?) device than a new high end one.

10-02-2008, 09:07 PM	#18
c-not-k Enthusiast Posts: 36 Karma: 3008 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Maryland Device: Sony PRS 650, T3, Nook Color	My nearly year-old 505 got broken 6 weeks ago. I will be replacing it. I voted "No". I was that happy with my 505, and the 700 doesn't seem to offer features I deem important. I will wait for a hands-on review (and maybe test-drive one at a retail store.)

10-02-2008, 09:25 PM	#19
lionfish Connoisseur Posts: 54 Karma: 146 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: E-Book Reader	The newly added features are not that useful. With the touch screen, a dictionary should be implemented easily, why not add it?

10-02-2008, 10:49 PM	#20
vivaldirules When's Doughnut Day? Posts: 10,059 Karma: 13675475 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Houston, TX, US Device: Sony PRS-505, iPad	Sounds like another nice hardware device from Sony. I really like the idea of the soft keyboard, searching, and the light. But if Sony gave me a $100 for my 505 (which I already like a lot), I would.......go buy a Kindle for which I could buy a lot more books that I want to read. You're just not helping me out here, Sony.

10-03-2008, 04:09 AM	#21
M0zza Geek... Apparently Posts: 211 Karma: 51260 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Herts, UK Device: Sony PRS-505 (Silver), ASUS Transformer TF300T, IPAD Air 2	My nearly year old 505 (well... my wifes, but she's got mine now) has a damaged screen. And so I'm going to be looking for a replacement at some stage soon (I can still make use of the damaged one for now). But as I'm in the UK and don't want to be ordering from the US. I voted no. I prefer the looks of the 505, and the new features of the 700 don't do anything for me. So I think a new 505 around christmas, or whenever I see a good offer (I can hope!) will be my next purchase.

10-03-2008, 04:17 AM	#22
AshW Connoisseur Posts: 55 Karma: 148 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Narnia Device: Sony Reader	In a lot of ways I'm relieved. As I've only just bought a 505 (just released in the UK) I was worried it would get an upgrade that made me regret not waiting. But it hasn't. The touch screen does nothing for me... the light, I guess that's nice, but I can live without. If both where available when I was buying I probably would have got the 505 still. I kind of like the idea of minimal features in a reader. To me it's a book with a couple of buttons.

10-03-2008, 06:57 AM	#24
Riocaz Fulfilled but not by iRex Posts: 932 Karma: 286846 Join Date: May 2006 Location: London Device: Far too many	Maybe, but probably not. My reader will hit it's first anniversary in the next week or two. And it still matches most of my needs. The 700 is nice, but I don't see that it's features justify an upgrade at this point. If I manage to kill the 505 in the next year then I might change my mind, otherwise I will look at whats on offer then.

10-03-2008, 07:28 AM	#25
kacir Wizard Posts: 3,463 Karma: 10684861 Join Date: May 2006 Device: PocketBook 360, before it was Sony Reader, cassiopeia A-20	No. The touch screen is interesting, and it opens the device to some other uses. BUT for the page turning a couple of buttons located on left, right and bottom edge of the device would work much much better (IMHO) than a swipe. Come on. I hold the reader by one hand while reading. How am I supposed to make the swipe with the same hand I use for holding the device? Do not tell me I need to turn pages with two hands like when reading a hardback. Perhaps if it could be configured to turn the page when you lightly touch the screen near the border ... For now, my trusty PRS500 does everything I need from a book reader. I might update my PRS500 to a PRS505 if the price of second-hand 505s falls down when early adopters rush to update to PRS700.

10-03-2008, 08:38 AM	#26
BlackVoid Evangelist Posts: 415 Karma: 510423 Join Date: Nov 2006 Device: Sony PRS-505	No. I hate greasy fingerprints on any screen.

10-03-2008, 09:01 AM	#27
jerryleejr Koby-rific! Posts: 944 Karma: 191112 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: 2' From My MacBook Pro Device: Kobo Sage,Kobo Aura One, Glo HD,PRS-T1,PRS-950, PRS 300, PRS 350	If and I mean IF I was in the market for a Reader and had no experience with the 505 then I would probably buy it. But knowing what I know about the 505 and having owned one for just over a month. Then i would say No I will wait for a couple more versions with features I want. Like WI-FI or Bluetooth, Mac support etc. JJ

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10-03-2008, 12:48 PM	#28
giedre Connoisseur Posts: 84 Karma: 4850 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: North Carolina Device: Sony 500,505, Kindle, 1150	I think that even if Sony put out a reader with something akin to Amazon's whispernet, it still would not outshine the Kindle. I love the way the 500/505 look, they're sexy, slim and much more portable due to the size. The Kindle is somewhat awkward, bulky and yes, not very pretty. However, the number of books one can get from Amazon, and most importantly the price of those books makes my Kindle much more valuable to me. If only they could make the Kindle more attractive!

10-03-2008, 01:05 PM	#30
Liviu_5 Books and more books Posts: 917 Karma: 69499 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: White Plains, NY, USA Device: Nook Color, Itouch, Nokia770, Sony 650, Sony 700(dead), Ebk(given)	This is a large step in the right direction with touch and integrated lighting. Too expensive for now, but if I decided to go for an eink - for now I still find the advantages of an eink screen not compensating fro the many disadvantages so the 770 is still my main device with the Touch as a backup - I would take this over Kindle by far. If Sony makes a smaller screen eink with touch and lighting and half price and they may finally get a serious mass market device.