PRS-900 Are you still looking forward to the Daily Edition? - Page 2

Lemurion · 09-28-2009, 05:30 PM

The Irex definitely pushes the 900 off the radar for me, but it was hanging on very tenuously even before that. The problem with the 900 is the screen. I have a 505 currently and am very happy with it with one exception: large-format PDFs. I have a number of RPG rulebooks that I've purchased in PDF and I would love to read them on my Reader, but the screen's too small.

By going to the stretched form-factor on the screen, Sony killed most of my interest in the 900. The only reason I would have for buying a new device along with my current 505 would be for large-size PDF support - and the 900 won't let me put a large-size page on a single screen and still be legible. Sony managed the impossible - designing a device with a bigger screen that doesn't provide the benefits of a bigger screen.

wallcraft · 09-28-2009, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drmaxx

What's the benefit of an 8inch screen? Isn't that still too small for PDFs?

An 8.1" screen in landscape mode is the same width as the DR1000S and Plastic Logic screens in portrait mode (and a bit wider than the Kindle DX). So if you can use a KDX (say) in portrait mode for your PDFs when you can use the DR800S in landscape mode with two page turns per physical page. You can almost make the same argument for the Daily Edition, except that it might need three page turns per physical page. See E-book Reader Matrix: Larger Devices. Even the portrait mode with margins cropped will be big enough for many more readers on an 8.1" screen than a 6" screen (probably still a small minority of readers overall though).

If you find yourself switching frequently to landscape mode for PDFs on a KDX, then an 8.1" screen won't be as useful. Although the DR800SG will likely have a flexible zoom capability.

Faenad · 09-28-2009, 06:01 PM

The size of the screen is not all. It's also important to see how good is the firmware as handling PDF. I would also look at :

- Automatic blank margins removal. This alone helps to gain a lot of screen real estate. It's possible to cut margins before loading a PDF on the reader, but this is really annoying, especially if different pages have different margins. BTW does someone knows of a software that does that automatically?

- A good zoom with the possibility to remain zoomed at the same level every pages, and with a sufficiently fast processor & screen controller behind it to be able to move quickly around the page.

-Optional reflowed zoom, ability to takes notes, hyperlink & toc fonction.

Ie the DX have the right hardware, but failed on the software. Sad.

katewilly · 09-28-2009, 06:34 PM

I know this really about the Sony DE and the new IRex, but I like my PRS 700 just fine, I just wish they would update the firmware to add a dictionary. It's less than a year old and it serves all my other purposes just fine. The DE and IRex just don't intrigue me that much.

orion2001 · 09-28-2009, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Faenad

- Automatic blank margins removal. This alone helps to gain a lot of screen real estate. It's possible to cut margins before loading a PDF on the reader, but this is really annoying, especially if different pages have different margins. BTW does someone knows of a software that does that automatically?

You should look into SoPDF.

It is a great software and one of the MR members has also created a GUI for it (you can find it in the thread). It automatically strips margins and supports multiple margin sizes across different pages (ie it optimizes the margin stripping on a per single page basis).

Faenad · 09-30-2009, 08:08 PM

Thanks, I wasn't aware that SoPDF was able to strips margins, I thought that it only was to cut down PDF pages in half.

drmaxx · 10-01-2009, 07:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wallcraft

If you find yourself switching frequently to landscape mode for PDFs on a KDX, then an 8.1" screen won't be as useful. Although the DR800SG will likely have a flexible zoom capability.

Thanks for the insightful reply

Crowl · 10-01-2009, 08:08 PM

New devices like the irex have reduced my interest in the 900, especially since my 505 is still great and there's no set date for when sony will even launch the 900 outside north america.

Another important consideration would concern what half-hearted setup they would even go with in europe when you consider the current shoddy setup they have with partner sites in european countries that consist of nothing more than a link that launches a browser to take you to that particular store.

Andanzas · 10-02-2009, 12:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lemurion

The Irex definitely pushes the 900 off the radar for me

That happened to me as well, until I realized that Irex is releasing a half-made product. They might have excellent reasons, but I don't trust companies that do that. The funny thing is, I was sure I would buy the PRS-900 if I liked the screen after seeing it in person, but now that the Irex has shown me the flaws of the Sony and viceversa, I might wait until the next generation or the Plastic Logic.

Or maybe not.

Faenad · 10-05-2009, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andanzas

now that the Irex has shown me the flaws of the Sony and viceversa, I might wait until the next generation or the Plastic Logic.

Or maybe not.

I will probably go for the Irex. Contrary to Plastic Logic, they already have devices on the market, so the DR800 devices will not be a first generation model.

And you could still be waiting a long time for the Plastic Logic. Last September when the Irex DR1000 was released, many people were already pondering if it was not better to wait for the Paper Logic (which at that time was supposed to be released in early 2009). I guess Barnes & Noble decided to do not wait.

mgmueller · 10-05-2009, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate the great

Did any of the other manufacturers release a device that lacked critical software like power management?

You mention that Sony and Amazon have not released any major firmware updates. Is there a core ability that needs to be repaired (not just tweaked)? I can't think of any, other than a few fringe geek-wants.

Both Sony and Amazon have released devices that could reasonably be described as post beta. Irex has not.

Did any other supplier deliver such perfect PDF zoom? Does any other OS allow "on the fly" changing author's name or book title or adding comments?
Do Sony or Amazon support folders, which many consider "core ability"?
iRex certainly has its flaws. But I'd still rank iLiad within my top 3 (1000S being too bulky for me) and lots of guys agree: (One of the) best PDF engines so far.
BTW: I'll certainly buy both, Sony Daily Edition and iRex 800.

Faenad · 10-06-2009, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate the great

Did any of the other manufacturers release a device that lacked critical software like power management?

You mention that Sony and Amazon have not released any major firmware updates. Is there a core ability that needs to be repaired (not just tweaked)? I can't think of any, other than a few fringe geek-wants.

I can think of the lack of Epub justification for the Sony, or the poor PDF support for the DX.

That the two most annoying defaults for me right now, and the reason why I don't use Epub for the moment on my 505 and why I didn't purchase the DX (and why I'm instead waiting for others large screen readers).

While I don't think full justification or a zoom option are fringe geek-wants, everyone needs may vary.

Nate the great · 10-06-2009, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Faenad

I can think of the lack of Epub justification for the Sony, or the poor PDF support for the DX.

That the two most annoying defaults for me right now, and the reason why I don't use Epub for the moment on my 505 and why I didn't purchase the DX (and why I'm instead waiting for others large screen readers).

While I don't think full justification or a zoom option are fringe geek-wants, everyone needs may vary.

Neither of those nuisances are on the same level as releasing a device without power management.

Ad besides. the justification on the 505 is a result of the Adobe software Sony is using. I doubt that Sony can do anything about it.

wallcraft · 10-06-2009, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate the great

Ad besides. the justification on the 505 is a result of the Adobe software Sony is using. I doubt that Sony can do anything about it.

All they need to do is upgrade to a recent version of mobile Adobe Digital Editions. Every other EInk device with ADE supports justification. If Sony does not want to upgrade the PRS-505 firmware I guess that is ok, but it is a scandal that Sony uses year-old buggy ADE in the PRS-300 and PRS-600. This is particularly the case since ePub is about to be the primary format for the Readers.

Faenad · 10-06-2009, 11:55 PM

yep. Even the buggy Hanlin V5 reader do have epub justification. Hey, even Booken who are known to have a one-man development team do have justified epub.

I do hope we will see an update when Sony switch completely to Epub. They are certainly not in a hurry about it.

The DR800 on the other hand is supposed to have user-adjustable margins; something I missed since I switched from reading on a Windows Mobile smartphone to an Eink device. Far easier to change margins on the device, than to generate custom ebook according to one taste.

It's a shame that most dedicated reader are so lacking software wise compared to PDA & smartphones.

10-06-2009, 11:55 PM	#30
Faenad Ad astra per aspera Posts: 347 Karma: 724 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Mexico Device: PRS-505, PRS-300 & HTC HD2	yep. Even the buggy Hanlin V5 reader do have epub justification. Hey, even Booken who are known to have a one-man development team do have justified epub. I do hope we will see an update when Sony switch completely to Epub. They are certainly not in a hurry about it. The DR800 on the other hand is supposed to have user-adjustable margins; something I missed since I switched from reading on a Windows Mobile smartphone to an Eink device. Far easier to change margins on the device, than to generate custom ebook according to one taste. It's a shame that most dedicated reader are so lacking software wise compared to PDA & smartphones. Last edited by Faenad; 10-06-2009 at 11:58 PM.

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09-28-2009, 05:30 PM	#16
Lemurion eReader Posts: 2,750 Karma: 4968470 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Note 5; PW3; Nook HD+; ChuWi Hi12; iPad	The Irex definitely pushes the 900 off the radar for me, but it was hanging on very tenuously even before that. The problem with the 900 is the screen. I have a 505 currently and am very happy with it with one exception: large-format PDFs. I have a number of RPG rulebooks that I've purchased in PDF and I would love to read them on my Reader, but the screen's too small. By going to the stretched form-factor on the screen, Sony killed most of my interest in the 900. The only reason I would have for buying a new device along with my current 505 would be for large-size PDF support - and the 900 won't let me put a large-size page on a single screen and still be legible. Sony managed the impossible - designing a device with a bigger screen that doesn't provide the benefits of a bigger screen.

09-28-2009, 06:01 PM	#18
Faenad Ad astra per aspera Posts: 347 Karma: 724 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Mexico Device: PRS-505, PRS-300 & HTC HD2	The size of the screen is not all. It's also important to see how good is the firmware as handling PDF. I would also look at : - Automatic blank margins removal. This alone helps to gain a lot of screen real estate. It's possible to cut margins before loading a PDF on the reader, but this is really annoying, especially if different pages have different margins. BTW does someone knows of a software that does that automatically? - A good zoom with the possibility to remain zoomed at the same level every pages, and with a sufficiently fast processor & screen controller behind it to be able to move quickly around the page. -Optional reflowed zoom, ability to takes notes, hyperlink & toc fonction. Ie the DX have the right hardware, but failed on the software. Sad.

09-28-2009, 06:34 PM	#19
katewilly Enthusiast Posts: 36 Karma: 13912 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Alabama Device: sony 700, iTouch, iPhone, nook, iPad 2	I know this really about the Sony DE and the new IRex, but I like my PRS 700 just fine, I just wish they would update the firmware to add a dictionary. It's less than a year old and it serves all my other purposes just fine. The DE and IRex just don't intrigue me that much.

09-30-2009, 08:08 PM	#21
Faenad Ad astra per aspera Posts: 347 Karma: 724 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Mexico Device: PRS-505, PRS-300 & HTC HD2	Thanks, I wasn't aware that SoPDF was able to strips margins, I thought that it only was to cut down PDF pages in half.

10-01-2009, 08:08 PM	#23
Crowl Wizard Posts: 1,340 Karma: 1160346 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Southport, GB Device: Kindle Voyage, PW Signature edition	New devices like the irex have reduced my interest in the 900, especially since my 505 is still great and there's no set date for when sony will even launch the 900 outside north america. Another important consideration would concern what half-hearted setup they would even go with in europe when you consider the current shoddy setup they have with partner sites in european countries that consist of nothing more than a link that launches a browser to take you to that particular store.

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