PRS-505 still expensive :( - Page 2

maxbookworm · 07-26-2010, 02:43 PM

I think the PB302 is definitely worth looking into. I have the Astak Mentor, which is the same hardware, and the screen is super clear, super sharp (seems better than my PRS-300 somehow). The Pocketbook firmware is awesome too. The main difference is that the body of the reader is plastic vs. the 505's metal body. I personally like this, as I like a lightweight reader, but some people think it feels 'cheap.'

HarryT · 07-26-2010, 02:43 PM

I read a lot of 19th century novels, which use many words that have fallen out of use today. Although you can generally guess the meaning of the word from its context, it's nice just to be able to tap the word on the screen and instantly see its meaning, and because it's so convenient, it doesn't interrupt the flow of reading, as looking it up in a paper dictionary would.

Elfwreck · 07-26-2010, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worldwalker

Why would I want to store my books in folders? I have collections. Though I could put PRS+ on it if I wanted folders.

I want folders. (I'm also stalling on PRS+, for no reason I can come up with other than "rebooting firmware for anything makes me nervous.") I don't get collections because I put my books onto the reader with drag-and-drop in Windows; I can't download the Sony software (too big for dialup; blocked at work, plus, is icky software), and Calibre (AFAIK) won't let me tag the books already on my reader; I'd have to remove them all & re-import them. (450+ books.)

I work at & load books from three different computers (home desktop, home laptop, job computer) and have no way of keeping the reader synched to all three of them to allow collections or tags.

Instead, I put a prefix in the title of most books so they sort into groups. (I have a lot of fanfic; I put the fandom abbreviation in the title--"Trek" or "DCU" or "HP" or whatever.) It works almost as well as folders. Kind of.

Quote:

Justification doesn't matter to me; I'm not sure why, but it just doesn't.

Me neither. But it does to some people, and Sony doesn't offer it. (Sony also doesn't offer nearly the font size range of some readers. Doesn't bother me; is important to plenty of other people.)

Quote:

I read mostly fiction on my 505. Were I a student this might be different, but my pleasure reading does not involve either searching or notes.

If I had an easy way to highlight passages or take notes, I'd use it, even though I mostly read fiction.

Quote:

People are willing to pay more for a used 505 than a new Kindle, or a lot of other brand-new ebook readers. Seems to me that there are enough people who agree with me to keep the prices high.

I don't think the 505 is "the best." But I think it's high on the list of candidates, and it's definitely best for a lot of people--and it's not prone to weird problems.

Its prices don't so much run "high" as "about average for 6" ebook readers with that range of filetypes," with a slight bit extra for "no longer being made; if this is the right reader for you, it's *never* going to be more available than it is right now."

Quote:

*waves high the banner of the Silver Sony Brigade*

Red Sonys are the best--the color makes the text spicier!

coeus · 07-30-2010, 10:33 AM

Thanks for the replies guys. I was interested in getting a used PRS-505 because I assumed it would be cheaper and I really liked the reader. To me it did exactly what I needed it to do, aside from some poor PDF rendering. I was planning on hanging on to it until a newer generation of readers came a long.

However, since it's still too costly, I think I'm going to go with the Nook. It's affordable, easy to use, has newer e-Ink technology, looks faster than the PRS-505, etc. So I will probably get this device for now and stick with it until a new generation of e-Readers show significant improvements from the current generations.

Graham · 07-30-2010, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coeus

I think I'm going to go with the Nook. It's affordable, easy to use, has newer e-Ink technology, ...

Does the Nook have newer eInk technology? I thought all eInk devices were using the first generation screens except the new Kindles?

If you're buying now I'd definitely hold off until the new screens are widely available (or simply go with the Kindle).

Graham

Noah98 · 07-31-2010, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graham

Does the Nook have newer eInk technology? I thought all eInk devices were using the first generation screens except the new Kindles?

If you're buying now I'd definitely hold off until the new screens are widely available (or simply go with the Kindle).

Graham

The nook has the clearest screen of the current generation ereaders (slightly better than the Kindle), but the new Kindle that is coming out in August will have the best screen of them all.

emonti8384 · 08-01-2010, 12:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worldwalker

Simple: the Sony PRS-505 is the best ebook reader ever built.

Hear, hear!

(As a fellow sony ereader person, lol)

Josieb1 · 08-01-2010, 09:33 AM

I have a PRS505 and a Sony Touch. I wanted the Touch for the larger storage (the SD card option never worked for me) and the Touch screen. I have ordered the new Kindle as the Touch screen is now getting on my nerves, but I still love my 505, and wouldn't consider selling it. If I sold anything it would be the Touch, but I do feel the lower Kindle price makes the second hand value of the Touch not worth selling. The second hand price of the 505 may come down as well.

To be honest with the new Kindle the price it is I can't see anyone wanting a second hand machine.

HarryT · 08-01-2010, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graham

Does the Nook have newer eInk technology? I thought all eInk devices were using the first generation screens except the new Kindles?

No eInk device has used a first generation eInk screen since the Sony PRS-500, to the best of my knowledge. The majority of current devices use second generation - aka "Vizplex" - eInk screens.

Angst · 08-02-2010, 01:11 PM

What I love best about my PRS-505 is the integrated lightwedge cover. When Sony discontinued the model, the covers were dirt cheap, ($25 instead of $60), so I picked up a couple extra.

The customization programs available on this site are also a plus. A new OS for the
PRS-505 has also been released by the support community and is also available on mobileread.

ProfCrash · 08-02-2010, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coeus

Thanks for the replies guys. I was interested in getting a used PRS-505 because I assumed it would be cheaper and I really liked the reader. To me it did exactly what I needed it to do, aside from some poor PDF rendering. I was planning on hanging on to it until a newer generation of readers came a long.

However, since it's still too costly, I think I'm going to go with the Nook. It's affordable, easy to use, has newer e-Ink technology, looks faster than the PRS-505, etc. So I will probably get this device for now and stick with it until a new generation of e-Readers show significant improvements from the current generations.

If you havn't purchased your 505 yet, take a look at the K3. It is 21% smaller then the K2 and smaller then the Nook. It has the new Pearl screen which people on this board have posted is at least as good as if not better then the 505 screen. And it has collections. I love my collections (aka folders).

HarryT · 08-03-2010, 03:07 AM

Collections are not folders, they are tags. It's a totally different thing.

HansTWN · 08-03-2010, 06:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

If you havn't purchased your 505 yet, take a look at the K3. It is 21% smaller then the K2 and smaller then the Nook. It has the new Pearl screen which people on this board have posted is at least as good as if not better then the 505 screen. And it has collections. I love my collections (aka folders).

I think we can be certain that the new Pearl screen is a lot better than the old 505's screen. Contrast, background, refresh rates, etc. The K2's screen probably was the same as the 505's.

mike_bike_kite · 08-03-2010, 06:28 AM

I'd go for the new Kindle 3 as well. You get a great screen, the latest hardware and free internet for less money than your 2nd hand PRS 505. You'll want to budget for a cover as well.

darknessangel · 08-03-2010, 07:18 AM

Not the best for all, but for me personally yes. Perhaps for some google-fu impaired people it's the kindle =P. I like my prs-505 which I fortunately bought at discount when they brought the new 600s in. I just don't know why people need folders/collections. I have 47 books there and I know in which order I want to read them. I also don't know why people want more storage capacity in an ebook reader when the books are so small. It's not as if I need 1000 books in mine =D And I've had problems just one single time with a pdf (and 99,999% of my library is pdf), converted to epub = fine.

Judging by it's design, feel, actual price, no touchscreen, variety of formats, storage capacity and card-slots (which I never use) for me it's the best you can get right now or if you need internet connection and like the design (which I don't like), the kindle. I don't need bells and whistles on my book.

GJMS

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07-26-2010, 02:43 PM	#16
maxbookworm Addict Posts: 372 Karma: 1122865 Join Date: Apr 2010 Device: Kindle Voyage, Galaxy Note 2	I think the PB302 is definitely worth looking into. I have the Astak Mentor, which is the same hardware, and the screen is super clear, super sharp (seems better than my PRS-300 somehow). The Pocketbook firmware is awesome too. The main difference is that the body of the reader is plastic vs. the 505's metal body. I personally like this, as I like a lightweight reader, but some people think it feels 'cheap.'

07-26-2010, 02:43 PM	#17
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,548 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I read a lot of 19th century novels, which use many words that have fallen out of use today. Although you can generally guess the meaning of the word from its context, it's nice just to be able to tap the word on the screen and instantly see its meaning, and because it's so convenient, it doesn't interrupt the flow of reading, as looking it up in a paper dictionary would.

07-30-2010, 10:33 AM	#19
coeus Member Posts: 15 Karma: 1058 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: Nook; Motorola Milestone	Thanks for the replies guys. I was interested in getting a used PRS-505 because I assumed it would be cheaper and I really liked the reader. To me it did exactly what I needed it to do, aside from some poor PDF rendering. I was planning on hanging on to it until a newer generation of readers came a long. However, since it's still too costly, I think I'm going to go with the Nook. It's affordable, easy to use, has newer e-Ink technology, looks faster than the PRS-505, etc. So I will probably get this device for now and stick with it until a new generation of e-Readers show significant improvements from the current generations.

08-01-2010, 09:33 AM	#23
Josieb1 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,086 Karma: 18051062 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: UK Device: Kindle Scribe, Coloursoft, PW SE, Kindle 6, Kobo Libra 2	I have a PRS505 and a Sony Touch. I wanted the Touch for the larger storage (the SD card option never worked for me) and the Touch screen. I have ordered the new Kindle as the Touch screen is now getting on my nerves, but I still love my 505, and wouldn't consider selling it. If I sold anything it would be the Touch, but I do feel the lower Kindle price makes the second hand value of the Touch not worth selling. The second hand price of the 505 may come down as well. To be honest with the new Kindle the price it is I can't see anyone wanting a second hand machine.

08-02-2010, 01:11 PM	#25
Angst Cannon Fodder Posts: 2,878 Karma: 52253556 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Probably a library Device: PRS-350, Kindle DX, Kindle Paperwhite	What I love best about my PRS-505 is the integrated lightwedge cover. When Sony discontinued the model, the covers were dirt cheap, ($25 instead of $60), so I picked up a couple extra. The customization programs available on this site are also a plus. A new OS for the PRS-505 has also been released by the support community and is also available on mobileread.

08-03-2010, 03:07 AM	#27
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,548 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Collections are not folders, they are tags. It's a totally different thing.

08-03-2010, 06:28 AM	#29
mike_bike_kite Digitally confused Posts: 500 Karma: 1500000 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: London, UK Device: KPW, K2i, Nexus 7 32gb, Kobo Mini	I'd go for the new Kindle 3 as well. You get a great screen, the latest hardware and free internet for less money than your 2nd hand PRS 505. You'll want to budget for a cover as well.

08-03-2010, 07:18 AM	#30
darknessangel Addict Posts: 297 Karma: 1018140 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: PRS-505, iPad	Not the best for all, but for me personally yes. Perhaps for some google-fu impaired people it's the kindle =P. I like my prs-505 which I fortunately bought at discount when they brought the new 600s in. I just don't know why people need folders/collections. I have 47 books there and I know in which order I want to read them. I also don't know why people want more storage capacity in an ebook reader when the books are so small. It's not as if I need 1000 books in mine =D And I've had problems just one single time with a pdf (and 99,999% of my library is pdf), converted to epub = fine. Judging by it's design, feel, actual price, no touchscreen, variety of formats, storage capacity and card-slots (which I never use) for me it's the best you can get right now or if you need internet connection and like the design (which I don't like), the kindle. I don't need bells and whistles on my book. GJMS

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