First Impressions of the PRS-700

[Liviu_5]

Originally Posted by DerHund

Judging from the posting frequency of abermp, it could also be an sony employee justifying a buy for the 700.
Having seen the 700 screen in comparision to the 505, I really cannot understand why anybody would buy a 700...
Sony, you just screwed up on this device...

Interesting claim above, some proof would be helpful.

I love the 700 and I am not a Sony employee since I could not use the 500 and gave it away and I could not use the 505 either so never bought it though I tried it quite a few times. After all these claims by the 505 fanatics, I tried it one more time tonight at a store and again it struck me what a slowpoke is it compared to the 700.

I would have stuck happily to my 770 and went to a 800/810 when the 770 dies, but the 700 impressed me so much that I bought it on sight and have been using it extensively for the past week - I am at the fourth novel on it, after 2 finished novels, one full novel reread and another half novel read so far - and the device is great so far. I even neglected my print books and I have 2 *must* reads that I've been waiting for a while...

So please back off wild claims and personal attacks, and while nobody asks you to like the 700, there is no reason to get personal. Just do not buy it...

[sayhello]

Originally Posted by Liviu_5

since I could not use the 500 and gave it away and I could not use the 505 either so never bought it though I tried it quite a few times.

I'm interested to know what you mean by "I could not use the 500" and "I could not use the 505 either". Could not use it it what way?

Sayhello

[Liviu_5]

Originally Posted by sayhello

I'm interested to know what you mean by "I could not use the 500" and "I could not use the 505 either". Could not use it it what way?

Sayhello

Too slow; I had the 500 for about 9 months to a year I think - I bought it last year with that Sony card promotion so I paid only 60$ and I got 50$ free books, and I gave it away in August after sitting unused on my shelves for a good while - and I read maybe 5 books on it, while in the same time frame I read maybe 50 books, maybe more on my 770.

I tried the 505 many times at the Sony Store, at Borders, at Target - even tonight I tried it again at Target after people having seen both the 505 and 700 claimed that the 505 is not noticeably slower when turning pages than the 700 and again I could not believe how anyone in good faith can make that claim when the 505 is clearly slower. As some people are sensitive to the screen, I am very sensitive to speed and ergonomics and the 505 is just way too slow and clumsy comparable to the 700 for me.

After all the reports on how eink is slow by nature I did not believe I would find an eink that I could use, so maybe this is why I was so amazed when I saw the 700 first and I wanted to buy it on the spot had they have in store then, and in fact I bought it on the spot the moment it was available...

I do not dispute the claim that the 505 is crisper, but the 700 is quite decent screenwise too at least for me. If for some people the screen is a deal breaker, sure why not, but from there to making wild claims as above - anyone happy with the 700 is a shill for Sony and such - is quite a stretch and kind of annoying

[kacir]

Originally Posted by DerHund

Judging from the posting frequency of abermp, it could also be an sony employee justifying a buy for the 700.
Having seen the 700 screen in comparision to the 505, I really cannot understand why anybody would buy a 700...
Sony, you just screwed up on this device...

Come on ...
Do you have some proof, or you just simply think that if you do not like it, there is nobody that does?

I know people that are HAPPY reading from a very small cell phone display. I personally shudder when I imagine reading several hundred books from a tiny display, yet there definitely are people that like it that way. Japanese even write (!!!!) novels on their cell phones while commuting. I personally hate writing even short SMS messages using 10 buttons, and I only use about 26 letters and not thousands characters in four different "alphabets" (**) <SHUDDER>

I am a happy owner of PRS-500. I have read many hundred books on it and I carry it *everywhere*. It does have many shortcomings, yet I am quite content with the quality of its 19 months old display (the display loses crispness a little bit as it ages). I also do not think that the speed of the unit is an issue. I only open a new book about once a day and it is no problem for me to wait a little. Yet, in previous posts a few people declared PRS-500 unuseable because of its speed.

I was fancying buying a new reader, but I will have to wait until I see PRS-700 in person. That might be a problem, because at the moment I live in the Central Europe. If I was in the USA, I would simply go to the shop with my trusty 500 in my hand and a card containing a book or two formatted the way I like it in my pocket and compare the units.

If the 700 contained folder support and an indication (or sorting) of the books based on where in the book you are just reading (page 1 - bold name of the book, last page - grey title, middle of the book - a little icon indicating where you are) I would probably buy it without seeing it.

(**) Katakana, Hiragana, Kanji, Latin - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_writing_system

[ewiplayer]

Originally Posted by DerHund

Judging from the posting frequency of abermp, it could also be an sony employee justifying a buy for the 700.
Having seen the 700 screen in comparision to the 505, I really cannot understand why anybody would buy a 700...
Sony, you just screwed up on this device...

Ok, now it's a conspiracy? I've said it before, I'll say it again... it's a piece of electronic gear... lighten up. Tons of people like the 700 (not just the people on this forum). Just because someone likes it, they must be a Sony employee spy bent on spreading lies throughout a simple public forum? Seriously, dood... lighten the hell up.

[DerHund]

Originally Posted by ewiplayer

Ok, now it's a conspiracy? I've said it before, I'll say it again... it's a piece of electronic gear... lighten up. Tons of people like the 700 (not just the people on this forum). Just because someone likes it, they must be a Sony employee spy bent on spreading lies throughout a simple public forum? Seriously, dood... lighten the hell up.

Listen, there are no world outside my world :P
I overexaggerated with my post of course. I do not think that the poster is one of sony's employees, I just wanted to mention that the 700 is (imho) not a killer gadget to buy...

[dhbailey]

Originally Posted by DerHund

[snip]I just wanted to mention that the 700 is (imho) not a killer gadget to buy...

Which is fine -- not everybody will like it. But it's also important to note that those of us who do like it should not be looked on as having some hidden agenda.

Well, actually I do have an agenda in all my postings about how much I like the 700 -- I want to help counteract all the negative postings, so that a person who is investigating these devices for the first time can see that there are people who actually like the 700 a lot, as compared to those who don't like it and have been pretty vehement in their postings to that effect.

[Liviu_5]

Originally Posted by dhbailey

Which is fine -- not everybody will like it. But it's also important to note that those of us who do like it should not be looked on as having some hidden agenda.

Well, actually I do have an agenda in all my postings about how much I like the 700 -- I want to help counteract all the negative postings, so that a person who is investigating these devices for the first time can see that there are people who actually like the 700 a lot, as compared to those who don't like it and have been pretty vehement in their postings to that effect.

Agreed with the first statement. For the second, I sort of agree too, though I think that the best way to settle the doubt is to see and play with the gadget.

I know that sadly many people do not have this opportunity so they base a part of their decision on reports here and everywhere, so I am happy to add my voice to the ones that love the 700.

But if you want a 700, are in doubt and have a US Sony store within reasonable distance, just go and check it out.

Several years ago someone mentioned the 770 here on this forum in connection with e-books and it piqued my interest though I did not like the PocketPC/Palm devices and was happy with the Ebk1150. But next day I went to see the 770 in a CompUSA store close to my house, and the moment I saw the 770 in store, I knew it is the device for me, so I bought it on the spot.

When the Sony 500 appeared I was very excited but the store demo left me cold and I bought it months later just because it was almost free.

When the Kindle appeared, I could not form an opinion because I could not test it and there was nothing special to excite me in comparison to the 500, since wireless is unimportant for me and I hate small external keyboards, much prefer the stylus/touch based ones as in the Ebk1150, 770, iTouch or 700.

When the 505 appeared, again I was somewhat excited, but again the store test left me cold.

When the 700 appeared, I did not expect to like it so much, but I was so impressed with the store model that I *had* to buy it the same I knew with the 770.

So in many ways, finding the right device is a quite personal choice and things that make someone say blaa, are big positives for someone else, things that are ok to indifferent for someone, are deal-breakers for others and so on...

[Dr. Drib]

It's time to lighten up, folks.

We can disagree/agree on the merits of the 700 vs. 505 controversy.

Opinions can vary - as they certainly do - but this is not a forum for attacks.

Please have fun.


Don
(Moderator)

[tompe]

Originally Posted by talaivan

they have a grey background, are bw, and are slow to refresh.

The paper in an ordinary paperback is not white either but more grey. In direct sunligth my Cybook can be whiter than a book. And to much whiteness is sometimes bad since it will be harder to read especially in direct sunligt.

[abermp]

Originally Posted by DerHund

Judging from the posting frequency of abermp, it could also be an sony employee justifying a buy for the 700.
Having seen the 700 screen in comparision to the 505, I really cannot understand why anybody would buy a 700...
Sony, you just screwed up on this device...

DerHund, no I am not a Sony employee. "Judging from the posting frequency" -- well, that was my first response ever. Judging from your response, maybe that was a mistake. As I stated in my post, I prefer the 505 screen but I can live with the 700 screen. The extra speed, the ability to highlight, make notes, search and the built-in sidelights have won me over. There, a second post but don't look for a lot of posts from me; I'm busy reading on my PRS-700.

[sayhello]

Originally Posted by abermp

As I stated in my post, I prefer the 505 screen but I can live with the 700 screen. The extra speed, the ability to highlight, make notes, search and the built-in sidelights have won me over. There, a second post but don't look for a lot of posts from me; I'm busy reading on my PRS-700.

Hey, I meant to reply to your previous post, but got a bit distracted... I totally understand & agree with what you're saying. For you, because of what you're reading & how you're reading, the features of the 700 are more important than the screen quality. Totally, totally makes sense. For me, I'm mostly just reading, whenever & wherever I find the time, so the screen quality is more important. It's really down to personal preference & needs.

Sayhello

[Shunt1]

Originally Posted by abermp

DerHund, no I am not a Sony employee. "Judging from the posting frequency" -- well, that was my first response ever. Judging from your response, maybe that was a mistake. As I stated in my post, I prefer the 505 screen but I can live with the 700 screen. The extra speed, the ability to highlight, make notes, search and the built-in sidelights have won me over. There, a second post but don't look for a lot of posts from me; I'm busy reading on my PRS-700.

PDF files are very important to me and have been my major frustration with my Kindle.

With the PRS-700 touch screen, has this improved the ability to zoom into a PDF graphic and slide it around for better viewing?

People have been complaining about the reduced screen contrast, but has the new PRS-700 improved the ability to read graphic intensive PDF files?

This was my hope, and why I ordered a PRS-700 this week.

[BuddyBoy]

Originally Posted by DerHund

Judging from the posting frequency of abermp, it could also be an sony employee justifying a buy for the 700.
Having seen the 700 screen in comparision to the 505, I really cannot understand why anybody would buy a 700...
Sony, you just screwed up on this device...

So, you have a total of 12 posts in your 10 days here, all critical of the PRS-700, and you cast aspersions on someone with 2 posts who isn't critical?

Wow.

[Wetdogeared]

I'll second that BuddyBoy

Bow Wow