PRS-T1 Just ordered a T1

[Crusader]

I finally caved and ordered a Sony T1. I had to resort to using an import service from a local online store since Sony doesn't have plans of bringing the T1 to South Africa.

Unfortunately they could only source the white version and I'll only be getting the reader by the end of January. In the end it worked out to $180 (including shipping/customs etc.) which is much cheaper than a Kindle Keyboard would have cost. Since I already have a large ePub library the T1 just made more sense.

[spindlegirl]

Originally Posted by Crusader

I finally caved and ordered a Sony T1. I had to resort to using an import service from a local online store since Sony doesn't have plans of bringing the T1 to South Africa.

Unfortunately they could only source the white version and I'll only be getting the reader by the end of January. In the end it worked out to $180 (including shipping/customs etc.) which is much cheaper than a Kindle Keyboard would have cost. Since I already have a large ePub library the T1 just made more sense.

I had tried to resist, myself. But I was getting increasingly antsy over not having one. For me the draws were both a touch and buttons, sometimes one is better than the other, so it's nice to have choices. Being able to have an account over wifi with my public library and just click download (I tried it for the first time today, what a thrill). Also, the T1 has the best library sorter ever. It takes whatever tags you put on them in Calibre, and any book series, and drops it in accordingly. After having had a Kobo (and Kobo Touch, both decent readers, but as yet no owner-dictated sorting capabilities) being able to have different bookshelves for different things really was like a "kid in a candy store" experience.

I had a bit of confusion at first for how to get it set up to be compatible with my library, but after I followed the steps in order it worked out. I have a growing library, and am always looking for freebies or library loans, and it seems to have a great amount of freedom in what I can do. I explored this device into the wee hours after I brought it home.

Best wishes, and hope it crosses the ocean soon!

[spindlegirl]

I did something cool. Using the browser on T1 itself, I was able to download a book from Mobileread's epub collection, and then stick it in a self-created shelf called "Classics". I also downloaded directly from Smashwords, a few of their free ebooks (I check there daily to see what's been added - clearly I am not extremely fussy, but there are a few books there I've enjoyed if i ever get around to reviewing them), and was able to create a folder called "Smashwords Freebies". I am going bananas with creating collections and sorting books.

My husband is borrowing my Kobo Touch and loving it. In all fairness the Kobo Touch is a very good device and is a joy to read on, but there was so much missing that the T1 has fulfilled almost as if they had read my mind about my dream reader!

[Ozric]

That's a shame you have to wait so long to receive your T1, but I think you'll find it's worth the wait. I've been enjoying mine very much.

[Crusader]

Thanks. The wait is going to be terrible, but ut was the only option. I'm really excited because taking notes and a dictionary will be something new in for me.

Just to check. You don't need to install and use the Sony software right and you can add a MicroSD card for more storage?

[Ozric]

Yeah, I just use calibre to manage my library. The T1 might want to install the Reader software on your PC when you connect it, but I don't remember if it does or not. I would think you could skip it, if you prefer.

And yes, it has a micro-SD card slot. I use it exclusively for my books and don't store any in internal memory. Unfortunately, I've encountered a couple of minor bugs when using an SD card:

1. You can create a bookmark by tapping the upper-right corner of the screen. The firmware is supposed to add the book mark to your Notes list so you can navigate to the bookmark. This feature works correctly with books stored on internal memory, but not on an SD card. I can create a bookmark, but I can't navigate to it.

2. You can create a new Collection for books using a menu on the T1. If you create one on an SD card for books that are stored there, they are not properly added to the Collection, making it useless. This feature works correctly with books located on internal memory.

These are the only issues with the firmware that I'm aware of, but it wouldn't surprise me if there were other bugs when dealing with an SD card. They're annoying, but I work around them. I generally let calibre set up all my Collections anyway--I just wanted to set up a new Collection that lists books I'm currently reading, since I have a few going at once. The bookmark bug bothers me a little more, but I mainly just use it to mark the place where I left off reading in case the device loses my place, which so far it's only done when I upgraded the firmware with the book I had last opened.

I'd like it if all bugs relating to SD cards would get fixed. I intend to report these issues to Sony support, and hope that others who have experienced them do the same.

[Crusader]

Can you use a folder system to organize your books on the SD card? If so, I don't think the bugs would be a huge problem for me.

[Ozric]

I use calibre and have never felt the need to attempt to modify how it arranges books in folders. Organization on a Sony reader is handled with Collections, which are just lists of your books. When sending books to the device, by default they are assigned to Collections based on what you've entered in the Tags and Series columns in calibre. You can modify how calibre builds and names the Collections, giving you a lot of flexibility. You can experiment with how Collections are built without modifying how the books are actually arranged in storage.

[spindlegirl]

Originally Posted by Crusader

You don't need to install and use the Sony software right and you can add a MicroSD card for more storage?

This. Yes, you don't need to install the Sony software. For me that is pure heaven. I'm a Linux user in a world of "this desktop software requires Windows (or Mac)", so being able to just USE a thing I buy and take home was pure joy out of the box. I did need brief access to a Windows computer to update the firmware, but as long as that's the only time I'll have to send it with my husband to work, the rest is fine.

If you use calibre and you have a collection of epubs you can just zap them onto your Sony via usb. I really appreciate this because I mostly read all the free un-DRM'ed material I can get.

I did get a bit confused about the procedure to register the T1 with ADE (I did want the option to use some DRM content as that is what my library uses) so that I could just click download on an available library book, but after both the sony reader store and ADE understood each other, that was fine too.

I hope you get your T1 soon! I've bought things from overseas before and sometimes the wait can be a while, but you'll really enjoy it, I think (the T1, not the wait )

[Ozric]

Originally Posted by spindlegirl

If you use calibre and you have a collection of epubs you can just zap them onto your Sony via usb. I really appreciate this because I mostly read all the free un-DRM'ed material I can get.

This reminds me, I haven't actually tried it myself, but I bet you can totally load books onto the T1 using a USB connection and an operating system's file browser, such as Windows Explorer. But I would guess if you loaded books this way, you wouldn't end up with any Collections to make browsing your books more convenient, and would have to add them yourself.

And by the way, I've reported the issues with bookmarks and Collections on SD cards to Sony support, so hopefully they'll get fixed in a future update.

[spindlegirl]

Originally Posted by Ozric

This reminds me, I haven't actually tried it myself, but I bet you can totally load books onto the T1 using a USB connection and an operating system's file browser, such as Windows Explorer. But I would guess if you loaded books this way, you wouldn't end up with any Collections to make browsing your books more convenient, and would have to add them yourself.

And by the way, I've reported the issues with bookmarks and Collections on SD cards to Sony support, so hopefully they'll get fixed in a future update.

Well, I do know that I loaded books onto my Kobo that way. Kobo doesn't yet support user-dictated collection so tags don't matter. Drag and drop using file browser. I am sure it can be done. My T1 is very new and I am just doing a happy dance everytime I call something a "Project Gutenberg" book via tagging on calibre, and the T1 puts it in the Appropriate Collection!

[JSWolf]

With Calibre, how do you put the eBooks in the order you want in the collection?

[Ozric]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

With Calibre, how do you put the eBooks in the order you want in the collection?

I used calibre with Sony devices for years without having to worry about how they were sorted in Collections. I read an awful lot of series. By default, calibre builds a Collection for each series, and I believe they're sorted in numerical order. It also builds Collections from Tags you can apply to books in calibre, where I used to specify the genre of each book. Since Collections based on genre can be pretty large, the T1's ability to sort Collections by author and file name are very helpful for finding stuff.

I was happy with this arrangement for a long time.

But when I got my T1, I got a 16 GB card and copied all my books to it, and discovered that Sony readers limit the number of Collections you can have. Having a ton of Collections based on series was really a killer.

I'm currently experimenting with a new organizational scheme where I use a custom column in calibre to build my Collections on my T1. This custom column checks two other custom columns, a "Genre" column and a "Read?" column (with a yes/no check box) to determine the Collection that each book is assigned when going to a Sony device. If I have two Science Fiction books, and one of them has the "Read?" box checked, they go into two different collections:

Science Fiction.Military
Science Fiction.Military (Read)

If the "Read?" box isn't checked, they both go into the "Science Fiction.Military" Collection.

I'm trying this out because I wanted to leave books I've already read on the device for future reference, but I wanted to separate them from unread books, while still having them broken down into a manageable set of Collections, instead of a single giant "Read" Collection. It does mean that if I've read at least one book from every genre I have, I'm doubling my number of Collections, but even so, I'm using far fewer than I was before when I had series-based ones.

I try to use genres with some focus, like "Fantasy.Epic" and "Fantasy.Urban." These Collections still get pretty large. Sorting by Author and by File Name is helpful here. When sending books in a series to the device, I have calibre change the file name so that the series name and number are at the beginning. When I sort my Collections by File Name, this groups all series books together and puts them in numerical order.

I also use the "Tags" column in calibre for books that would be grouped together, but aren't really part of a numbered series, like the Judge Dee or the 1642 books. When sending books to the device, I have calibre include any tags as part of the file name. So if I go to my "Mystery" Collection and sort it by File Name, all my Judge Dee books will be grouped together. Same thing for my 1642 books in my "Science Fiction.Alternate History" Collection.

Anyway, that's just what I'm currently experimenting with. Maybe it's overcomplicated, but I like figuring out how to do things. And so far I've been pretty happy with the results I have on my reader.

[spindlegirl]

Originally Posted by Ozric

But when I got my T1, I got a 16 GB card and copied all my books to it, and discovered that Sony readers limit the number of Collections you can have. Having a ton of Collections based on series was really a killer.

What is the upper limit on Collections?

At the moment I'm just so thrilled with the very Idea that I have the powah to name collections, period, that the idea of a limit didn't dawn on me. (I had a Kobo Touch, previously, but just bought the T1, and am still in honeymoon phase.)

[Ozric]

Originally Posted by spindlegirl

What is the upper limit on Collections?

At the moment I'm just so thrilled with the very Idea that I have the powah to name collections, period, that the idea of a limit didn't dawn on me. (I had a Kobo Touch, previously, but just bought the T1, and am still in honeymoon phase.)

I'm not sure what the limit is. When I blew it, I just got an error message that I'd exceeded the number of Collections without informing me what the number was. My best guess is that it's fairly high, like maybe 100 or more...but it's just a guess.