Help! Kindle 3 vs Sony PRS 650 - Page 2

Latinandgreek · 09-24-2010, 10:27 AM

As for PDFs, I have recently looked up reviews of PDF handling for both the PRS-650 and the Kindle 3. The Sony PRS-650 seems to me to handle PDFs quite a bit better than the Kindle.

Here is a review for the 350 (I couldn't find the review for the 650, for some reason):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jE6Iv...r_profilepage#!

Here is a review for the Kindle 3's PDF rendering capabilities:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlZ9c...r_profilepage#!

ProfCrash · 09-24-2010, 10:36 AM

In farness, Amazon pushes firmware to the current model that is out. The K1 has not been updated since the K2 was released. It will be interesting to see if Amazon continues to upgrade the K2 now that the K3 has been released.

I know that the DXG has not been updated since the K3 was released and it could benefit from the language and PDF changes found in the K3. I understand that the K3 updates and fixes are front and center but I would have thought that the language and PDF changes for the DX would have been ready when the K3 was released.

bill_mchale · 09-24-2010, 11:03 AM

Ah, that is something I did not know, thanks. Not that I follow Kindle all that closely since I have no intention of ever getting a Kindle while another choice still exists

. Nothing against those who love their Kindle, I just want to do my part to make sure that choice remains available in the market place

.

--
Bill

deferredreward · 09-24-2010, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Latinandgreek

Here is a review for the 350 (I couldn't find the review for the 650, for some reason):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jE6Iv...r_profilepage#!

Really wish he'd showed the margin crop on the first pdf.

Latinandgreek · 09-24-2010, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deferredreward

Really wish he'd showed the margin crop on the first pdf.

I'll try to find the PDF review for the 650 and post it. I think he showed the margin crop. I don't know why it's not coming up when I search.

haro · 09-25-2010, 02:44 AM

Here you can watch a video, but in "deutsch".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHJ_d...layer_embedded

Regards,

gijss · 09-25-2010, 09:08 AM

Hi,

I'm having exactly the same dilemma. Lot's of scientific pdf's to read.
I took some pdf's to the store on an SD card and tested the PRS 650. I have to say that it looks quite brilliant. I know it is possible to convert pdf's so they look better on the K3, but for me it is worth the extra cash to be able to work with pdf's natively. Really impressive! (as you can see on the youtube video;s).

So after reading around a bit I think I'm going back to the store to get the sony...

Regards,

Gijs

HarryT · 09-25-2010, 09:14 AM

The Sony is unquestionable better than the Kindle when it comes to PDF support.

hel · 10-01-2010, 12:07 PM

It's true for 5-6" devices... But I am not quite agree ) On Kindle DX you don't have to reformat the document - you can just read native PDFs.

robertpolson · 10-01-2010, 12:22 PM

I sued to have Sony PRS 900 and sold it. I then bough an iPad. I sold my iPad 32 Gig Wifi and got a PRS-650.

PRS-650 is great! The screen is finally readable just like Kindle and you get the touch screen which is very important if you want to highlight things and save them to your own notebook like Evernote.

Personally I chose Sony because there is no way to save your highlighted text and use it outside of the Kindle world. Kindle is nice but you are locked in. I prefer to pay a bit more and be free.

dordale · 10-01-2010, 05:22 PM

Regarding scientific PDFs--if you want to use a 6" device the Sony 650 is the way to go. It's certainly not a perfect solution, but the many viewing options--zoom, margin crop, landscape mode make it a pretty good compromise. In fact my husband has a 900 and he uses it to read a lot of technical PDFs. Now that he's seen my brand new 650, he wants one to replace his 900. His opinion is that with the improved clarity of the screen and the ability to lock the zoom the 650 would make a better reader for him. He might wait for the 900, but he's seriously thinking about the 650 because it is smaller and thus easier to carry.

dordale

TommyT · 10-03-2010, 03:16 AM

I own 650 and played with a new Kindle a bit (someone at work has one). I must say that:

- the screens are pretty much the same, batteries too (for reading at least)
- Kindle is somewhat a little bit easier to hold (650's sharp corners make my hands hurt after couple of hours reading, just like a normal book would though)
- Kindle has side page turn buttons - some like it more than swiping screen or pressing buttons at the bottom
- Kindle has books from Amazon (ie cheaper and on-device download)
- Kindle is cheaper
- 650 has somewhat better pdf support, but complex pdfs are sooooo much easier to read on anything with a screen larger than 6"
- 650 can play music

I bought 650 because I don't buy books from Amazon and if it breaks, I will just take it down the road to the Sony shop instead of sending a Kindle across the world to the USA.

doreenjoy · 10-03-2010, 06:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

The Sony is unquestionable better than the Kindle when it comes to PDF support.

I would agree with this. The crop and zoom are quite nice.

Penforhire · 11-10-2010, 01:09 PM

Thanks for the discussion. I want to buy one of these current-generation (Pearl screen) devices. It is a tough choice. I'm pretty well hooked on touchscreen interfaces from my PRS-900. If the 650's price was lower it'd be a no-brainer for me. The wifi Kindle has a great price. Maybe I just need to be patient and bargain-hunt.

09-25-2010, 02:44 AM	#21
haro Member Retired Posts: 21 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: MULSANNE (France) Device: SONY PRS-650	PRS 650 and PDFs Here you can watch a video, but in "deutsch". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHJ_d...layer_embedded Regards,

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09-24-2010, 10:27 AM	#16
Latinandgreek Warrior Princess Posts: 5,038 Karma: 9724231 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: PRS-505; PRS-350, PRS-T1, iPad, Aura HD	As for PDFs, I have recently looked up reviews of PDF handling for both the PRS-650 and the Kindle 3. The Sony PRS-650 seems to me to handle PDFs quite a bit better than the Kindle. Here is a review for the 350 (I couldn't find the review for the 650, for some reason): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jE6Iv...r_profilepage#! Here is a review for the Kindle 3's PDF rendering capabilities: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlZ9c...r_profilepage#!

09-24-2010, 10:36 AM	#17
ProfCrash Tea Enthusiast Posts: 8,554 Karma: 75384937 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Somewhere in the USA Device: Kindle1, Kindle DX Graphite, K3 3G, IPad 3, PW2	In farness, Amazon pushes firmware to the current model that is out. The K1 has not been updated since the K2 was released. It will be interesting to see if Amazon continues to upgrade the K2 now that the K3 has been released. I know that the DXG has not been updated since the K3 was released and it could benefit from the language and PDF changes found in the K3. I understand that the K3 updates and fixes are front and center but I would have thought that the language and PDF changes for the DX would have been ready when the K3 was released.

09-24-2010, 11:03 AM	#18
bill_mchale Wizard Posts: 1,451 Karma: 1550000 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Maryland, USA Device: Nook Simple Touch, HPC Evo 4G LTE	Ah, that is something I did not know, thanks. Not that I follow Kindle all that closely since I have no intention of ever getting a Kindle while another choice still exists . Nothing against those who love their Kindle, I just want to do my part to make sure that choice remains available in the market place . -- Bill

09-25-2010, 09:08 AM	#22
gijss Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: none	Hi, I'm having exactly the same dilemma. Lot's of scientific pdf's to read. I took some pdf's to the store on an SD card and tested the PRS 650. I have to say that it looks quite brilliant. I know it is possible to convert pdf's so they look better on the K3, but for me it is worth the extra cash to be able to work with pdf's natively. Really impressive! (as you can see on the youtube video;s). So after reading around a bit I think I'm going back to the store to get the sony... Regards, Gijs

09-25-2010, 09:14 AM	#23
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	The Sony is unquestionable better than the Kindle when it comes to PDF support.

10-01-2010, 12:07 PM	#24
hel Sorceress Posts: 167 Karma: 19604 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Montreal Device: Onyx Air2&Nova 3C,Kindle oasis1,Kobo Forma,iPad pro 12.9&9.7,and more.	It's true for 5-6" devices... But I am not quite agree ) On Kindle DX you don't have to reformat the document - you can just read native PDFs.

10-01-2010, 12:22 PM	#25
robertpolson Connoisseur Posts: 84 Karma: 28496 Join Date: Feb 2010 Device: none	I sued to have Sony PRS 900 and sold it. I then bough an iPad. I sold my iPad 32 Gig Wifi and got a PRS-650. PRS-650 is great! The screen is finally readable just like Kindle and you get the touch screen which is very important if you want to highlight things and save them to your own notebook like Evernote. Personally I chose Sony because there is no way to save your highlighted text and use it outside of the Kindle world. Kindle is nice but you are locked in. I prefer to pay a bit more and be free.

10-01-2010, 05:22 PM	#26
dordale Wizard Posts: 1,731 Karma: 3472866 Join Date: Apr 2008 Device: Sony PRS-650 & 350; Kindle Voyage; Kobo Aura HD, Aura One, and Forma	Regarding scientific PDFs--if you want to use a 6" device the Sony 650 is the way to go. It's certainly not a perfect solution, but the many viewing options--zoom, margin crop, landscape mode make it a pretty good compromise. In fact my husband has a 900 and he uses it to read a lot of technical PDFs. Now that he's seen my brand new 650, he wants one to replace his 900. His opinion is that with the improved clarity of the screen and the ability to lock the zoom the 650 would make a better reader for him. He might wait for the 900, but he's seriously thinking about the 650 because it is smaller and thus easier to carry. dordale

10-03-2010, 03:16 AM	#27
TommyT Member Posts: 12 Karma: 3448 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: Sony PRS-650	I own 650 and played with a new Kindle a bit (someone at work has one). I must say that: - the screens are pretty much the same, batteries too (for reading at least) - Kindle is somewhat a little bit easier to hold (650's sharp corners make my hands hurt after couple of hours reading, just like a normal book would though) - Kindle has side page turn buttons - some like it more than swiping screen or pressing buttons at the bottom - Kindle has books from Amazon (ie cheaper and on-device download) - Kindle is cheaper - 650 has somewhat better pdf support, but complex pdfs are sooooo much easier to read on anything with a screen larger than 6" - 650 can play music I bought 650 because I don't buy books from Amazon and if it breaks, I will just take it down the road to the Sony shop instead of sending a Kindle across the world to the USA.

11-10-2010, 01:09 PM	#29
Penforhire Wizard Posts: 2,230 Karma: 7145404 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern California Device: Kindle Voyage & iPhone 7+	Thanks for the discussion. I want to buy one of these current-generation (Pearl screen) devices. It is a tough choice. I'm pretty well hooked on touchscreen interfaces from my PRS-900. If the 650's price was lower it'd be a no-brainer for me. The wifi Kindle has a great price. Maybe I just need to be patient and bargain-hunt.