Kindle vs Sony Digital Reader, which one?

[Lt. Brannigan]

I do realize these types of topics pop up all the time and I apologize for adding to the seemingly never ending repetition.

After much searching I have finally got my search for an E-book reader narrowed down to two.

Sony Digital Reader Pocket Edition (PRS300SC) and The Kindle.

I had considered a Nook, but I saw no advantage to getting one since the nearest B & N is 100+ miles away.

I am open to other suggestions as well, so any advice would be much appreciated. I don't need anything fancy, I just want to read. I do have a price limit though, I only have $150 to spend on one.

My requirements are ridiculously stringent so here they are.

It must be simple to use
And it must be reliable


And now for the icing on the cake, the stuff that would just sweeten the deal. but these are by no means a deal breaker.

Multiple format compatibility
and decent PDF capability (Mostly text with one or two images)

[wallcraft]

It is at the top of your price range, but the Sony PRS-350 is a much better device that the PRS-300. It is the same form factor as the PRS-300 but much better hardware and somewhat better software. For example, the PRS-350 has a Pearl E Ink screen (like the Kindle 3) with more contrast than the Vizplex E Ink screen on the PRS-300.

I would definitely recommend the K3 over the PRS-300, but the choice is much closer between the K3 and PRS-350. There really is a significant difference in size between 5" and 6" screens, but the 5" is more portable if you expect to carry it around every day. The Kindle has the largest single store, but with the Sony you can shop in multiple stores.

[Lt. Brannigan]

Originally Posted by wallcraft

For example, the PRS-350 has a Pearl E Ink screen (like the Kindle 3) with more contrast than the Vizplex E Ink screen on the PRS-300.

That right there is enough for me to reconsider, and redirect my focus on the 350. Thank you for that advice.

The Kindle has the largest single store, but with the Sony you can shop in multiple stores.

The size of the selection, and the fact that Amazon is the place where I do 99% of my shopping is why I was considering the Kindle but the lack of compatibility has me hesitant.

On the other hand in my experience Sony products have reliable , heck for the past year my first edition PSP has been doubling as my E-Reader.

[tequila0341]

Don't let the lack of compatibility scare you away from the Kindle 3 - Calibre is an outstanding piece of software and can readily convert most anything into K3 readable formats.

PDF compatibility is a little shakier. Calibre can convert PDF to MOBI files, but you lose pictures and formatting. For shorter PDF files (I like to read think tank reports of 100-250 pages, for instance), the K3 can read them pretty well without conversion if you flip to landscape mode, though the form factor obviously doesn't work as well. Perfectly sufficient, though, for shorter reads like those reports.

[Doogman]

Originally Posted by Lt. Brannigan

The size of the selection, and the fact that Amazon is the place where I do 99% of my shopping is why I was considering the Kindle but the lack of compatibility has me hesitant.

If you are planning on buying all your books at Amazon, then a Kindle is a complete no-brainer.

Most people gravitate to a Sony because they want ebooks from the library or they don't care to deal with DRM files.

[kmo_9000]

Personally I just made a very similar decision and decided to go with the Kindle 3 over the Sony 650 ereader. Since I live in Canada it did cost me 16$ import fee.

After doing a lot of research the only flaw in the Kindle 3 I could find was its lack of support for e-pub. But really Calibre does a great job converting e-pub to mobi or pdf making this really a very minor problem.

The other thing about the kindle 3 is that if you plan on pirating books, you will be able to pirate those books in amazon's format just as easily as you would be able to download an e-pub. It's not hard to remove the DRM and most of the time if you pirate it the DRM is already removed. I mention this because a lot of people say e-pub is great because it has no DRM and you can pirate it easily, even the guy at the sony store told me this. Personally I find it lazy for sony to have to rely on this "market" as a selling point.

You also have to remember that Amazon.com does have the biggest e-book library available online so when you buy a book chances are you will be able to get it from amazon.

Another minor fact about the kindle 3 is that it can read chinese, japanese and Russian fonts out of the box. The Sony ereaders require a firmware flash to do this.

The final thing with the Kindle is that it does not have any card readers. It does however have wifi, and with wifi (or 3G) you can download books or subscriptions anywhere you go. Making it really pointless to store millions of books on memory sticks. Keep in mind that when you buy books from amazon you can download them as many times as you want and with 3G that means anywhere you want also.

Very last thing that made me get a K3 over Sony: Price. I found the 650 to be far to expensive compared to the K3. I mean it doesn't even have Wifi or 3G, your paying more for a touch screen and two memory stick slots. I mean what do you need TWO memory stick slots for anyway? When I went to the Sony store the guy showed me his 650 and sure enough it was covered in finger prints, something I would not want to be looking at when I read books.

Having said all this I also must say that comparing the Sony e-readers to any other e-reader on the market I would choose it over all of them if the Kindle did not exist. Anyway hope this helps.

[rhadin]

Originally Posted by tequila0341

Don't let the lack of compatibility scare you away from the Kindle 3 - Calibre is an outstanding piece of software and can readily convert most anything into K3 readable formats.

PLEASE, when making broad-brush statements like this make them accurately. Calibre will convert non-DRMed files. You must first remove the DRM on books that have it. It is not difficult to do, but it is not a snap either. Some people find the process very easy; others find it overwhelming.

[tequila0341]

Yes, you're absolutely right.

[Lt. Brannigan]

Originally Posted by kmo_9000

After doing a lot of research the only flaw in the Kindle 3 I could find was its lack of support for e-pub.

That flaw is what is giving me difficulty in just flat out buying the Kindle,

You also have to remember that Amazon.com does have the biggest e-book library available online so when you buy a book chances are you will be able to get it from amazon.

And this is why I had almost snagged me a Kindle without a second thought.

When I went to the Sony store the guy showed me his 650 and sure enough it was covered in finger prints, something I would not want to be looking at when I read books.

Having said all this I also must say that comparing the Sony e-readers to any other e-reader on the market I would choose it over all of them if the Kindle did not exist. Anyway hope this helps.

This, very much useful information to me, thank you

Originally Posted by rhadin

PLEASE, when making broad-brush statements like this make them accurately. Calibre will convert non-DRMed files. You must first remove the DRM on books that have it. It is not difficult to do, but it is not a snap either. Some people find the process very easy; others find it overwhelming.

I never expected it to be easy, and this site has very helpful in figuring out what to do with the files once I have them.

Originally Posted by Doogman

If you are planning on buying all your books at Amazon, then a Kindle is a complete no-brainer.

Most people gravitate to a Sony because they want ebooks from the library or they don't care to deal with DRM files.

The reason I didn't go for the kindle right away is I hated the thought of having limited options. The Sony appealed to me because of the number of supported formats.

But reading all of this helpful advice makes me realize that my first choice was a good choice to start with. If this makes any sense, my heart said get the Kindle, then logic inserted itself and said do some research first and ask some questions because the Sony is looking like a good choice too.

Unless someone has reasonable and unbiased reasons as to why I shouldn't buy a Kindle, the Kindle is my choice.

Thank you all for your wonderful and friendly advice.

[screwballl]

The only thing Kindle cannot really do is EPUB files... which is not really a problem since calibre can convert it from epub to mobi as long as the epub does not have DRM (which is real hit and miss). If you consider the available titles from Amazon, and most non-amazon book stores give you the option of several file types, which mobi is typically one of the choices, the only reason to go to Sony is if you really dislike Amazon, or find it will do what you want better.

Also remember battery life, the Kindle can go 2-4 weeks between charges, Sony is typically every few days. My Kindle was charged Dec 20 and still shows nearly full battery with 2-3 hours of reading each night.

If all you plan to do is read books and a few PDFs then the Kindle is typically the better choice from my perspective.

[Lt. Brannigan]

Then that clinches it, a Kindle it is. I would have used the E-Reader message board at Amazon for help, but most of what I found was fanatical Kindle vs Nook debates and not much other viable information.

Thank you all for the help you have given me, I hope that will one day be able to return the favor.

[NNolan]

For what it's worth, fingerprints are very, very hard to see on my 350 and my 950; you have to tilt the screen in funny ways under a lamp to see them. The battery life is a few weeks, not days, and I prefer the build quality of the Sonys to the new Kindles.

[screwballl]

Originally Posted by NNolan

For what it's worth, fingerprints are very, very hard to see on my 350 and my 950; you have to tilt the screen in funny ways under a lamp to see them. The battery life is a few weeks, not days, and I prefer the build quality of the Sonys to the new Kindles.

Sony's website and PR campaigns say 7500 page turns or approximately 2 weeks. A LOT of the in depth reviews I saw all said the same thing: they tend to get an average of 7 days with lots of reading from the Sony. The only way to get 2 weeks out of it is generally to not use it.

The Kindle has close to the same battery life whether it is used or not, in most cases 3 weeks with heavy usage and 4 weeks or more with light usage (with 3G and/or wifi off).

Now remember these numbers are for the latest generation Kindle3.

Some of the earlier Kindle 2s had a "average" battery life of around 10-14 days, and some reviews use the review of the "2" to compare to the latest offerings from Sony and B&N, in order to cast Amazon in a bad light.

[3bayjunkie]

From my research the Kindle wins hands down. I wouldn't even consider another reader. With the nook in a close second and sony in third place. If you want a quality reader with easy navigation and easy book downloads get the Kindle.

Plus you get the perks of free 3G coverage in more countries than any other reader. Free internet access and you can play music on it if you like to listen to music while you read.

hope that helps.

[SeaBookGuy]

Originally Posted by Lt. Brannigan

Then that clinches it, a Kindle it is. I would have used the E-Reader message board at Amazon for help, but most of what I found was fanatical Kindle vs Nook debates and not much other viable information.

Thank you all for the help you have given me, I hope that will one day be able to return the favor.

I have a Sony that I am enjoying very much.

I plan on getting a K3 for my parents as a late Xmas item; it'll be a 3G as they don't have a wireless setup at home, and are un-techie enough that they'd benefit wireless downloading upon purchase. I saw a fellow with one yesterday; the page display, and page turns were quite impressive. I thought the huge keyboards and white models were rather ugly, but the K3 graphite looks really snazzy to me.

Neither is "better" than the other - I can understand why some folks have one of each. You were really stuck with a tough choice Lt. B, but would've made a good decision either way. Please stick around to contribute your thoughts on the ebooks you'll be reading!