Sony or Nook?

[Latinandgreek]

Originally Posted by Poppaea

Sony's pricing scheme is different from those of the US companies as it is for a worldwide sold reader. You pay for the device not for a bookstore. The US readers are just a vehicle for the bookstores like Amazon and B&N to sell their books, thus they 1. make the readers cheap and 2. have their own DRM scheme to prevent the normal buyer to buy elsewhere.

Sonys are sturdy and build like tanks. The battery lifespan is for 400 loads and those who have their Sonys for a number years, like the owners of 500 and 505 which were released in 2006 and 2007 are either still totally happy with them or start just now to look for new ones, most just want to replace the batteries.



You are not limited to buy at Sonys bookstore when you have a Sony, you can buy at a league of shops like bookdepository, smashwords, bean, etc. Also the Sony Shop has everything the other shops have for the same price. It is a custom to bash the Sony here on the forums, but it does not deserve it. The layout is a bit outdated, but the contend is as fine as everyones.








Get a Sony! Those of us who own one of the new Sonys love them like crazy and wouldn't trade them in. Sideloading is no problem, you can use Sonys own software to buy books or lend them at the library and sync them to your device.

The lack of wifi is for most of us no problem. The 350 and the 650 store up to 1,200 books, the 650 also takes SDcards. My 350 currently holds 400 books and still has 1.2 GB free storage. If I am not finding myself with a lifesentence I am at a loss to imagine a situation where I should need to carry more than 1,200 books and still do some 'on the spot shopping'.

The touchscreen technic is awesome. No glare, no screen refreshing time, no fingerprints, one hand operatable and just like real book reading! The folders are collections that you can set up to your own liking, and the books in the collections are represented via the book covers.

When you buy the 950 you will be able to double tap a word and have a look into Wikipedia!

If you can afford the 950 go for it! As one board member here is fond of pointig out: Your reader is the one device you will use daily. This is very true and you will regret it if you don't buy yourself the very best you can afford.

Yes, Sony's are built like tanks. My 505 isn't going into retirement now that I have a new reader, it's going to my husband. Also, as you will be reading daily on your reader, the most important feature (IMO) in a reader is its screen. The Kindle and Sony devices currently have the best screens with the best contrast.

[faithbw]

Originally Posted by boswd

as much as I love the hardware of the Sony's, I have a tough time recommending them. Not much in the way of value.

If you don't mind me asking, why do you think there isn't much value in terms of hardware?

2. nooks, like you mentioned have the tie in with Barnes and Nobles store, More InStore, Lend Me, Coupons, Free Friday's, Read any book inStore, Starbuck's Cafe freebies. It makes it more than just an electronic devce, IMO, it's makes it more fun.

I do like this and I admit it is one of the features of Nook that attracts me to it. I haven't been to the bookstore too much lately because there's snow outside and it's cold. However, in the Spring, Summer and Fall I tend to go more often.

Originally Posted by polly

You said that you weren't interested in DRM books, which takes away most of the advantages of having WiFi built in to your reader. There are very few books in the bookstores that don't have DRM, so really, you're talking about library books and books that you've gotten from somewhere else. There are a few booksellers who sell books without DRM, but I don't know if you could access their sites with your reader. Personally, I use Calibre to organize my library and give me tags and metadata. Even if I had a reader with 3G or WiFi, I'd want Calibre to organize my books, so 3G and WiFi have no appeal to me. I've never once thought that I had to have a particular book RIGHT NOW and couldn't wait until I was at my computer and shopping for prices. Plugging a reader into a computer is really painless and my smart phone does a much better job at web browsing and checking email.

This is what I've been thinking as well. I usually have my iPod with me when I'm on the go and if I'm anywhere with wifi, it works just fine for web browsing and e-mail. Unless I forget my iPod, I couldn't really see using the eReader to access the internet or e-mail.

I'd recommend the Sony 5" if you want something small or the 6" if you want something closer to a paperback book size. I really wanted to like the Nook when it came out, but thought that the menus were confusing and poorly organized and that it was designed to support B&N books well and everything else poorly. I don't know if the firmware upgrades have improved it, but it didn't originally have any way to organize your books (folders or collection).

I've read this on other sites as well. I do like the color touchscreen on the bottom of the Nook. The covers are cool but I heard that the covers only appear for books brought at b&n.com. I also read that the organization for non B&N books is difficult.

Any Nook owners encounter this?

Originally Posted by natasha_fawn

(B&N has been a bit stingy with the cafe coupons recently, too, that's what really got us in.)

That's suppose to be one of the best perks (well, it was definitely one of the reasons I was looking at the Nook )!

If you're having a really hard time deciding, I would recommend getting the 350 from a store with a good return policy and using it for a week. See if you miss the wifi. If you do, return it and try the nook or the 950. Or get the nook to try and if you find yourself in B&N reading it all the time, that's probably the one for you.

You will probably be happy with whatever you end up with, they're all good devices and it seems like any one of them would be a decent fit for you.

I never thought about doing that but that is a good idea.

Originally Posted by delphin

I was tempted by the refurbished Nooks at 99 bucks, but I decided to go with the Sony PRS-650, and am very, Very, VERY pleased that I did.

Personally, knowing what I do now, if my budget was more limited, I would have gone with the PRS-350 in preference to the Nook.

I agree with the comments already made that the value of WiFi or 3G on an e-ink reader device is currently fairly limited.

I spend a tiny fraction of 1% of my time loading books onto the device, and much more than 99% percent of the time actually USING it to read books.

Plus, when I am looking for new reading material, I prefer a nice PC or Tablet based Web Browser NOT a tiny e-ink screen.

Also there is the fact that the current WiFi reader devices are set up to only make it convenient to buy from a single source, which in the case of B&N is often NOT the best deal price wise.

What made you choose ultimately made you choose the Sony Reader over the Nook?

Originally Posted by boswd

Its actually a better choice than sonys bookstore. But you aren't limited to only have to buy from bn. It supports epub and you would sideload same as the sony and shop basically wherever you please. With nook wifi its cheaper than than the 350 more screen real estate and you get the option of shopping wireless. Don't discount the overall convience of shopping not only from your device but from your computer when browsing online and not have to hook up your device. To be able to point click and buy and then have it on your device without having to connect and sideload, is beyond convienant.

IMHO the 350 provides 0 incentive. If it was under a $100 sure but at that price there are better options out there. There really are

I have read that Sony's bookstore is rather limited. I have to check it out myself.

The last two posts bring up another issue. How easy is it to sideload books onto both devices? If I borrow library eBooks or buy eBooks from another source besides Sony or B&N, I'll have to sideload. Does anyone find one eReader easier to sideload books onto than the other?

[boswd]

it's not so much value on the hardware but the entire package, they aren't cheap and their is nothing compelling that justifies spending THAT much more on their device IMHO.

I know people who owns sony's will say " who cares about wireless" well until you have it and use, it's not only a fantastic, ultra convienant feature, it's really almost to the point nowadays that is should be and SOP feature. It would be like buying an brand new HDTV with no HDMI ports. But at the same time charge so much more and in the case of the 350 you are spending just as much for less screen real estate.

As I said before their hardware, I love but their prices? Aren't worth it. at least not to me.

as far as the organization for non BN books? in the last update they added "My Shelves" so sorting is much much better. But for any library, no matter what device you choose, I still recommend using Calibre for your downloads, it's the most advance ebook library managment in the business. But the Nook classic is much better in library sorting than in the past.

[boswd]

Originally Posted by faithbw

If you don't mind me asking, why do you think there isn't much value in terms of hardware?



I do like this and I admit it is one of the features of Nook that attracts me to it. I haven't been to the bookstore too much lately because there's snow outside and it's cold. However, in the Spring, Summer and Fall I tend to go more often.




This is what I've been thinking as well. I usually have my iPod with me when I'm on the go and if I'm anywhere with wifi, it works just fine for web browsing and e-mail. Unless I forget my iPod, I couldn't really see using the eReader to access the internet or e-mail.



I've read this on other sites as well. I do like the color touchscreen on the bottom of the Nook. The covers are cool but I heard that the covers only appear for books brought at b&n.com. I also read that the organization for non B&N books is difficult.

Any Nook owners encounter this?



That's suppose to be one of the best perks (well, it was definitely one of the reasons I was looking at the Nook )!



I never thought about doing that but that is a good idea.



What made you choose ultimately made you choose the Sony Reader over the Nook?



I have read that Sony's bookstore is rather limited. I have to check it out myself.

The last two posts bring up another issue. How easy is it to sideload books onto both devices? If I borrow library eBooks or buy eBooks from another source besides Sony or B&N, I'll have to sideload. Does anyone find one eReader easier to sideload books onto than the other?

Very easy to sideload, the concept is exactly the same as hooking your Mp3 player when loading music on it. No different.

[delphin]

Originally Posted by faithbw

What made you choose ultimately made you choose the Sony Reader over the Nook? . . .

I have read that Sony's bookstore is rather limited. I have to check it out myself.

Having a family member with a Kindle and the Sony PRS-650, and having a friend with a Nook, I had a chance to actually play with all three readers hands-on.

The Kindle wasn't even in the running, as already mentioned it has no support for checking out library books through Overdrive, and to top that off, it has this "refugee from the 1990's" MS DOS style ALT-this and ALT-that user interface - HORRIBLE.

The Nook was a little better than Kindle, but I was still left very much with the impression of a list of features that had been developed by about 50 separate people with 50 separate ideas of how the thing should work, then just thrown together in one pot - and wallah - we have the Nook. - Nice to see that your books cover art can be browsed in color, but lost points because side loaded books that you put on the reader are kind of 'second class citizens' and don't show up in that same nice cover browser with your purchased books. In fact, over and over while using the Nook, it seemed that there were things that were JUST PASTED ON, kind of like that whole business of a tiny touch screen pasted on below the main screen is a metaphor for the whole Nook design.

On the Sony reader, I was impressed time and again with how logical and internally consistent the touch screen software is.

The Sony's touch screen GUI interface has a nice orthogonal internally consistent quality that looks like it actually was PLANNED as opposed to 'just thrown togeather' like the Kindel and Nook.

For example, on the Sony ALL your books appear in a single main thumbnail listing, (which you can switch to a text index mode if you chose) and when you have hundreds or thousands of books on the device, a handy alphabetical letter based index column automatically appears at the far right side of the screen.

Just touch the letter you want, and BINGO you jump to that point in the list.

Switch to collections and open one of your ebook collection listings, and that listing works EXACTLY the same, you can still change to thumbnail or text view, and you still have the exactly the same kind of quick pick alphabetical indexes at the right side for long lists.

Now here's the part that impressed me - If you put hundreds or thousands of notes on the Sony, they also appear in a list, and guess what? - Exactly the same kind of alphabetical letter based index column appears at the far right side of the screen.

Similarly, there are things that work in a kind of context sensitive way that is also very internally consistent. For example, while reading you can hit your options menu and select "Notes" and because you are reading a spicific title, you can see, enter, or edit only notes for that title. Select "Word Logs" and you get a nice automatic log of any words you have looked up in the Sony's Dictionary, but ALSO only for that specific title.

Now, if you exit to the HOME screen, you find you can easily access "All Notes" which is a global listing of every note for every book on your reader and by opening the Dictionary from the home screen, you can see the same kind of global listing for all the words logged by dictionary lookups while reading all the books on the reader.

So when you are reading a book, you see notes and word logs related to that book, when you are at the home screen you see a GLOBAL listing, that's the way it works for NOTES, Hand Drawn Annotations, Word Logs - EVERYTHING.

So, on the Sony PRS-x50 Touch Readers, once you learn a few basic things, you can use that knowledge over and over again in other ways, because everything works consistently.

I have written and tested software professionally, so I guess I tend to notice this 'planned' vs. 'just thrown together' quality a little more than others.

I am sure that there are folks who are just pleased a punch with their Kindles and Nooks, but for me it wasn't even close, the Sony won hands down.

[boswd]

I disagree with Delphin not exactly sure what is so confusing

your home row consist of 6 icons
Daily
shop
Reading Now
Library
Games
WiFi
Settings

If I want to shop guess which Icon you pick If you want to pick up where you left off, guess which Icon you pick, If you want to look at books in your library guess what Icon you pick. sensing a pattern here and inside each Icon all your options are clearly laid out in a scrolling matter

I mean we are all going to chest thum our own devices we love the best thing you can do is just play around with each, weigh each devices pros and cons and go from there.

both are great readers, I for one think you get more bang for your buck and great features and such on the nook, Dlephin loves her Sony.

but its your money and your eyes.

[jocampo]

I would not spend so much money on a eink ereader, like Sony, I believe they are expensive for what they really provide (without questioning the quality, of course) But between B&N classic and Sony, I would choose the Sony. The device itself is much better, more a dedicated e-reader thank anything else.

The Nook Classic touch screen is distractive, not so responsive and the main reason for the poor battery life. Outdoor is also hard to see, for not saying almost impossible, making difficult to navigate and browse, defeating a bit the main purpose of the e-ink screen.

The e-ink screen in the Sony is also better and uses most recent technology. The B&N classic, in terms of technology, is going to be an old model really soon.

If money is not an issue, get the Sony, otherwise, the B&N classic will give you a good balance between price and features, including wifi.

[Poppaea]

I had an Italica (similar to the CybookGen3) before and I thought I am happy with it. I had this big screen and a sleek and stylish device and it can read almost any file in the world.... but I didn't like most file formats. I stuck to one. I didn't need 8 different font sizes, just one. And I didn't nee a 6" screen when I got the perfect sharp higher dpi screen and was able to cut down one font size altogether.

The Sony is pure bliss. It is perfect. There is nothing I would change. If I wanted a bigger screen there is the 650. Even bigger, wAnt wifi? There is the 950. Turns out I want none of these: I want a go-with-me-everywhere device that fits into the tiniest pocket.

And I will never understand the: They can do it, I want it mind set. They can build ashtrays in cars, why should I want one when I don't smoke? The plan is to get a device dedicated to reading, not browsing, not dishwashing, reading. 1,200 books will last most people a lifetime, an avid reader about a decade. Which kind of emergency will make it necessary to buy a book on the go?

[delphin]

Originally Posted by boswd

I disagree with Delphin not exactly sure what is so confusing

your home row consist of 6 icons
Daily
shop
Reading Now
Library
Games
WiFi
Settings

If I want to shop guess which Icon you pick If you want to pick up where you left off, guess which Icon you pick, If you want to look at books in your library guess what Icon you pick. sensing a pattern here and inside each Icon all your options are clearly laid out in a scrolling matter

I mean we are all going to chest thum our own devices we love the best thing you can do is just play around with each, weigh each devices pros and cons and go from there.

both are great readers, I for one think you get more bang for your buck and great features and such on the nook, Dlephin loves her Sony.

but its your money and your eyes.

I agree that if someone is interested in both, they should do everything possible to try to actually get a hands-on demonstration before making a decision.

If you can't find someone that actually owns one, try to actually find a store with a Sony and then check out the Nook at B&N.

Didn't want to get into specifics on why I didn't like the Nook. I could have lived with one if I hadn't seen the Sony first, but since you asked -

I didn't like the small size of the touch screen area on the Nook, it made for way too much scrolling in lists and menus, and you could only see a couple book cover thumbnails at a time, and has been already mentioned, like any backlit TFT LCD, it's hard to see in daylight.

You mentioned that the Nook has a fairly simple opening menu, but what you didn't mention is that when you select "Library" you then have to chose from two different sub-menus, one for B&N stuff, and a distinctly different LESS SOPHISTICATED menu for all your other "My Documents".

So although the B&N does get big points with me for at least supporting Overdrive library titles and un-drm-encumbered public domain EPUBs, I do NOT like the fact that they show up as distinctly "second class citizens".

Sure, all ebooks are equal "but some ebooks are more equal than others" apparently.

In the manual it takes about 15 pages to describe all the goodies available in the for-pay "My B&N Library" section, but only a couple paragraphs to describe the "My Documents" section.

This unnecessary distinction, and different menus and features for books depending on where you got them, was just one of the things that gave me that "Just thrown togeather" feeling about the Nook.

In the main "My B&N Library" section there is already a way to sort by content type, magazines, newspapers, books etc, so it would have been logical to simply add the "user content" books as a separate category in this listing.

On my Sony I can Open Calibre on my Linux Laptop, transfer some free books from feedbooks, then go upstairs to my Win7 desktop and transfer some paid titles from Kobo, Google, or the Sony store, then go to my friends house and grab 500 classics by just dragging them onto an SD card with no regard to folder layout, and on the Sony, ALL THOSE BOOKS END UP NICELY SORTED INTO ONE SINGLE SEAMLESS MASTER LISTING.

On my Sony PRS-650, not only can I browse my local books using a much better full sized touch screen thumbnail browser, but I can use that browser for ALL my book titles, with indexing, and search features that also work for ALL by book titles. So, on my Sony none of my books are 'second class citizens', just because I didn't buy them from Sony.

[Ripplinger]

jocampo and Poppaea hit the nail right on the head and agree with everything they said. Get the Sony.

When I was researching which ereader I wanted and almost bought a Nook, I discovered that the Nook still has the older first gen e-ink screen, so it doesn't look as sharp as the screen on the Sony. I also found that extra color touch bar at the bottom to be a waste of space and distracting while reading. They should have made better use of the space and increased the viewing window. And the white glossy plastic frame around the Nook I found to be the most distracting thing about it. It glares. It glares badly. Even though the glare wasn't on the text itself, I found myself constantly trying to tilt the Nook to eliminate the glare, it was that annoying.

Try the Sony someplace that will let you return it for full price, but I'm betting you'll fall in love with it after using it.

[ldbooks]

I looked at both the Nook and Sony, too, when I was first shopping for an ereader. The Nook & Nook Color in the store was hard to navigate for me and the clerk told me the battery wouldn't last a full flight across country. Not that I fly that far very often, but I want a battery that will last a full trip. Other than that, I thought the Nook was a nice ereader. I ended up buying the Sony on sale though and love it. It was easy to figure out how to use and loading books on it is very easy with their software. Doesn't get much easier than clicking "sync".

Either way, if your goal is reading, then you really can't go wrong with either one and you can buy books from a multitude of online bookstores that work on both devices. So it really comes down to your personal preference and how the device feels in your hands.

[dordale]

A lot of good posts with lots of info above!

Figured I'd share my personal saga...Back in July of last year I decided to get a nook to replace my aging 505.

I liked the nook okay, but didn't really like having to use the separate LCD touchscreen for navigation. It always seemed clunky to me--and looking up words in the dictionary (one of the main reasons I wanted to upgrade my reader) was a huge pain on the nook.

So, just two months later, Sony comes out with their new x50 line of readers. I'd only had the nook about two months, but convinced myself that I "needed" the Sony 650.

I consider the 650 one of the best purchases I've ever made! Love the touchscreen interface--and the dictionary is so much more functional than the one built into the nooks! I have to say, in my opinion, Sony really thought the interface though. Everything just works and is very intuitive. For me, the premium price of the Sony is well worth it--and when I had wi-fi access on my nook, I really didn't use it so I don't miss having it on the Sony.

Good luck with your decision--both readers are great at what they do. Personally, I just find the Sony interface much easier to use.

dordale

[starrlamia]

Definately see if you can get your hands on as many readers as possible before deciding, even check out the ones not in the running.
When I was shopping around I played with a kobo, Kindle and Sony and just liked the sony more, it's all personal preference so taking advice from us here is great for giving you an idea but it will all boil down to which feels better for you.

[viviena]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

To the best of my knowledge Sony has its own bookstore. Just like Amazon. Just like BN. Just like Apple. Just like Kobo. So how is it that those e-readers are vehicles for a bookstore and the Sony is not?

Poppaea's point that the Sony is sold worldwide is worth keeping in mind---in B&M stores and with more brand awareness than even the Amazon Kindle. The Sony Reader Bookstore is US-only (though there are ways around it). For the majority of Sony Reader users outside the USA, you can't really argue that the device is a vehicle for a tie-in bookstore. Marketing where I live is focused very much on the hardware and on the reading experience, not so much external factors such as bookstore tie-in. You might or might not see this as a bad thing.

Anyway, I have a wifi-capable iPod Touch and a 350. I find the combo of devices suits me fine---as I'm something of a comparison shopper, I don't need the instant gratification of purchasing ebooks, and browsing the net on the iPod Touch's screen is infinitely better than even on a larger 6" eink screen. Honestly, Sonys have few strengths for the average customer, but the strengths they do have, they absolutely excel at. It's just the question of whether they're right for you.

As for the Nook, I can't say I think much of the separation of B&N EPUBs from EPUBs obtained elsewhere (which I've heard about from more than just Delphin), but if you're a heavy B&N shopper, I can't see how you could go wrong with a Nook. It has a bit of everything and does it all well enough.

[starrlamia]

Just wanted to point out that Sony has a Canadian Bookstore too