350 or 650

[tjweaver]

Hi,

Long time lurker on the forums but finally registered to make this post. I'm definitely decided on a Sony reader i'm just not decided between the 350 or the 650. Is that extra inch very significant in regards to readability? I mainly plan on reading novels on this - so the whole pdf's on these smaller screens isn't much of an issue for me now, but in the future who knows? I am hoping to use this reader for many years to come so I'm hoping for some helpful opinions in regards to a 5" screen vs a 6". Thanks for your time and input.

[doreenjoy]

Welcome to the forum!

I have the same question as you. I mainly read at large font sizes due to vision problems, and I wonder if the 350 will show 5 words per screen at the size I read at.

I did see one review that recommended the 350 only if you had good vision.

[SeaBookGuy]

The 350 would be okay for novels in small or medium type size. My concern would be that it'd be too small for PDF library books (Epubs would be okay).

[dax123]

I used to have a 300 and switched to 600. When the new ones came out I was planning on going back to the 350 mainly for the pink color. *grin* I'm a sucker for pink.
But ended up canceling that order and going for the 650 instead. I didn't want to really go back to a smaller screen because the 6" is just so much more comfortable with reading. I read in mostly medium and large font and with the big screen that still means not as much page turning as with the smaller screen.

And the device itself is still as small as ever..I was amazed at how small the 650 is, compared to my 600 and much lighter too. I can't imagine how small the 350 must now be, compared to the old 300.

But anyway I love my red 650 and am glad I did make that choice.

[babyd]

I have both and love both. But if it was my only reader then I would probably go for the 650 as the size is better for long term reading, at least for me.
The 350 is amazing, and I would not be without it, but I bought mine to keep in my handbag, so its my portable one, holding whatever books I am currently reading on my main readers. It is super cute and really dinky, so perfect for travelling. It feels so much smaller than the 300 too, not that it was big, this just feels nicer, so slim and comfortable to hold. The fonts on the 350 are so crisp and easy to read, so that is really not an issue, I can read easily on the 350 and I do wear glasses for reading, but can read without them the fonts are so clear, plus at a smaller font that Im used to. I find the pearl screens so clear that I have changed to smaller fonts on my Kindle 3, 650 and 350. It may be smaller than the 300 but it is far easier to read on.
I just think I prefer my main readers to be closer to paperback sized, it is what Im used to. But I won't be giving up my 350 any time soon, love it too.

[Jabby]

Originally Posted by babyd

The 350 is amazing, and I would not be without it, but I bought mine to keep in my handbag, so its my portable one, holding whatever books I am currently reading on my main readers. It is super cute and really dinky, so perfect for traveling. The fonts on the 350 are so crisp and easy to read, so that is really not an issue, I can read easily on the 350 and I do wear glasses for reading, but can read without them the fonts are so clear, plus at a smaller font that Im used to. I find the pearl screens so clear that I have changed to smaller fonts on my Kindle 3, 650 and 350.

Hi babyd -

Read your post with great interest.

I have Jetbook Lite with a 5 inch screen that I like quite a lot. I use it in landscape mode which places the "next page" button, comfortably under my left thumb. It looks like the PRS-350 would be the same - true?

I was wondering if you could do me a favor? Could you open an ePUB file in landscape mode and do a character and line count in both the medium and large font size? This would give me a good idea of what the screen would look like in real life.

My Jetbook in a font size that suits my eyes: After I adjust the line spacing with Calibre I get 12 lines per page (8 unadjusted) and 34-36 characters per line.

Regards - John

[babyd]

HI John

Okay did my best

My epubs were converted from sony.lrf files that had a font size of 10.
I ran them through Calibre with a font size of 0 (so it uses the sony default sizes), line spacing 19, as I like deeper spacing, and margins of 8. I use the font Grandesign Neue. All this should help, I hope......as you will be able to get more characters by using smaller margins and more lines by putting them closer than I use.


The Sony uses Small, as the default font size, it has XS, S, M, L, XL and XXL sizes.

I never use landscape so it surprised me to discover that it doesn't reflow the text in the same font size, but stretches the portrait view over the landscape mode, so the font becomes larger in the same size than when in portrait. Probably quite usual for ereaders but I never knew that till now So I would personally have set the font to a size smaller than I use to give a similar font size when in landscape. But I have done the readings in the sizes you requested.

Okay, in landscape mode I get the following:
Medium= 34 characters and 10 lines of text
Large= 26 characters and 7 lines of text

remember I used deeper line spacing, as I don't like words cramped together, most people would have them much closer than I do. I guess it would not be that much different to what you have now.......

You can choose which way the orientation flips, to the left or right, so you can have the button of either side as you prefer. On the left side the page turns are nearer the top, on the right they are nearer the bottom, are easy to use in either position, but are possibly a bit better on the left as they are higher and fall under the thumb nicer.

Hope that helps

[Jabby]

Originally Posted by babyd

Hope that helps

Hi again babyd - It was a tremendous help and I thank you for it!

My K3 has a great screen and since the 350 uses the same technology the 5 inch Sony should be right up my alley.

It is also good to know that the 350 will respond to Calibre layout changes (not all will).

In short, you have answered all of my question and Sony should pay you a commission for your efforts.

Regards - John

P.S. I forgot to mention that my Jetbook reflows when going from portrait to landscape or vice versa.

[babyd]

Hi John

Glad it helped you

If your one reflows then you may find with the Sony that you can drop down a font size, so you may get even more per line.

Good luck and I hope you love it if you get it

I haven't used a 5" screen reader but I personally wouldn't buy anything smaller than 6" - and even that is too small for me, really. Maybe if my eyes were a bit younger, it would be OK for epubs or rtfs, but since a 6" reader is just as portable as a 5" one, IMO, it just makes sense to go with the larger screen. Mind you, the pink reader does look very cute!

[tjweaver]

Thanks everyone for you input. I was kind of leaning towards the 650 to begin with but i read a few posts about how portable and handy the 350 was so I figured I'd ask.

[tvuongpham]

350 very portable very good!
5" pearl screen with denser print than the 650..

Both are 800 x 600 but the 350 is a 5" screen so it is higher dpi.. 167 vs 200 I believe.

I used the 600 for almost a year and it was good but mostly read it at larger fonts do to the lack of clarity, but the 350 doesn't have this problem..

I find I can read at xs or s without issue.

No glasses for me and I work over 8 hours a day in front of my computer laptop screen!! lol

I have over 112 books and almost 1.34 gb left of storage for books.. so the onboard 2 gb is very much "enough"

I don't miss the mp3 player -- never used it
I don't miss the dual card slots..

I don't need wifi, as I will hardly ever need to reload the device with books..
It is like my ipod nano.... so much storage 16gb I hardly ever need to refresh the music.

The 350 with 2gb onboard.. unless you read a LOT or constantly are adding to your library.. I find an occaision sync with Calibre or Sony Reader -- if I buy a cool book.. it is very fast and doesn't take much time to do..

I was doubtful of the micro-usb but it charges well with my laptop or blackberry charger (or bluetooth charger) -- is is prolific.. unlike the 600 I used a PSP charge/sync cable..

oh well. more than you asked for but.. I really like the 350..

Just looking for the sony cover... to show up on Amazon.. I have some extra Amazon GC to use! ;-)

I thought about the caselogic zipper case.. but this 350 is so slim and portable.. I think the zippered case will deter from that "sleekness" factor!

--
funny I feel like Star Trek reading on the little bugger! lol

[doreenjoy]

Originally Posted by savethebutterfly

I haven't used a 5" screen reader but I personally wouldn't buy anything smaller than 6" - and even that is too small for me, really. Maybe if my eyes were a bit younger, it would be OK for epubs or rtfs, but since a 6" reader is just as portable as a 5" one, IMO, it just makes sense to go with the larger screen. Mind you, the pink reader does look very cute!

I'm not sure it's true that both readers are equally portable. I often find myself leaving my 505 behind because it would overload my purse.

I guess I have to take a look at the 350 in person to see if my old, cataract-ridden eyes can read it at a decent font size. I usually read on my 505 at Large, which might not give me enough words-per-page on the 350.

[SeaBookGuy]

Something you'll have to experience for yourself is how much lighter the 650 is than the 505.
Actually, I paused this message to open an Epub in Large on my 505 - you might be able to get by with a 350, even with as much as 20% fewer words per page, but the new models have more sizes, so tough to compare exactly.

[doreenjoy]

Originally Posted by SeaBookGuy

Something you'll have to experience for yourself is how much lighter the 650 is than the 505.
Actually, I paused this message to open an Epub in Large on my 505 - you might be able to get by with a 350, even with as much as 20% fewer words per page, but the new models have more sizes, so tough to compare exactly.

Thanks. I was also thinking that the increased contrast, along with the Margin Cut feature of the 350, might make it pretty legible for me.

I wish I could justify getting both a 350 and a 650, but I already have too many gadgets in my life and I'm trying to minimize.