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It has the larger screen of the current Sony Touch. I discovered I can "check out" digital books for free from my local library website. And while Sony offers a non-touch screen pocket edition, I don't like the smaller screen, and it has no expansion slots.Looking at the older reviews of the Sony PRS 505, it seems people love this device, and now I know why. Many seem to like the touch screen features, but looking at the device in person, the screen does have a glare that seems troublesome, a negative effect of having a touch screen. My wife is an avid reader, and initially I did not pay attention to any of these devices because of all the different formats that are out there. I have several computers at my disposal including a netbook, so that feature is of no concern to me.These readers are commanding a premium price even used and it is for a good reason. I have no eye fatique looking at the digital e-ink.And can I say open format. I can easily get lost into the book, just as if it were real print, which is the real test.
This reader is capable of reading a variety of formats and allows me flexibility on where I purchase.I've downloaded dozens of free e-books. The screen is just as nice as the smaller Sony pocket edition, but larger. While the Kindle seems like a fantastic device, my concerns are about being forced to buy only content from Amazon (even though I do love shopping on Amazon).I looked into the new generation Sony readers. I can't confirm for sure, but I believe the Kindle is not able to do this. It accepts SD memory and Sony Duo memory. After using the device for a few days I love the portability. I even like the Sony store interface for purchasing e-books.The worst thing I can say about this reader is if you want internet, or the convience of buying directly from the device, then this reader isn't for you. I think if you give this reader a try you'll fall in love with it too.
It's not just for e-books. Through your computer, it does everything the Kindle can do, but the 505 is a lot smaller (footprint, not screen) and easier to use. It's function flawlessly and I've read more books & news articles then every before in my life. I use to download material to my laptop. The PRS-505 is, in a word, perfect. But I grew tired of the bulky, heat and nose producing, contraption on my desk/lap/bed/couch/in my bathroom. With Sony's "eBook Library" or, my favorite software, Kovid Goyal's free (open source) "Calibre" on my computer, I've downloaded & converted thousands of free books (public domain), news feeds (rss), blogs, and html articles from hundreds of respected on-line sources. I've used my PRS-505 (daily) for two years.
The e-reader is so natural to use, I've at times found myself turning it over looking for the next page.The PRS-505 doesn't have wireless connection (like Kindle) but it doesn't need it. It also doesn't have the Kindle's unnecessary bulk and the 50+ keys/buttons to fumble with. I've downloaded books, maps, dictionaries, and even graphic novels, and not once wished I had any of the added functionality advertised by the Kindle - or even the newest reader models (Touch, Pocket, or Daily).
The screen is wonderful - it's like reading a real book. I'm on my computer every day, so it's really not a big deal for me to not have wireless downloads since I am using it for just reading books.
My favorite thing about this is I can download ebooks from my library for free and they work great on the reader. Nice to not have to spend a fortune on books.
Just bought this a week ago - got a good deal on one on Craigslist. I downloaded 3 library books, bought two from the Soney eBook site and had them on my reader in minutes.
The Sony eBook website is good too. Nice selection, and the best sellers are offered at 9.99, which seems okay.
It's very sturdy, well made, and the controls seem very well thought out. I am very pleased with my purchase.
I'm a Vietnamese. I decided to buy this ebook right after saw it at the first time.Because this device can't show Vietnamese correctly so I have to hack it's firmware. Everything is ok now.My wife loves reading and I gave it to her as a present. And now she like it very much.
For pictures, I recommend making sure the resolution matches the unit, otherwise pictures take a while to display. I know that sounds strange (and I did buy it for myself) but I am yet to use it. It's worth having a cover, if only because the unit is so think and light, you might actually drop it if your hands are a little sweaty. The lack of wireless connection (vs the Kindle) does not bother me, and, seems like an advantage after the recent incident with Amazon deleting purchases off the Kindle.
That being said, the ability to read PDFs means you can get a lot more material on it you could on a Kindle. You can't easily do that on a Kindle. The expansion slot means you can add many more books, music, or photographs that the internal memory can hold. Since it's a black and white (or rather gray and light gray), not everything works well, but I have at least a few of my kid in there that I like to look at. Book purchases via Sony e-book store are easy.
You certainly have options there - via Sony, via other stores (Fictionwise, etc), but most places are a little more expensive. Readability is good, even in full sun. I have not tried to play music on it, so I can't comment on that aspect. That does not seem like a big deal to me, but then again I don't write on books.
I absolutely love it. Of course, I would like the Amazon's 9.99 policy for most books. Oh well. I have dozens of articles from peer-reviewed journals uploaded to my Reader and love to go through them on a plane or the Metro. It charges fast, even if connected to a computer as opposed to directly to a plug. If you do, you will have to go "analog" (i.e. Image clarity is great, and pages change fast.
pen and paper). Battery life if great. As a matter of fact, it changes so fast to a computer that there seems little reason to purchase the additional charger. You can't take notes on this - as you would on a Kindle. Or, get a Kindle (which I'm sure Amazon would appreciate).
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