Obviously the impressive touch screen replaces many of the buttons and keys of the Reader PRS-505 so aesthetically and ergonomically the 700 is a stunning piece of equipment. This Reader now has 5 font sizes (up from 3 with the 505), along with a built in front light so greater accessibility for those with poorer eyesight.

Overall, this eBook reader is a pleasure to use. It just feels like a more natural way to read books with greater control and easy navigation. Storing and managing your library of books, especially for those bookworms out there with hundreds of them, is just a breeze. And with the support of an array of formats including support of ePub and native PDF, as well as both DRM and non-DRM, Sony gets the thumbs up.

One stumbling block for some will be the display though. The Sony Reader PRS-700 with its touch screen display has a more matt finish – probably because of the touch screen surface that affects the contrast of the e-ink paper appearance.

The Ups:

The first ‘Up’ obviously has to go to the touch screen that eliminates the need for a keyboard. The screen is very responsive, making the control and navigation a walk in the park. Switching between ebooks and notes where you last left them isn’t a frustrating hassle at all and all can be done very quickly.

For those who thrive on being seen with the sexiest bit of kit in their hands, the design will impress all those around. Complemented with a very nice cover, it has to be said that it’s a better-looking device than the Amazon Kindle and appears and feels more like a real book than the Kindle 2. Also, the front sidelights will come in very handy for those night owls who love to read in bed.

The Downs:

Whilst all the excitement revolves around the touch screen and its benefits, it’s also the source of the few downsides of the Sony Reader PRS-700. Due to the surface layer that enables effective touch screen functionality, you have a noticeable set back. Firstly, the contrast is not as good as some of the others including Sony’s previous PRS-505. Furthermore, you get the glare from ambient light that can be very annoying whether indoors or out. Added to this, some of us report problems controlling and navigating using their finger and so it looks like the stylus could be more than just a nice to have. It might actually be essential.

Manufacturer: Sony

Release Date: October 2008

RRP: £

Screen size: 6”

Editors’ rating:

Members’ rating:

Sony Book Reader PRS-700 Specifications:

•    Size: 5.0 x 6.8 x .4 inches approx (127.6 x 174.3 x 9.7 mm)
•    Screen: 6″ diagonal touch screen. 167-ppi 800×600 (4.8″ x 3.6″) 8 level greyscale screen
•    Weight: 10 oz.
•    Fonts: 5 available font sizes
•    Buttons: hard buttons available for page changing. Press and hold to skip ahead. Also a back button, main, search, zoom, and option
•    Light: front light built in – 2 levels of brightness
•    External memory: SD card slot plus Sony memory stick duo card slot.
•    Keyboard: on screen virtual touch keyboard
•    Memory: eBook capacity: 320 in approximately 420 MB internal user memory
•    AC Power: Optional AC Charger requires 120 Volts 60Hz
•    Battery Type: Rechargeable Lithium-Ion 3.7 V
•    Battery Life (Approx.): Up to 7,500 continuous page turns (or up to two weeks worth of reading)
•    Battery life with light on: Low – 8 hours, High – 4 hours
•    Recharging Time: 4 Hours approx with USB charging from powered Computer or approx. 2 Hours when using optional AC wall charger (5.2V)
•    Ports: USB 2.0 (1.1 compatible), 3.5″ stereo audio jack, power input
•    CPU: Free scale i. MX31 (L?), ARM1136JF-S core, 400-532MHz
•    EPD controller: Broadsheet (Epson S1D13521)
•    Real-Time Clock /Sound/ /Battery/Power Management IC: Wolfson WM8350
•    USB: MX31 USB OTG controller w/ High Speed Philips ISP1504 transceiver
•    Linux kernel: 2.6.23 (compiled with gcc 4.2)
•    Operating temperature: 41 to 95 °F (5 to 35 °C)
•    Flash cards: MX31 SDHC controller, MX31Memory Stick controller
•    RAM: 128MB
•    Flash: 512MB NAND + 2MB NOR

Other info:

Sony has been in the game of e-book readers now for some times so are one of the main players. Launching their first ebook reader in 2003 with the Librie, Sony learnt the hard way and have since made good progress from the days of that first reader that unsuccessfully launched only in Japan.

Since then Sony have launched the Sony Reader PRS-500 and more lately the PRS-550 (October 2007). This new PRS-700, launched in October 2008, but most will agree is not a replacement for the very popular Sony Reader PRS-505.

Overall impressions lead to the summary that this newer Sony Reader PRS-505 is excellent. The kit is a big leap forward for the ebook reader fan. Even the supporters of the PRS-500 would have to admit that they’re going to bed with an ancient artifact when laid up next to this beauty. Apart from the looks, the 2 main spec changes that Sony has scored on are what give this the gold star. The new button changes and vastly improved screen quality.

However, on the flip side, you’ll read a number of small gripes below but really there’s not that many of significance – the page turner button, that after some getting used to will probably will be forgotten about.

The Ups:

Usability

There’s a greatly significant improvement in usability for the reader with the PRS-505. The best of the previous version are retained along with a range of upgraded features. The newly organized controls have helped the menu setup work well with the selection buttons. This will be welcomed by those of us who have heaps of books and rely on an easy to navigate book list.

The Screen

A relatively small improvement in the contrast has made a world of difference to the reading experience. The screen is great. You don’t need direct bright light indoors anymore. The duller image found with the PRS-500 has gone so you’re experiencing something closer to that of a real paper book. Gone is the flickering and images are far better too with the PRS-505.

Page access

Just by pushing a number you can now easily access a page directly with this e-book reader. By simply pushing the 3-digit page number you can access any page quickly. If you hit the wrong page then you just keep on typing the 3-digit page number you want.

Saving power

With the Sony PPR-505 you can now save power by turning the reader off using the menus. This complete power off functionality means that you won’t be recharging much, especially if you aren’t reading for long periods of time. Previously, even in sleep mode the life of the battery would drain within a few weeks meaning frequent and inconvenient charge demands while away from home.

Storage

The USB mass storage of the Sony PPR-505 lets you access the internal memory like any other mass storage device. Apple Mac users can now have access to non-DRM books that they didn’t have before and could only access via external cards.

Looks and style

Compared to the previous PRS-500, you’ll see the difference. This newer model of the Sony Reader is so much more modern and contemporary. In terms of getting that new purchase high when you’ve taken your ebook reader out of its box, you’ll be happy with this little bit of gear.

The Downs

Page turn

Probably one of the only downsides to this newer Sony book reader model is the round page turn button. It just seems to require quite a bit of force to push down and change the page. There’s no slickness to it and it’s just not an effortless click that you’d expect from such a well-designed device. There’s no obvious confirmation that you’ve clicked the button until a short delay when the turn actually happens.

PDF book reading

The screen of the PRS-505, whilst great quality, is still not big enough to easily read full-page PDF books with comfort and ease. There are tools available that can improve rendering but generally these PDF books can only be read well on the larger screen models out there.

PRS-500 Accessories

If you have a PRS-500 and kitted yourself out with some accessories, such as the dock and a fancy cover, expect disappointment when you realise that they can’t be used with the PRS-505.  If you didn’t have these of course then you can skip ahead and ignore this whinge.

Customization

Again, if you’ve enjoyed some of the hacks available for the PRS-500, such as additional clock display, then you’ll be disappointed that you can’t migrate these over to your new Sony Reader PRS-505.  If you haven’t taken advantage of these or this is your first e-book reader then it’s no drama of course. No doubt there will be something done about this in the near future anyway.

Price

Most will say that the price tag is well worth it for what you’re getting. It’s a lot of cool kit for the money. But for those who take 6 months to get through the average paper back book it could be seen as just an expensive gimmick that looks good next to the pool on holidays. However, the e-book reader is a lot more convenient, and reading is more fun so you could find yourself reading a lot more, especially with the new Sony Reader PRS-505.

Manufacturer: Sony

Release Date: October 2007

RRP:

Screen size: 6”

Editors’ rating:

Members’ rating:

Sony Book Reader PRS-505 Specifications:

•    Weight: 9 oz
•    Screen: 6″ diagonal 800 x 600 167 ppi display with 8 level gray scale Vizplex
•    Dimensions: 6.9″ x 4.8″ x 0.3″ (175 x 122 x 8mm)
•    Power: 3.7V Lithium Ion battery
•    AC Power (optional): 5.2V
•    Battery life: about 7500 page turns (approximately 2 to 3 weeks)
•    Recharge time: 4 hours on USB, 2 hours on AC adapter.
•    Connections: USB 2.0 (1.1 compatible), 3.5mm audio jack.
•    RAM – 192 MB available for the user equals 160 averaged sized eBooks
•    Operating temperature: 5 to 35C (41 to 95F)
•    Memory expansion: SDHC (tested to 16GB) card slot and Sony Memory stick Duo slot (tested to 8GB).
•    CPU: Freescale i.MXL, ARM920T core, 150-200 MHz
•    EPD controller: Metronome (E-Ink 8T125100A)
•    USB: Epson S1R72V17 USB OTG High Speed Controller
•    Sound: Asahi Kasei AK4356 DAC
•    Flash card interface: Ricoh R5C807 SDHC/MemoryStick controller
•    RAM: 64MB
•    Linux kernel: 2.4.17 (compiled with gcc 2.95.3)
•    Flash: 256M NAND + 2MB NOR

Other info:

Sony launched its first e-book reader called the Sony Librie in 2003. It was the first E-Ink reading device of it’s kind. However, it was only available in Japan and did not take off as planned, mainly due to the small number of e-books available at the time. Since then Sony have launched the PRS-500 and more lately the PRS-550 (reviewed here). The PRS-700, a touch screen launched in October 2008, is he latest but by no means supercedes the PRS-505

The Ups:

The PRS-500 is a well-designed slim and lightweight piece of kit. The Sony Book reader screen can be read in bright light environments so doesn’t need a backlight. It’s quick and easy to adjust the font size with just one push of a single button. Storage capability is very good with an additional memory card allowing you to store thousands of books. The Sony book reader gets credit for viewing of MS Word files, most of the common image files, and PDFs. Plus, the Reader plays audio files such as AAC and MP3. The battery life can’t be grumbled at either compared to other book readers launched around the same time.

The Downs:

With it’s age now in consideration, there are only a few to mention here but worth keeping in mind. There’s an evident sluggishness about the Sony Book Reader, especially when flicking over a page. The interface and controls could be better as they’re not one of the easiest to use. At the time of the PRS-500’s release, the Sony e-bookstore has come along way but still has a fair way to go, especially when it comes to the price of books. Further more, the ‘Connect’ software can’t be used on Apple Mac.

Manufacturer: Sony

Release Date: September 2006

RRP: No longer available to purchase from new

Screen size: 6”

Editors’ rating:

Members’ rating:

Sony Book Reader PRS-500 Specifications:

•    Size: 175.6 x 123.6 x 13.8 mm (6.9″ x 4.9″ x 0.5″)
•    Weight: 250 g (9 oz) without cover
•    Display size: 15.5 cm (6 in) diagonal (approx 1/4 area of letter-sized page), resolution: 170 dpi, 4-level gray scale, portrait: 90.6 x 122.4 mm (3.57″ x 4.82″), 600 x 800 pixels effective 115.4 x 88.2 mm (4.54 x 3.47 in), 754 x 584 pixels
•    Battery Life: (Approx.): Up to 7,500 page turns
•    Minimum font size: 6 pt legible, 7 pt recommended
•    Memory: 64 MB standard, Memory Stick excluding Pro Duo High Speed not supported. Standard memory sticks are only supported up to 4 GB.
•    PC interface: USB port
•    Power: Battery Type: Rechargeable Lithium-Ion – up to 7500 “page turns” per charge
•    Recharging Time: Approx. 4 Hours with AC wall charger or 6 Hours with USB charging from powered computer.
•    AC Power: AC Charger requires 120 Volts 60Hz2
•    System Requirements: Operating System – Windows XP (Home
•    Edition/Professional, Media Center Edition, Media Center Edition 2004, Media  Center Edition 2005)& Windows Vista™  (Home Basic, Home Premium, Business,  Ultimate).
•    Processor: 800MHz Celeron® class processor or better
•    RAM: 128MB Minimum
•    Hard Drive: 20MB Minimum available Hard Drive space
•    Optical Drive: Optical Drive capable of reading CD-ROM
•    USB Port: USB 1.1 or faster port

Other info:

In 2003 Sony launched its first e-book reader called the Sony Librie. It was the first E-Ink reading device of it’s kind. However, it was only available in Japan and did not take off as planned, mainly due to the small number of e-books available at the time. Since then Sony have launched the PRS-500 (as reviewed here) and more lately the PRS-550 (October 2007) and PRS-700, a touch screen launched in October 2008.