Comments on: Why the Sony PRS-505/PRS-700 is a better choice than the Kindle http://thunk.org/tytso/blog/2009/07/18/why-the-sony-prs-505prs-700-is-a-better-choice-than-the-kindle/ Musings about Open Source, Linux, and Life by Theodore Tso Sat, 24 Apr 2010 16:15:27 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Antti K http://thunk.org/tytso/blog/2009/07/18/why-the-sony-prs-505prs-700-is-a-better-choice-than-the-kindle/comment-page-1/#comment-2786 Antti K Mon, 09 Nov 2009 06:34:12 +0000 http://thunk.org/tytso/blog/?p=383#comment-2786 George, please check this forum: http://www.mobileread.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=123 For what I have read, it seems that currently only Irex DR1000 has a large enough screen for really nice reading (that is, without requiring panning) of double-column PDF's: http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=61290 However, the current quality of the device is somewhat crappy, according to some ex-owners: http://www.mobileread.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=174 Have to wait the forecoming announcement of Plastic Logic's reader, it might also have a largish screen. (Unfortunately with Windows CE instead of Linux.) George,

please check this forum:
http://www.mobileread.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=123

For what I have read, it seems that currently only Irex DR1000
has a large enough screen for really nice reading (that is, without
requiring panning) of double-column PDF’s:

http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=61290

However, the current quality of the device is somewhat crappy,
according to some ex-owners:
http://www.mobileread.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=174

Have to wait the forecoming announcement of Plastic Logic’s reader,
it might also have a largish screen. (Unfortunately with Windows CE
instead of Linux.)

]]> By: tytso http://thunk.org/tytso/blog/2009/07/18/why-the-sony-prs-505prs-700-is-a-better-choice-than-the-kindle/comment-page-1/#comment-2783 tytso Mon, 09 Nov 2009 03:06:52 +0000 http://thunk.org/tytso/blog/?p=383#comment-2783 I would get PRS-600 (aka the Sony eReader Touch Edition). It supercedes the PRS-700; is $100 cheaper, and has a better (lower glare) screen. If you really care about the screen glare, the PRS-505 is still better, but I consider the PRS-600's screen acceptable, and the faster CPU, better PDF rendering, and touch screen to be key advantages over the PRS-505. I would get PRS-600 (aka the Sony eReader Touch Edition). It supercedes the PRS-700; is $100 cheaper, and has a better (lower glare) screen. If you really care about the screen glare, the PRS-505 is still better, but I consider the PRS-600’s screen acceptable, and the faster CPU, better PDF rendering, and touch screen to be key advantages over the PRS-505.

]]> By: George http://thunk.org/tytso/blog/2009/07/18/why-the-sony-prs-505prs-700-is-a-better-choice-than-the-kindle/comment-page-1/#comment-2779 George Sat, 07 Nov 2009 15:23:29 +0000 http://thunk.org/tytso/blog/?p=383#comment-2779 I am considering my first digital reader purchase. My main interests, in order are: 1. PDF files-- a lot of reading for work 2. Newspapers> WSJ, Local daily current edition 3. Word documents 4. Occasional books 5. email Since it is now November 2009, have their been enough fixes and corrections make the Prs-700 the best choice, or is the 505 still the way to go. Thanks for comments and opinions I am considering my first digital reader purchase. My main interests, in order are:
1. PDF files– a lot of reading for work
2. Newspapers> WSJ, Local daily current edition
3. Word documents
4. Occasional books
5. email

Since it is now November 2009, have their been enough fixes and corrections make the Prs-700 the best choice, or is the 505 still the way to go.
Thanks for comments and opinions

]]> By: wei http://thunk.org/tytso/blog/2009/07/18/why-the-sony-prs-505prs-700-is-a-better-choice-than-the-kindle/comment-page-1/#comment-2772 wei Fri, 30 Oct 2009 06:45:57 +0000 http://thunk.org/tytso/blog/?p=383#comment-2772 I never understood the paranoia of the big brother or big corporations from some highly intelligent people. They have gotta have some pretty big incentives to be f*cking with your private book collection. I never understood the paranoia of the big brother or big corporations from some highly intelligent people. They have gotta have some pretty big incentives to be f*cking with your private book collection.

]]> By: DW http://thunk.org/tytso/blog/2009/07/18/why-the-sony-prs-505prs-700-is-a-better-choice-than-the-kindle/comment-page-1/#comment-2771 DW Fri, 30 Oct 2009 03:14:17 +0000 http://thunk.org/tytso/blog/?p=383#comment-2771 ProDigit, while you are correct that Sony (the company) uses DRM. That does not necessarily mean that the PRS505/700 devices are *required* to use the same DRM. Yes, the Sony library software uses DRM to manage the books it downloads and if the software were to be updated, it would be possible for Sony to do "bad things" to your content... My PRS-505 has never felt the leathery touch of Sony's "free" library manager software and it never will. I have over 900 books on my reader and they are at no risk, because Sony will never have any way of reaching out (like the Kindle) and deleting my books. At least with the Sony I have that choice. Not so much with the Kindle... ProDigit, while you are correct that Sony (the company) uses DRM. That does not necessarily mean that the PRS505/700 devices are *required* to use the same DRM.

Yes, the Sony library software uses DRM to manage the books it downloads and if the software were to be updated, it would be possible for Sony to do “bad things” to your content…

My PRS-505 has never felt the leathery touch of Sony’s “free” library manager software and it never will. I have over 900 books on my reader and they are at no risk, because Sony will never have any way of reaching out (like the Kindle) and deleting my books.

At least with the Sony I have that choice. Not so much with the Kindle…

]]> By: ProDigit http://thunk.org/tytso/blog/2009/07/18/why-the-sony-prs-505prs-700-is-a-better-choice-than-the-kindle/comment-page-1/#comment-2770 ProDigit Fri, 30 Oct 2009 02:49:28 +0000 http://thunk.org/tytso/blog/?p=383#comment-2770 while I agree with your conclusion, Sony also uses DRM, What's more Sony can also delete files from your device, if they wanted to, but not without an update of the library software. In fact, if you register a device to a new name, all the books purchased by the previous owner will be erased from the device! I hope the original poster of this article reads this! while I agree with your conclusion, Sony also uses DRM,
What’s more Sony can also delete files from your device, if they wanted to, but not without an update of the library software.

In fact, if you register a device to a new name, all the books purchased by the previous owner will be erased from the device!

I hope the original poster of this article reads this!

]]> By: Antti K http://thunk.org/tytso/blog/2009/07/18/why-the-sony-prs-505prs-700-is-a-better-choice-than-the-kindle/comment-page-1/#comment-2749 Antti K Sat, 24 Oct 2009 13:09:51 +0000 http://thunk.org/tytso/blog/?p=383#comment-2749 Ah, see: http://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/E-book_Reader_Matrix and especially this project: http://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/Openinkpot Ah, see:

http://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/E-book_Reader_Matrix

and especially this project:
http://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/Openinkpot

]]> By: Antti K http://thunk.org/tytso/blog/2009/07/18/why-the-sony-prs-505prs-700-is-a-better-choice-than-the-kindle/comment-page-1/#comment-2745 Antti K Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:19:32 +0000 http://thunk.org/tytso/blog/?p=383#comment-2745 Of all the currently available e-readers I would choose one of the Irex's products, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IRex if they were just a little cheaper! Irex Iliad runs on Linux, and you can get shell access, at least in the older models. (I don't know about the upcoming DR800 reader, which is clearly marketed as a competitor of Kindle: http://www.irexreader.com/ ) However, what's alarming is that on their home site: http://www.irextechnologies.com/ they don't anymore have the link to the Community and Developer sections http://web.archive.org/web/20080404123711/www.irextechnologies.com/community http://web.archive.org/web/20080229171338/developer.irexnet.com/ But, well, I found this: http://developer.irexnet.com/ Of all the currently available e-readers
I would choose one of the Irex’s products,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IRex
if they were just a little cheaper!

Irex Iliad runs on Linux, and you can get shell access, at least in the older models.
(I don’t know about the upcoming DR800 reader, which is clearly marketed as a competitor of Kindle: http://www.irexreader.com/ )

However, what’s alarming is that on their home site:
http://www.irextechnologies.com/
they don’t anymore have the link to
the Community and Developer sections
http://web.archive.org/web/20080404123711/www.irextechnologies.com/community
http://web.archive.org/web/20080229171338/developer.irexnet.com/

But, well, I found this:
http://developer.irexnet.com/

]]> By: DW http://thunk.org/tytso/blog/2009/07/18/why-the-sony-prs-505prs-700-is-a-better-choice-than-the-kindle/comment-page-1/#comment-2739 DW Sun, 11 Oct 2009 19:43:17 +0000 http://thunk.org/tytso/blog/?p=383#comment-2739 FYI - The biggest deciding factor for me was Calibre (http://calibre.kovidgoyal.net). I bought the Sony PRS-505 a year ago and have had no regrets. Calibre handles converting ebooks from/to multiple formats. It can automatically 'slurp' a website, RSS news feed, or other web content and convert it into an eBook for you. It also allows you to maintain your eBook library with ratings, comments, and custom art. Since Google and Sony announced the partnership and I discovered Feedbooks (http://www.feedbooks.com/), my decision to go with the PRS-505 seems like an even better choice. BTW, I'm not opposed to the Kindle - I bought one for my mom - but I knew my mom wouldn't understand the DRM and compatibility/flexibility issues that would totally piss me off. So, the Kindle is the best thing for her, but the PRS-505 is still the best thing for me. FYI – The biggest deciding factor for me was Calibre (http://calibre.kovidgoyal.net). I bought the Sony PRS-505 a year ago and have had no regrets.

Calibre handles converting ebooks from/to multiple formats. It can automatically ’slurp’ a website, RSS news feed, or other web content and convert it into an eBook for you. It also allows you to maintain your eBook library with ratings, comments, and custom art.

Since Google and Sony announced the partnership and I discovered Feedbooks (http://www.feedbooks.com/), my decision to go with the PRS-505 seems like an even better choice.

BTW, I’m not opposed to the Kindle – I bought one for my mom – but I knew my mom wouldn’t understand the DRM and compatibility/flexibility issues that would totally piss me off. So, the Kindle is the best thing for her, but the PRS-505 is still the best thing for me.

]]> By: Wei http://thunk.org/tytso/blog/2009/07/18/why-the-sony-prs-505prs-700-is-a-better-choice-than-the-kindle/comment-page-1/#comment-2707 Wei Wed, 02 Sep 2009 19:01:42 +0000 http://thunk.org/tytso/blog/?p=383#comment-2707 I realize this is beating the dead horse, but, heh, someone's gonna do it. :) If you are paranoid about amazon remotely removing your kindle books, I forgot to mention that you can as well email the purchased books to an email account. (amazonkindlecollection@gmail.com anyone?) I realize this is beating the dead horse, but, heh, someone’s gonna do it. :)

If you are paranoid about amazon remotely removing your kindle books, I forgot to mention that you can as well email the purchased books to an email account. (amazonkindlecollection@gmail.com anyone?)

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