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Got to play a bit with a Sony Reader while I was at CES.
I prefer the form, shape, and dedicated keyboard of the Kindle. But I did like some aspects of the touchscreen, and think we'll probably see some touchscreen functionality introduced into Kindle over time.
Here are some pics:
The Reader kiosk was a small part of a massive Sony presence at CES. That's the entrance to the Jeopardy set in the background.
This is the newest model - the Reader PRS-700BC. (They really need some catchier names.)
Nice digital ink display, comparable with the Kindle. I've read reports that the glare is an awful problem - and while the glass screen may cause some occasional glare, I really didn't see it as such a big problem.
You can use your finger, or the included stylus, to select specific words or blocks of text - to then copy to clippings.
A QWERTY keyboard pops up on the touchscreen when you have the need to enter text.
Browsing the reader's contents. There is no offline browsing of the Sony store, and - as you probably already know - no WhisperNet equivalent. All your content comes from syncing up with a PC.
Some sort options for viewing the content on the Reader.
The slider on the left is how the font size is changed.
A B&W image rendered in the digital ink.
Here's a shot of the previous model - the PRS 505-RC, and its basic specs. Not a touchscreen model, and a completely different set of mechanical buttons and controls.
Interesting to compare and contrast these readers with Kindle. I think it's good for us that both Sony and Amazon are chasing the e-reader market. The innovations by both of them will move the technology forward - and the prices downward, perhaps - in a way that's good for consumers.
I prefer the form, shape, and dedicated keyboard of the Kindle. But I did like some aspects of the touchscreen, and think we'll probably see some touchscreen functionality introduced into Kindle over time.
Here are some pics:
The Reader kiosk was a small part of a massive Sony presence at CES. That's the entrance to the Jeopardy set in the background.

This is the newest model - the Reader PRS-700BC. (They really need some catchier names.)


Nice digital ink display, comparable with the Kindle. I've read reports that the glare is an awful problem - and while the glass screen may cause some occasional glare, I really didn't see it as such a big problem.

You can use your finger, or the included stylus, to select specific words or blocks of text - to then copy to clippings.

A QWERTY keyboard pops up on the touchscreen when you have the need to enter text.

Browsing the reader's contents. There is no offline browsing of the Sony store, and - as you probably already know - no WhisperNet equivalent. All your content comes from syncing up with a PC.

Some sort options for viewing the content on the Reader.

The slider on the left is how the font size is changed.

A B&W image rendered in the digital ink.

Here's a shot of the previous model - the PRS 505-RC, and its basic specs. Not a touchscreen model, and a completely different set of mechanical buttons and controls.


Interesting to compare and contrast these readers with Kindle. I think it's good for us that both Sony and Amazon are chasing the e-reader market. The innovations by both of them will move the technology forward - and the prices downward, perhaps - in a way that's good for consumers.