Sony Digital Reader Touch Edition
In August 2009 Sony introduced the Sony Reader Touch Edition (PRS600BC) to their line of ebook readers. The touch edition is the comparable version to the Amazon Kindle 2 that Amazon.com makes. As far as size and proportions, the Sony Reader and Kindle 2 are similar. Both are about the size of a paperback book and as thin as most magazines and both weigh in at an impressively light 10oz. They both have a 6 inch display screen, measured diagonally and both utilize E Ink technology to create a paper-like display with no backlighting which reduces glare and eye strain. Both have high resolution and contrast for clear, crisp images.
One of the main differences between the two is the touch screen of the Sony Reader. This allows for ease, swiping of the finger to turn pages while reading. Using the stylus with the touch screen allows for freehand note taking, highlighting of text, and zoom features. If preferred, you can also use the full touch screen keyboard to take notes. The Kindle 2 has a full keyboard built in the device that is not touch screen for note taking.
Another difference is that the Sony Reader supports multiple digital media formats including ePub and Adode PDF which gives it a wider range of media it can support. Through Google Books, you can access over 1 million free public domain titles. Also, this technology allows you to borrow eBooks from most libraries if they are set up for that, as well as access multiple eBook stores on the internet. This gives a wider range of where you can purchase books from rather than the Kindle 2 where you can only get ebooks from Amazon.com.
The Sony Reader Touch edition holds up to 350 books (512MB internal memory) which is less than the Kindle 2, which can hold up to 1500 books, but still probably more than adequate for most people’s needs. The Sony Reader also has the ability to add expandable memory up to 16GB, if wanted, which would substantially expand the storage capacity. The battery life of the Sony Reader is an impressive two weeks, about 7,500 page turns, which is longer than the Kindle 2’s at 4 days if the wireless is on. The Sony Reader has 5 levels of text size compared to the Kindle’s 6 levels. Both have audio player for listening to music, built-in dictionaries, and picture viewer capabilities.
The Sony Reader is compatible with Macs and PCs, connecting via a USB port for downloads over the internet. A big selling feature for the Amazon Kindle family is the wireless delivery via the Whispernet and 3G wireless network for downloading on the go. Some other perks of the Kindle that the Sony Reader doesn’t have are the read-to-me feature and access directly from the reader to the internet for basic search and Wikipedia.
Overall, the Sony Reader Touch edition doesn’t have the bells and whistles of the Amazon Kindle 2 in comparison, but does have some nice features that the Kindle doesn’t, mainly the touch screen and formatting that allows for access to books in more locations. If the main use of your ebook reader is reading books and you want access to free books, then the Sony Reader Touch edition is a good choice. If you like getting downloads on the go, having internet access from your reader, want read-to-me function, and don’t mind only being able to get downloads from Amazon.com, then the Amazon Kindle 2 is probably your better choice.
