I took the plunge, bought an e-reader

[PlanetScribbles]

Sony PRS-300 Reader Pocket Edition ebook review - Pocket-lint

An entry level device, but mega light and mega portable and has across the board file compatibility.
If I wanted an MP3 player i'd have bought an iPod, so I don't care that it has no music player facility.
It's perfect for ... reading books. Why would I want more?

 

[otrpu]

I listen to audiobooks to/from and at work, so, Blackberry Curve and Stereo Bluetooth headset for me. But, Wifey. . .sits a Lobby Station, she watches DVD's on Sony Player. I got her an Kindle 3, now she listens to Audiobooks. I can't keep her in DVD's using the mails. Streaming will be the only answer for that I suppose. I walk alot during a shift, so wireless has been a big advantage for me. Enjoy your Sony reader. JMHO

Cheers,
otrpu

 

[Loveridden]

Awesome, I am glad for you!!! I hope to get an e-reader someday!!

 

[gemini2281]

I normally just use my Kindle app on my iPhone to read on. But, I have my heart set on a Nook Color. You can root and mod it to run a full Android OS. I'm gonna get one and put CyanogenMod on it and have a fully functional tablet for the price of an e-reader.

 

[Anima]

I have a Sony 305 (with the touch screen). I've been e-reading for years (I was an early adopter). Enjoy!

Now, head on over to mobileread.com and join the forums!

 

[Eddie.Willers]

Nice!
I bought a Kindle just last christmas - with 3G wireless, free of charge, and an 'experimental' browser and MP3 playback it was a good deal at $189.
Cuurently reading Shirer's "Rise & Fall of The Third Reich".

 

[PlanetScribbles]

An entry level device is a good place to start, no touch screen, no memory card expansion and no wi-fi/3G. Only 512mb storage.
But when you think about it, why would you want more than 300 books on it at one time? Takes speed reading to a new level, 512mb is fine. Touch screen is just a gimmick, pressing a D-pad to turn page is not difficult. I have a PC and laptop to store my collection, if I want to refresh my collection I just plug it in and transfer some files. Big deal. Battery life of 7500 page turns per charge is at least 3 weeks moderate reading. This model has great contrast, better than the touch screen version.
At £94 delivered it is money well spent IMO. Plus it has a 2yr rtn to base guarantee attached too, free of charge. It was the best deal I could find.

 

[Anima]

This model has great contrast, better than the touch screen version.

The 305 has the exact same screen. It has sensors around the edge that sense the "touch" (the first touch models had a different implementation that caused glare). I find the touch screen nice for navigation (foot notes, etc.), but I really like tapping words to immediately get their definition. I used to read on the PRS-505, and I thought that the touch screen was gimmicky until I got the 305. Just sayin'.

 

[db13berry]

Cool! I love e readers. I got a Nook Color for Christmas. Still haven't rooted it but am considering. It works well as a tablet as is for what I use it for which is occasional surfing, but mostly reading. I take it with me everywhere because I pretty much keep my calendar on it.

 

[dragonladee]

I have the same model but in pink

LOVE it!

 

[dragonladee]

I have the same Sony e-reader model but in pink

LOVE it!

Only thing is the software that they use for library management is kinda buggy. I use Calibre instead, and it's free.

 

[PlanetScribbles]

The 305 has the exact same screen. It has sensors around the edge that sense the "touch" (the first touch models had a different implementation that caused glare). I find the touch screen nice for navigation (foot notes, etc.), but I really like tapping words to immediately get their definition. I used to read on the PRS-505, and I thought that the touch screen was gimmicky until I got the 305. Just sayin'.

Oh, I agree that touch screen is nice. But it's near twice the price
I didn't know that there were exceptions to the ones with the glare problem, the extra layer on touch screens naturally cause a glare and I know most have that problem. I was just convincing myself that I can do without touch, although i'd have obviously chosen the touch model 'PRS-350' if money was no object. But it costs like 60% more.

 

[PlanetScribbles]

I have the same Sony e-reader model but in pink

LOVE it!

Only thing is the software that they use for library management is kinda buggy. I use Calibre instead, and it's free.

I use Alfa ebook Manager for my PC collection. I tried Calibre but wasn't smitten with it.

 

[Anima]

Oh, I agree that touch screen is nice. But it's near twice the price
I didn't know that there were exceptions to the ones with the glare problem, the extra layer on touch screens naturally cause a glare and I know most have that problem. I was just convincing myself that I can do without touch, although i'd have obviously chosen the touch model 'PRS-350' if money was no object. But it costs like 60% more.

As far as I know, the 350 is the only touch model without the glare-inducing touch layer, although I assume that Sony is probably using it on their higher-end models now (their original touch model was a disaster because of the problem you mentioned). You can do without the touch just fine. My vocabulary skills aren't great, which is probably why I'm so enamored with the dictionary capability; what I see as the main advantage. I used to always have to keep a dictionary handy. If you can read without constantly looking up words and you don't typically read books with tons of footnotes, you probably wouldn't use it all that much. I loved my 505, and it was as heavy as a brick and had no bells and whistles (except an mp3 player that I never used even once).

One neat thing about the pocket reader: It fits perfectly in a sandwich bag for bathtub reading.

ETA: If you are buying DRM'd epubs, PM me if you need assistance in liberating them.

 

[PlanetScribbles]

BTW @dragonladee, I ordered the 'rose red' one too. Silver is too generic, and navy blue just doesn't appeal.

 

[RobertY]

My Wife has a Nook WiFi/3G. I rooted it so that was able to break her away from being stuck buying from just Barnes&Noble. She loves her Nook.
I have the Nook Color which I also rooted so it is more like a mid-range tablet.

I can read my NC at night with no light source. She has to have a little light clipped on.

Now during the daylight outside she has the advantage. Hers with its e-ink screen is just like reading a book. My Nook Color with its LCD screen bleaches out and I have to struggle to try and hold it just so to be able to read it.

Battery Life. Her Nook beats the heck out of my Nook Color. Color LCD really uses the juice!

I am considering getting the new Nook Simple Touch because I do like touch screens.

Since we bought our e-readers we have not bought a single paperback or hardback book. With the choice of ebooks there is no reason to. There are lots of free reads. Oh, and then if you are rooted, WOW, that opens a world of free reading material through feedbooks, smashwords, and such.

I have also started writing. I currently have two children's bedtime stories -.99 each, two young adult fantasy novella's - book 1 free book 2 1.49, and one horror short story out - free.

 

[Sly9377]

Nice! I am still on deciding between the Nook Color & a Kindle, hopefully will make up my mind someday, lol

 

[PlanetScribbles]

The PRS-300 includes 100 'classics' (Dickens, Wilde etc.) for free, and some Mills & Boon romance stuff (not my scene). I rented Bill Bryson's Down Under from my online local library network, and am reading that right now. 21 day rental period, absolutely free to use. Cool
e-ink is the way to go, battery lasts two weeks on one charge lol

 

[Anima]

The PRS-300 includes 100 'classics' (Dickens, Wilde etc.) for free...

The free classics thing is kind of silly, because all of the "free" classics are in the public domain (i.e. available for free elsewhere). If you don't like the formatting on some of them (I didn't), the aforementioned Feedbooks has them for free, as does Mobileread in the download section and they are all free as B&N classics.

I know you mentioned that you don't like Calibre (how??), but I wonder if you tried its "Fetch news" feature? I love all the free newspapers, magazines and blogs.

Out of curiosity, where are you buying books? I usually check B&N and Sony and go with the cheapest (almost always Sony). I don't fuss with Amazon, but conversions in Calibre are easy and come out perfect most of the time.

 

[PlanetScribbles]

I've not 'bought' any books yet, i'm simply test driving the device atm. So far i'm quite happy with the small text option, and the e-ink display is amazing. It looks like there is a backlight it is so contrasted, yet in the dark you can't see it! Very easy on the eyes, allowing for the small display.
I'll try Calibre again, maybe I didn't give it enough time, but the Alfa manager is the dogz. You should try it.
The free classics was easy to download as they were in batches of 20 books. A quick and easy download, nothing more. I subscribe to Press Display so I get my newspapers in proper tabloid format online