Review: The Sony Pocket Edition (PRS-300) Reader
Note: Check out my other related posts! Learn more about the Sony Ebook Reader Software. If you’re not sure what ebook reader to buy, this Ebook Comparison Post might help.
My decision to upgrade to the new Sony Pocket Edition Reader was based on two reasons: First, I wanted to take advantage of Sony’s move to ePub as its standard ebook format. Second, the price was right. At $199 it was worth the upgrade and I decided to do it now, while I had a little extra cash and not wait until such a purchase would break me.
Now for the nuts and bolts. As I played with my new Reader after bringing it home on Saturday night, I took notes (once a student, always a student) about my experience. Here’s how the Pocket Edition stacks up as an ebook reader.
First Impressions
Out of the box, the device feels sturdy and has a nice weight to it. The screen is smaller (5″) than my PRS-500 (6″) but that doesn’t bother me. I was also happy that it came pre-charged, so I was able to turn it on right away without having to plug it in and wait for it to charge.
My only disappointment in this regard is the fact that the device does not come with a power adapter. If you want one of those, you have to buy it separately. The Reader will charge when plugged into a computer via the USB cable that comes with it. Luckily I have a power adapter from my PRS-500 that should work fine.
When the Reader is turned on for the first time it takes you through a short and simple set-up. You are asked to select your preferred language. And then it asks your preference for the date/time format. In all, the set-up takes less than a minute.
Sony’s eBook Library Software 3.0
Now that Sony has finally decided to offer it’s software for the Mac, I downloaded the 3.0 version. The download itself is fast and only took a few minutes. Once downloaded and installed you are ready to go. If you already have an eBook Library account with Sony, you can sign in with your old username and password. This is great because it means you can still access all the ebooks you have purchased in the past.
Another big plus is that it lets you download past purchases to load onto your new device. So the book I’m currently reading and the few books I haven’t gotten to yet aren’t going to waste. I plugged my Pocket Edition into my computer and got it ‘authorized’ via the My Account settings. Once that is finished you are ready to go.
The user interface for the eBook Library Software is the same as it’s always been. It is definitely not iTunes, but is still easy and gets the job done. At the very least, the software is intuitive enough that you can figure everything out on your own with relative ease.
The Sony Pocket Edition (PRS-300) eReader
As I mentioned before, the device itself feels sturdy when held in the hands. It’s obviously not made of cheap plastic. The design is sleek and I love the light silver color. Yes, the screen is smaller but Sony makes up for it with a crisp display and plenty of contrast between the words and background (more on that later).
On feature I like is the arrow buttons to turn the pages are located in the middle of the device. So whether your left-handed or right-handed you can turn the pages with ease. In a side-by-side comparison with my older PRS-500, the speed of the page turns is about the same on the Pocket Edition (maybe slightly faster). However, when turning the device on, the PRS-300 turns on a lot faster than its predecessor.
Reading on the Pocket Edition is about like I suspected, great! The improved display contrast makes for a pleasant reading experience. I will only have to get used to reading off of a slightly smaller screen than my older Reader, which is no big deal considering I read a lot of digital content on my iPhone.
Another part of the PRS-300 I like is the simple controls. There’s a button for all the functions you will need with numbered buttons down the right-hand side for selecting menu options. This device is made for just reading, so Sony has minimized the distractions on the user interface.
Some critics of the Sony eReaders continue to decry the slight delay in turning the pages. I found this to be a non-issue. Not having the next page pop right up is more akin to turning the page on a print book. When I was contemplating buying the first PRS-500 a few years ago, I worried about this page turning issue as well. Then I saw a review video someone had posted and I saw it for myself. “That’s not bad at all,” I thought. A few days later I had my first dedicated ebook reading device.
Why did I chose the Pocket Edition over the Touch Edition?
For $100 more I could have gotten the Touch Edition, which comes with the ability for expanded memory, a touch screen, the ability to write notes and annotate the text, as well as audio feature. The simple answer is that I don’t need all those features. If I want to listen to music, I have my iPhone. If I need to take notes, I always carry a notebook and pen around with me. And I never annotate the books I’m reading (except when I was in college), so I don’t expect to start now.
Also, I was able to visit my local Sony Style store and see the two devices side-by-side. When I played around with the Touch Edition, I had problems turning the page. It could have been just the display unit, or maybe my finger swiping technique was off. But I want simplicity with my reading. Nevertheless I liked how simple the Pocket Edition was and decided that it was the device for me.
The only plus to the Touch Edition in my mind is the larger screen size. The Touch Edition has a 6″ screen, the same as my PRS-500. I thought it might be an issue as I was researching the two Readers online. But when I saw them in person I realized a 1″ difference shouldn’t be a deal breaker.
Final Thoughts
Overall I’m very pleased with the Pocket Edition. I’m going to put it through its paces over the next few weeks and I will try and remember to write a follow-up review that will include things like the battery life and any other issues that come up in my daily reading. I also want to try and post a short video demonstration of the eReader, along with a comparison of my older model.
Yes, I am recommending the Pocket Edition to anyone who is in the market for a good, solid ebook reading device. The improving e-ink technology makes digital reading very close to reading a printed page.
Related Posts
- Sony releases new ebook software, compatible with Mac, leaves out PRS-500 support
- Resurrecting my Sony Reader PRS-500 with Calibre
- Unboxing pictures of a new Sony Pocket Edition Reader
- Sony unveils wireless eReader
- EPUB Standard coming to a Sony Reader near you!
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