Sony Touch
Following the success of the PRS505S, Sony have upgraded their ebook reader to face some tough competition from the likes of the cheaper COOL-ER.
The new Sony PRS600B Touch Edition offers improved memory features, a sleek new design and perhaps more importantly the ability to access both DRM and Non-DRM publications.
Compare Price:
| Product Name | Store | Cost | Postage | Order |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sony PRS600B Touch | WHSmith | £219.00 | £0.00 |  |
| Sony PRS600B Touch | Waterstones | £229.99 | £0.00 | |
| Sony PRS600B Touch | John Lewis | £249.00 | £0.00 | |
| Sony eBook Reader | Amazon | £249.99 | £0.00 | |
Design:
The first thing to mention about the new Sony PRS-600 Touch is that its dimensions are very similar to its predecessor. It’s height and width are practically identical and if anything its weight is slightly more reassuring giving the reader an overall sturdier feel.
With the arrival of touch screen technology, the menu wheel at the bottom of the reader has been removed and the buttons which adorned the side of the PRS-505 have been moved so that they’re now under the main reading screen.
Overall, look of the reader is much more impressive with sleek curves giving the device an all together classier look and for the first time, Sony will be offering the reader in a handful of different colours.
Display:
The screen incorporated in to Sony’s PRS-600 eBook Reader is a 6″ screen displaying razor sharp text at 170dpi - a density usually associated with newspaper articles and almost twice as sharp as the average LCD screen.
The screen uses thes the same eInk technology found in other devices, although Sony has removed the sidelight which lit the screen in the old PRS-505 model. Although this might prove frustrating to those of you who like to read in bed (you’ll now need to purchase a cover with integrated book light), it actually leads to a much greater contrast between the words and the screen background, making reading a much more pleasant experience.
But what about the much heralded touch functionality? Well it’s actually a pleasure to use. Although it’s not quite as responsive as what iPhone users might be used to, it’s very intutive and easy to get to grips with. Users simply swipe their finger across the screen to go forward or back a page … or swipe and hold to skip several pages at a time. Double-tapping a word brings up the built-in dictionary and double tapping a page adds or removes a bookmark. It’s all very user friendly.
Mobile Library:
Alongside touch screen functionality, the major step forward in this upgrade is that users of the PRS-600 Touch will now have much greater access to the books that they read. While earlier versions of the reader restricted users to accessing content that was formatted in a special format owned by Sony, the new Touch Reader does away with these security restrictions meaning that readers can purchase their books from a wide range of locations outside of the Sony store.
Unfortunately, the 3G connection which was included in the US release of the device has been removed from the UK version meaning that books can’t be downloaded on the move. However, adding more books to your reader is as simple as connecting your device to a PC or Mac (using the USB cable that is included in the box) and then downloading books from your favourite store. In short, if you’re comfortable using iTunes, you won’t have any problems using Sony’s software.
The amount of storage in the PRS-600 Touch has been increased too. 512MB comes as standard now meaning that users will be able to copy approximately 350 books on to the device as soon as it comes out of the box. Those looking for extra storage can purchase a 16GB MS Duo or SD card which can be inserted into the discreet memory slot allowing approximately 13,000 eBooks (or 1 whole library!) to be carried around in your pocket.
Conclusion:
Sony have released an excellent upgrade. While it’s disappointing not to see any wireless functionality in their latest reader, the introduction of touch screen technology and the ability for users to access both DRM and Non-DRM material will be enough for current users to start thinking about upgrading.
For those of you who have been waiting to join the e-reading revolution, then you may well be running out of excuses. It may well be more expensive than some of its competitors, but there can be little doubt that Sony have produced an affordable device that oozes quality out of its every curve.
Technical Specifications:
Dimensions:
Height: 175mm
Width: 122mm
Depth: 10mm
Weight:
298g
Display:
170dpi; 6″; E Ink technology;
Internal Memory:
512MB (approximately 350 books)
File Formats Supported:
| BBeB Book (Marlin) | ePub | |
| BBeB | TXT | Microsoft Word |
| RTF | PNG | BMP |
| GIF | JPG | MP3 |
| AAC |
Battery:
Rechargeable lithium-ion battery lasts up to 7,500 page turns on a single charge
Warranty:
One-year
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