Amazon Kindle 2 vs. Sony Reader: 2009 Comparison
Editor’s Update Oct. 2009: The Kindle is now available at a reduced price of $259. In addition, there is already a Kindle with U.S. and International Wireless that can be shipped to over 100 other countries. Priced at $279, the international Kindle version is available for preorder before shipping starts on Oct. 19, 2009. Visit Amazon.com for more details on the Kindle international version.
Last year, we did a Kindle vs. Sony Reader 2008 comparison. In that review, we compared the first generation Kindle with the latest Sony Reader.
With the recent release of the Amazon Kindle 2, however, it’s time to stack up the cards again and see which device has the upper hand in 2009. In this Kindle 2 vs. Sony Reader 2009 comparison, we will again evaluate each of their features and see which one has the advantage. Then in the comparison summary, we’ll sum up their strengths and weaknesses and see who gets to take home the honors.
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Amazon Kindle 2 vs. Sony Reader PRS-700 |
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Price |
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$259 w/Free Shipping at Amazon.com |
$349 w/Free Shipping at Amazon.com |
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Size and Weight |
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| 8″ x 5.3″ x 0.36″ ; 10.2 oz | 6.8″ x 5.1″ x 0.5″ ; 10oz | |
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Display |
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| 6″ diagonal E-Ink® electronic paper display, 600 x 800 pixel resolution at 167 ppi, 16-level gray scale | 6″ diagonal E-Ink® electronic paper display, 600 x 800 pixel resolution at 170 ppi, 8-level gray scale | |
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Wireless Capabilities |
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| Utilizes Amazon Whispernet to provide FREE U.S wireless coverage via Sprint’s 3G high-speed data network so you never have to locate a hotspot. | None | |
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eBook Selection |
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| Over 240,000 books with more added daily, plus access to over 1,000 blogs and today’s most popular newspapers and magazines | Under 100,000 books; some blogs and no newspapers or magazines | |
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Formats Supported |
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| Kindle (AZW), TXT, Audible (formats 4, Audible Enhanced (AAX)), MP3, unprotected MOBI, PRC natively; PDF, HTML, DOC, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP through conversion | BBeB, ePub, TXT, RTF, MP3 and AAC7, JPEG, GIF, PNG, and BMP, Adobe® PDF, Microsoft® Word (Conversion to the Reader requires Word installed on your PC) | |
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Storage Capacity |
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| Holds about 1,500 books with 2GB internal memory (1.4GB is available for content); no external memory | Holds over 300 titles with internal 256mb memory; external memory supports SD memory cards and up to 16GB Memory Stick Duo cards | |
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Battery Life and Charge Time |
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| Full charge lasts for two weeks if wireless is turned off, 4 days if wireless is on; 4 hours charge time | Full charge lasts up to two weeks worth of reading; 4 hour charge time with USB charging from computer or 2 hours using optional AC wall charger. | |
Kindle 2 vs. Sony eBook Reader PRS-700 Comparison Summary for 2009
At a glance it appears that the Amazon Kindle 2nd generation has indeed gone through a lot of enhancements from the 1st generation Kindle. In last’s years comparison, the Kindle had the advantage over the Sony Reader 700 in price, wireless capabilities, and the breadth of content. In this 2009 round, Amazon Kindle 2.0 has managed to best the Sony Reader PRS-700 in many categories and more notably, in the features that matter most to the users.
First is the price. With its $259 price tag, Kindle 2 has remained to be the cheaper reading device by $100. The Amazon Kindle 2 also now boasts clearer, crisper, and glare-free text, using its e-ink technology to support 6 font sizes and 16 shades of gray – that’s double the 8-level gray scale of the Sony Reader.
When it comes to the wireless technology and the range of content selection, the Amazon Kindle 2 continues to rule. Its Whispernet technology allows free Wi-Fi access to over 240,000 book titles as well as blogs, magazines, and newspapers, allowing users to choose reading material from anywhere in the US using Sprint’s 3g network. The Sony Reader has neither the wireless technology nor the wide range of content to choose from.
In some categories, a virtual tie is declared. Sony had a more clear advantage on size with the first generation Kindle but the Amazon Kindle 2nd generation has become noticeably slimmer so now they are virtually identical in size – except that the Kindle is slightly longer.
Perhaps one of the more important features that put the Amazon Kindle 2 at a disadvantage in comparison to the Sony Reader PRS-700 is its storage capacity. The Kindle 2 already has an internal memory of 2G but no longer supports external memory. This is a downside that Kindle 2 users are having a hard time coming to terms with and I mentioned this as much in my Amazon Kindle 2 Review. The Sony Reader 700 on the other hand, still has this capacity supporting up to 16G of external memory.
Bottom Line When Comparing the Amazon Kindle 2 vs. Sony Reader 2009 Models:
The Amazon Kindle 2’s sleeker, slimmer look, superior features, and price makes it the clear winner of this match up. The Sony Reader PRS-700 may have put up a good fight in the 2008 comparison, but this time around, the Amazon Kindle 2 has established itself, fair and square, as the ebook reader to beat.
Does either unit provide for night time reading, ie, on-board lighting?
Does either unit provide on-board lighting for night time reading?
Linda:
You diehard Sony fans crack me up. You should see the comments I get on my YouTube videos comparing Kindle to the Sony Reader. I never realized people would be so defensive of their favorite gadgets…lol.
I’ll admit this review is dated and we should probably clean it up and update it. It’s on my list so thanks for the reminder.
I don’t claim that the Kindle is perfect and I also make it very clear on my about us page that I am a fan of the Kindle. I don’t pretend to be some objective reviewer from Consumer Reports;) I own the Kindle. I like the Kindle. And I think the Kindle is superior over the Sony Reader. The purpose of this review was to demonstrate why I think it is better than the Sony Reader.
You can totally disagree – and that’s totally fine! Thanks for your comments.
TravisVS
Site Admin
When was this review published? The Sony pocket reader is only $199 and if you are a student or an education employee, take off another 10% and make that $179. You don’t have to go through Amazon to download books…try your library website. What I really love is how Kindle got totally revamped to be more like the Sony reader…what does that say? The only advantage I can see is that the memory is a lot more but I think holding 350 books at a time is plenty for me. I don’t care about wireless…I always have a pc handy. But, yes, that’s right…Kindle hasn’t worked out Mac access yet, have they? If you’re going to do a review, try not to be so biased…this one was pretty blatant.
Thank you so much for the comparison. It doesn’t bother me that you stated your opinion about the Kindle. You provided a lot of information that helped me to over look your personal bias. After reading your comments, and all the other comments, I feel like I can make an informed decision. What the naysayers are forgetting is that they didn’t put anything up, if you hadn’t, they would not be able to argue for the Sony. All that being said, I think I still would choose the Kindle. Thanks for your time.
Can anyone tell me, on the Kindle is the text to speech feature easy to listen to? Would it be similar to listening to a audio book on cd? Thank you!
Betty:
The Sony Reader doesn’t have a “text-to-speech” feature.
TravisVS
Site Admin
The Kindle uses an “automated voice” to read books aloud. What does the Sony use?
I have been reading several review and comparisons for the last week or so. Given the new Sony products that have been released and will be released, I am leaning toward purchasing a Sony. The main reason is the support for epub and pdf. This opens up opportunities to purchase from other bookstores in addition to downloads from the library.
Josh:
You bring up some good points. If you include all books from public libraries or other sources, then yes, the numbers for Amazon are probably slightly exaggerated. However, most of the books available right now in public libraries and other free sources are for older books. If you read a lot of today’s popular books and best sellers, then you’ll definitely want the Kindle as it has the widest selection. If you’re going to read mostly older stuff and PDF files, then the Sony reader is the better device to buy.
TravisVS
Site Admin
OK, I am reading all these reviews to find out which device to buy. No one seems to talk about the e-book availability from public library downloads. I think this is a big deal, since Kindle does not use a standard format. I think the book availability numbers are misleading in Kindle’s favor as a result. And who really needs wireless, or needs to store so many books? How many books can one person, or 20 people, read at one time?
Teresa:
Sorry to hear you didn’t like my review. I will admit it’s bias towards the Kindle because in my opinion, it’s a far superior ebook reader to the Sony Reader. I’ll grant you that the Sony is cheaper and there are advantages to not being tied via wireless connectivity, but until Sony has the same breadth of available content, the Kindle is still King. And you don’t have to have wireless connectivity with the Amazon Kindle. You can still download material via USB.
TravisVS
Site Admin
I thought this was going to be a true comparison, but the link at the end shows it is just an overgrown ad for the Kindle. Personally, I see the lack of a web connection as a plus for the Sony Reader. I don’t need to worry about the virtual leash or having a book retracted by Amazon like they have done a few times on the Kindle. The prices are deceptive – you can get the Sony for $179 plus tax some brick and mortar locations and online for $179-$199.
Paula:
I’ll let others chime in here as well, but given your situation, I would recommend the Sony Reader and probably the 505 model as it’s really cheap (at least as far as ebook readers go). You’ll be able to read your PDF and Doc files without having to convert them. This is the one BIG knock on the Kindle – it’s lack of native support of PDFs and Doc files. As for how you download the material, it’s pretty easy. Just plug the ebook reader into your computer via the USB cord and you’ll be able to move the documents to it. It’s pretty easy. As for ebook formats, it’s my understanding the most common format across all readers is of course PDF (which makes you wonder why the Kindle never supported it until the DX came out) and probably .mobi.
TravisVS
Site Admin
Lots of interesting info here. I’ve been reading a lot of articles and comments about eReaders and still don’t know which way I’m leaning. My main use would be portability for efiction that I’ve already downloaded into my Windows Vista PC. What would be the easiest way to transfer pdf, word docs, and html files into an eReader? Which eReader is the best one for me? Also, when I purchase e-books from various sources, which format is the best to dowload?
Thanks for any and all advice!
Tom:
Good idea! With everyone “going green” these days and with everyone (especially schools) hurting for money, I wouldn’t be surprised if someday in the near future all books go digital. The biggest hurdle right now is the ebook reader devices themselves. They aren’t cheap! Although there are other ebook devices out there that are around $150. I’m sure within a few years these devices will be as cheap as an entry-level cell phone;)
TravisVS
SiteAdmin
Why hasn’t anyone brought the e-book idea to the schools? My son in high scholl has been hauling around in his back pack about 30 pounds of books. Seems like a perfect fit to have one lightweight e-book to tote!
Judy:
You can’t download directly from a Mac. However, there are work arounds. Here is a link to a blog that discusses your options.
http://wowio.wordpress.com/2007/09/04/sony-reader-and-mac-an-story-in-progress/
TravisVS
SiteAdmin
Can the Sony Rearder 505 download from a Mac?
Frankly I haven’t bought either one but like the Sony Reader 505. A video said you cannot connect it to a MAC. Is this true?
Tracey:
Having a wireless connection isn’t required to use the Kindle. However, you will need a U.S. credit card to purchase the Kindle and to have a Kindle account (to be able to download your books to your Kindle). So for most non-US citizens, the Kindle simply isn’t an option right now, which is really too bad. There are rumors that Amazon is working on this and that “soon” the Kindle will be available to other countries.
Until then, your best (and really only) option right now is the Sony ebook reader.
Thanks,
TravisVS
Site Admin
Hi, I am totally confused what to buy despite your great comparison. My problem is that I live in regional Australia and I am not sure if I can even buy a Kindle. Basically, I could buy a Kindle and download books to my computer just as I could with a Sony? Or does it have to be wireless which is useless to me because I use satellite and not wireless broadband. Also, if the Kindle is available to me does this mean I can buy a non-kindle book, send it through to kindle and they convert it? Forgive my ingnorance but as you can see I am not technologically adept:)
Yvonne:
If your textbooks are primarily available in PDF format, then you’ll want to go with the Sony Reader because it supports PDF files natively. You can view PDF files on the Kindle too, but you either have to have Amazon convert the files for you (which they charge you) or you’ll have to convert them yourself. There are free programs that will do the conversion for you but obviously it’s a hassle to have to do that!
I’m a HUGE Kindle fan but that’s mainly because I only use it to read new books (I don’t use it for textbooks, work, etc.). For students, business professionals, etc. who work mainly with PDF files, the Sony Reader is hands down the best option.
TravisVS
Site Admin
I’m a nursing instructor and I have’ve been thinking about a Kindle or Sony reader. I don’t want to carry alot of large text books around with me. I would like to hear someone’s opinion on whether this would even be a good idea for me to purchase one of these. Would I be able to install textbooks?
Thanks,
Yvonne
Mathias:
As others have mentioned here, I would look at the Sony Reader. It supports PDF’s natively and other ebook formats. I would look at the 505 model.
TravisVS
Site Admin
I’m from Romania, so the Kindle is no worth for me, because there are no books in Romanian language on Amazon site. Obviously, I have many books (thousands, old and new) in Romanian and there are PDF files. So any device, portable e-book reader, that recognize PDF files are good to me, but not Kindle 1 or 2, and DX is too big and pricey. Asus eepc ring a bell. I could read in english, but there are not free new e-books available
) for Kindle, so what for?
Another thing that should be mentioned is that with the Kindle, after you have purchaed an eBook from Amazon they keep a record of it, and you can download it again at anytime for free. So even if you delete a book for space reasons, if you want it back, just download it again.
Nobody seems to mentioning the fact that the Sony books are about 20% more expensive – sometimes more.
Take a new release title and compare the prices.
Then, to be fair, you should compare Kindle with Sony PRS-505, which is only about $270 now. It’s almost $100 cheaper than Kindle. Beside, Sony supports open formats (e.g., ePub, Pdf), so you can buy ebooks from site like Fictionwise.com . So, the number of ebooks you can buy for your Sony is much more than 100,000 from sony store alone.
I agree with you that wireless capability is a killer feature of Kindle, but if you’re going to consider it as ebook reader, not web browser, I think they should be a tie here
Joe the Geek:
I think the “real readers” have spoken as the Kindle is the #1 selling ebook reader today – by leaps and bounds over Sony. And what is the main attraction of it? The wide selection of CURRENT books and content (270,000 now and still growing) and the ability to download books “on the fly.” And now with the new Amazon Kindle DX, it supports PDFs natively (no conversion is required). I own both of these devices and my Sony hasn’t seen the day of light since I bought the Kindle. The Sony is nice, but doesn’t hold a candle to the Kindle.
TravisVS
Site Admin
Gee, talk about a wrong review and biased comparison, if this review had been done on the *best* reader out there it would have been the Sony 505 hands down. The Kindle has more gray scales and free Internet connections…but remember, an eReader is for reading, not connecting to the Internet. How many times have you read a paperback and have said, “Dang, I can’t log on to the Internet!”
Come on…this review was stacked against Sony from the get go. If you ask real readers what they prefer instead of tech geeks, the Sony would win.
I feel this review is less bias than others, but to say it “wins hands down” or is “vastly superior” seems like a gross overstatement. I’ve been researching these products for the past week or so. To me, it seems that yes, even though Amazon has the selection of 240,000 books, you can actually download several books from many distributors for the Sony reader, bringing Sony’s total to well over 100,000, even to the point of rivaling Amazons. I don’t know where I read that information, but it was somewhere out there. Also in my searches, the prices are definitely more comparable. So for me, at least, the Sony is the better buy. I like to read comic books, so if I happen to have scans of one I’ve purchased, or from other means, I can toss them on an SD card and read them on the Sony with ease compared to… well somehow working it out on getting it to a Kindle.
You are comparing the wrong two devices. I have used the Kindle 2, the Sony 505, and the Sony 700. The PRS 505 is a much better e-book reader than either the 700 or the Kindle. The 505 is clean, well-designed–and most importantly, is open. It is easy and comfortable to use for long periods of time–hours. The Kindle is a portable DRM bookstore device. The Sony, on the other hand, is open–I can read almost any format (and I can do it without first putting the document on my PC and converting it). Anyone who has tried using the Kindle to browse the Internet will not buy the device for this capabilty. In addition, the PRS 505 has much more internal memory and has an SD storage slot. –David
Melissa:
The conversion process really isn’t that big of a deal if you’re o.k. spending $.10 per conversion. Personally, I think that’s super cheap for not having to do anything but send an email with the pdf you need converted.
There are also other ways to convert pdfs for the Kindle for free. I don’t have the resources in front of me right now but essentially you download a free software application (can’t recall the name right now) and then you run your pdf through it and it will convert it to a format that is supported by the Kindle.
The only issue that remains is that not all PDFs convert perfectly. In other words, you can lose some general formatting during the conversion so don’t expect a total 1 for 1 conversion. The simpler the pdf (i.e. just text) the less of a problem it is. It’s when you start converting complex pdfs with tons of graphics and tables and the like will you have issues.
I hope this helps!
TravisVS
Site Admin
You write a bit about the lack of native pdf support. How does the conversion process work? The ads talk about a dime to convert documents, which doesn’t seem to be a big deal…but what’s in the fine print? I’m a grad student with lots of e-books to read, not high on anyone else’s reading lists. What I’ve checked so far aren’t in the Kindle store. If it’s a small cost to convert, its a good deal. If the conversion process is more cumbersome, the value is lost for me personally and is the big question mark on whether I buy a Kindle or not.
Thanks!
After reading as much as I could about the Sony PRS and Kindle II, I ended up with the SONY 505, maybe five weeks ago.
There are a couple of notes about it on my site.
First off, I am biased, since I own the 505 and love it. That being said:
- I couldn’t find a Kindle II in New York to try out in a bookstore, whereas I was able to find the SONYs in several stores, J&R, Borders…
- I don’t care for the SONY webstore in terms of the interface, and their client software for managing your books is clunky.
I found a program called Calibre *free*, which I use to convert and manage all my books. You can set the font / the font size / the margins etc. for your books before you transfer them to the reader.
- PDFs that have been formatted for a larger paperback size, are still a pain in terms of font size, but there are ways to do the conversion so that they work properly. Not straight-forward.
- I didn’t care for the PRS 700 because of the reasons mentioned; and thought the backlight was awful on that, and I can attached a little light to the SONY or whatever ebook you use, or just read at night with a light by the bed as I do with a normal book.
- The whole business about larger font sizes, while they are great for reading, also have the side-effect of inducing much more page turning. I think a slightly larger ebook screen would be better; and maybe, just maybe at some point we’ll see a dual-sided e-book.
- I have downloaded about 300 free books so far, and read about ten novels. I haven’t actually bought any books. I am happy reading books written before 1923 – though there are also books that are in the public domain that are later than 1923 because the authors or heirs have allowed it.
I didn’t like the idea of having the keypad on the Kindle; and wanted the smaller SONY. I like that the SONY is completely expandable in terms of storing books. You could have one SD card with all your history books; or whatever.
I don’t need to download a novel while I’m on the road, because if I know I’m going someplace, I put whatever I’m interested in reading on an SD card and that’s all there is to it.
So in conclusion – I’m very happy with the 505. My only nitpick is that their client software is pretty clunky. (and I replaced it with Calibre) and it would be brilliant if Amazon would have the Kindle displayed so that you don’t have to make your decision based on pure specs. I went to their site to look for places in New York State where you could look at the Kindle II, and the closest place (at that time) was in Albany.
Travis
Thanks for the response. The robotic voice would probably not bother me because of my taste in reading. Last few titles consumed were ;
April 1865 by Jay Winik / The South by John Townsand Trowbridge / Southern Storm (Shermans march to the sea) by Noah Andre Trudeau / General Lee’s Army by Joseph Glatthaar / Andrew Jackson by H.W. Brands / Divided Loyalties by Richard Ketchum. I have now started on Bismark And The Development Of Germany by Otto Pflanze (3 Volumes). I love history! Not just for the stories of the main characters but for the context of what life was like at a given time and place. Right now I waste far to much time driving around learning nothing.
Steve:
If you can deal with what sounds like a robot reading to you, then the text-to-speech function works fine. Some say it drives them nuts (I would be one of those) and others say it isn’t that bad once you get used to it.
Here is a link to a video of Jeff Bezos (the CEO of Amazon) demonstrating the text-to-speech feature. The audio in this video isn’t the greatest but you’ll definitely get a feel for the text-to-speech feature: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgxSR72TWrY
I am on the road a lot on a daily basis and am most interested in the Kindle “READ TO ME” feature. I waste a lot of non productive time looking at the road and other cars. No one seems to have commented on this feature. Has anyone used it? Please advise.
Kim:
Thanks for leaving your comments – even if they are a little harsh;) As I’ve stated numerous times in my replies, I am bias toward the Amazon Kindle 2 because in my OPINION it is superior over the Sony – given my needs.
I live in the U.S. so international support doesn’t concern me. And as I’ve stated already, I probably should have included that point in this review but honestly I just forgot.
If the Sony is so great, how come the Kindle is the #1 selling ebook reader? I understand there is an audience for the Sony Reader (you are obviously one of them), but for folks living in the U.S. who don’t travel internationally a lot and who want access to over 250,000 CURRENT books and titles – including newspapers, magazines, and blogs, it’s an easy decision. The Kindle 2 wins hands down.
TravisVS
Site Admin
People, do not heed this man. Its not a very thorough, or objective review.
What about the kindle being a terrible device outside US? eh?
Bad format support. etc.
The battery life that wireless take?
The Sony prs.505 is 260$ at ebay.
Screen is virtually the same. etc. etc.
Tony:
Thanks for the reminder on the Google Books deal with the Sony Reader. I’ve been meaning to make a blog post about it but have been a little busy. I’ll be sure to add that update to the site after this.
I still give the Kindle 2 the nod over the Sony Reader despite this deal. The majority of the books Google is adding to the Sony library are titles before 1923. I don’t know about you, but there aren’t too many books written before 1923 that I’m interested in. Sure there may be a few, but certainly not enough to get me to buy the Sony Reader over the Kindle 2.
Furthermore, a lot of those books are available on the Kindle 2 as well. Books written before 1923 have no copyrights so they can be freely distributed. Just do a search for free ebooks and you’ll find lots of sites that provide these titles for download – for both the Sony and the Kindle.
As for the backlight, if you read the Sony Reader reviews, you’ll learn that the built-in light is virtually worthless. It doesn’t light the display very well and it makes the text hard to read. Even if it was the perfect backlight, I don’t really care because I don’t read in the dark often enough to justify buying a device just for it’s backlight capability.
Finally, regarding Sony’s storage capacity, itt is far superior than the Kindle 2. However, the Kindle can store 1500 titles with its built-in memory. I can’t imagine needing more space than that. I love to read but even I can’t find 1,500 books that I’d like to read! If I read 4 books a month, the Kindle would have enough memory to last me 31 years before I had to clear the memory!
TravisVS
Site Admin
sony got 500.000 books FREEEE from google
price of Sony now is 349 $
Sony got back light
Sony got more space for storage!
Soo , Kindle 2 got only wireless and 16 greyscale.
What now dude? Can u make an rmk of this ?
The 3G wireless data (with no monthly charge) and 240,000 book selections knocks this one out of the ball park for me.
The supported format war doesn’t matter much to me. I am interested in an e-book device, not a hand held PC.
Battery life, eh.. I am sure I can manage to plug in my Kindle every few days to charge it.. It isn’t going to kill me.
Storage capacity. Again, I am looking for an ebook reader, not a handheld PC. Therefore, each book doesn’t use that much storage anyways.
16-level grey scale looks SWEET!
Kindle 2 ftw!
Luani:
Thanks for the clarification! I had no idea libraries were doing that. I haven’t been to a library since I was a kid and that was many moons ago. I get all my books online.
At any rate, based on what you are telling me, the Sony Reader would be easier to use for your needs because you wouldn’t have to convert the PDF files. I would recommend you take a look at the Sony Reader 505.
Travis VS
Site Admin
Actually our local public library does loan out copies of eBooks. It was a librarian who started me down this entire path. They do have some best sellers – certainly not all of them – and yes, they are free. You can download them either for Adobe reader (You need to install Adobe Digital Editions) or for mobipocket (you would need the Mobireader software). You have 21 days to read them and then you are “locked out” unless you renew the book. The “cover” stays in your library so you have a record of what you’ve read. You can also return the book early and then you can check out more books. Currently our library has a limit of 5 electronic books out per patron at any given time.
With either version you can read them on your PC and with ADE you can read them on a Sony. (I have Mobile Mobireader on my Blackberry and have been reading books in tiny print on there for the last few months and would really prefer something larger.
Media Mall (mymediamall.net) is the company that provides the service for all my local libraries.
If theKindle w orked with these loaner books, I’d agree with you 100% that it’s a winner hands-down but until you can use it without paying even more for your reading material, I’d have to say that in my book, the Sony wins
Luani:
Wow…you can read a novel in a night? I’m jealous! I’m a slooooow reader;)
There aren’t ebook readers that will allow you to “download ebooks” from a library – not a physical library anyway. There are, however, some websites that provide free ebooks. Most of those books, however, are public domain books (books printed before 1964, I believe the date is). So unless you read a lot of “old” books, you’ll have a tough time finding free versions of today’s best sellers.
Right now the two most popular ebook readers are the Amazon Kindle 2 and the Sony Reader. If you buy the Kindle, you’ll have access to over 240,000 book titles all priced at $9.99 or below from the Kindle Store. If you buy the Sony Reader (the 505 or the 700), you’ll have access to less than 100,000 book titles at about the same price from Sony’s ebook store.
Both of these devices will also work with those websites I mentioned that provide free ebooks of older works.
Your question poses an interesting idea…it would be nice if you could “rent” today’s book titles instead of buying them. The technology is there. You can rent movies on iTunes so why couldn’t you rent books at the Kindle Store? Amazon could charge something like $1.99 or $4.99 and then give you a time limit to finish the book once you open it – say a month or something like that. While it still wouldn’t be free, it would still be cheaper than buying a traditional book or even ebooks today priced at $9.99!
Travis
I ONLY read books from the library and I travel a lot usually with 3-5 books. I’m a fast reader and can usually finish a novel in an evening. At that rate, buying books would take up my entire salary.
I am looking for an eBook that would allow me to download books from the library. From your comparison, it would seem like the only choice I would have would be to go with one of the Sony readers either the 505 or 700. Is this correct?
Joe:
I honestly wasn’t trying to create an “ad” for the Kindle but I can totally see how it could be seen like one. I’m just a huge fan of the Kindle (especially the new Kindle 2) and I think it is far superior to anything out there right now.
Having said that, you bring up some excellent points. I should have pointed out the lack of wireless connectivity outside the U.S. I totally forgot to point that out. Thanks for the reminder.
And I agree with you 100% about the lack of direct Word and PDF support. I thought for sure they would have included that in the 2.0 version. Hopefully it will become available in future versions.
Thanks for your feedback!
TravisVS
Site Admin
This was a good review, but it did kind of seem like an add for the Kindle. If you’re in the US, and only want to read books, the Kindle seems like the hands down winner. But, I’m stationed in Germany, so it’s cellular connection becomes a moot point. What just kills me is that, yet again, Kindle didn’t include any kind of native support for Word or PDF documents, which is half the reason I want it. I don’t want to pay for each document I want to convert. I love that the Kindle built in a dictionary, and offers periodicals, and has a much larger selection. But the lack of that single feature is just infuriating to me. What were they thinking?
David:
The purpose of the “Amazon Kindle 2 vs. Sony Reader 700″ was to compare the two newest (and most popular) ebook readers on the market right now.
However, you are correct about the 505 vs. the 700. I may actually do a couple different comparisons in the near future. One will be the 505 vs. the 700 and then comparing the Kindle 2 vs. Sony 505.
TravisVS
Site Admin
How about a comparison of the Kindle 2 to the Sony 505? The 505 was $200 on sale from Sony at Christmas and is lacking the features of the 700 that people seem to hate. It is lighter, smaller and cheaper. It also comes is 3 colors and has a nice cover. Sometimes the newest is not always the best.
Steve:
Fair points. I won’t deny that I’m a huge fan of the Amazon Kindle – especially the new Kindle 2. It is a far superior ebook reader to Sony, which I think I have demonstrated in this comparison.
To be fair, you are correct that Sony does have a backlight and touch screen capabilities – which the Kindle does not. However, if you research the customer reviews of the Sony Reader you will see these very features have actually made the Sony Reader harder to read! Some are actually returning their Sony Reader 700’s for the older 505 model because it has a much clearer display.
The problem with the backlight is that it screws up the contrast levels and makes the text very difficult to read. A couple customer reviews I read said that an old fashion clip on reading light works far better than the built-in light.
And regarding the touch screen capabilities, Sony had to introduce a new layer of screen. This additional layer has really screwed up the clarity of the display. In theory, touch screen capabilities are great but right now they haven’t figured out a way to include it without screwing up the e-Ink display capabilities. That’s why Amazon stayed with a keyboard and opted to stay away from touch screen for now.
I probably should have included this information in my comparison but the point of my review was to compare the main features consumers are looking for in these devices.
Thanks,
TravisVS
Site Admin
This looks like an ad for Kindle to me -unfair to Sony. Did I miss the fact that the Sony has backlight? Touch Screen?
I need an unbiased assessment.
Thanks for putting this comparison together! It makes the choice clear to me. I’m definitely going to buy the Amazon Kindle 2 – after I save a little more money;)