Kindle vs. Sony Reader: 2008 Comparison

Editor’s Note: The Amazon Kindle 2 was recently released so we did an Amazon Kindle 2 vs. Sony Reader 2009 comparison. Be sure to check it out!

It’s time to do an updated 2008 comparison of the Amazon Kindle vs. Sony Reader PRS-700. These are the two hottest ebook readers on the market right now. The Kindle has been around since late 2007 and Sony’s latest model, the PRS-700, has been around since November 2008. Browse the table below and then be sure to read the comparison summary afterwards to see which device is the real winner. I’ll give you a hint, it’s not what the table would have you believe it is!

Amazon Kindle vs. Sony Reader PRS-700
Amazon Kindle		Sony Reader PRS-700
Price Advantage: Amazon Kindle
$359 w/Free Shipping at Amazon.com		$399 w/Free Shipping at Amazon.com
Size and Weight Advantage: Sony Reader PRS-700
10.3 oz; 5.3" x 7.5" x 0.7"		10 oz; 5.1" x 6.8" x 0.5"
Display Advantage: Sony Reader PRS-700
6" diagonal E-Ink® electronic paper display, 600 x 800 pixel resolution at 167 ppi, 4-level gray scale		6" diagonal E-Ink® electronic paper display, 600 x 800 pixel resolution at 170 ppi, 8-level gray scale
Wireless Capabilities Advantage: Amazon Kindle
FREE wireless connectivity through the same high-speed data network (EVDO) as advanced cell phones so you never have to locate a hotspot.		None
eBook Selection Advantage: Amazon Kindle
190,000 book titles and growing, access to over 1,000 blogs and today’s most popular newspapers and magazines		60,000 titles and growing; expected to be over 100,000 by early 2009; some blogs and no newspapers or magazines
Formats Supported Advantage: Sony Reader PRS-700
Kindle (AZW), TXT, Audible (formats 2, 3 and 4), MP3, unprotected MOBI, PRC natively; HTML, DOC, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP through conversion		BBeB, ePub, TXT, RTF, MP3 and AAC7, JPEG, GIF, PNG, and BMP, Adobe® PDF10, Microsoft® Word (Conversion to the Reader requires Word installed on your PC)
Storage Capacity Advantage: Sony Reader PRS-700
Holds over 200 titles with internal 256mb memory (only 180mb is available for content); supports up to 4GB SD memory cards		Holds over 300 titles with internal 256mb memory;  supports SD memory cards and up to 16GB Memory Stick Duo cards
Battery Life and Charge Time Advantage: Sony Reader PRS-700
Full charge lasts for a week or more if wireless is turned off; must recharge every other day if wireless is left on; 2 hour 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 vs. Sony eBook Reader PRS-700 Comparison Summary

Where the Amazon Kindle Has the Advantage:

On paper it appears the Sony Reader has the advantage over the Amazon Kindle but not so fast. The Kindle actually has a clear advantage in the three most important categories: price, wireless capability, and breadth of content. And even though technically the Sony Reader has better resolution, many users have commented that it’s not as easy to read from as the Kindle or the previous Sony Reader 505 model.

Price/Wireless Capabilities/Content:
The Kindle is $40 cheaper than the Sony Reader PRS-700 and through its wireless capabilities allows you to download books, blogs, newspapers, and magazines anywhere there is cell phone signal. With the Kindle, you literally don’t need a computer to use it as everything can be done wirelessly (assuming of course you have a cell phone signal where you’re using it).

The other nice thing about the wireless capabilities of the Kindle is that you don’t have to sign up for any additional plans or services. You simply connect wirelessly to the Kindle Store, select your content, pay for it, download it within minutes, and enjoy. You can be sitting in the airport and connect to the store and buy a magazine. It’s the ultimate convenience.

Display:
On paper the Sony Reader 700 should have a slightly better display than the Kindle in terms of sharpness and clarity. However, after reading numerous reviews of both of these devices the Kindle is actually easier to read from and has a more crisp display. It seems the new touch screen technology introduced by Sony in the PRS-700 affected the contrast and overall quality of the display. Having said that, some have noted that the display on the Sony Reader 700 is still good and if you didn’t compare it side-by-side to the Kindle or the previous Sony Reader 505 you wouldn’t notice the difference.

Where the Sony Reader PRS-700 Has the Advantage:
When comparing the Amazon Kindle vs. Sony Reader in terms of style and technical capabilities, the PRS-700 has the advantage as shown in the table above. The Sony Digital Reader is slightly slimmer than the Kindle and is a slick black color. It has the look and feel of what today’s electronic device should look like. The Kindle on the other hand in plain English is ugly. It looks like a Fisher Price toy that my kids would play with!

The Sony Reader also has the advantage over the Kindle in a few technical areas with its touch screen display, its fast and powerful processor, and its LED light for low-light reading.

Bottom Line When Comparing the Kindle vs. Sony Reader 2008 Model:
In an ideal world there would be an ebook with the Kindle’s price, wireless capabilities, and breadth of content along with the stylish look and feel of the Sony Reader and its touch screen capabilities. Until such a device is made, if I had to choose between the Kindle and the Sony Reader 700, I would easily choose the Amazon Kindle despite how ugly it is.

It’s cheaper than the Sony Reader and having the ability to download books, blogs, magazines, and newspapers anywhere I can get a cell phone signal is a convenience that is worth the sacrifice in looks and style. The 2nd generation Kindle is expected sometime in 2009 and if Amazon made even a half attempt at improving its look and style, there will be no other ebook reader to compare it to because it will be the clear winner.

Buy the Amazon Kindle at Amazon.com Today!