Buy Microsoft Office Home & StudentSony Reader Digital Book PRS-700BC
Manufacturer: Sony Part number: PRS-700BC
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- The PRS-700 takes one step forward for Sony digital readers--and a couple leaps back.
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CNET editors' review
Sony Reader Digital Book PRS-700BC price range: $950.00
- Reviewed by: David Carnoy
- Edited by: John P. Falcone
- Reviewed on: 11/26/2008
- Updated on:09/14/2009
The good: The PRS-700 is sleeker than the Kindle; faster processor speeds up the device; new touch-screen interface offers better ergonomics and is easier to use; with the addition of an optional memory card (SD or Memory Stick Pro), it's capable of storing thousands of electronic books; font size is adjustable; decent battery life; displays Word and PDF files (and zooms them), shows most image files, and plays MP3 and AAC audio; built-in LED lighting isn't great but allows you to read in the dark.
The bad: New touch screen is more glare-prone and doesn't have as much contrast as Amazon's Kindle or Sony's PRS-505; built-in lighting is from the screen periphery and is not true backlighting; eBook Library software isn't available for Mac owners; there's no support for Audible audio books; and no built-in wireless access.
The bottom line: The PRS-700 takes one step forward for Sony digital readers--and a couple leaps back.
In the nascent world of digital book readers, the two most high-profile competitors are Amazon's much-publicized Kindle and Sony's family of Readers, which now includes the PRS-505 and the PRS-700 reviewed here. The clear advantage of the Kindle is its built-in wireless service, which allows you to get content delivered directly to the device anywhere you can get a Sprint cellular data signal in the U.S., without the need to pay any sort of monthly fee. That's a big plus in its favor, but the Kindle does have a weakness: it just isn't the best looking e-book reader out there. That distinction belongs to PRS-700, which looks very similar to its predecessors, but incorporates a 6-inch (diagonal) touch screen, a much improved interface, faster operation, expanded internal memory, and a built-in LED reading light. All those positives should put the PRS-700 in the running for top dog in the digital reader space, but two serious flaws related to the new screen hold back an otherwise fine product.
Like earlier Readers, this model is both compact and slim, but it's 0.2 inch thicker and wider than the PRS-505 and weighs an ounce more. Its exact dimensions are 6.9 inches tall by 5 inches wide by 0.5 inch deep. The PRS-700 is somewhere between the size of a standard DVD case and a short trade paperback novel; it's bound in a leather protective cover that adheres magnetically to the front and back of the device. The overall package--case included--is sleeker and better designed than the Kindle. This is what a digital reader should look like; it's the right size and weight, though in time we should see these guys drop a few ounces.
I criticized previous Readers for having too many buttons and less-than-stellar interfaces. Probably the biggest change in this model is the addition of the touch screen, which changes the dynamics of the device. If ever there were a product that would benefit from the switch to touch-screen navigation, it's an e-book reader (iRex was the first with an e-ink touch-screen display, but that device was prohibitively expensive). To be sure, it's not perfect (more on that in a minute), but the PRS-700 has a more minimalist feel to it, with only the essential buttons parked at the bottom of the device. All the other buttons are onscreen icons and the home-screen has been simplified, giving it a cleaner, more inviting look.
From a pure specs standpoint (aside from being touch-sensitive), the screen itself hasn't changed. It's a 600x800-pixel, eight-grayscale, "high-contrast," monochrome screen that measures approximately 4.9 inches tall by 3.6 inches wide. The screen is technically considered an electrophoretic display, which Wikipedia describes as "an information display that forms visible images by rearranging charged pigment particles using an applied electric field." Like some other electronic paper products, the PRS-700 uses "E Ink" technology, which serves to make the letters and words on the screen look more printlike in their appearance. The only problem--and the reason I put "high-contrast" in quotes--is that in going to a touch-screen display Sony has given something up in the way of contrast. I didn't have the older PRS-505 on hand to compare this model with, but I remembered that its screen looked very similar to that of the Kindle's, which I did have.
Looking at the Kindle side-by-side next to the PRS-700, it quickly became clear that the Kindle's screen is easier to read. Both backgrounds are grayish, but the Kindle's appears as a lighter gray (more white in it) and the letters appear blacker. The other thing I noticed is that the PRS-700's screen isn't as glare resistant as the Kindle's (both catch a little glare from certain angles, but the PRS-700 catches a lot more).
The PRS-700's screen is still quite readable and if you didn't have the PRS-505 or Kindle to stick next to it, you'd probably say, "This looks all right." And if there's one positive, the letters on the PRS-700 look slightly smoother and more filled in. But that Sony couldn't retain the contrast levels of its previous model and introduced glare issues is quite unfortunate.
In case you were wondering, there's no way to adjust the contrast. But you can adjust the size of the letters. With the Size button, you can choose among five font settings (small, medium, large, extra large, and extra extra large), but even at the smallest setting, you're still getting fewer lines per page than you would with a printed book. For example, George Orwell's 1984 comes out to 767 pages on the Reader (on the medium font size), far longer than the printed version. You can also switch between landscape and portrait mode, though chances are you'll naturally hold the device vertically like a book and stick to portrait mode most of the time.
As noted, this model incorporates an LED "reading light." It's not a backlight; rather, it's more like side-lighting (some call it front-lighting but the LEDs are placed on the sides of the display), and you can increase and lower the intensity between two levels of brightness or just turn it off.
We had mixed emotions about the light. The lighting isn't terribly uniform over the display but it will allow you to read your Reader in the dark. So, it's one of those features you appreciate is there (and you will use it), but at the same time, you'd like to see it implemented a little better. In terms of energy, LEDs are very efficient, but obviously, they still draw some power and having the light on will have an impact on your battery life. If you're doing a lot of reading at night, Sony also sells the optional Flex-Neck LED Reading Light PRS-LIGHT01 ($15) attachable nightlight.
Back to that touch screen. Like the iPhone and other next-gen touch-screen phones that have been appearing lately, the Reader incorporates some gesture-based commands. You can swipe your finger across the display to page forward or back (you can choose between a left or right swipe to advance pages in the settings menu). Swiping and holding your finger down at the end of the swipe allows you to advance or rewind through pages at a fast clip. The swiping is a nice touch, but a lot of folks will continue to use the well-placed hard buttons at the bottom of the screen to page forward and back.
The PRS-700 also has an annotation and notes feature. With the included stylus--or your finger--you can highlight words and add annotations via a virtual keyboard that you tap on. The Kindle offers this feature via a Blackberry-style hard keyboard, but some argue that the Kindle's keyboard just isn't all that useful, takes up too much real estate, and elongates that device unnecessarily. The virtual touch keyboard seems like a good compromise, especially given that it'll be used a lot less than one on a dedicated e-mailing device.
It's worth noting that the PRS-700's touch screen isn't as touch-sensitive as the screen on the iPhone and several other new cell phones. How does this affect usage? Well, you've got to take extra care when highlighting a word or phrase with the stylus; it's easy to undershoot or overshoot the word. And until you get the hang of swiping, you may end up swiping more than once to turn a page. The key is to press more firmly on the screen than you're used to (if you've ever had a device that has a touch screen).
We said it before with the PRS-505 and we'll say it again for this model: we were a little disappointed that the unit doesn't ship with an AC adapter (it's an optional accessory that costs $30); instead, the default charging option is limited to connecting the Reader to your PC with the included USB cable. If you happen to own a Sony PSP, the charger from that device works with the Reader as well. It's also worth noting that we couldn't charge the Reader with a standard USB cable connected to a 5V power adapter, such as the standard iPod wall charger. The Reader only charged via USB when we used the cable that came with the unit and connected it to the USB port on a PC. Go figure.
On the content side, Sony is making an effort to catch up with Amazon in terms of the number of books it has available. As of this writing, it was offering abut 60,000 titles in its e-book store and that number should approach 100,000 by early next year. Sony has revamped the e-book store for the better and the device ships with eBook Library 2.5 PC software, which is more user friendly than previous versions, but it's not as convenient as just downloading books wirelessly to the unit, as you can with the Kindle (so long as you can get a signal).
Downloading a purchased book is a two-step process. You launch the software, connect the Reader via USB, and browse the e-book store, which in some ways is better organized and superior to the e-book store built into the Kindle. After you purchase a title, it goes into a special folder; you then drag the title onto the icon for the device and it transfers to it. All in all, it's pretty simple. And adding nonencrypted files is even easier: you just drag them over to the "book" folder on the PRS-700, which appears on your computer as an external drive.
In fact, one of the Reader's strengths is its ability to read other formats besides encrypted Sony e-books from the store. The Reader is capable of displaying text, RTF, Word, BBeB Book files, and EPUB files, as well as PDFs. Previously, you couldn't zoom in on your PDF files, but now you can. The zooming isn't quite as fast as you'd expect from a computer (there's a delay of a couple seconds), but it helps that the PRS-700 has the aforementioned faster processor, which speeds up everything, including page turns. It's still not super zippy, but it's definitely a noticeable bump up from the PRS-505 and Kindle.
As noted, this model doubles the amount of internal memory from 128MB to 256MB, which allows you to store around 300 books. Another way to access content is to transfer it to an SD or Memory Stick Duo card and slip it in the Reader's expansion slot. However, you can only download encrypted Sony eBooks using the desktop software; likewise, only the software can be used to organize the titles into customized collections. So, if you're a Mac user, the device probably isn't worth buying.
On the image side, you can view JPEG, GIF, and PNG files. The pictures are monochromatic--and they look like some really detailed Etch-a-Sketch work--but the effect is kind of cool, and you can use the reader to show off your family album if you're so inclined. As for audio, the Reader plays back MP3 and AAC files; there's no built-in speaker, however, so you will need to plug a pair of headphones into the headphone jack to hear anything. Not surprisingly, Sony doesn't support the Amazon-owned Audible file format, so fans of audio books will need to fall back to their iPod, MP3 player, or the Kindle. The good news is you can read a book and listen to MP3 songs at the same time. Sony says that with a fully charged battery, you can go several days of reading without having to recharge, but audio playback will sap that accordingly.
Sony continues to run a promotion where you get 100 eBook Classics with your purchase of the Reader. These classics, which normally cost $1.99 each, include everything from Hamlet to Moby Dick and Great Expectations. Most best sellers cost around $10, which is too high in our book, but the publishers, not Sony, control the pricing to a large degree.
In conclusion, I'd have to say that this was a tough review to do. Sony has made a lot of good choices with the PRS-700; it's faster, has a cleaner, easier-to-use interface, and the touch screen definitely simplifies navigation and makes the device a relative pleasure to use. But it's hard to ignore that for the prime function of the product--reading--the screen on both the PRS-505 and the Kindle are better. We're not sure what Sony can do to fix that, but until it does, the Kindle remains top dog in the digital reader realm.
User reviews
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Fabulous upgrade from PRS 500
by tink50 on December 5, 2008
Pros: The touch screen is terrific. The built in light could be better but is functional. The expanded storage size is great. The attached cover is a good quality and protects the device. The ability to add notes is much appreciated.
Cons: The screen glare could be improved upon and the ability to wirelessly download is something to look forward to in another improved model. Still expensive but worth the price.
Summary: After using the original PRS 500 model for two years I researched both the Kindle and this new Sony model and found the Sony to be far more ergonomically comfortable ...
Summary: After using the original PRS 500 model for two years I researched both the Kindle and this new Sony model and found the Sony to be far more ergonomically comfortable and because I don't travel much anymore I currently don't need the wireless feature. This is truly the wave of the future for all those who wish to be "green" and de-clutter their lives. All schools should be participating in electronic readers for their students. ALL books should be available in this format and at cheaper prices
5 out of 6 users found this user opinion helpful.
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WAIT TILL THEY FIX THE SCREEN TO MUCH GLARE
by hoving on November 28, 2008
Pros: built in light for low light settings
Cons: too many to enumerate!
Summary: Pros: the onboard light
Cons: so many!
I have had every ereader sony has made, both models, and have loved them both.
This one is just awful, an out and ...Summary: Pros: the onboard light
Cons: so many!
I have had every ereader sony has made, both models, and have loved them both.
This one is just awful, an out and out disaster. Leave it to Sony to take a great product and turn it into a piece of junk.
BOTTOM LINE: YOU CAN NO LONGER READ COMFORTABLY BECAUSE OF THE TERRIBLE REFLECTION GIVEN OFF BY THE NEW TOUCHSCREEN.
WHAT A HUGE MISTAKE!
WHO ASKED FOR A TOUCH SCREEN?
WHO NEEDS IT, WHEN THE TRADE OFF IS A REFLECTION THAT IS SO BAD YOU CAN NOT READ YOUR BOOKS ANY LONGER!
People could'nt push one of the two sets of buttons you once had with the 505 ereader?
IT IS JUST TERRIBLE- GO TO THE STORE AND DEMO THIS BEOFRE YOU BUY IT AND SEE FOR YOURSELF.
YOU WILL END UP BUYING THE 505 unless they discontinue it in favor of this, which is what they will probably do!
I kid you not, I am soooo disappointed with this product.
It as though you are looking at a sheet of glass and then some fuzzy lettering.
They have changed all the well designed buttons they painstakingly added after the 500 got so many complaints. The navigation buttons originally, there were 2 then they added two more with the 500 and then now they left us with 2 again and really badly place. Forget about one hand reading anymore! An the swiping thing, just horrendous, it barely works, a lot of hesitation, sometimes it turns the page other times it freezes. You'll go nuts trying to turn the pages on this thing.
There is not even an option like on the iphone to swipe in different directions! Or tap ti turn would have been kind of a no brainer! And the 8 grey scales, one would never know it!
The only redeeming thing this has is the built in light which if you use it takes away the reflection but use that the whole time your reading and you'll have no battery left!
I don't know what these morons were thinking but they blew it in a very big way. There must have been someone at Sony who said, hey, what are we going to do about this reflection? Ahh, nothing stupid Americans they'll never notice!
I guess they did cause when I spoke to customer service and it is the number one complaint and the guy told me that Sony is aware of it! Ha, they were aware of it when the damm thing shipped.
Apparently they are going to do something about it hardware wise, here comes another model. Or they will be shipping a lot of screen protectors out to people who purchase this and then find out they can't stand using it.
Great concept, really poor implementation of the technology.
I suppose those who have never has an ereader before will never know the difference and how perfectly awesome the other models were, how clean and legible the words were in almost any kind of lighting.
Now you need a light to see the words, and have to angle it in such a way so your not looking right into your own reflection!
I was really extremely excited to learn about this new 700BC, especially with the built in lighting which really would come in handy instead of carrying around yet another thing, a light to be able to see in bed. That problem solved, so lets add another one, make it useless during the day!
I received mine today and it is going right back. I read another review here that warned about this terrible reflection and thought how bad could it be?
Well, its worse than I could possibly have imagined.
WHY SONY DID YOU DO THIS TO THIS THIER WONDERFUL PRODUCT?
If they don't fix it, I am sure the kindle will have an onboard lighting system shortly and i'll move over to that, the books are way cheaper on that system and you have an identical screen!6 out of 9 users found this user opinion helpful.
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This is a very poor product
by nag4dg on November 25, 2008
Pros: Touch Screen
Cons: Poor screen quality, no dicitionary look up like iPod/iPhone eReader, built in light does not really help. Too pricey! Overall not half as good as the PRS-505.
Summary: I think Sony has a good idea if they can make the contrast on the screen as good as the PRS-505. There also is no dictionary look up like the ...
Summary: I think Sony has a good idea if they can make the contrast on the screen as good as the PRS-505. There also is no dictionary look up like the iPod/iPhone eReader. I love that featue. Kindle also has that feature. I'm hoping that Sony gets it together and makes this concept better than it is now. I'm returning the PRS-700 today.
3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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My First eBook Reader
by Floyd_W on May 8, 2009
Pros: Can store lots of books so I don't have to carry schoolbooks around with me.
Great size for carrying around (fits nicely in my toolkit bag).
Syncs easily with laptop software - even using Windows 7 RC1.Cons: Screen is sorta reflective (not shiny) if you're not used to it; my Acer Aspire One has a shiny screen and is WAY different reflection-wise.
Haven't been able to sync a 19MB dictionary file to it, but the 10MB Lord of the Rings syncs okay.Summary: The sidelights really help a lot in low-light situations, like when trying to read on the subway platform where there's dim lighting all around. I definitely prefer the sidelights ...
Summary: The sidelights really help a lot in low-light situations, like when trying to read on the subway platform where there's dim lighting all around. I definitely prefer the sidelights to a backlight because my eyes don't get as tired and bleary as when using something backlit (think about the very different experience of reading a laptop in the dark, with the screen glaring you in the face, even with the brightness turned all the way down versus shining a flashlight onto a book).
Screen quality is fine for reading documents -- perhaps coming from a PRS-505 or a Kindle may be a problem, but this is my first eBook reader so no problem. I compared the two in the Sony store, but the difference was not enough to convince me to give up the sidelights or the much faster speed or the touchscreen of the PRS-700.
I really like that I can search for book titles or for text within a book. It's a snap to hit the option button and bring up the on-screen keyboard. If I want to go to a certain page number, I can also use the search button to open an on-screen "go to page" slider and an entry field where I can type in a specific page number. Moving between pages with a swipe of the screen is great, and makes it easy to change pages back and forth.
I knocked it down 1/2 star because there's no wireless connectivity. Don't get me wrong, it's been very easy to add books to read. Come to think of it, maybe not having the Kindle's wireless connection is a good thing -- maybe it's keeping me from spending too much money on books! Also, there's no newspaper support just yet.1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Easy way to read everywhere!
by williamsgram on February 24, 2009
Pros: Easy to carry around - fits in any purse. Smaller than most paperbacks. Love the light for reading in dark buses or cars.
Cons: The E-Book software is somewhat clunky. It would be nice if you could rename books and re-arrange how they sort in the index.
Summary: I like the way it saves your place and you don't have to mess with bookmarks. It has nice resolution for pictures. And you can get books lots of ...
Summary: I like the way it saves your place and you don't have to mess with bookmarks. It has nice resolution for pictures. And you can get books lots of places besides the E-Book store. The touchscreen is a nice way to turn the pages and the user interface is easy to learn. The leather cover is very protective and lets you not worry about what else is in your bag. One comment the reviewer made was the number of pages a book was on the reader vs elsewhere. It's digital -- what difference does it make? The book doesn't get any thicker! What an odd comment that was. It was a gift and I might not have gotten it otherwise, but I really love it and I take it with me everywhere.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Hardware is OK, but software is terrible.
by dekox on December 31, 2008
Pros: Autonomy
Touch screen, screen
All classics are free to download on the internet (and it's legal too).Cons: The computer software is awful
Synchronisation doesn't work, it sometimes deletes your notes, sometimes goes on for hours whithout displaying an error message.
You can't change the name of the book !Summary: The review fails to mention one of the biggest advantages of Sony's device: One can download all the classic books he wishes for free, and completely legally.
Sites like ...Summary: The review fails to mention one of the biggest advantages of Sony's device: One can download all the classic books he wishes for free, and completely legally.
Sites like projectgutemberg provide thousands of books. Just copy and paste them in Microsoft Word and you're good to go. I've just got it and I allready have enough to read for the next three years.
However, the computer software that comes with it is very bad. It tries to imitate itunes but fails miserably.
Synchronization doesn't work half of the times, erasing all your notes or failing to delete books.
Even worse, you can't change the names of the books ! It makes it impossible to use it as a working device (Most of my workfiles are PDF. Having dozens of documents named PZFH12JKX isn't very usefull). Also, there's no way to make those workfiles appear somewhere else than in the middle of your book collection.
I've downloaded a play by Molière and it appears in my ebook as a book by TABLEAU OLIVIER, and there's no way to change that.
I've downloaded an OScar Wilde Book, and it appears under O - not W - in my book collection, and this isn't about to stop because I can't rename the author "Wilde, Oscar"1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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It's all about readability
by popvoid on December 29, 2008
Pros: Touch screen and back light features. More format support. Attractive design.
Cons: Less contrast on the screen than the PRS-505. No power cable. No Wi-Fi. No Mac support. No Mobi support.
Summary: The PRS-700 gets points for what they were trying to do. A built-in backlight and a touch screen are two features that anyone would be glad to have. Unfortunately, the ...
Summary: The PRS-700 gets points for what they were trying to do. A built-in backlight and a touch screen are two features that anyone would be glad to have. Unfortunately, the price for these features is a screen that is harder to read than the previous model. If you are coming from a PRS-500, this probably won't matter. If you are coming from a Kindle or a PRS-505, you will notice the difference, and you won't like it. Although the PRS-700 does feature more format supports than the PRS-500 (but not the PRS-505), there is still no Mobi support, which is easily the most popular format out there. Also missing is a Mac interface, which probably reduces Sony's sales substantially, since Mac users are often early adapters of new technology. The device gets points for its appearance; especially when compared to the ungainly Kindle, but it loses those same points for its lack of connectivity. If I had to choose between the PRS-505 and PRS-700, I'd have to go with the former model.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Almost perfect///
by server on November 22, 2008
Pros: touch screen works great, Search feature, iconed books; fast page turns,
Cons: the screen is not as bright as it prior model
Summary: The screen is the major issue If you have the don't have the right lighting conditions. Daylight provides the best light, indoor light is also good but for everything ...
Summary: The screen is the major issue If you have the don't have the right lighting conditions. Daylight provides the best light, indoor light is also good but for everything else fure up the built in light. I wish they would have added two hardware button on the right side for page turns, even with touch screen you may still want hardware buttons.
The software is good, but I can see some future update to come out. PDF rendering is good but not (yet) solid due to layout and structure of PDF,
This device is great for traveling/ downtime/ and light research.
Sony is very close to becoming the first manufacturer to produce what will be the standard in e-reading. E-ink is the future as paper and printing costs continue to surge.1 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Look elsewhere for Quality or Customer Support
by davetrevor on October 22, 2009
Pros: Cool, trendy, yada ... yes, but when you have two other products on the market, you may want to consider long-term quality and customer service and support, both of which Sony seriously lacks. See below and see how Sony "Thanks [YOU] for waiting"
Cons: The screen goes out and Sony's solution is to charge you a $99 fee to replace it with a refurbish unit of the same model you own. So, if improvements are made to your current unit, you'll get stuck paying a hundred bucks for the same subpar e-reader
Summary: A conversation w/Sony Support: "Thanks for Waiting" Email sent at: 7:19:42 PM, 10/22/2009 S> Hi David. Welcome to Sony Online Support. I'm George. ...
Summary: A conversation w/Sony Support: "Thanks for Waiting" Email sent at: 7:19:42 PM, 10/22/2009 S> Hi David. Welcome to Sony Online Support. I'm George. Please allow me a moment to review your concern. Thanks for waiting, David. I'm sorry that the display window of the Reader is not being able to display. I?ll be glad to assist you with this. When did it last work normally? ME > last week when it was last used S> Please let me know if you are using a fully charged battery. M> yes it has been charged overnight but currently there are no lights coming on either on the side or the front. The unit is currently hooked to a computer via USB S> Is there any error message displayed? Me> no the screen is blank except there is a black rectangular display ion the upper left had corner and several verticle lines on the screen S> Did you press the RESET button when the Reader is connected to the Computer? Me> yet, I have unplugged it from the computer now S> Please disconnect the Reader, then press the RESET button and check if it helps. M> I did and reset again==nothing happens S> To reset the Reader, please press the RESET button using the tip of a ball point pen or any sharp pointed object. The RESET button is located at the rear of the Reader. Me> yes I have used a paper clip several times and hear the reset button click but the unit does nothing S> I'm really sorry to hear that the issue still persists after performing the troubleshooting steps. Me> I have plugged the unit to the electrical outlet and an amber light is flashing on the side S> David, unfortunately the Reader requires service. S> Shall I forward a link where you can initiate a repair? Me> I would be willing to perhaps buy a new Sony eReader if I had a credit for the broken unit. are you still there George? S> Please give me a moment while I get this information for you. Thanks for waiting, David. Me> David, there is an exchange program available. S> Please initiate a repair for the Reader to avail the exchange options. M> Ok George, please tell me all about it--It sounds exciting! George_ > I would like to forward a link to a page where you can initiate a repair. S> When you receive the link, please click on it to open the page and let me know if you are able to view it. http://eservice.sony.com Are you able to view the page? Me> it just says I can pay $99 and get a refurbished unit--I actually want to buy a new unit but at least get some credit for the broken one S> David, the Reader can be exchanged and only a refurbished unit will be provided to you. I'm sorry, David. There are no options to exchange the unit for a new model. You too! I'm sorry for the typo. You're welcome. Bye and take care. Me> Well, is there any way to talk to a manager ME> I want to continue to buy Sony products but if they just break well there are other options S> Sure, David. I'd like to transfer this chat to our next level of support. They can review what we've discussed and will assist you from here. S> Please wait, while the problem is escalated to another analyst S> Hi David. Welcome to Sony Online Support. I'm Lindsey. Please allow me a moment to review your concern. Thanks for waiting, David. I'm sorry that the display window of the Reader is not being able to display. I?ll be glad to assist you with this. I checked for the information and the Reader can be exchanged and only a refurbished unit will be provided to you. I'm really sorry for the difficulties you're experiencing with the Portable Reader as it is not working. David > When I bought this unit it was over $400 and it is just not right that now I have to accept an out of date unit--I mean I am offering to purchase a new unit if there can be some price reduction on the new one--I can't see buying a new unit David > from Sony if it is just going to break and then what I get in replacement is not even a new unit Me> Help me continue to buy Sony. S> May I know the date of purchase of the Portable Reader? ME> It was last year but I don't have the exact date at hand right this minute. Don't get me wrong--I don't want to think ah my unit is broken i want the newest one available without paying anything--I am willing to pay for a new unit--I just think it is fair to have a credit from Sony toward that unit due to the broken unit. I mean I paid twice for this unit of what the new ones cost. Me> So even a credit of $100 toward a new unit would make me purchase it S> The original Sony limited warranty covers your Portable Reader for a period of twelve months from the original date of purchase for both parts and labor. Me> Well, I can't see paying $99 to exchange the broken unit for a refurbished one S> I'm really keen to help you. However, this is the only available option at this moment. Me> I am sorry to hear it and my friends in the industry will be sorry to hear about it. S> I really tried to help you. Me> You do get points for that but I will need to include this in my review for Cnet
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It does not measure up to the Kindle
by kquaker on September 18, 2009
Pros: It does it's job
Cons: Not as good as the Kindle, or Kindle 2
Summary: While I enjoyed using this e-reader, I went back to my Kindle 2 that I got here: http://www.computersncs.com/rd_p?p=191614&t=9544&a=27619-skindle&#...
Summary: While I enjoyed using this e-reader, I went back to my Kindle 2 that I got here: http://www.computersncs.com/rd_p?p=191614&t=9544&a=27619-skindle&gift=27619
Within a few weeks, and I couldn't be more happy.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Sony
- Part number: PRS-700BC
- Description: Make the most of your reading experience with this next-generation Reader Digital Book. It features an interactive touch screen display and built-in light. Begin a chapter with the PRS-700BC Reader Digital Book. Boasting an impressive 6.0-inch, touch screen display, this reader uses paper-like E Ink technology which makes it easier to read, even in bright-light situations. In addition to a built-in light, there's an interactive touch screen that lets you turn pages with the slide of a finger or activate the bookmark. You can also create annotations with a virtual keyboard, highlight text with a stylus pen, search for text in your digital book, and easily adjust the font size. A faster processor gives you quicker response times when opening content or turning pages.
General
- Product Type eBook reader
- Width 4.8 in
- Depth 0.3 in
- Height 6.9 in
- Dimensions (W x D x H) 4.8 in x 0.3 in x 6.9 in
- Weight 9 oz
- Slot provided type SD Memory Card, Memory Stick PRO Duo
Memory
- Supported Flash Memory Cards SD Memory Card, Memory Stick Duo
Display
- Display Type 6 in E Ink
- Display type 6 in E Ink
- Image 3-bit (8 gray levels)
Operating System / Software
- OS Provided Sony Reader Software
- OS Required Microsoft Windows Vista Business, Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate, Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, Microsoft Windows XP Professional, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium, Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition, Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004, Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005
Audio
- Supported Digital Audio Formats AAC, MP3
Telecom
- Modem None
GPS System
- GPS Navigation None
Expansion / Connectivity
- Expansion Slots Total (Free) 1 SD Memory Card, 1 Memory Stick PRO Duo
- Interfaces 1 x USB
Power
- Battery installed (max) 1 Lithium ion
- Recharge Time 4 hour(s)
Input Device
- Type Touch-screen
EBook Reader
- Supported Text Formats DOC, PDF, RTF, TXT, BBeB, BBeB DRM
- Supported Still Image Formats BMP, GIF, PNG, JPEG
- Battery Life (pages) 7500 pages
- Features Built-in LED reading light
Miscellaneous
- Cables Included 1 x USB cable
Battery
- Installed Qty (Max Supported) 1
- Technology / Form Factor Lithium ion
System Requirements for PC Connection
- Min Processor Type 800 MHz
- System Requirements Details Celeron - RAM 128 MB - HD 20 MB
Manufacturer Warranty
- Service & Support 1 year warranty
- Service & Support Details Limited warranty - Labor - 90 days, Limited warranty - Parts - 1 year
Manufacturer info
- Sony
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Sony products on Shopper.com
-
- Website: http://www.sonystyle.com
- Address:
16765 W. Bernardo Dr., San Diego, CA 92127 - Phone: 1-877-865-SONY
- Email: contact@sel.sony.com
- Fax: 941-768-7790
