Sony Reader Wi-Fi PRS-T1BC (black)
Manufacturer: Sony Part number: PRST1BC
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Accessories
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- While there's no compelling reason to buy it over the Kindle Touch, the Sony Reader Wi-Fi is a very solid e-reader.
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Where to buy
| store | customer rating | inventory | tax & shipping | price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Over 1,000 Sony products. Direct from Sony | ![]() | In stock | Enter zip code to get total price: Price +Tax +Shipping =Total price | as of 05/13/2013 |
CNET editors' review
Sony Reader Wi-Fi PRS-T1BC (black) price range: $129.99
- Reviewed by: David Carnoy
- Edited by: John Falcone
- Reviewed on: 10/17/2011
The good: The Sony Reader Wi-Fi PRS-T1 is a compact and lightweight touch-screen e-book reader. It offers access to large catalog of e-books, magazines, and newspapers via Sony's online store, plus online loaners from your local library, has support for EPUB files, and is compatible with any e-book store that uses the Adobe DRM format. This Reader also offers audio capabilities and has a microSD card expansion slot, and its battery lasts for up to five weeks on a single charge with Wi-Fi off.
The bad: At $149, the PRS-T1 costs $50 more than the $99 Kindle Touch and it doesn't offer some of the little extras, like 3G wireless, e-book lending, and social-media integration, that competing e-readers offer. The Sony bookstore isn't as extensive as Amazon.com's, and the Sony Reader app isn't currently available on the iPhone and iPad.
The bottom line: While there's no compelling reason to buy it over the Kindle Touch, the Sony Reader Wi-Fi is a very solid e-reader.
User reviews
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Brilliantly designed in its simplicity.
by tom_e_boi on March 9, 2012
Pros: Comes with built-in touchscreen and wifi, excellent battery life, MicroSD card slot. Public library ebook access. Slim design and very lightweight, so you can hold it for hours of reading w/o it feeling heavy. Yet very rigid and solid construction.
Cons: None that I can think of or have come across yet.
Summary: With the touchscreen, you can actually write handwritten notes onto the pages themselves and erase them later on just by swiping across any marks you've made. You can highlight ...
Summary: With the touchscreen, you can actually write handwritten notes onto the pages themselves and erase them later on just by swiping across any marks you've made. You can highlight words, sentences, or paragraphs. Or if there's a word you don't know the meaning of, just touch it and the definition pops up at the bottom of the page. Plus, you can tap the top right corner of the page, which digitally folds the corner to keep your place in your ebook. You can also go in and change the size of the text or change the font. However, I've noticed that this tends to reset back to the default after I've connected to my laptop. Which gets annoying having to go back and set it again afterwards.
Using the wifi, you can go directly to public libraries and check out ebooks (if you have a library card), or go pick out from ebooks offered for free online, and you can access the eReader store to buy ebooks directly from there and download them w/o having to hook up directly to a computer.
It also has a built in mp3 player, so you can listen to some music while reading. Which is great if you wanna drown out any distractions around you. It comes with 1GB of memory, but also has a MicroSD card slot to carry even more ebooks and/or music with you wherever you go.
The refreshing of the page can get a little annoying when online, but while reading, it's not really that noticeable. I find it much better than having to hold open a paperback book and turning the pages as you read. It's much better being able to just push a button or swipe your finger to go to the next page.
The only issue that I had isn't exclusive to just Sony, but with all the different brands, (Apple, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Sony). Which is that when you pay for an ebook, you're not actually buying the ebook. You're paying for a license to the ebook instead, and each different brand is basically incompatible with each other. Unless it is in the ePub format, I think. But, once you've paid for the license to the ebook, you can go back and re-download it back to your eReader as often as needed.
In conclusion, I'm very happy with my Sony eReader. I already have many hardback and paperback books in my library, but with my eReader, I can take my entire ebook library with me wherever I go.1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Great features and easy to use
by randomreader on October 18, 2011
Pros: I am loving that there is a touch screen but that they did not get rid of the page turn buttons; sometimes having a choice is nice. I love being able to download books directly, from the library as well as stores.
The reader is light, feels good in thCons: The touch is really sensitive, so I have to be careful not to accidentally pull up the dictionary etc. If this happens too often, it seems to lock the unit until it goes to sleep and is turned back on.
Summary: I am happy with my reader, and enjoy the experience of reading with it. Would recommend this unit to others.
Summary: I am happy with my reader, and enjoy the experience of reading with it. Would recommend this unit to others.
1 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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I love my T1 and Sony Customer service
by louroberts on April 27, 2012
Pros: 1. ac adapter easily available, not so with kobo touch
2. light weight
3. many sizes of typeface to choose
4. cover with light very secure, love the light, works great reading in bed
5. Sony Customer ServiceCons: The T1 Sony Cover/Case is ridiculously expensive (54.99, but on sale for $44.99 which is still TOO expensive)
The Sony Cover/Case holds the reader very securely but missing some sort of latch to secure cover over screen.Summary: I purchased my Sony T1 yesterday and also bought a Kobo Touch to see which I would prefer. The T1 was my choice without even trying to read a book. ...
Summary: I purchased my Sony T1 yesterday and also bought a Kobo Touch to see which I would prefer. The T1 was my choice without even trying to read a book.
1. I was able to purchase the ac adapter at Future Shop where I got both readers. Good luck trying to get a kobo ac adapter, after 2 tries kobo finally gave me a url to order ac adapter from kobo online AND it's proprietary. Sony adapter (or others) won't work with kobo reader.
2. Couldn't tell if kobo was charging but the Sony has a little light. On kobo, it's on the screen, top left there is a little check mark on the charge symbol. I can see the Sony little light at 200 paces.
No Cons on the reader yet BUT I was told that if one buys books from Sony store, downloaded books can NEVER be removed from Sony's Reader for PC unless you call Customer Service and even he struggled and finally started from scratch and set up a new account . . . guess what test book still appeared. He finally made it disappear for me. I like to get rid of books when I'm finished with them. Don't want to be scrolling through hundreds of books a year from now trying to find ONE book. This plus the overcharging for books means I will stick with kobo store and other suppliers.
Sony Customer Service beats all others by miles and believe me I have made use of it for the past two days. They are fantastic even when I do stupid things like renaming "My Book" to My Books Sony so the desktop program couldn't find all the books I owned.
My Pandigital Novel is on the way to the reader graveyard as no one wants it, not even for FREE. ;-) -
Low quality product.
by iblank3 on April 25, 2012
Pros: Fun to use. Good screen quality
Cons: Low quality product. Power problems.
Summary: This is my story. Purchased the e-reader on beginning of 2011. One year not passed the e-reader started to malfunction. It goes to sleep mode suddenly, or shuts down completely, ...
Summary: This is my story. Purchased the e-reader on beginning of 2011. One year not passed the e-reader started to malfunction. It goes to sleep mode suddenly, or shuts down completely, or starts endless cycle of reboots. I complained to sonny and they repaired it free of charge. Then after four months the same problem reappears. That time they want 100$ for repair.... I'll better buy another reader for that money (not sonny for sure). Bottom line, after little bit more than one year 250$ worth fancy reader is completely useless. I stay away from sonny for next few good years ... Advice you to do the same ...
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A wonderful reader
by grapeman1965 on November 26, 2011
Pros: It has an excellent home page interface (unlike new Kobo). It also seems very well built unlike older Kindle I've used. You can use Kobo/Chapter books in the Sony Reader; Sony and Kobo combined offer great choices.
Cons: -perhaps a little pricey, but I don't really see any drawbacks
-no ipad app? How's that a weakness for a hardware device? Your iFanbois nature is showing, CNET. -
Not a review but a comment & some questions
by lglabor on October 18, 2011
Pros: Is this the one I've been waiting for even if it's a bit pricier than the Kindle? Here's the thing: I refuse to buy a product that forces me to buy from only one vendor--that is, the Kindle with its Amazon monopoly. In fact, I'd want primarily to borrow l
Cons: One more question re size: I've found all previous e-reader screens a bit too small, while the iPad at 10 inches is too big. I've wanted a reader that's roughly the size of a paperback book page. At six inches, does this one fit that bill? Some of the tab
Summary: What are your thoughts? What's the perfect device with which to read library books and online newspapers etc.?
Summary: What are your thoughts? What's the perfect device with which to read library books and online newspapers etc.?
0 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Sony
- Part number: PRST1BC
- Description: Get lost in your books, not in ads, on the lightest 6" eReader . Reader Wi-Fi is the world's first to offer wireless public library downloads from the device. Wirelessly get the titles you want from Reader Store1 and enjoy reading on the enhanced, glare-free touchscreen, even in direct sunlight.
General
- Packaged Quantity 1
- Product Type eBook reader
- Dimensions (W x D x H) 4.4 in x 0.4 in x 6.9 in
- Weight 5.9 oz
- Color Black
- Packaged contents Stylus
- Slot provided type [Dec 3, 2010 from CDS: Slot Provided] microSD
Display
- Type 6 in Monochrome E Ink
- Display Resolution 600 x 800
- Touchscreen Yes
- Display type 6 in E Ink
- Color Depth 4-bit (16 gray levels)
- Max resolution 600 x 800
Memory
- Flash Memory 1.3 GB
- Supported Flash Memory Cards microSD
- Flash memory installed 1.3 GB
Communications
- Wireless Connectivity 802.11b/g/n
Operating System / Software
- OS Required Apple MacOS X 10.7 or later,
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic 64-bit Edition SP2 or later,
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit Edition SP2 or later,
Microsoft Windows Vista Business 64-bit Edition SP2 or later,
Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit Edition SP2 or later,
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic SP2 or later,
Microsoft Windows 7 Starter,
Microsoft Windows Vista Business SP2 or later,
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP2 or later,
Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate SP2 or later,
Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate (32/64 bits),
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium (32/64 bits),
Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004 SP3 or later,
Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 SP3 or later,
Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP3 or later,
Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition SP3 or later,
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Basic (32/64 bits),
Microsoft Windows 7 Professional (32/64 bits) EBook Reader
- Supported Text Formats EPUB ,
PDF ,
TXT ,
PDF DRM,
EPUB DRM - Supported Still Image Formats PNG,
JPEG,
BMP,
GIF - Features Expandable memory ,
Touch screen ,
Wi-Fi Location
- GPS Navigation None
Multimedia
- Supported Digital Audio Formats AAC ,
MP3 Input Device
- Type Touch-screen
Power
- Recharge Time 2.5 hour(s)
Expansion and Connectivity
- Expansion Slot(s) 1 x microSD
- Interfaces 1 x USB 2.0,
1 x Headphones System Requirements for PC Connection
- System Requirements Details Windows XP/Vista/7 - 1 GHz - RAM 512 MB - HDD 250 MB
Battery
- Run Time 1 month(s)
- Battery Life (pages) 14000 pages
Miscellaneous
- Included Accessories Stylus
- Cables Included 1 x USB cable
Dimensions & Weight
- Width 4.4 in
- Depth 0.4 in
- Height 6.9 in
Manufacturer Warranty
- Service & Support Details Limited warranty - Parts - 1 year,
Limited warranty - Labor - 90 days Environmental Parameters
- Min Operating Temperature 41 °F
- Max Operating Temperature 95 °F
Accessories
Manufacturer info
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Sony products on Shopper.com
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- Manufacturer:Sony
- Address:
16765 W. Bernardo Dr., San Diego, CA 92127 - Phone: 1-877-865-SONY
- Email: contact@sel.sony.com
- Fax: 941-768-7790


