SONY Reader
The Sony Reader.
Sony couldn't have chosen a blander name for its e-Reader than to simply call it "Reader." There is some redemption possible in that it created three possible choices: the Touch Edition, the Daily Edition, and the Pocket Edition. And they are distinctly different:
The Pocket Edition looks very much like an oversized iPod. It has a 5-inch screen with an 800x600 resolution that supports five levels of grayscale. Battery life is rated at 7,500 continuous page turns for books using Sony's BBeB Book format or 6,800 continuous page turns using the ePub format. Somewhere around 380 MB of the 512 MB installed is available for use. There are no memory card slots on the Pocket.
The Touch Edition raises the ante with a 6-inch screen using the same 800x600 resolution with eight levels of grayscale. Battery life also remains the same at 7,500 BBeB Book continuous page turns or 6,800 ePub continuous page turns. The memory level is the same as with the Pocket Edition.
Perhaps the one that might interest people the most is the Daily Edition. It reflects a more traditional approach to an e-book reader with a 7.1-inch screen at a 600x1024 resolution in 16 levels of grayscale. Battery life is up, with a rating of 12,000 ePub continuous page turns. Of course, it's the most expensive of the three.
There are dual memory card slots for a Memory Stick Pro Duo and SD card on the Touch and Daily. Except for the Daily Edition, which is 3G enabled, the other two require you to use your computer as their Internet connection.
Specs: Touch Daily Pocket
Display 5"; 8-level grayscale 6"; 8-level grayscale 7.1"; 16-level grayscale
Size 6.25"x4.25"x0.4" 6.9"x4.8"x0.4" 5"x8.125"x0.6"
Storage 512 MB 512 MB 1.6 GB
Connectivity USB USB 3G
Wireless Coverage N/A N/A Global
Rotating Display No No Yes
Price $199.99 $299.00 $399.00
Review by Information Week - April 2010