Sony eBook Reader … bad for PDF’s?
Posted by Jeff October 05, 2006
I’ve been anticipating an e-ink ebook reader for much of this year. I’m fascinated by the promise of a high-quality paper-like display, containing any PDF ebooks I want to load up. My use case: get myself off the grid and its many temptations, and curl up with a good ebook. Maybe even outside!
After numerous delays, the Sony Reader is out (reviews). Enthusiasts are descending on Borders and SonyStyle stores to snap them up.
I haven’t seen one in person yet. However, according to this thread the device is too small to display PDF books without zoom and scroll. I’ll pass. PDF is not designed for reflow to small screens, unlike HTML.
Reading PDF’s is my primary usecase, so I’ll restrain myself from kneejerk early adoptor behavior and remain deskbound with a Dell 24″ monitor. The competing ebook reader, Iliad, is Linux based and sports WIFI and Ethernet. This bodes well for its future software ecosystem as a hacker playground.
I’ll try to sit out this generation of ebook readers…
I just bought one, and while this is clearly “1.0″, I love this little gadget. Think of a Palm V - bit larger, with a much better display, but with the same slim form factor and that cold feel that only metal gives - Sony hardware quality.
The Epaper really is extraordinary, fine resolution, and as long as your light source is good, extremely readable. Comparing the Sony E-reader with a paperback I’m currently reading in various light conditions, the result is really good. I really like the fact that it does not shut off the display after about 30 seconds like my Blackberry, iPod and Tungsten Tx.
Gripes (aka - opportunities for improvement)
0. I live in Europe. Sony does not allow me to download several E-books I would gladly pay money for. Could somebody explain to these goons that customers with money exist outside the US and would be happy to pay them?
1. The buttons are somewhat hard to press, they could be softer, more Palm V like. That being said, perhaps they’ve made them harder to avoid inadvertant page turning.
2. Displaying PDF files in portrait format is (politely) recognisable, but (practically) unuseable. The choice gray for smaller characters is just wrong. Flipping the aspect ratio to landscape and zooming made them readable - just. Sony needs to review this as a matter of urgency.
As for things like looking at images - this is a waste of time - it’s an e-book reader, why bother with displaying your colour photos on a B&W display? MP3’s - OK, but I’m not giving up my iPod any time soon to this.
Future suggestions to Sony, if anyone’s listening:
1. Allow the USB port to read a keyboard - you could make the navigation of some things much easier, and even make for a search facility that would be credible.
2. Re-think the buttons.
3. Allow input of .PRC (palm document input) as a supported format
Summary - this is the first E-book reader that is really worthy of that name - and I’ve been an advocate of this for a while Display = stunning, unlike anything you’ve seen before. User interface, clearly 1.0, and let some Americans write the software, it would be *much* better.
Dear Jeff,
I researched the reader, and came to the same conclusion. I can only justify the purchase if it would be the “ipod for book” (have a 4 gb sd card)
Can we expect a 1024 screen for the new Sony Reader?
cheers,
mike
Mike-
I picked one up from ebay..if you convert the PDFs they come out pretty well. I will do a screencast on the process when I get some time.
Jeff