Sony PRS-700BC 6" Touchscreen Display Reader Digital Book

2010-12-15T19:00:00

I've had my eReader about 6 months now and love it! Initially, the software was sluggish, but there have been some updates and it seems smoother. Downloading from my local library is awesome--very easy! The prices in the ebook store are reasonable and doable. People constantly stop to talk about my device--they are facinated and very inquisitive. I always give the Sony a big thumbs up and encourage others to do good research before they purchase. The size is amazing--I recently took a 10-day cruise, as an avid reader I wanted to take about 8-9 books along - my traveling companion was also a big reader... she had to lug 7 big books around and they totally weighed down her luggage.. while I had my uber-cool little reader. Took up NO room. Weighs nothing. Therefore, I could take more shoes! LOL The only drawback is a bit of glare in certain light and the lack of a back light--but I recently saw a small light one can clip to your device, I may pick one up! All in all, I bellieve the Sony product to be the best on the market, it's easy to use -- the ability to download from your library is HUGE! Enjoy!

SmartyGirl

Originally posted at

2010-07-14T20:00:00

My battery wouldn't hold a charge after 2 years of heavy use. I was told the batteries last between 1 - 2 years and the cost to replace is $105! So on top of the $350 for the unit every 1-2 years you will need to fork out another $100 to replace the battery. Once you pay the fee you have to mail your unit to Sony and they will send you a refurbished unit. They keep your unit and give to the next sucker! For the price we pay for the unit this battery issue really bothers me. Next time my battery dies it would be cheaper to buy a Nook!

Delta2one8

Originally posted at

2009-12-22T19:00:00

I bought this unit because of the back light. Some people complained about a slight glare. Whatever. All these devices have something you can pick at and criticize. I have used it day and mostly . . .night since I bought it. I have owned many Sony products for years. This move is very typical of Sony in reaction to market place. Just when I wanted to buy a few more it is gone. Sad.

techwiz

Originally posted at

2009-12-19T19:00:00

I heard this reader was discontinued due to the battery drain from the backlight! To me this is to be expected, but who needs the backlight during the day? Anyway I hope the backlight will return, because it was the reason I brought it instead of the Kindle and all the others!! I was going to purchase the 900 for it's wireless capabilities, but when I found out it did not have a backlight it was a no go! Sony why not make these readers to suit everyone. Give the customer the choice of the backlight feature, make some with and some without. I would only purchase a reader with a backlight!

Chari2009

Originally posted at

2009-10-03T20:00:00

I compared it with the kindle and the Kindle did not impress me as much as my reader. What sold me was the backlight. i read in bed a lot and this is simply awesome. I am looking at the new PRS900 and I really do hope it has the backlight feature as i will be askig for it for Christmas.

Sherylmy

Originally posted at

2009-09-05T20:00:00

Compared to the Rocket eBook and eBookwise eBook the only thing the Sony eReader has going for it is it's lightweight and it has higher storage capacity. Here are some of the major comparison points. Ergonomic design - Rocket and Ewise both have the page buttons on the side with a screen that will rotate 360 degrees so it can be read from either hand. It's also has curved edges so it fits comfortably in your hand without digging in anywhere. Sony has the buttons on the bottom and will only rotate to landscape meaning you have to hold it in your left hand. It also has hard square edges that dig into the hand between the thumb and forefinger and into the palm. The square edges and poor placement of the buttons cause my hand to cramp after awhile and I have to hold it with two hands. Actually to comrtably press the page button I have to hold it with two hands anyway. Or even better I can hold it in one hand and use the stylus to 'draw' a line across the page to change the page. I thought I was reading a book not using an etch-a-sketch. Battery life - If you never use it the battery might last two weeks. Or if you only read 1 hour a day. It also annoys me that when you turn the screen off it's still using battery life, it's not actually off. And if you do turn the Sony completely off it takes 5 minutes for it to turn back on. Both the Rocket and the Ewise last an average of a week with a backlight constantly on. Plus when you turn off the screen the whole unit turns off preserving battery and will turn back on instantly. When the Sony is in actual use I've had the battery last a day, maybe two days. The primary battery hog is the side LCD lights but since I don't read my Sony just when it's bright and sunny out I frequently need the lights to be able to read the screen. And even then they cast odd shadows on the screen that causes eye strain - something E-Ink was much lauded as preventing. Readability - Let me state upfront that I don't wear glasses nor do I need glasses. The Rocket and the Ewise are both backlit so I can read them any time of the day or night at any font size and have absolutely no problem. They also turn pages instantly, maybe a 2 second delay once I've hit the page button. I've never had an issue with eye strain and I've been using the rocket or the Ewise religiously every day for probably 10 years now. I am an avid reader. The Sony, using E-Ink technology, is the worst thing I have ever tried to read. If I have bright, direct light then I can usually read the Sony with the text magnified once without feeling any strain. If I don't have bright, direct light I have to use the LCD lights which cast odd shadows and I have to magnify the text at least twice to be able to read for more than five minutes without feeling like my eyes are going to burn holes in my skull from the strain. The fact that every time I turn the page the screen flashes black for several seconds doesn't help either as it means my eyes try to adjust and then readjust. Considering I read an average of 3 standard pages a minute and I have to magnify the text to the point that there's barely half a page on the screen that means I'm changing the page roughly every ten seconds. It takes me less time to read a screen then it does to change the screen page. Plus I'm staring at a black screen every ten seconds. How is that supposed to reduce eye strain? Value: For $350 I expect to be able to read my ebook anywhere at any time of day in pretty much any light. I expect to not get hand cramps from turning pages. I expect the battery to last the advertised two weeks with the backlight on. Sony delivers none of this. Sadly neither does Kindle or any of the other poser ebooks I've seen on the market. I'll stick with my Rocket and my Ewise and the rinky dink little 128mb memory cards the Ewise uses. I guess I just bought myself a $350 coaster/paperweight.

AvidLIReader

Originally posted at

2009-08-18T20:00:00

the 700 eReader is an excellent product! I'm very pleased that it has built-in booklights as well as expanded zoom and text resizing - it makes reading a breeze. The screen is clear and sharp and looks remarkably like paperback print. The touchscreen is perfect, giving it the right feel and adding extra functionality. The ability to highlight and take notes and search not only a book, but the notes & highlights is great - the fact that it syncs with my laptop is awesome! I'm very pleased with the expandable memory options and the ability to buy books from over 20 different web stores - I'm not locked in to one bookstore! I'm also not locked in to one format - and it's easy & free to prepare my own reading materials to keep at hand! Overall - it's my favorite purchase of the last 2 years. It gets more use than any other single purchase (besides my car and my phone).

JEP466

Originally posted at

2009-08-17T20:00:00

The eReader has a lot of nice functions. However, the recent Kindle release probably has the 700 beat. The Kindle offers a built in dictionary and most of the same functionality. The eReader does have a backlight but it comes with a cost of added glare on the screen. Also, the inner screen seems to get a lot of dust built up inside between the outer glass and the actual reader screen. This is very noticeable with the backlight turned on. Finally, where's the Mac support?

msbenn67

Originally posted at

2009-08-05T20:00:00

Because this requires a PC, especially Vista, I don't see value in this product for me. As a mac user with no intention of changing operating systems they've lost me as a customer. I was attracted to the product because of its support for classic titles. I will be returning this for a Kindle.

opaekaa

Originally posted at

2009-07-20T20:00:00

I got the Sony digital book and love how it functions. the pages are easy to read and turn. My challenge is most of the books I want to read are not available for the sony. I can find almost all of them on Amazon though in Kindle version which does not work on the sony. So while I have this great device, I am still buying paper books and my sony is collecting dust. If you mostly read fiction you can probably find those, but the nonfiction books are few.

Giselle

Originally posted at

2009-07-17T20:00:00

I've waited for a decent reader for awhile. This is one of the better readers. Reading is easy and the lighting, with three levels is adequate for different conditions. If there was anything that hinders this reader it is the software. Making collections of books requires he Sony Software which is only available for Windows machines, and I prefer the Mac. Trying to load Adobe Digital Reader was also a problem for the Mac. The inability to work effectively with the Mac is a hinderance. In order to download books from the library requires a Windows machine and will not work with a Mac. You can upload pdf files from a Mac that do not have a time limited use. Also using the additional data cards for storage is cumbersome. The software treats them as separate drives and not an increase in overall memory.

Aviatrix

Originally posted at

2009-07-17T20:00:00

I was hesitant to buy this, but decided to try it anyway. I could not figure out how to get books into the reader, but after callling for some help, it became very easy. I love my reader and it will be a great asset on my cruises because now I don't have to carry 10-15 books along.

szdiver

Originally posted at

2009-07-15T20:00:00

"I love the touchscreen display, the built-in light and the adjustable text sizes. The choice of books in the Sony ebook store is overwhelming. Compared to other readers in the market the pages turn very fast and the overall high quality appearance of the device gives it a premium touch. The display is awesome (in various light conditions) I cannot follow other users glare problems. Even reading in bright sunshine is very convenient. An adjustable contrast would be nice. The drawings in some books are hard to read off. I as many other users would love to have dictionary/thesaurus support."

wahlker

Originally posted at

2009-07-12T20:00:00

The Sony Reader is so convenient and portable. I have a cover for mine so I can stick it in my purse every time I leave the house, just in case I get stuck somewhere. The screen is very readable, even in dim lighting. I do not care for the built-in light, but use a booklight to read in a dark room. The AC adaptor is a must for accessories; it charges the Reader very quickly. The lack of wireless connection is not an issue for me. I would not have used that feature often enough to make it worth the extra cost for a Kindle or other digital book system. Overall, I have no complaints about the reader itself. My only complaint about the whole system would be that the Library Software that goes on my computer is deathly slow. Sometimes it times-out while changing pages, and the back button on my mouse does not work with the software. Sony promises to upgrade the software soon.... The Free Google Library is awesome. I have always loved reading the classics, when I could find them. Now I have nearly the entire public domain library at my fingertips. My kids love the old childrens' books, llike all the Wizard of Oz books and Anne of Green Gables and so many more. As soon as possible, I plan to buy at least one more, so I won't have to share so much.

MomOf6

Originally posted at

2009-07-11T20:00:00

First off I was THRILLED with the time it took from ordering to shipping to me getting it (3 1/2 days). I had first ordered this from Dell and it was going to take over a month for me to get it (what was I thinking??). I got it, uploaded my books to it, and added my school books to it. This is the coolest thing EVER! I can put family pictures on it, and even my music! My son now wants to buy one since he is joining the Navy and it will be easier for him to use this than dragging a bunch of heavy books around. What are you waiting for?? BUY THIS!

HooahWife

Originally posted at

2009-07-02T20:00:00

This is my second Sony Reader and I did my homework before making the purchase. When I lost my earlier version of Sony Reader I was heartbroken but determined to replace it. I researched the Kindle but was unimpressed with the look and design layout. I have seen the Kindle and it looks cheap, it is shaped awkwardly for my hands and difficult to hold for long periods. I upgraded to the Sony 700 with back lighting and love it. All of my purchases transferred seamlessly to my new model and I continued reading without a hitch. The new design is even more elegant, with improved features and a touchscreen. This was a significant investment, but well worth the price.

Skyrangers

Originally posted at

2009-06-29T20:00:00

I did a lot of research before I purchased my PRS-700. I compared it with the Kindle and Kindle DX. I purchased the PRS-700 as I have a lot of other Sony equipment and I am never unhappy with the quality or suffer from buyers remorse. I have no trouble purchasing ebooks from the Sony site, however, I have read many reviews from the UK stating that they cannot purchased ebooks from Sony without a US credit card and address. I am moving to the UK next month and REALLY hope this is possible to do very soon. I am an avid reader and want to be able to purchase ebooks with the same ease as I can here, instead of having to buy alternate formats from untrustworthy websites and converting them to PDF. I was a little concerned with the 700 being a touch screen, every review says you can use it in the sun, but I worried about being able to see the screen when wearing polarized sunglasses too, no problems though, it's great. And for those of you that purchased a prior version that have problems with the clarity of the text, having not owned a prior version, I have no problems with the clarity. I am extremely happy that I purchased this and I have emailed several family members that also enjoy to read a dozen books a month if not a week, and told them this is an absolute must have!!!

Ecstatic

Originally posted at

2009-06-25T20:00:00

It's great, especially at night to lay in bed and read without any other light on. I would recomend buying the ac charger to keep it plugged in because the battery dies quickly with the light on.

Nursepa

Originally posted at

2009-06-24T20:00:00

I love the digital readers - this is my 3rd one. I also have 2 of the 505s and they are by far much better than this. The built in light sucks the battery life and reduces it by at least 1/2; it tends to "freeze" frequently; and takes some getting used to the touch screen. I still think it is a great product and would recommend it to anyone looking but the flaws need to be worked on. Also, I wish it came in different colors, including the cover...

Kelly0208

Originally posted at

2009-06-21T20:00:00

I bought this as a father's day gift for my husband. The design and performance were just what we expected but the screen was far too dim for him to use in natural (ambient) light. We did some investigating and found that this is a common complaint for 700 owners. Returned the 700 to the store where I bought it and found out that a new model with a much improved screen is to be released soon. Waiting for that device with much anticipation. Nan

Nanette

Originally posted at

2009-06-12T20:00:00

My new Sony PRS-700BC is everything I wanted in a digital reader. I absolutely am in love with it and go nowhere without it. The books are easily downloaded and priced appropriately. 5 Stars from me. JCP

sagecat5011722

Originally posted at

2009-06-11T20:00:00

I just purched my Reader and started using it last night for the first time. It was very simple to install the cd and took no time getting it set up. I think it took less than10 mins to plug it in install the software, register my Reader on Sony and create an account on the eLibrary. I found that the eLibrary was very user friendly as well to about 1 min to buy my book and get it in my eReader library and then transfer it to my reader. I love the book like quality of the text and the back light is wonderful you have two settings which is great now I can read in bed and not bother my husband. I would def. recommend this to anyone, I haven't seen the Kindle but I would say this is the best one for the money by far. I look forward to using it more and getting to know all of the other wonderful features it's perfect for anyone who loves to read!

wedd822

Originally posted at

2009-05-21T20:00:00

My son was home from Iraq on leave and kept talking about all this "stuff" he wanted to get me from there; I finally looked at him and told him if he really wanted to get me something I wanted a Sony E-Reader; imagine my surprise when USP came to my door about a week after he returned to his base in Iraq with my Sony E-Reader; I LOVE IT, will probably be the best gift he will ever get me. And something I will definitely get lots of use out of. I've been really pleased with the battery life as I frequently use the light at night. Only drawback I've noticed and yes this is personal preference, I wouldn't mind a digital clock at the bottom of the screen.

BrendaL

Originally posted at

2009-05-18T20:00:00

I love the touchscreen feature, as it makes taking notes easier and turning pages more like a real book. As long as the PDF you are reading is not image-based, you should be able to reflow the document to make it readable on the reader, which is awesome (although you do lose some paragraph formatting). I was thinking about buying the Kindle DX for its much larger screen and relatively cheap ebook prices, but decided on this product because I can borrow and download DRMed PDF ebooks from my local library and read it on the PRS-700. Yay for free books! I know that google has begun a collaboration with Sony to provide free books, but so far, all I see are really old books (circa pre- to early 1900s) and books samples for recently published books. Not really worth it unless you only like to read books that are older than your grandparents. The only complaints I have are these: 1. The screen is prone to glare in any direct light, making it impossible to see the words. 2. The contrast between the screen and the "ink" is not very strong, and makes the words hard to see in low light. 3. The unit is a little on the heavy side, about the weight of two average paperpacks. 4. ebooks sold on the Sony website (and most other ebook stores besides amazon.com) are still pretty expensive (pretty much the same price as hardcopy books) considering the fact that you're getting a DRMed electronic product. I use the PRS-700 to read only library books, so this is not really an issue for me.

Lani

Originally posted at

2009-05-09T20:00:00

I travel A LOT. I was first reluctant to switch to an eReader from holding books and turning their pages. But I broke down and purchased the Sony 700 and love it. Like others, I have downloaded books from Sony's site and BooksOnBoard and am pushing my library to join the 21st Century and offer eBooks for checkout. Pros: The non-glare screen is great and I can easily read outside, on the airplane with the over head light or just sitting in my chair. The side lights (700) are great for night reading so much so you don't need your bedside light on. It comes with a nice professional case. Easy to download books and transfer over to the reader (click and drag). Has the ability to download MP3, Photos and collect notes, highlight/annotate. Cons: The battery life is not even close to what they claim. Sony could have included the wall charger because you can't just run to the store and buy one. Definitely worth getting. Better than Kindle because I can buy from multiple sources, rent from libraries, etc.

pdd3517

Originally posted at

2009-05-07T20:00:00

- I have lot's of arabic text books and unfortunately the device does not support the language. - Most of my readings are in scientific books that include many mathematical formulaes. If I dont zoom in the text, everything is ok. As soon as I try to zoom in most of the symbols get distorted and become meaningless

Fiso

Originally posted at

2009-05-06T20:00:00

My husband got me the Sony Reader for a Christmas present because he could not find the Kindle. I am glad he couldn't find the Kindle. I am very please with the Reader and wouldn't change for the world. I love to read and the Sony reader is the best.

MrsVee

Originally posted at

2009-04-30T20:00:00

My husband gave me the PRS-700 as a Christmas gift and I have absolutely loved it! I was a little skeptical at first -- I've always enjoyed the feel of a book and wasn't sure how I'd adjust to something electronic, but the PRS-700 with its great little cover has the look and feel of a book. The free downloads were great, and it is very easy to use. I haven't had any issues with glare, but I typically hold it at a slight angle when I read (as I do with books and magazines). The ability to change font size is very convenient! I can't say enough good things about it. Love it, love it, love it!

WebGirl

Originally posted at

2009-04-13T20:00:00

One Terrific unit! It's my first ebook reader. I looked long at hard at the Kindle 1 (that's what was out at the time) and the PRS 505 against the PRS 700. The 700 won hands down! Now that we can download old books from within the eReader site.

bmoc

Originally posted at

2009-04-09T20:00:00

I consider this an excellent product. I considered whether to by it or the Kindle 2, but dicided on the PRS 700 as it supports PDF files. I am an online college student and it is much more convenient to download documents onto a portable reading device than do a lot of printing. In addition, it offers a lot of storage. I delete titles as I finish them and the internal storage is very adequat for me. Also, I am a minimalist and appreciate the fact that there are few visible controls except an array of navigation buttons discretely placed just below the screen. Page turns are easy by finger swipe. However, if one prefers to avoid this method the page turn buttons work well and are well place if you hold it with one hand with the cover on as you might a book. Clarity is not as good as on the 505 and there is some glare, but as many report, minor adjustments or use of the edge lights makes up for this. I do like the lights. The lighting is a bit irregular, but is still readable at the first level of illumination. I actually prefer this over a book light I was useing for my 505. It was difficult to avoid glare on the screen, but the side lighting illuminates the text well enough for me and the glare is illiminated. Useing the light does use power faster, but I simply charge the reader while showering and preparing and eating breakfast so it is therefore not an issue. A major concern is the lack of a common English language dictionary. It is ironic that a device, intended for serious readers, lacks such an amenity. This is a minimal need and if not included, should at least be made available. Can't find one at the Sony store. There is an excellent Oxford English dictionary in ebook format, but it is in mobipocket. Except for this glaring failing, This is the only issue preventing me from giving it 5 stars. However, I feel that 4 are well earned. am really happy with the device. There are many good ereader devices and I happen to prefer this one. Thankyou Sony for another good product.

Journier

Originally posted at