Customer Ratings & Reviews

I purchased this device for myself because I need to read more and thought that purchasing a device like this would easily enable me to do this. I was correct in my thinking as I have not put this device down since purchase. The screen is extremely easy on the eyes and page turns are quicker than I thought (about the same speed as physically turning a page). The compatible formats are numerous and the ability to load content onto a Memory Stick Pro Duo or Secure Digital card make this a big plus for me as I often find myself in Linux where the Connected software does not work. The promotional offer from Sony for 100 free eBook classics really sealed the deal for me. They are giving away a 199 dollar credit towards the purchase of many renowned and timeless pieces of literature. The lightweight device makes it a perfect travel companion and I use it on the bus and train frequently. I have yet to use the music playback feature of the device, but I can only imagine that it is a decent addition to this multifaceted wonder. Battery life is also exceptional and I have a feeling I will be finishing several novels before requiring a recharge. This praise does not come with some slight criticisms. Being a Sony product means accepting certain limitations, like support for third party eBook stores, which as currently few and far between. The PDF support is also somewhat lacking. This I do not fault the device entirely for, but there is some blame to be cast. Most PDF's are produced in 8.5x11 format, and while these documents are legible on the device, they are not comfortable. There is some slight zoom support in PDF's, but this does not fix the problem. The solution for this is two fold: Sony should have including a way to scale the PDF's to a reasonable size (this is possible even with copy protected PDF's); and producers of documents such as PDF books should understand that many people may want to view their work in 6x4 format (easy enough to provision a PDF document to be rendered at two paper sizes). I think this will change in future updates and as more people begin to use this and other eBook reader devices. Overall my complaints are minimal and I have already whole heartedly recommended this product to many people who have found interest in it for themselves, or family members. On a side note, I have noticed that the device does attract quite a bit of attention, and not in the common electronic device sense. It is more a curiosity and seems to generate quite a few questions as well as some general enthusiasm for the device. I think this is a device that will spread itself given a large enough install base!

Until I got the Sony reader, I had not read a non-college book for fun since I was diagnosed several years ago with a degenerative eye disorder. Now, I've made it through nine books in just a couple of weeks. The Reader is fun and easy to use. I can increase the font large enough to read! The Reader is very lightweight and easy to hold in any position (I like to lay down when I read) and can hold a lot of books - though I may need only two or so at a time, in case I finish one early. Plus, I was able to convert the many ebooks already on my computer using some third-part free software to work with the Sony Reader in it's special file format. The screen is readable at any angle (this due to the innovative eInk technology). The $200 worth of free classic books with purchase is a nice incentive. I recommend this rather pricey reader to everyone. It was well worth it. I joke that it looks like a padd from Star Trek (trekkies will get the reference here). I LOVE IT!

Obviously if you are interested in an electronic reader at all, you are a serious reader. Well, Sony finally refined the orignial model by correcting all the annoying deficits. The screen is notably better with more contrast and more comfortable display. It really appears as a print on paper. You can read for hours without strain. I would not recommend the original model, but the new one, I do. The menu joystick is gone and replaced with two separate buttons. The option number buttons are now aligned longitudinally with the screen column of the numbers. The page turner buttons have been moved to the right side---all the more intuitive and natural for control, provided that you are not a lefty. The circular folder clip that attaches the back of the reader to the folder is replaced with a backbone rod...a much better design. The overall appearance is very solid and stylish. Two shades: dark blue in a black folder or silver in a tan folder. There are few negatives. No AC adaptor is included. You charge it via the provided USB cable to the laptop. Overall, Sony reader is no longer an experiment. Electronic reading is now a legitimate option.

I did extensive research on all the e-books. I didn't want one with a "touch screen"; it would just get dirty too fast. It holds so many books!! I don't need one to hold 7000 books, I don't read that many in a year. If I need to save them, I can keep them on my computer. When I bought it, I loaded ten books in less than 60 seconds. I couldn't believe it!! It is so much more convenient to carry than a 500 page book that is so heavy and awkward. I just put it in my purse, and off I go. You will LOVE this book!!! it would fit perfectly in a backpack or book bag. I read an entire book, and still had a full battery. The battery life is really long!!

I'm on my second reader to date. I originally had a PRS-500 when the item debuted in '06 and it was stolen... I have images of the poor thing in a dump somewhere covered in bad thai takeout because the theif didn't know what they'd found... I purchased the PRS-505, and I realized just how much I had missed my little machine. As someone who has always been an avid reader, but who has problems reading for long periods of time, the reader has been a wonderful tool. I've found I can sit and read for hours and my eyes never grow tired, lose focus, or start watering as they normally do. The 505 is even better than my original; the response time to page turns is quicker, the battery life is longer, and it allows for more storage than the 500. The size is wonderful, fitting into almost any bag I carry, and I am never at a loss for new titles. The Sony format can be a little discouraging, but after playing around with different ways to imput titles, I've found a couple of very easy, simple conversion ways to make this work with almost any site that you can get ebooks. I love this product, and while there will always be books that I continue to buy paper-bound regardless of any new technology, I would recomend this to anyone who reads on a regular basis.

I bought this at a great discount on BestBuy.com during Cyber Monday for 33% off. I LOVE IT. The electronic ink technology is fantastic, very easy on the eyes even after a long time reading. Multiple zoom levels from regular to super large. Battery life is very good. I bought an aftermarket hard shell case to protect the unit and the apparently fragile screen, which I've read is the weak point of this otherwise fantastic device. Would be fun to have the EVDO connectivity of Kindle but with Kindle's long backorder time this was just what I needed. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this!

Dont get me wrong it is a good product if a little limited in my eyes. I had a lot of trouble with finding books I wanted to read on this product. Maybe I shouldnt be so picky but when paying 300 dollars for a product I feel I should be able to chose what I really want to read. I tried useing the connect bookstore but they only carried 3 titles I wanted and when I went to other sites to get more the only formats that could be loaded onto it were 'multiformats' in otherwords versions of books that are not made to be read on any certain reader program format. The Adobe reader formats do not work even tho they are pdf files, microsoft reader files are also the same, forget about trying the eReader or palm formats and you can not load the software for mobi files onto the reader so again a dead end... I actually spent about 60 dollars on books I thought I could use as they were 'adobe' pdf files.... boy what a suprise... now I am tied to my computer to be able to read them, definatly not how I pictured reading when I got it!

After reading reviews that said this was a great step forward in digital readers, I hinted that it would be a great Christmas gift. My son played Santa, and All the positive reviews proved to be true. I've read for hours without eye fatigue, and the unit is so portable that it's ready to use anywhere. Though I hope well bound paper books never go out of style, this is the first product I've seen that moves us credibly toward a future where they're no longer in daily use. I commend Sony and recommend this product, especially for people on the go.

The product is great! I'm an avid reader who travels overseas frequently and this has been a great purchase... especially for the space it saves in my luggage! While the customer service for the device itself has been good (despite being at the other end of the phone in El Salvador) the e-library customer service has been poor! They are only available via e-mail initially and even then a machine evidentally reads the problem and sends canned responses based on it's reading of your question (hardly ever correctly!). Forget the machine responses and call Sony Customer Service and ask them for a phone number for the e-library (software not hardware) customer service department. It'll get you closer to a correct answer though the personnel I've talked to at e-library customer service seemed to find it a bother to try and help. The customer service phone number for the machine itself is published in the Sony materials you receive but not the phone number for any problems you encounter with e-library and it is not published on the e-library website.

I really like this product. I travel frequently and it is great to pack several books with me with only a small amount of space!It is very easy on the eyes, but just like any book, you need a light to read this at night. The fact it does not have a backlight probably makes it easy on the eyes! It is on the expensive side and the books are only 20-25% cheaper than print books, but the convenience factor is worth it for me.

I bought this for myself after several of my co-workers bought theirs, and I have loved it. I am an avid reader and usually carry a couple of books with me. With the eBook reader I can carry thousands if I want to. The only problem I have run into with it is that it starts freezing when the battery gets down to two bars, which is normally after 4-6 novels, so it's still a LONG battery life. The ebook helpline is great, and they were able to walk me through my issues before we realized it was just a dead battery. I think without the SD card in it (so using just the built in memory) the battery lasts longer. The screen is super easy to read and keep reading, you can change the text size of most documents to fit your comfort level and you can read from so many formats practically any document you have will be compatable with your reader. The little guy is very durable, especially if you keep it in the cover it comes in. Don't pack it in your luggage if you're traveling and it should survive most things.

Are you an avid reader always toting along a book or two with you wherever you go? Or, are you someone who really enjoys reading but finds yourself reading less because you don't have the time to sit down and read? Either way, this is the perfect product for you. The Sony Reader's compact size allows it to easily be "thrown" into your purse, backpack, briefcase - whatever - so that you can carry it with you wherever you go without it taking up a lot of valuable real estate. Have a few minutes' wait before your doctor's appointment, before you child's lesson/activity ends or before your class starts? Pull out your Reader and get in a few more pages before your attention is required elsewhere. This is what I love about my Reader. I work full-time, I typically take two college classes each quarter, and I have family obligations, so my time to read is extremely limited. But, my Reader is always with me, so I find myself slipping in a few pages and "escaping" from my crazy life for a few minutes here and there everyday. I've found that I actually CAN read a good book and still manage all of my other obligations, thanks to the Sony Reader. I can carry more books than I can read on this thing, so I never have the worry of finishing one book and having to wait until I get home to bring the next one along. And, I'm a schizophrenic reader who likes to read multiple books at the same time - easy as pie with the Reader. The screen is large and reads like a book, so my eyes don't get tired. The ability to quickly enlarge font sizes is great for books that come with smaller print, allowing me to save my eyes even further strain. The page turning mechanism takes a bit of getting used to to time it just right, but after a few times, you'll get the hang of it. The only negatives I have about this is that the book selection is somewhat limited - it's hard to find older books in the right format for the Reader. But, new books are no problem, and the selection is improving almost daily and will continue to improve with more time. And, the initial sticker shock made me think twice about getting it... but seeing as I'm reading a heck of a lot more than I used to because of it, I'm now perfectly fine with the $299 price tag. It was well worth the expense in my life. But be forewarned. THIS IS A BOOK DEVICE. It is not a fancy machine that allows you to surf the Internet, chat with your friends, view documents from MS Office products, etc. If you're looking for that kind of functionality, get yourself a Palm PC or other device. Sure, you can download books to those, too. But good luck reading them on that type of device - the screen size is small and they will strain your eyes terribly. If you're looking for a BOOK DEVICE - something that will allow you to read books comfortably and conveniently, as if you're reading a real paper-based book - then the Sony Reader is for you. I love it.

I have the blue model. I LOVE my Sony Reader. It's so easy to take anywhere. The screen is very easy on your eyes, and it holds tons of books. I am very happy with it.

Several reviewers complained about the selection of books on the Sony e-book site. One can download books from many different sites. All you need are books in a pdf file. Books can be converted to pdf through winzip or a similar program. I have been able to get any book I want and usually at a better price than Amazon. I use Amazon all the time to buy (or at least compare prices) on most everything I buy but they are being greedy little pigs with the Kindle. I prefer the e-book so far--however,their new kindle looks interesting- but their book prices are still higher than other sites. I will still buy books from them that are competitively priced, however. The sticky key problem is less of a problem using the left hand control. I use a larger font size and love the convenience of taking all my books with me all the time-drs' office, vacation, babysitting the grandkids, etc.

OK so first thing... If you buy the Reader and register it by Jan 31, 2008 you get 100 classics. Here is the link: . http://ebooks.connect.com/specials/sonyclassics/index.html . Thats almost $200 in FREE CONTENT!!! . Why isn't Best Buy promoting that? It appeared automatically when I registered with the website. . This is so much better then the LCD devices I have seen in the past. My eyes dont get tired. The display is like looking at real paper. People do not think the READER is real until I turn a page. . It is a real talking piece and has a huge WOW effect. . I really like the fact I can create my own content for the Reader making its possibilities and my applications for it robust. So far I have made files to view including text files and pdf's. I have also used it to view photos as well. I have yet to use the audio playback feature.

I've had my e-reader for about four months. I love it. I like that you can play music but bought it for books. I use it everyday, twice a day on my commute to and from work. It never freezes up on me, ever when the battery gets low.

If you love to read...this might be the perfect item for you...or if you know someone who loves to read...this might be the perfect Christmas present...the only negative is the selection of titles...the Sony eBook store does have alot of books but not as many as the Kindle...however...Sony is currently offering 100 free classics if you buy this little gem...that in and of itself makes the price well worth it...

Just received today and am thoroughly impressed with it. Though from what I hear Sony does not have as extensive a library as Amazon does for the Kindle, I still think Sony did a pretty good job in designing this reader.

Point blank: At over $300, you would expect equipment to work for more than 24 hours--my reader lasted 2. Handled with "kid's gloves", never removed from my home, and instructions read thoroughly, this machine showed a lot of promise. But after only TWO HOURS of use, the screen has frozen and will not reboot. Going to the Sony site only leads to further disappointment, because their solution is "let it sit for several hours" followed by "Send it back and we will send you a refurbished reader". Refurbished? Was I in the market for spending $300+ for a USED piece of equipment? Not really. The money is best spent on something else. I convinced the family to pool their finances for this as my only birthday present...what a waste.

I've had my unit since April 08 and have only read a couple books on it. While on vacation, I was toting it around in my bag. I showed it off to a couple of people and then it sat in my bag all week. When I turned it on on my flight home, there was a portion of the screen that was frozen. I talked to sony customer service and they walked me through all the steps to fix it but they told me my reader had malfunctioned. I would have to pay $30 to get a refurbished model. It's obviously a flaw in the product, yet they are going to charge me 30 dollars and are not going to send me a new one?? Don't waste your money!