| Sony Digital Reader Pocket Edition - Dark Blue (PRS300BC) |  | Brand: Sony
Category: CE
List Price: $169.99
Buy New: $124.99
as of 7/31/2010 04:16 CDT details
You Save: $45.00 (26%)
New (16) Used (5) Refurbished (1) from $119.99
Seller: smilez8
Rating:  48 reviews
Color: Dark Blue
Batteries Included: No
System Memory: 2000
Memory Type: SDRAM
Hard Drive Size: 1
Modem: None
Display Size: 5
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.8
Dimensions (in): 1 x 4 x 6
3 font sizes to customize your reading experience
Quick page turns and high contrast ratio
Right and left-hand side page advance buttons
Thoughtful navigation and button placement
MPN: PRS-300BC
Model: PRS-300BC
UPC: 027242773899
EAN: 0027242773899
ASIN: B002MWWMH8
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Features:
| • | Lightweight design with 5" display | | • | Holds up to 350 books at a time | | • | Content is accessible from a wide number of online bookstores | | • | Paper-look display for natural reading | | • | Two full weeks of reading on a single battery charge |
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Product Description
The Reader Pocket Edition features a 5" display and an elegant, lightweight design that's easy to slip into a purse or jacket pocket for convenient, on-the-go reading. Not sure which books to bring on your trip? With the Reader Pocket Edition, you will never have to make that choice again. 512MB of onboard memory lets you carry up to 350 of your favorite books3 at a time. Enjoy access to a wider number of books from a wider number of places. By supporting both industry standard formats, ePub and PDF, you can access books at Sony's eBookstore, check out books from public libraries, access over 500,000 free public domain titles from Google, as well as sharing sites, online aggregators and personal publishers. The Reader Pocket Edition utilizes EInk screen technology to deliver an amazing, paper-like display that's more like ink on paper and fully readable in direct sunlight. Intuitive eBook Library software makes it easy to download eBooks, manage your collection, and transfer titles to your Reader Pocket Edition. eBook Library software works with both PC and Mac. Enjoy up to two full weeks of reading (7,500 continuous page turns) on a single battery charge. The Reader Pocket Edition offers you the ability to resize text. Choose from three adjustable font sizes to improve readability. Two full weeks of reading on a single battery charge 3 adjustable font sizes to customize your reading experience USB 2.0 data and power connection Read in multiple formats, including ePub and PDF Quick page turns and high contrast ratio Display - Screen Size - Vizplex 5 inches Resolution - 800 x 600 pixels Gray Scale - 8-levels gray scale Power - Battery Type - Rechargeable Lithium-Ion (battery - DC 3.7 V) AC Power - DC 5.2 V Battery Life (Approx) - 7,500 (BBeB Book) Media Formats Supported - Unsecured Text - EPUB file (Non DRM/ Adobe DRM protecte
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 48
 Sony PRS-300 "Pocket Edition": A Truly Excellent, Portable eReader September 23, 2009
C. Milazzo (San Francisco, CA United States)
293 out of 294 found this review helpful
I rarely, if ever, write reviews for products, simply because I rarely find a product that dramatically exceeds, or fails to meet, its published description. The PRS-300 "Pocket Edition" ereader is a device that provided a far better than expected experience.
One device with which I was previously as impressed was the iPod Touch, which I've found to be simply one of the best consumer goods purchases that I've ever made. Funny enough, my principle use for the Touch was as an ebook reader, and it was the Touch's shortcomings as an ebook reader that eventually prompted me to purchase the Sony PRS-300 "Pocket Edition".
I read extensively, both on my work commute (1.5 hours each workday on public transit), and in the evenings and on weekends. Conservatively, I probably read upwards of 20 hours each week, both ebooks and downloaded news articles and the like. I previously purchased the Sony PRS-505, in late 2007, and found it to be a good ereader. The PRS-505 provided a sharp, glare-free page image that was easy and relaxing to read. Unfortunately, it was a bit delicate, and within a few weeks of purchasing I had managed to drop it (from only about 2.5 feet) and crush the upper corner, dislodging the power slider. After having it fixed under warranty, I held onto the PRS-505 until mid-2008, when I purchased an iPod Touch. I read on the Touch, and--briefly--on the Amazon Kindle 2, until I purchased the PRS-300.
The new PRS-300 "Pocket Edition" over-comes several of the short-comings of the Sony PRS-505 and Amazon Kindle 2:
1. Great form-factor: The PRS-300 really will fit in a pocket, either a jacket pocket or very comfortably in a pocket of my cargo shorts on the weekend. This is an improvement over the PRS-505, which always seemed either slightly too big (to fit in a jacket pocket, or anything short of backpack or my briefcase), or not quite large enough (to read work PDFs with charts and graphs, or more structured documents, like instruction manuals). The PRS-505 and the Kindle 2 were also awkward to tote by hand (which is why I dropped the PRS-505, while trying to get my mail). While the Pocket Edition won't display large, structured documents either, you recognize this as a trade-off for this model, in favor of its truly convenient size. It's perfect for books, news articles, blog posts and the like, and, not having to carry it by hand or in bag, I take it with me more often when I'm out, and use it more than either the PRS-505 or Kindle 2.
2. Excellent ergonomics: The PRS-300 simply feels great in the hand: it has excellent balance, and a really comforting heft that reminds me of the way a solid paperback book just rest in your hand without the need to consciously grasp it, or constantly adjust it. This is a true improvement over both the PRS-505 and the Kindle 2: Both of these devices were very, very light, which in consumer electronics is usually the Holy Grail of product design, but neither was particularly well-balanced and I was always conscious of having to exercise control of the device, especially when clicking the page-turn buttons. The Pocket Edition isn't by any means heavy--it's actually a lighter than both the PRS-505 and the Kindle 2, at about 7.5 ounces--but the smaller form-factor, coupled with its superb balance, allows you to comfortably fade into your reading, without the physicality of the device intruding. While that kind of device transparency was a stated goal of the Kindle, I have to admit that I only rarely was able to read with the Kindle 2 without it intruding in some way (usually to re-balance it in my hand). The Pocket Edition has only one page-turn button--the large round navigation pad in the bottom-center--but the pad is in comfortable reach of your thumb while holding the Reader on the side. The button is firm without being obtrusively difficult to press (which was often a failing I noticed on both the PRS-505 and the Kindle 2). Of all the things that I enjoy about the Pocket Edition, its truly comfortable, unobtrusive physical design is probably the stand-out quality.
3. More durable design: The PRS-300 is, like the iPhone, or iPod Touch, or your laptop, a piece of consumer electronics that you simply don't want to drop. Electronics are delicate (unless you spend ungodly amounts of money on Toughbooks and the like), and not tolerant of abuse. That said, the casing and design of the Pocket Edition is a very large step up from the PRS-505, which as I mentioned I managed to grievously injure with one (not very far) drop. I have "Whoops"-ed the Pocket Edition a couple of times, and was impressed that the more solid aluminum casing, coupled with the plastic end-caps and power slider, made it a great deal more resilient than its predecessor. In terms of durability, it's probably about comparable to the Kindle 2; the Kindle 2, though, at least from Amazon's marketing materials, does seem designed to "bounce back" from drops and falls that the Sony Reader was not made to withstand. In comparison with other ereaders on the market, the Pocket Edition is far sturdier, in terms of its heft, the resilient aluminum front buttons, and the (very) slightly elastic plastic end-caps.
4. Excellent screen image: The screen image of the Pocket Edition is crisp, clear, and CONSISTENTLY easy to read in both high- and medium-light conditions. The screen is non-glare, and there has been only one occasion (under somewhat harsh artificial light) when I needed to shift position slightly to remove a light-diffraction effect from the screen. The screen quality is comparable to the PRS-505, and considerably better than that of the Kindle 2. I'm somewhat puzzled by this, because there's only one e-ink technology on the market right now, and the manufacturers of the screens all license the same process, with the same quality control parameters (the parameters are part of the license agreement), so I don't really understand why the Kindle 2 screens seem to perform a notch or two below their competitors. I did read that Amazon made a decision to lighten the font image on the Kindle 2 (which owners of the Kindle 1 noted and complained about), so perhaps it's simply a software issue. However, I finally decided to ditch the Kindle 2 when I noted the screen image literally fading away in direct sunlight (this issue has been commented on by a number of users, and Amazon will happily provide a replacement Kindle for units that experience this). The Sony Pocket Edition, though, has provided a much crisper screen image, with noticeably darker fonts, a whiter (lighter) screen background, almost no glare, and no funky fades, distortions, or other effects that inhibit reading. The clarity and comfort of reading the screen image is as good as (and sometimes better than) that of a physical book.
5. Very good on-device interface: The on-device interface of the PRS-300 is straight-forward, uncluttered, and relatively easy to navigate. Since the Pocket Edition (unlike the PRS-505, the Kindle 2, and the new Sony PRS-600 Touch Edition) does not include an MP3 player and image viewer, the Pocket Edition's interface is strictly for book navigation and the better for it. It does take a click or two more than it "seems" like it should to access a book, or navigate to a specific goal, but I've decided that this expectation is formed largely from our use of personal computers (and iPod Touches/iPhones), which provide an instantaneous response (unlike e-ink) and the possibility for much more flexible menu designs (a virtue that the PRS-600 Touch Edition captures to some extent with its touch-screen). In comparison with the PRS-505, or the Kindle 2, the on-device interface of the Pocket Edition is at least as simple/easy to use, and perhaps slightly better, since it doesn't have music, image, browser, text-to-speech, etc. options. The on-device interface is very good, and given the technology, it's only the adoption of the touch-screen that will likely improve on it.
6. Acceptable Sony Library software: The Sony Library software has always reminded me of Apple iTunes: It's slower than it should be, less intuitive than it could be, less flexible than its competition, and usually at least slightly frustrating. On the most basic level, as a tool for transferring content from your PC/Mac to the Reader, the Library software meets its goal; the software is, though, always slower than it "seems" like it should be. Like iTunes, it makes you wonder why it takes twice as long to transfer a file than it would through Windows Explorer/Mac Finder, and ask, "Why can't a large consumer electronics company like Sony (and Apple) do better?" The Library's short-comings are especially puzzling when you consider that there is a free software program, Calibre, designed by an ardent ebook enthusiast, that does more than the Sony Library, faster, more intuitively, less obtrusively, and without regularly freezing. I use the Sony Library for my Sony-purchased content, and Calibre for my personal content. If you have personal, non-DRM content, I can't recommend Calibre highly enough (did I mention it's free?); additionally, Calibre provides extensive, easy-to-use news media feeds, which it will painlessly transfer directly to your Reader, from both newspapers and news magazines. (If you do decide to use Calibre, please consider making a donation; it's truly a masterful program that is continually up-dated and improved.) The Sony Library itself, however frustrating it can sometimes be, isn't a reason to reject the PRS-300. The Library software does its job, and is reliable and improving. The local library finder is a great new feature, and one that--finally--has me using my local library for ebooks, rather than continually purchasing them. When I first read the press releases for the new Sony Readers, I discounted this feature, but quickly (as in the course of a weekend) realized that the ability to access library ebooks is a feature that I will frequently use.
It should be said that the Kindle 2, which foregoes a software interface with your PC/Mac in favor or an online library, truly enjoys an advantage over other ereaders; the Whispernet feature of the Kindle 2 (which was mimicked on the iPod Touch by the Touch's WiFi access) is the only one that I vaguely miss. Of course, I don't miss Amazon reaching into my Kindle and deleting MY content, from both my device and online library. As internet-based data storage expands in consumer electronics, I have really come to appreciate the advantages of having my personal content available to me off-line and distanced from vendors/service providers. When it comes down to it, I don't have any need for book content always-on-demand, such as is offered by the Kindle; that's a nice feature, but one that caters solely to an almost pathological consumerist tendency for instant gratification. I buy fewer books without that feature, and enjoy my books more (and persevere longer with books that don't immediately engage me).
The Sony PRS-300 "Pocket Edition" is honestly one of perhaps only 2 or 3 consumer electronics purchases that I've ever made that make me sit back and say, "Wow, I'm really glad that I bought this." The Pocket Edition is like one of those books that you begin reading, and after a few chapters pause, smile, and get the slight rush that comes from true enjoyment. As I mentioned, the iPod Touch was one of the very few devices that gave me similar enjoyment, but the eye strain that came from reading from an active LCD screen was simply not worth the convenience of the device's form factor. I have, too, really begun to appreciate the slightly larger screen on the Pocket Edition, and enjoy the "muscle memory" experience of my eyes scanning across a screen that's almost the same size as my favorite old paperback books.
Fantastic Reader November 6, 2009
suzatm (PA United States)
17 out of 17 found this review helpful
For the past 6 years I have used the ebookwise reader which has been very reliable. The only problem I have with it is that most of the books I read are not available. I looked into the Kindle and also looked at the information on B&N's Nook and realized that they both contained more than what I really wanted and needed. I don't want to surf, I don't want to read newspapers or magazines, I don't need to be able to download books immediately - I don't want to use a keyboard. I decided to look at the Sony Reader Pocket Edition. The biggest selling point for me was what books are available for the reader. I took a Romantic Times magazine and started searching all of the titles and authors from RT and Sony had every single one of them. That hooked me. Also a couple paranormal books slated to come out by November 1st on that exact day became available in the Sony bookstore. I bought the reader and have already read six books. It was easy to start up and use, it's easy to download the books, there are three sizes of font to use, there is no backlight but if you use a clip-on Mighty Bright you can see perfectly. The print is very clear. Page changing is fast. I like how compact and light it is. Currently it is holding 38 books and I still have a lot of space left. The other thing I like about it is that the additional cover (which is purchased separately) gives you the feel of reading a regular paper book. It has a front and back cover just like a book does. All I wanted was a reader and the Sony Pocket Edition is just that. I am very, very happy with the product.
Very Happy With It! January 10, 2010
Rachael G. Miller
14 out of 14 found this review helpful
I did a lot of research and considered the Kindle, the Nook or the Sony Reader. I really thought I wanted the Kindle, but upon doing a bit of research, found that a lot of the features that I thought I wanted/needed were not quite what I expected. The magazine subscriptions sounded great until I saw the very limited amount of magazines available. They are all business and news mags, you are not going to get Cosmopolitan or Parents. Same thing with newspapers - I live in Central NJ and we read the Asbury Park Press or The Star Ledger - the closest newspaper available is the NY Times - not good enough for me. I liked the idea of the audio reading, but found out that some authors don't allow that option on their books. So, that being said, why pay money for features that I don't want? The Sony Reader can accept many file types, so you can get books from Sony Store, Amazon, Barnes and Noble and even sellers on Ebay. I understand that Kindle is limited to Amazon books only, and Nook is limited to B&N books only.
The Pocket Edition is not wireless, but it's really not a problem. It takes me less than 2 mins to go on the web from my laptop, choose and purchase a book and transfer it onto my reader. I thought I wanted wireless Kindle or Nook because I could go on the web, but I've been told that you can't - it's only to go to the online estore.
Again, why pay for all those features that you really don't want or need? This is a great reader at a reasonable price! The pocket size makes a lot more sense if you are wanting to throw it in your bag to take to the beach or read at the Dr office - the larger ones are almost too large to tote around. I held the Nook in my hands at Barnes and Noble, and felt that it was heavy - actually, kind of top heavy. If I held it toward the bottom corners (which is how I normally hold a hard cover book), I felt it wanted to tip back. Awkward and uncomfortable. Also, the touch screen on the Nook is very small - the girl at the store kept hitting the wrong things when she was demonstrating it for me.
I am absolutely loving this product and would highly recommend it!
Does the job... but the processor seems to struggle October 24, 2009
Eagle
10 out of 10 found this review helpful
My reading consists mostly of fiction for this the reader is good. Very easy on the eyes and there is hardly any difference to the actual paper. I use the small size text with no issues since it's the same size you get on a ordinary paper back. Screen going black on page turns is there, but once you get used to it, you hardly notice it (its like when you are into a good book would you notice your page turn??) and the delay is acceptable... at least to me. Does not handle PDF magnification all that well, but normal txt books are right on the money.
Downside... the device is pretty slow. Apart from the page turns, when you press other buttons, you are not sure if the button worked or not for sometime... hence till you get used to the slowness you are likely to press the button a couple of times.... And after a while the reader executes all the button presses...Mmm... if your are computer geek.. it's a bit like running Windows xp on 128RAM. LOL. The real device turn off button is hidden deep in the menu. And once you do turn it off, the starting process is again pretty slow. But if you use the normal turn off, the device appears to be in a hibernation / standby mode so it then starts fast. But Sony say a "little" bit of power is consumed in this state. If you load a large list of books (I loaded about 250 books), then the device takes time to sort them out and browsing for them is again very slow so you are better off getting then organized into collections of some sort so that there are less books in one collection and you can get to your book faster.
So overall... it does what it should... that is, present your books like you get in normal paper and reading is a breeze ... but the processor appears to be struggling to cope if you happen to press a button. Am I happy with the device?... yeah definitely, I now have all my favorite books on my hand and can read whatever I'm in the mood for. Which is great
MAC friendly easy to use e-reader January 6, 2010
Richard K. Wavrik (Columbus, GA United States)
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
The Sony Pocket Reader is the perfect e-reader for people who want a small compact unit. Overall this unit is a little bit bigger then a paperback book so it does fit in the hands nicely.
Pro's
Sony Reader Library software 3.1 works great on a Mac.
Ability to check-out e-books from the local library
Ability to download .epub, pdf, and .txt to the e-reader. Not all readers will support these formats so you not be able to download various free books.
Ability to save books on my Mac's desktop for backup purposes.
Battery life
Simple to use book navigation buttons.
Not a touch screen (this is both a pro and a con)
Small compact size (actually fits nicely in my inside coat pocket)
You can import you own writing if you have them saved as pdf, txt, or epub format.
Number of free e-book sites available on the internet (Google Books, World Public Library, Project Gutenberg, etc...)
Con's
No built in wi-fi so you have to order any books using your Mac or PC. For some people like me the lack of wi-fi is not important.
Not a touch screen (this is both a pro and a con)
Zoom controls only have a choice of 3 of small, medium, and large. Other Sony models have a 5 zoom choice..
Non-user replaceable battery so future replacements will need to be performed by Sony.
E-ink screen does not do graphics and picture detail as nice as a paper book.
The Pocket Reader is the perfect reader for anyone that is looking for an easy to use reader that has access to over 1,000,000 free books.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 48
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