Sony Reader Touch Edition PRS-600
Filed under 6-inch eReaders
Although the Sony PRS-600 is essentially an upgraded and improved version of the PRS-700, this ebook reader is really out to impress. The PRS-600 addresses most of the hiccups of the earlier PRS-700 and elegantly asserts its position as a frontrunner in the market.
Design
The Sony PRS-600 has many strengths and noteworthy features, but it is perhaps the overall look and feel of this reader that really makes it stand out. Its case, which is available in red, black and grey, is metallic with a stylish slightly brushed finish. Side by side, it frankly makes the plastic used by the competition look and feel a bit cheap. Not only does the PRS-600 feel sturdier and more solid, but its brushed finish attracts far less finger prints which is an added bonus.
This sturdy metallic finish is not a trade-off for the overall weight of the reader as it only weighs 286 grams which is actually slightly lighter than the Kindle 2. The screen is the standard 6-inches which is a good size for reading. Measuring 174 mm from top to bottom and 10 mm in diameter, the PRS-600 feels natural in hand and is easy to hold for lengthy periods. You can see that Sony have tried to make this reader look “bookish” as it has a fake spine along the left-hand edge and a gentle taper in profile on the right.
The PRS-600 has a Spartan design as it sports just five long, thin buttons lined up beneath the display. These take care of the basic functions of turning pages, accessing the home screen, zooming in and out and firing up the context-dependent options menus. Everything else is controlled through the touchscreen. But less buttons equal a sleeker and more minimalist look that really highlights that sexy metallic finish.
All other necessary ports, sockets and switches are situated at the top and bottom of the device.
Display
The PRS-600’s display is the latest electronic paper offering from e-ink, called Vizplex. This screen technology only requires power from the battery when ‘turning’ pages. Once a page has loaded, the screen is essentially switched off. As a result, you get no more eyestrain from reading text on an e-ink screen than you get from reading a physical book. It could be argued however, that this e-ink effect is partially negated by the subtle but irritating reflective sheen on the screen as well as the fact that this reader only displays eight levels of greyscale, as opposed to the 16 levels offered by the Kindle.
Although fairly responsive, the touchscreen requires a firm push to make anything happen but I suppose that that is the nature of the ebook beast. A quick double-tap in the top right corner of the screen will set a bookmark, while a double tap on a word will fire up the built-in dictionary to tell you what said term means. Using the touchscreen also allows for notes to be made directly onscreen using either a finger or the included stylus. Notes can also be made using a virtual keyboard, rather than hand writing, if preferred.
Software
The PRS-600 can display numerous industry standard formats which is fast becoming something expected of ebook readers. In a nutshell, the PRS-600 can handle EPub eBook and BBeB Book – with and without DRM – as well as PDF, Word, plain text and RTF files. Should you want to look at still images in greyscale, you can do so, with JPEG, GIF, PNG and BMP files all supported.
Unfortunately, the PRS-600 does not have a wireless connection like many of its competitors so loading books onto the reader takes a bit more coordination and planning. Of course, downloading books to your PC and then syncing them with the PRS-600 is not hard at all, but having the over the air option adds that little extra. It does however have 512MB of internal memory which is enough to store about 350 paperbacks. SD and memory stick card slots can expand the internal memory by up to 16GB each.
But where the PRS-600 falters in its lack of wireless connectivity, Sony’s eBook Library application is really something special. Sony operates an open model towards ebooks and provides direct links to Waterstones’, Google Book’s and WH Smith’s e-book stores and an online shop selling reader accessories. The result being that you can shop around for a great deal.
Battery life
Like the Kindle 2, the battery isn’t user replaceable though indications are that replacement shouldn’t be frequent given its estimated two week battery life and 7,500 continuous page turn between charges.
Conclusion
Benefits
The PRS-600 is surprisingly solid despite its diminutive size and slight weight. It’s exceptionally easy to use and its navigation is very straightforward. It also brings some handy new functionality to the table, including an excellent built-in dictionary, and the ability to make and save notes and memos. Let’s not forget about the freedom to browse and shop for books from many other sources.
Downfalls
The glossy sheen of the screen can be a distraction and its lack of wireless connectivity often proves to be a bit awkward. It is sluggish but then again, so are all ebook readers currently on the market so we can forgive it for that.
