Developed to compete with the Amazon Kindle Readers, and now the Apple iPad Tablet, Sony created their own electronic book reading device.
The reader uses an iTunes Store-like interface to purchase books from Sony Connect eBook store (currently US and Canada only). It also can display Adobe PDFs, ePub format, personal documents, blogs, RSS newsfeeds, JPEGs, and Sony’s proprietary BBeB (“BroadBand eBook”) format. The Reader can play MP3 and unencrypted AAC audio files.
There have been 6 different models, the latest being the Reader PRS-900 “Daily Edition” announced on August 25, 2009. The current models and specs can be found below.
PRS-300 – Reader Picket Edition
Known as the “Pocket Edition,” the PRS-300 was announced at the same time as the touch-screen PRS-600. It is the entry-level reader device, priced below the competition at US$199. It has a smaller screen than the PRS-600, no touch interface, no mp3 audio or expandable memory. It has a similar interface to that of the PRS-500 and PRS-505.
PRS-300 specifications
- Display: 5 inch.
- Resolution: 600 x 800 pixels
- Dimensions LxWxD (Approx.): 6 1/4 x 4 1/4 x 13/32 inches (Approx. 159x108x10 mm)
- Weight (Approx.): 220g (7.76 oz)
- Gray scale: 8-levels gray scale
- Internal Memory: 512MB, 440MB accessible
- Font Size: 3 adjustable font sizes
- Battery: Sealed internal, up to two weeks of reading on a single charge
- MSRP: US$199
- Available case colors:
- PRS-300BC: Navy Blue
- PRS-300RC: Rose Pink
- PRS-300SC: Silver
PRS-600 - Reader Touch Edition
The PRS-600, known as the “Touch Edition,” was announced at the same time as the PRS-300 and is the replacement for the PRS-700 model (although it is missing the front-light feature). It is Sony’s higher-scale, touch-screen edition of the reader. It has a similar interface to the PRS-700. Unlike the PRS-700 which was only available in black, the PRS-600 is available in three colors.
PRS-600 specifications
- Size: 175.3 x 121.9 x 10.2 mm (6.9″ x 4.8″ x 0.4″)
- Weight: 286 g (10.1 oz)
- Display: 6 inch. touch-screen
- Resolution: 600 x 800 pixels
- Document Search Capability
- Gray scale: 8-levels gray scale
- Internal Memory: 512MB, 380MB accessible
- Expanded Memory: Support for Sony Memory Stick Pro DUO and SDHC
- Font Size: 5 adjustable font sizes
- Battery: Sealed internal, up to two weeks of reading on a single charge
- MSRP: US$299
- Available case colors:
- PRS-600BC: Black
- PRS-600SC: Silver
- PRS-600RC: Red
PRS-900 -Reader Daily Edition
The PRS-900, known as the “Daily Edition,” was announced on the day the PRS-300 and PRS-600 hit retail stores. The device has a larger display (7″), 16-levels of grayscale, touch screen and 3G wireless access (through AT&T Mobility in a manner similar to the Kindle’s whispernet) which enables computer-free access to the Sony eBookstore in the United States. Like earlier Sony Readers the display can be oriented horizontally, enabling a landscape style mode, and adds a new mode displaying two portrait-mode pages side-by-side (in a similar fashion to viewing a book).
PRS-900 specifications
- Size: 206.4 x 127 x 15.1 mm (8.1″ x 5″ x 0.6″)
- Weight: 360 g (12.75 oz)
- Display: 7.1 inch. touch-screen
- Resolution: 600 x 1024 pixels
- Gray scale: 16-levels gray scale
- Internal Memory: 2GB, 1.6GB accessible
- Expanded Memory: Support for Sony Memory Stick Pro DUO and SDHC up to 16GB
- Font Size: 6 adjustable font sizes
- Battery: User replaceable, up to two weeks of reading on a single charge
- Wireless: AT&T 3G wireless (free), access to eBook store only, no web browser
- MSRP: US$399
- Available case colors:
- PRS-900: Black
There are a number of other eBook Handheld Readers on the market.
