At the mention of an “e-reader,” most people think Kindle or Nook, but if you just want the device, sans the deal with the content provider, Sony has a nice little trio of e-readers on offer, and they’ve all just been upgraded with several important improvements.
Sony’s 5-inch Pocket Edition e-reader is now called PRS-350 and the 6-inch Touch Edition is called PRS-650; both are available now for $179.99 and $229.99 respectively. The 7-inch Daily Edition is now called PRS-950 and it will be available this fall for $299.99.
The smallest device in the bunch has 2GB of memory, a USB connection, and supports EPUB/ACS4, PDF, Microsoft Word, and other text file formats. Its 6-inch brother has similar specifications, with the addition of SD and Memory Stick Duo Expansion slots for adding additional memory, as well as a headphone jack and support for MP3 and AAC audio files.
Both, however, lack wireless; this is where the Daily Edition steps in, with 4GB of memory, wireless connectivity, and increased battery life (27 days with the wireless turned off, Sony claims).
What distinguishes Sony’s e-readers from the competition is their E-Ink Pearl touch screen display. Previous models have also had touch screen capabilities, but the added touch sensitive layer over the e-ink screen added just a tad too much glare for our liking. Sony claims the new models are all significantly improved with this regard; additionally, the touch screen is now more responsive and page turns are much snappier.
Sony also said it will release a Reader Mobile Edition application for iPhone and Android-based smartphones later this year.
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