Sony PRS-505 VS Elonex VS Cool-er
Remember there is no UK Kindle so they are not even in this fight. I found this quick review article interesting but lacking of technical specifics. So you know me let’s add some shall we!
Here is what I have found so far…
Sony PRS-505
Built In memory: 256MB
Battery Life: 7500 pages
USB connection Supports Windows but NO MAC Support
DRM Supported: BBeB ePub PDF
Cool-er
Built In memory: 1gb
Battery life: 8000 pages
USB Connection Supports MAC/Windows
DRM Supported: ePub PDF
Elonex
Built In memory: 512mb
Battery life: 8000 pages
USB Connection Supports MAC/Windows
DRM Supported: ePub PDF
They all are priced the same.
They all have the same size screen.
They all use memory cards so who cares how much memory they have.
They all support the same Adobe DRMs basically.
They all have a USB plug and no WI-FI.
But… Here is the key stuff from the article.
On screen refresh time… The Cool-er is the fastest we’ve tried.
On weight… The Cool-er clocks in at a much lighter 178g.
So with no Mac support and sluggish behavior and all around underwhelming mediocrity not supporting it’s current price tag the Sony loses to the Cool-er.
Oh my my my… I doubt Sony can fix all that with some promised software update.
Update: Cool-er is setting it’s sights on a Kindle DX Killer next version.
Tags: eBook Readers
Mariana wrote,
Sony is supposedly doing the MAC support by end of summer 2009.
Link | July 8th, 2009 at 6:24 pm
AnneD wrote,
When Cool-er came out I did a little twitter asking – it comes with no cover “why would you want to cover up the pretty colours? The device is sturdy enough” (and I don’t think they are offering a cover as a sep item & seriously, they underestimate the destructive power of the female purse/handbag) & Mac support = it’s drag and drop, no different than the Sony on a Mac. There is no special software. I got no reply on tags/folder organisation, I think the twitter guy/girl wasn’t happy about my questions :)
I don’t know about the Elonex – have they announced if they have some sort of software that comes with?
So, if Sony pony up with their Mac compatibility for their store software… I don’t know the race is being lost.
But, then there are those groovy colours for less cost… I wonder if Calibre will add Cool-er on as a device?
Link | July 8th, 2009 at 6:24 pm
Teddypig wrote,
Yeah, several reviews say the Cool-er needs a cover.
They keep saying it is faster responding than the older Sony and lighter to hold.
So I think some reviewers are not as familiar with what is out there in eBook Readers and they think that lighter is cheaper feeling somehow when the point is you are supposed to hold this dang thing and read. It is not an iPod damn it!
I also do not get why everyone thinks the Cool-er’s drag and drop interface sucks. I don’t need a program to do what I can do on a computer easily. Most people who use a MAC know how to do that just show the eBook Reader on my desktop and I can open it up and fill it with PDFs myself.
Although you most likely have to use Adobe programs for DRM PDFs with all three of these guys.
Elonex looks like a good package of stuff though because you get a cover and a power cord (Something Sony makes you pay extra for) and a memory card comes with it (Something Sony and Cool-er should do ASAP because memory is CHEAP).
But… From the reviews the Elonex does not sound like it stands out as far as response times. Maybe it is going for the slow but steady and practical crowd?
Link | July 8th, 2009 at 6:49 pm
TeddyPig wrote,
Mariana,
Have you ever heard of the Jetbook? It is this eBook Reader for around $200 at Newegg.
It does not support any DRM format at all. Let me repeat that. IT DOES NOT SUPPORT ANY DRM FORMAT EBOOKS PEOPLE!
Anyway, last February rumors flew around the internet that come April 2nd the Jetbook would be updated to magically support Mobi and Adobe PDF DRMs.
You know what happened April 2nd? NADA! Zilch! They had some firmware update that fixed a few bugs and the company said not a word about DRM support or anything. So there are people out there who bought this cheap eBook Reader in hope of this magical promised update who are probably still pissed.
I am just saying I don’t buy expensive electronics based on promises of possible new functionality from no one especially Sony who has lied and delayed and lied before about their plans for their products.
Link | July 8th, 2009 at 7:16 pm
Erastes wrote,
Hi Teddypig,
Being a Brit I’m hanging on for the price to drop, but Anne Brooke has just bought one – and she’s been blogging about it in her blog – it took 24 hours to charge, and now she’s lost books, apparently
http://annebrooke.blogspot.com/
here’s her blog if you want to follow her progress.
Link | July 10th, 2009 at 11:06 am
TeddyPig wrote,
Erastes I just went over there and read it.
Wow something she is doing sounds off.
I did manage to download and read a short story onto it this morning, which was fine. But since then I’ve bought two more books at different venues which I can’t seem to see at all on the reader. Though they appear to exist on the computer and I can even see them in the machine’s menu when I plug it in, but I can’t get them on the machine itself. I suspect that my reading options might be limited to PDFs, and it doesn’t seem to take any notice of Adobe Digital editions (which I thought was a PDF by any other name, but apparently isn’t, sigh …) even though I’ve downloaded the software and tried to get it to talk to the CoolerReader twice.
Here is their FAQ which does not sound like you would do anything for non-DRM PDF and ePub on the Cool-er to pull in files but you have to drag the files using the computer into the Cool-er and then put them under folders.
Simply plug your COOL-ER into your computer’s USB slot with the included cable and drag and drop your documents for immediate rapid transfer.
COOL-ER has a very straightforward folder system; save your files into your individually named folders. You choose how to sort your library; for example by genre, date or favourite author. You have full control of your filing.
The Spec Sheet says this…
Minimum System Requirements for use with Adobe Digital Editions
Sounds like she needs to use Adobe Digital editions to put any DRM PDFs she bought on her Cool-er. in order to read them.
Anyway that is just what I read off the online docs for this unit.
Link | July 10th, 2009 at 11:23 am
Mariana wrote,
Teddypig, that’s why the “supposedly”; I know how dates will slip for promised upgrades. Sony also won’t say a firm date, so yeah, I wouldn’t hold my breath.
That said, I love my Sony very much. I’ve had it for close to 2 years now and it’s the best thing I have (warts and all).
I did see someone with the new Kindle DX (the larger version); very sleek looking. I didn’t get a chance to hassle him with questions, but from what I saw of him handling it, it seemed rather cumbersome as all the buttons are on the right side. He had a hard time holding the pole on the train and reading. The bigger screen was yummy though.
The search for the perfect reader continues ;)
Link | July 10th, 2009 at 3:35 pm
TeddyPig wrote,
Cool-er said their next version will have a model the Kindle DX size.
Link | July 10th, 2009 at 3:37 pm
Gina wrote,
I tried a Kindle. It was faster for me just to read a print book. The screen blacked out to refresh to a new page, s-l-o-w-l-y! I gave me a headache.
That said, I thought I would like the Sony but got tired of waiting for it THEN finding out there was no MAC support. What? We can’t read?
When t finally came down to it. I’ll stick to my iTouch thank you. I know it’s small but I’m okay with the screen/text size at this time. Also, amazon has a kindle app for it ;-) With my books, calendar & phone book all in one place, I’m almost a happy camper. (no folder organization, no memory card slot)
Link | July 14th, 2009 at 10:22 am
Anne Brooke wrote,
I’ve worked it out now, thank goodness! I now know where it’s putting my downloads, hurrah, so can retrieve them and then put them on the CoolReader. I’m in love with it now!!
:))
Axxx
Link | July 24th, 2009 at 5:25 am
Astak EZ Reader | The Naughty Bits wrote,
[...] Ass Attack. Well, that’s special! OK folks, nothing new to see here I did not already say in The Battle Of The Brits post. I do note I don’t see a damn thing about operating systems it supports. Which is a big [...]
Link | July 24th, 2009 at 5:52 am