All you can read
Can your reading habits be described as voracious? When asked what you’re reading, is your response, “Words, words, words�? If so, it may be time to take a look at the PRS350. If you’re looking for more words to feed your appetite, you can find multiple sources with this E-reader, from the Sony Reader Store, to Google books, and anyplace that offers you books, periodicals, or anything that can be read in the universal ePub or PDF format (even your own files). With so many sources to draw literary nourishment from, it’s a good thing that the Reader Touch Edition has 2GB of memory built into it that can hold up to 1200 book at one time, plus has room for up to 32GB memory cards for expanded memory. Its thin design, and light weight make it easy to hold and carry with you, so you can be ready to read whenever the mood strikes you.
Two weeks? How?
If you've got a laptop or a netbook, you may be wondering how on earth the Reader Pocket Edition is able to achieve such astounding life spans without needing recharged. After all, your computer's screen isn't much bigger, and it never lasts a full day of use, much less a week. Surely, these numbers are made up or manipulated by placing the Reader under perfectly ideal conditions, like never being turned on, right? Good guess, but no. The numbers are realistic. Here's what separates the Reader Pocket Edition from your notebook: the screen. While computers use bright, backlit LED screens, the Reader Pocket Edition has no backlight, and it uses a totally different display technology. It's called E Ink Vizplex. Here's how it works: instead of using energy to constantly display the image while it reads, and a backlit to make the image visible, E Ink actually uses energy to rearrange tiny ink particles to form the display you see. Once it's set, it stays until it's moved again without using additional energy. And it doesn't require a backlight. Pretty clever, huh?
Just like the real deal . . .
Of course, E Ink Vizplex isn't just good for prolonging battery life. Most backlit displays are a serious eyestrain. E Ink, on the other hand, provides a natural, high-contrast picture without putting your eyes through unnecessary trials and tribulations. And since it's not backlit, it's easy to read in naturally-lit environments, like that beach chair we were talking about. And unlike some e-readers, the Reader Pocket Edition has quick page turns for a more natural reading experience than the multi-second delays on some models.
. . . or even better!
Sure, the natural contrast of the E Ink Pearl v220 display makes the Reader Touch Edition as easy to read as a standard paperback, but in a lot of ways, the experience is actually better on the PRS350 than with a traditional book. For example, with the Reader, you get to choose to read in portrait, or landscape. And with landscape, you can view a comfortable two-page layout. You can also choose your font size from six different sizes. With a bound book, you can hold it closer, or hold it farther away. You won't have to worry about one side of the book blocking the light on the other page, either, so you can read comfortably from any position you choose. Plus the Reader Pocket Edition will display book illustrations in up to 16 shades of grey. And perhaps best-of-all, the Reader Pocket Edition has built in copies of two different English dictionaries and ten different international dictionaries. so you can look up words any time without toting a dictionary. If you thought that the digital Reader couldn't match the ease-of-use for a good-ol' paperback, think again.
CAN touch this
The PRS650 isn't for everyone though. For example, M.C. Hammer probably isn't a fan of the 5" touch screen. The display makes it easy to flip pages with the swipe of a finger, browse books quickly, and much more. But even better than that, you can add notes to the margins just like with a real book, or highlight passages. You can even upload your notes to your computer with the included software. With the Sony PRS350, you CAN touch this.
System Requirements:
General: OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Basic/ Home Premium/ Professional/ Ultimate. Microsoft Windows Vista (32-bit or 64-bit) Home Basic/ Home Premium/ Business/ Ultimate with Service Pack 1 or later. Microsoft Windows XP (32-bit only) Home Edition/ Professional/ Media Center Edition 2004 & 2005 with Service Pack 2 or later. Mac OS X version 10.6, 10.5.6 or later, 10.4.11 or later. CPU: 800 MHz Celeron class processor or better for Windows. Intel, Power PC G3, G4, or G5 processor for Mac. RAM: 128 MB or more (minimum 512 MB for Windows Vista). Free space on hard disc: 20 MB or more, but depending on the content amount, more space may be required. Monitor: High Color or more, 1024 x 768 pixels or more (True Color, 1280 x 1024 pixels or more recommended). Other devices: USB port (High-Speed USB Compatible). Internet connection (broadband recommended, some fees may apply) is also required on your computer.
Absolutely love it! (March 27, 2011)
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Reviewed By: Tammy Pauls - St Catharines, Ontario
I wasnt sure that I even needed an ereader, and since Ive gotten my sony pocket reader, I dont know how Ive lived without it. It is never far from reach. I use it primarily to download books from our public library which is does easily. I do not use the sony software, I download to adobe digital editions and then drag and drop the book into my reader. Works like a charm. I bought the charger separately so that the reader would still be operational during the charging process ,which is remarkably quick, since the reader cannot be used if charged using the usb computer hook-up. Also bought the cover with light so I could read in bed and during evening commutes. Love it!
Sony eReader PRS350PC (March 01, 2011)
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Reviewed By: S. S. - Pfafftown, NC
This Sony eReader is the best electronic book device on the market. I researched several brands before making my purchase. This one is lighter weight than the others. It is a small size but that gives it a book feel in your hand rather than a tablet feel. The small size of the unit also allows for almost perfect balance with your wrist when reading. Don't let the small size deter you. The screen size is definitely adequate and reminds you of reading a paperback. The e-Ink quality is easy to read and the various fonts sizes available offer an acceptable size for everyone. Since this reader can handle books in the ePUB format, it makes it possible for you to check digital books out of libraries for free. There is no keyboard on the bottom of the reader which is actually great since the external keyboard of some other models actually gets in the way of holding the unit to read the book.
Very nice upgrade (January 28, 2011)
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Reviewed By: Herbert B. - S Weymouth, MA
For the longest time I have been using the Sony PRS 505, one of the earlier readers Sony released. I was quite happy with it, but I decided to buy an upgrade, primarily because of the improved eInk. I am glad I bought this tiny gem, because it is so light, and the contrast is very much improved. I was a bit concerned about the size prior to buying it thinking it might be too small, but when I got hold of it, it still feels just about right. Also, one of the reasons I bought the PRS 505 is its ability to expand the memory it has an external SD card slot, but all the time I have been using the 505, I have not needed additional storage, so it was not a concern for the 350SC. Sony churned out a very good product with this one.
Sony E-reader PRS350PC (December 28, 2010)
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Reviewed By: Ann S. - Indianapolis, IN
Ive been researching for an e-reader with the best possible price. Ive been to most of the electronic stores in my area but did not have the best price nor did they have them in stock. This website had the best price and within the next day I received by e-reader. I was quite surprised to get it that quick and was happy to get it as well. I love my e-reader and had lots of compliments of the size and how light it is.
Great e-reader (December 20, 2010)
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(4/5.0) |
Reviewed By: Joan-Marie jones - Coaldale, Alberta
This e-reader is so great , it is so simple to download books from the site. couldnt ask for a better unit!!!
Solid eReader - It Does What It Says It Will (December 08, 2010)
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Reviewed By: Cristen K. - North Las Vegas, NV
I have owned the Sony eReader Touch edition for over a year and cant imagine my life without it. My eReader was given to me as a gift for Christmas 2009. I had left tons of hints that I wanted the Nook, but my in-laws bought me the Sony eReader because it came in red they are cute for their age. Given that the gift was expensive on their budget, I offered my sincere gratitude even though it was the wrong model. After a few weeks of use I grew to love my eReader. It fits well in my hand - light enough to hold it one handed, but heavy enough not to feel like its going to break easily. My daughter has dropped it several times and it didnt get a scratch! The controls are easy to understand and the other features like the hand-writing drawing ability make it a great note-taker as well. I love my eReader so much that I recommended it to my friends husband when it was time for him to buy her a birthday gift. Since shes a very girlie girl, I advised him to buy this pink model for her with the matching coverbook-light. She loved it! I found the best price here at Vanns.com and am happy to say that the entire transaction was fast, convenient and fun.
A Must for Readers (December 02, 2010)
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Reviewed By: angela s. - San Francisco, CA
ive been looking at ereaders for a while now and i finally went and ordered one. my ereader arrived two weeks ago and let me tell you how happy ive been with it! its easy to use, albeit not as user friendly as i hope it would be. but after playing with it for a couple of hours it became a no brainer.
the eink display is clear and crisp, battery life has been great so far, full body on the ereader is solid, not made of plastic, yet very light.
also, instead of using the ereader library through sony i went with calibre.com user-friendly, easy to use because of the stories ive read with the default setup.
this is my first ereader and im glad i went with sony.
Sony PRS350 (December 01, 2010)
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Reviewed By: merrimac - Harriman, TN
Bought this reader for my husband to replace a Sony PRS300 original pocket edition. He loves the touch screen and the lighter weight. Since it is used primarily for downloading books from our regional library system, I cant comment on ease of use with Sonys e-book site or other sellers. Works great with our library system EPub based. The money we save on books makes up for the difference in price from the Kindle, which is not compatible with our librarys system.
Great device! Better than a paper book! (October 25, 2010)
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Reviewed By: Coral S. - Anchorage, AK
I've wanted an ebook reader for a long time, but kept holding off, figuring the technology would get better or the price would come down. And, lo and behold, out came the Sony Reader, Pocket Edition! The screen is much clearer than the early ebook readers screens--and much easier on the eyes than the screen of a netbook or tablet. You can turn the page by swiping a finger across the touch screen which is very responsive! or by hitting the page forward button. Adding hand-written notes and highlighting text are both easy to do, as is bookmarking pages. Changing the font size is quick, which makes it more pleasant to use in a variety of lighting situations. The only down side I've seen is that ePub books do not re-paginate when you change the screen orientation. So if you are trying to read a page in landscape orientation, hitting next page will scroll you down to the bottom of the existing page, instead of taking you to a new page. I found this off-putting, though other people may not have any problem with it. ... Its not really a big deal to read books in portrait orientation, and its not like you can swap the orientation of a paper book. So I dont really mind. As long as the reader does re-pagination correctly when you change the font size--which it does--I'm happy with it. The bookstore is easy to use--if you've ever used the iTunes music store, you'll immediately know how to do it--and checking out ebooks from your library via Sony Overdrive is also pretty simple. I am pleased by how easy both services are to use! I have finished two books and started another, already, and Ive had the device for less than two weeks. Its a joy to use, and I'm so glad to have made the switch from paper books.
PRS350..portable library in your pocket! (October 19, 2010)
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Reviewed By: T Vuong Pham - Rncho Santa Margarita, CA
Review If you never have used an ereader....The Sony reader is one of the most flexible open format readers available. Be prepared to be enjoy this little guy! Battery life You dont have hours of use with one charge.. you have days.. approximately 2 weeks at a time. Device weight, size and performance is excellent!!! Easy to carry around. Slim and portable, lightweight and easily accessible. You can put this in your pocket and carry around literally 1000s of books translating to thousands of hours of reading entertainment. Modern titles and classic titles are readily available Sony online and Google books and you can even make your own... The devices supports doc, txt, epub and pdf formats. Screen- Here is the big winning point for this technology. e-ink. Claritysharpness of screen. 16 shades of grey! The screen is vastly improved over the older generation Touch device from Sony. It uses infra-red sensors to detect what you are touching on the screen. A stylus is included but not necessary. Interface - touch interface and hard buttons. The GUI is fantastic! PDF and zooming! Multiple font sizes! Horizontal and Vertical orientation. The features of the prs350650 show a clear evolutionary progression of interface that has matured to reflect years of user feedback. i.e. on the fly collections folders to organize books Note taking, drawing and the BUILT-IN Dictionary Double tap a word and the definition appears. What reading a foreign book? okay double tap and the multi-language dictionarys will translate for you!! Built in 2 Gigs of storage-- plenty of storage for 1000s of books Hurry and take advantage of the promotion!! Free integrated lighted case with purchase. -before end of October. 50.00 value OH Almost forgot. Very few portable ereader devices let you rent ebooks from your public library.. This feature alone will pay for the device itself!! Sure there isnt wireless connectivity and you will tether the device to your computer to load the device etc. Sony reader library software included is good, as it provides access to the online store, but try the open source Calibre software!!! wow that is a winner!! I dont work for Sony but am an advid reader.. 10 books read in the a last 3 weeks.. not bad, but the lightweight form factor beats hauling pounds and pounds of bulkly books!! - p.s. Get a cover protect your investment.. besides...something about opening up you ereader is sort of like opening up a book! -
Comparison Specifications
- Display: 16-level gray scale / E Ink Pearl
- Resolution: 800 x 600 pixels / 5" screen size
- Memory size: 2GB built-in (up to 1200 books) / optional Memory Stick Duo or SD card up to 32GB
- Book formats supported: ePub / PDF / BBeB Book / Text / RTF / Microsoft Word (with conversion to reader through your PC)
- Media types supported: JPEG / PNG / GIF / BMP
Additional Specifications
- Battery: rechargeable / 3.7V DC / 940mA
- Battery life: approximately 14 days
- Recharging time: 3 hours with USB, 2 hours with optional AC adapter
Dimensional Specifications
- Dimensions: 4.13" W x 5.75" H x 0.35" D
- Weight: 5.47oz
Sony PRS350PC Warranty Details
1-year parts, 90-days labor limited warranty
