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Sony Portable Reader Digital Book In Silver - PRS-505/SC

Abt Model: PRS505SC

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Sony PRS505 Portable Reader Digital Book In Silver - PRS505SC/ 6" Electronic Paper Like Display/ Turn Approximately 7,500 Pages On A Single Charge/ Supports BBeB Book, Adobe PDF, TXT, RTF, Microsoft Word, MP3, ACC, JPEG, GIF, PNG And BMP Media Formats/ Silver Finish

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Customer Rating:

Read 19 Reviews | Write a Review

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Product Details

Sony Portable Reader Digital Book In Silver, Model PRS505SC

Helpful Downloads For The PRS505SC:

The Reader Digital Book holds about 160 eBooks⁴ or hundreds more with optional removable memory cards. Its portable size makes it the perfect travel companion, allowing you to read a variety of books whenever and wherever you want. With thousands of eBook titles available from the eBooks Store, you can choose to download new releases, classics and popular book titles³ as well as view other document formats such as Adobe� PDF¹⁰, RTF, TXT, BBeB� and Microsoft� Word⁵. Its long battery life lasts up to 7,500 continuous page turns², and the amazing paper-like screen technology is easy on the eyes.

Key Features:

Compact and light weight-Approx 9 oz⁶ without soft cover
6� Diag. �E-Paper� display- easy on the eyes
Display print quality of Approximately 170 Pixels Per Inch
Up to 7,500 continuous page turns on full charge-usage will vary
20,000 eBooks sold from integrated eBooks store³
Internal Memory for storing multiple books
MemoryStick Duo� media & SD� Memory Slot-media optional

Features:

Ultra Portable
The Reader Digital Book offers a unique, on-the-go reading experience and is the perfect travel companion. With a compact and lightweight design, you can take it almost anywhere and read any book whenever and wherever you want. More compact than many paperbacks, it weighs 9 ounces⁶ (without cover), is �" thin⁸, and holds up to 160 eBooks⁴. You can easily hold it in one hand, and with its rechargeable battery, you can turn up to 7,500 continuous pages on a single charge².
Content Storage Capability
With a compact and lightweight design you can take the Reader Digital Book almost anywhere. And with plenty of internal memory⁴, and a slot for optional removable memory cards, you can take hundreds of titles, user-selected Web content, or other supported documents for reading on the go⁵. It will hold approximately 160 averaged sized eBooks in internal memory⁴ and hundreds more with the optional removable memory cards.
Multiple eBook Titles Available
The Reader Digital Book allows you to search, browse, discover, and buy thousands of new releases, classics and popular eBook titles from the CONNECT� eBooks Store and other participating websites³. You can even go to other sites that have DRM Free eBooks in file formats supported by the Reader⁵. This translates into an unbelievable amount of content suitable for the Reader.
More than eBooks
The Reader Digital Book isn't just about reading eBooks. Using the included eBook Library 2.0 PC Software, you can easily transfer Adobe� PDF documents¹⁰, Microsoft Word documents, BBeB� Book, and other text file formats to the Reader. You can even playback unsecured MP3s and AAC audio files.
Impressive, Paper-Like Display
The Reader Digital Book provides a new way to experience reading. It boasts an impressive 6-inch display¹, utilizing breakthrough E Ink� technology that's almost paper-like, making it easy to read, even in bright sunshine. In addition, the screen allows for high contrast and high resolution, with a near 180� viewing angle. The text can also be magnified for sight-impaired readers.

Specifications:

Display

Technology: E-Ink� "Electronic Paper"
Screen Size: Approx. 6" Measured Diagonally
Resolution: Approx. 170 Pixels Per Inch
Gray Scale: 4-Level Grey Scale
Residual image may show on display. This is due to the display characteristics and not a malfunction.

Media Formats Supported

Unsecured Text: BBeB Book, TXT, RTF, Adobe� PDF, Microsoft� Word (Conversion to the Reader-requires Word installed on your PC)
DRM Text: BBeB Book (Marlin)
Unsecured Audio: MP3 and AAC⁷
Image: JPEG, GIF, PNG, and BMP

Power

Battery Type: Rechargeable Lithium-Ion
Battery Life (Approx.): Up to 7,500 page turns²
Recharging Time: Approx. 4 Hours with USB charging from powered Computer or Approx. 2 Hours when using optional AC wall charger.
AC Power: Optional AC Charger requires 120 Volts 60Hz

System Requirements

Operating System: Genuine Windows� XP (Home Edition/Professional, Media Center Edition, Media Center Edition 2004, Media Center Edition 2005) & Windows Vista� (Home Basic, Home Premium, Business, Ultimate).
Processor: 800MHz Intel� Celeron� class processor or better
RAM: 128MB Minimum
Hard Drive: 20MB⁹ Minimum availible Hard Drive space
Optical Drive: Optical Drive capable of reading CD-ROM
USB Port: USB 1.1 or faster USB Port (Optimal with USB 2.0)
Internet Connection: Broadband suggested³

What's Included:

PRS-505 Portable Reader System
eBook Library 2.0 PC Software
Pre-Loaded Sample Excerpts
Soft Cover
USB Cable
Quick Start Guide
Operation Guide (pre-loaded on Reader)

Approximate Dimensions:

Height: 6.9" (175mm)
Width: 4.8" (122mm)
Depth: 0.3" (8mm)

Approximate Weight:

Unit (Without Soft Cover): 9 oz
Shipping: 1.22 lbs (554 grams)

Warranty Information:

Manufacturer Warranty (authorized online retailer):
90 days labor / 1 year parts

Footnotes:

Viewable area measured diagonally.
Up to 7,500 continuous page turns with a single full charge on internal rechargeable battery. Actual battery life will vary base on usage patterns, settings and battery conditions.
Requires Internet connection (broadband recommended). Internet service may require a fee.
Based on average un-illustrated eBook file size of 1.2MB. Actual file sizes vary by electronic book title.
Adobe� PDF, JPEG, BBeB Book and plain text formats natively supported. Microsoft Word requires conversion using included software.
Non-metric weights and measures are approximate and may vary.
Un-encrypted MP3 and AAC format audio files only. Not compatible with most digital copyright formatted audio file content. Headphones not included.
Measured at the narrowest point.
MB means one million bytes when referring to memory capacity. Accessible capacity may vary. A portion of memory space is reserved for operating system and other system functions.
Adobe� PDF files look better when optimized with the Reader�s screen size, and text may appear small if not optimized.

Features and specifications are subject to change without notice.

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Reviews

PRODUCT REVIEW SUMMARY

Average Customer Rating:

(based on 19 review)

Customers most agreed on the following attributes:

Pros:	Long Battery Life (19), Compact Design (17), Adequate Storage (13), Easy To Use (13), Fast (8), Good Compatibility (5), Great Software Bundle (4)
Cons:	Limited Compatibility (3), Slow (3)
Best Uses:	Business Use (5), Syncing With Computer (5), Multimedia (4)
Describe Yourself:	Tech Savvy (12), Multimedia Professional (3), Technically Challenged (3)
Primary use:	Personal (18)

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REVIEWED BY 19 CUSTOMERS

« Previous12 Next »

Displaying Reviews 1 - 19 of 19

The best reader from the great seller!

By SeNS from Waltham, MA on 05/11/2009.

Pros:	Compact Design, Long Battery Life, Perfect quality, Nice design, Great Software Bundle, Easy To Use, Good Compatibility
Primary use:	Personal
Best Uses:	Reading, Business Use, Multimedia
Describe Yourself:	Technically Challenged

[...] Thanks, ABT!

Sony Reader ~ Simply Fabulous

By Paul from Minnetonka, MN on 06/17/2008.

Pros:	Fast, Good Compatibility, Long Battery Life, Adequate Storage, Easy To Use, Compact Design
Best Uses:	Multimedia, Organization, Syncing With Computer
Primary use:	Personal
Describe Yourself:	Technically Challenged

I love the Sony Reader ... I travel a LOT and taking many books and documents along in a simple, easy-to-use package/format that's light and easy on the eyes is a simple delight. This is changing the way I read books (for education and pleasure) and work documents.

I am very satisfied with this product

By Dick the reader from Phoenix, Az on 06/15/2008.

Pros:	Compact Design, Easy To Use, Long Battery Life, Great Software Bundle, Adequate Storage
Primary use:	Personal
Best Uses:	Reading Books
Describe Yourself:	Tech Savvy

This a very good product for the price.

I would buy one more

By Irene from Winfiel, IL on 05/29/2008.

Pros:	Long Battery Life, Adequate Storage, Compact Design
Primary use:	Personal
Cons:	Poor Software Bundle, Slow
Describe Yourself:	Tech Savvy

Very good

Sony Portable Reader

By Fran from Chicago, IL on 03/27/2008.

Pros:	Long Battery Life, Adequate Storage, Easy To Use, Compact Design, Light and easy to travel
Cons:	Needs lighting on screen
Primary use:	Personal
Best Uses:	Read while you travel, Holds many books
Describe Yourself:	Tech Savvy

Able to storage many books. Light weight to travel with whether far or just to read in a waiting room. Easier to handle while reading in bed. Many books available.

Great for the avid reader of old books

By Jim the Reader from Milan, OH on 03/7/2008.

Pros:	Fast, Compact Design, Long Battery Life, Adequate Storage
Cons:	Low contrast viewing
Primary use:	Personal
Best Uses:	Reading old books
Describe Yourself:	Tech Savvy

I use it to read old out-of-copyright books from the Gutenberg project and other e-books. It's great for travel because I can take hundreds of books with me in a compact package. The contrast is low and you need good light to see it well.

Bravo to Sony (for the Reader) and ABT

By Paul from Minnetonka MN on 03/5/2008.

Primary use:	Business
Best Uses:	Business Use, Syncing With Computer
Pros:	Easy To Use, Fast, Adequate Storage, Compact Design, Long Battery Life
Describe Yourself:	Technically Challenged

I LOVE the Sony Reader, and the exceptional price [...] from ABT. I'll be a more frequent customer now that I've discovered them!

The best thing they ever invented

By A happy reader from NJ on 01/31/2008.

Pros:	Adequate Storage, Long Battery Life, Easy To Use, Compact Design
Best Uses:	Listening to music, Reading ebooks, Syncing With Computer
Primary use:	Personal
Describe Yourself:	Tech Savvy

I love my Sony Reader. I can listen to music while I read my books. I love the fact that it has two memory card slots so that I can hold alot of music and books. The fact that I can hold over 100 books in one slim device is awesome since I took it on a trip and didn t have to woory about luggage space. This item would be great for college students that have to lug around so many books, if only textbooks were also available to purchase. [...]

Sony Got It Right...Finally

By Robert from Bowman, Georgia on 01/28/2008.

Pros:	Long Battery Life
Cons:	NONE
Primary use:	Personal
Best Uses:	Personal Use
Describe Yourself:	Tech Savvy

I read, really read, and I'm not a 1-at-a-time Reader. I'll juggle Heinlein, Doyle, Austen and Poe all in a day. And thanks to Sony, I don't have to buy an extra seat on the plane to bring 'em all along. Sony raised the bar on performance for all e-Reader devices. The ease on the eyes from the electronic paper can't be appreciated at a glance, but is most-apparent after a good 30-minutes (conventional backlit readers are akin to staring into a flashlight when compared to the comfort of Sony's Reader). While several other systems employ this new display technology, Sony managed to do-so at the best price. Bravo! The Sony Reader feels substantial but it doesn't feel like a book. It's viewing area is, as advertised, only that of a paperback. And it has yet to take-on the "warmth" of holding a real book. Small matters for what the User gains in return. I've loaded a few family photos into my Reader. Far superior for sharing with acquaintances than pulling out crumpled wallet snapshots. And the black & white imaging is a pleasant contrast to a world of multimedia that is often overly saturated in color. My biggest regret is not with the device, but with the lack of out-of-print titles. It is my hope that e-book stores will eventually render all titles "in-print," and not have such a huge gap between the Classics and NY Times' Best Sellers. I very much like my Sony Reader, and recommend it to anyone who reads at least a book per month.

Excited about ebook -

By sjp from Utah on 01/21/2008.

Describe Yourself:	Average computer skills
Pros:	Good Compatibility, Adequate Storage, Long Battery Life, Compact Design
Cons:	No backlit feature
Primary use:	Personal

When first charged and added book - the ebook froze - took some time and several resets but it started working the next day and has worked fine ever since. Disappointed there is no backlit to read in bed at night.

I recommend this product again and again

By Avid Reader from Fort Lauderdale, FL on 12/29/2007.

Pros:	Adequate Storage, Long Battery Life, Easy To Use, Fast, Compact Design
Best Uses:	Business Use, Great for vacations, Syncing With Computer
Cons:	Limited Compatibility, Not compatible with lit, Not compatible adobe digi
Primary use:	Personal
Describe Yourself:	Tech Savvy, Multimedia Professional

It is a great product and so easy to use. Sony EBook store has a great selection, thousands of ebooks that you can download within seconds and price is discounted by 20%. The only part of it that's not easy is the compatible with other ebook software, i.e. Microsoft reader (lit) files and adobe digital files. It is not compatible with these and you can only view regular adobe pdf files. I also recommend purchase of Sony's ac adapter so that you are not limited to charging the sony reader by attaching it to your PC.

Perfect size, really like reading a book

By hal from New York City on 12/6/2007.

Pros:	Easy To Use, Adequate Storage, Compact Design, Long Battery Life, Great Software Bundle, Fast, Good Compatibility
Describe Yourself:	Multimedia Professional
Primary use:	Personal
Best Uses:	Syncing With Computer, Business Use

Great for travel, light and simple

Sony Portable Reader needs more work

By RichReno from Reno NV on 12/1/2007.

Best Uses:	Casual
Cons:	Difficult To Use, Slow
Pros:	Great Software Bundle, Long Battery Life
Primary use:	Personal
Describe Yourself:	Tech Savvy

The Sony eBook Reader is a nice idea, but it needs some more work fron the drawing room. It is sometimes easy to use, but many time, it is not very intuitive. The "help" file references icons that are not present on the machine. This is VERY confusing. The battery lasts a long time, but after only two weeks (on my second use) and merely setting on my desk unused, the screen had vertical white lines and horizontal gray lines. I had to return it to Sony for repairs. If this happens again, I am selling it [...]. I left the book run for almost two days (by turning Sleep mode off), and the battery barely showed any drainage. The book is nice and thin and very portable. The Sony Ebook software (to transfer files to the Reader is not very intuitive without first calling tech support to assistance. Tech support also said that if one charges the device "too long," it could damage the battery. What the heck kind of design is this? After the year warranty expires, one has to wonder what kind of service Sony will provide, given it comes out with great products, but after a while, Sony abandons the project, just like Sharp. The memory stick (which no one uses) is too esoteric to be useful. I loved my Sony Clies and Picturebook, etc, but Sony abandonned these products and we users were left hanging. This is likely the last Sony product I will purchase. A very frusting aspect of hte Sony eBook Reader is that most books need to be purchased from eConnect (Sony's store) for outrageous prices. The only saving grace is that one can upload word processed files and create PDF files using a page size of about 4X6 so they fit onto the Sony Reader and are relatively viewable. I wish the screen was a bit whiter, but the light gray background may be easier on the eyes after more than 30 minutes of reading, which I have not yet done. Sony Reader also seems to require DRM (Digital Restricted / Rights Management) files. This is baloney, however, as I said above, one can un-DRM files and then format them so they can be uploaded to the Reader without the DRM restrictions. Also, word processed documents can be magnified with the built-in "magnifying glass" but this magnifying glass does not work with PDF files. Well, enough of this. The Sony eBook Reader is a nice idea, but I am not comfortable knowing that Sony will likely abandon the product as it did with the rest of the eConnect content. A small portable sub-mini computer might be a better and longer term choice.

Sony PRS-505

By Renotheet from Norman Oklahoma on 11/26/2007.

Describe Yourself:	Avid Gamer
Cons:	Difficult To Use, Limited Compatibility, Poor Software Bundle
Pros:	Long Battery Life, Adequate Storage, Compact Design
Best Uses:	Multimedia
Primary use:	Personal

This was bought to fill the time while flying to and from Singapore and during "off time" while there. It is small, easy to read, and can store lots of information.For those of us that don't have broad band connections, the supplied software is a real problem. It seems to bog down the internet connection to a crawl if you are stuck with dial up. The box should say that it requires a broadband connection. Because it will only work with the Sony format for most current books, your choices of where to buy books is limited to Sony's [...] store. You can use a few other unsecured formats but most current books are not available in an unsecured format.

great to read books on

By some_guy from small_town_USA on 11/19/2007.

Best Uses:	comfortable reading
Pros:	Good Compatibility, Long Battery Life, Easy To Use, Compact Design
Primary use:	Personal
Cons:	Slow
Describe Yourself:	Tech Savvy

I bought this reader w/ the intention of reading novels that I download in comfort. I am not disappointed, it's very easy on the eyes. Found that loading large books can take up to 60 seconds (ex. The Bible, ~5 MB, takes about 45 seconds from when you select it to when you can start reading) if it's saved on a the 2 GB SD memory card; content on the Pro Duo memory cards seems to load a bit faster even though it's a 4 GB card. Obviously opening files from the (200 MB?) of memory that's built in is very fast compared to anything saved on a memory card.

Everything I Expected

By Student in NYC from New York, NY on 11/10/2007.

Pros:	Fast, Easy To Use, Long Battery Life, Compact Design
Primary use:	Personal
Best Uses:	Reviewing Study Notes, Business Use
Describe Yourself:	Tech Savvy

I love my Sony PRS-505 Reader. It is extremely portable and I can upload all of my study notes into it for use on the train while I commute. The text comes out crisp and easy on the eyes as advertised. Some people may balk at the price, but you definitely get what you pay for with this device. I had no trouble resizing my notes in Word and printing to PDF using Sony's specifications, but then again I'm very tech literate. It is a slam dunk as far as I'm concerned.

Perfect!

By King from Lawrence, KS on 11/5/2007.

Pros:	Fast, Compact Design, Easy To Use, Long Battery Life
Cons:	Limited Compatibility
Best Uses:	Multimedia, Mobile Communication
Primary use:	Personal

I just love it! Much thanks

PRS-505 Reader should be a "Best Seller"

By Qsecofr from Syracuse, New York on 10/5/2007.

Cons:	AC adapter is optional
Pros:	Long Battery Life, Adequate Storage, Easy To Use, Compact Design
Primary use:	Personal
Describe Yourself:	Tech Savvy, Multimedia Professional

The improvements Sony made to their eBook Reader make the PRS-505 a "Must Read". The screen appears "whiter" than the older model and text appears crisper. The "ghosting" effect (faint remnants of the previous page) when changing pages seems to have been completely eliminated. The page refresh when "turning" pages is twice as fast as the older PRS-500, therefore less distracting. The new button arrangement is much more intuitive and easier to use. The only downside to this device is that for PDF files to display properly they must be formatted with the 6" display in mind. I originally had hoped to port over my service books (I'm a systems hardware engineer) which are PDF files. Unfortunately they are formatted for 8 1/2x11 inch. You can convert the PDF files to RTF (rich text format) via Microsoft Word. Be advised, however, that any bitmap images will not be ported over when converted to rtf format. I find that using Arial font @ 13.5pt to be a good setting. If Sony would make the PRS Reader software more capable of controlling conversion parameters, this product would be a home run. The AC adapter which was included with the original PRS-500, is now an option. It takes 4 hours to completely charge via the supplied usb cable as opposed to 2 hours with an AC adapter, but battery life is so long, it's not really an issue. The unit I received appeared to be fully charged when I got it. In summary, the PRS-505 is a solid device. Well made and very good at doing what it was intended to do: Putting a library of books in a compact form. Don't leave home without it.

Extremely Cool

By Gary from Albuquerque, NM on 10/5/2007.

Pros:	Easy To Use, Fast, Long Battery Life, Compact Design, Beautiful Style, Adequate Storage
Primary use:	Personal
Best Uses:	Reading Books
Describe Yourself:	Tech Savvy