Shop By Brand Shop By Category Registries + Lists Gift Cards Gift Ideas

Customer Support - 7 Days a Week

Live Chat or call us at 888.228.5800

24 Hour Customer Support Mon-Fri

TV & Video

Televisions

LED TV LCD TV Plasma TV Projectors More...

Video Players

Blu-ray & DVD Players VCRs DVD/VCR Combos DVD Recorders Portable DVD Players

DVR / Tivo

Digital Video Recorders (DVR)

Satellite / HDTV Receivers

Satellite Receivers Digital Converters

Video Accessories

Flat Screen TV Mounts Remote Controls Audio & Video Cables HDMI Cables Surge Protectors Antennas More...

Trade In Your Gear
Trade-In Program

Communications

Phones

Phones Cellular Phones

Accessories

Communication Accessories Cellular Accessories Cordless Phone Accessories Fax Accessories Batteries

Trade In Your Gear
Trade-In Program

Furniture

Home Theater Furniture

Audio Racks & Video Racks TV Stands Massage Chairs Entertainment Centers Flat Screen TV Mounts Ceiling Mounts Leather Seating Home Theater Chairs

Audio Furniture

Speaker Stands Speaker Brackets

Kitchen Furniture

Carts & Cutting Boards Bar Stools & Counter Stools

Office Furniture

Computer Desks Office Chairs

Specials

Save Money

Appliance Packages Laundry Packages Weekly Specials Just Reduced Bundles Displays & Returns Free Shipping

New Products

New Arrivals Available For Pre-Order

Best of the Best

Best Sellers Best Reviewed Products

More Promotions

Rebates Financing Promotions

InCase Reflex Headphones

$52.00

SAVE 34%

Home > Computers > Digital Readers > Sony PRS-505/SC

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

Abt Model: PRS505SC

Discontinued Product This item is no longer available from our website.

Click the link to view all of our Digital Readers

Roll over images to view

Sony PRS-505/SC - Open With Cover - Menu

Larger View

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

Availability:

Discontinued (details)

Shipping:

(details)

Customer Rating:

Read 36 Reviews | Write a Review

Downloadable Resources

More to explore

Details
Warranty
Reviews

Product Details

Sony Portable Reader Digital Book In Silver, Model 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 ½" 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 180º 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.

Warranty

Abt Extended Service

Protect your products with the Abt extended protection plan.

Update Zip Code

Zip Code

Product Review Summary

4.5 (based on 36 reviews)

Pros

Long Battery Life (19)
Compact Design (17)
Adequate Storage (13)
Easy To Use (13)
Fast (8)
Good Compatibility (5)

Cons

Limited Compatibility (3)
Slow (3)

Best Uses

Business Use (5)
Syncing With Computer (5)
Multimedia (4)

Sort By:

« Previous12 3 4 Next »

Showing 1-36 of 36 Reviews

5.0

An excellent product.

Reviewed by joecoif (Tech Savvy) from Orlando Florida on Jul 20, 2009

BOTTOM LINE Yes, I would recommend this to a friend.

Great not to have to carry books

Pros:

Long Battery Life, Fast, Compact Design, Adequate Storage, Good Compatibility, Easy To Use, Great Software Bundle

Was this review helpful to you? Yes / No

5.0

The best reader from the great seller!

Reviewed by SeNS (Technically Challenged) from Waltham, MA on May 11, 2009

BOTTOM LINE Yes, I would recommend this to a friend.

[...] Thanks, ABT!

Pros:	Easy To Use, Compact Design, Perfect quality, Great Software Bundle, Good Compatibility, Nice design, Long Battery Life
Best Uses:	Reading, Multimedia, Business Use

Was this review helpful to you? Yes / No

4.0

Sony Reader ~ Simply Fabulous

Reviewed by Paul (Technically Challenged) from Minnetonka, MN on Jun 17, 2008

BOTTOM LINE Yes, I would recommend this to a friend.

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.

Pros:	Compact Design, Easy To Use, Good Compatibility, Adequate Storage, Fast, Long Battery Life
Best Uses:	Organization, Syncing With Computer, Multimedia

Was this review helpful to you? Yes / No

5.0

I am very satisfied with this product

Reviewed by Dick the reader (Tech Savvy) from Phoenix, Az on Jun 15, 2008

BOTTOM LINE Yes, I would recommend this to a friend.

This a very good product for the price.

Pros:	Long Battery Life, Compact Design, Adequate Storage, Great Software Bundle, Easy To Use
Best Uses:	Reading Books

Was this review helpful to you? Yes / No

5.0

I would buy one more

Reviewed by Irene (Tech Savvy) from Winfiel, IL on May 29, 2008

BOTTOM LINE Yes, I would recommend this to a friend.

Very good

Pros:	Adequate Storage, Compact Design, Long Battery Life
Cons:	Slow, Poor Software Bundle

Was this review helpful to you? Yes / No

4.0

Nice- easy to use and carry!

Reviewed by Mishacatty (Multimedia Professional) from Fresno, CA on Mar 31, 2008

BOTTOM LINE Yes, I would recommend this to a friend.

Had a bad battery in the first one...only lasted 3 days. ABT was wonderful and replaced it at no charge. New one is great. The only objection is the the placement of the buttons. Need to be replaced so that they are in a position to use them when you are naturally holding the reader. NOTE: for you audible book listeners....grab an SD card and download MP3 books... now you have a reader and an audible book player in one!!!

Cons:	Buttons not placed good, Limited Compatibility, Poor Software Bundle
Pros:	Fast, Long Battery Life, Compact Design, Adequate Storage
Best Uses:	Multimedia

Was this review helpful to you? Yes / No

5.0

Sony Portable Reader

Reviewed by Fran (Tech Savvy) from Chicago, IL on Mar 27, 2008

BOTTOM LINE Yes, I would recommend this to a friend.

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.

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

Was this review helpful to you? Yes / No

4.0

Great for the avid reader of old books

Reviewed by Jim the Reader (Tech Savvy) from Milan, OH on Mar 07, 2008

BOTTOM LINE Yes, I would recommend this to a friend.

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.

Pros:	Long Battery Life, Fast, Compact Design, Adequate Storage
Cons:	Low contrast viewing
Best Uses:	Reading old books

Was this review helpful to you? Yes / No

5.0

Bravo to Sony (for the Reader) and ABT

Reviewed by Paul (Technically Challenged) from Minnetonka MN on Mar 05, 2008

BOTTOM LINE Yes, I would recommend this to a friend.

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

Pros:	Easy To Use, Compact Design, Fast, Adequate Storage, Long Battery Life
Best Uses:	Syncing With Computer, Business Use

Was this review helpful to you? Yes / No

4.0

Sony Portable Reader System

Reviewed by Em the bookworm (Technically Challenged) from Slidell, LA on Feb 19, 2008

BOTTOM LINE Yes, I would recommend this to a friend.

Portable Reader makes reading on the go very easy. Only downside is that you can only download e-books from Sony, no other sites.

Pros:	Long Battery Life, Easy To Use, Good Compatibility, Fast, Compact Design
Best Uses:	Multimedia, Syncing With Computer
Cons:	Poor Software Bundle

Was this review helpful to you? Yes / No

4.0

Great!

Reviewed by Marti (Tech Savvy, Avid Gamer, Multimedia Professional) from Houston, TX on Feb 13, 2008

BOTTOM LINE Yes, I would recommend this to a friend.

So much better than carrying around papers, paperbacks and books on business trips!

Pros:	Fast, Compact Design, Long Battery Life, Adequate Storage, Great Software Bundle, Good Compatibility, Easy To Use
Best Uses:	Multimedia

Was this review helpful to you? Yes / No

3.0

Nice- easy to use and carry!

Reviewed by Ann (Tech Savvy) from Fresno, CA on Feb 04, 2008

BOTTOM LINE No, I would not recommend this to a friend.

Nice reader, but...would be nice to change the font and also the smallest font is quite large. Also, the margins take up way too much space. The buttons are difficult to use....need to make them easier to press and in a more useful position.

Pros:	Easy To Use, Adequate Storage, Compact Design
Cons:	Limited Compatibility, Poor Software Bundle, Page turn buttons bad

1 of 1 customers found this review helpful.

Was this review helpful to you? Yes / No

4.0

The best thing they ever invented

Reviewed by A happy reader (Tech Savvy) from NJ on Jan 31, 2008

BOTTOM LINE Yes, I would recommend this to a friend.

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. [...]

Pros:	Adequate Storage, Easy To Use, Long Battery Life, Compact Design
Best Uses:	Syncing With Computer, Reading ebooks, Listening to music

Was this review helpful to you? Yes / No

5.0

Sony Got It Right...Finally

Reviewed by Robert (Tech Savvy) from Bowman, Georgia on Jan 28, 2008

BOTTOM LINE Yes, I would recommend this to a friend.

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.

Pros:	Long Battery Life
Cons:	NONE
Best Uses:	Personal Use

Was this review helpful to you? Yes / No

5.0

Sony e-reader

Reviewed by Grandma Jane (Technically Challenged) from Vancouver, WA on Jan 21, 2008

BOTTOM LINE Yes, I would recommend this to a friend.

It's great for the Gym and travel

Pros:

Adequate Storage, Compact Design, Fast, Long Battery Life, Easy To Use

Was this review helpful to you? Yes / No

4.0

Excited about ebook -

Reviewed by sjp (Average computer skills) from Utah on Jan 21, 2008

BOTTOM LINE Yes, I would recommend this to a friend.

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.

Pros:	Long Battery Life, Adequate Storage, Compact Design, Good Compatibility
Cons:	No backlit feature

Was this review helpful to you? Yes / No

5.0

Amazing product!

Reviewed by Susie the English teacher (Tech Savvy) from South Elgin, IL on Jan 21, 2008

BOTTOM LINE Yes, I would recommend this to a friend.

It's so wonderful having my digital reader with me everywhere I go. I have so many choices, that I find myself reading 4-5 books at a time. The downloads were easy, I just wish the website was a little more user friendly and saved my favorites to make some recommendations.

Pros:	Adequate Storage, Easy To Use, Large print option, Good Compatibility, Compact Design
Best Uses:	Portable reading
Cons:	Slow

Was this review helpful to you? Yes / No

5.0

Sony portable reader system

Reviewed by Joyce the Reader (Technically Challenged) from Overland Park, KS on Jan 21, 2008

BOTTOM LINE Yes, I would recommend this to a friend.

I LOVB this product-so easy to use for a non-techno nerd like me. Love to tuck it into my purse for those unexpected or expected waits one gets into so often-then just pull it out and start reading my latest book to pass the time. Plus the organisational uses come in handy, as well. If I can use it, anyone can!!!!

Pros:	Good Compatibility, Easy To Use, Adequate Storage, Great Software Bundle, Long Battery Life, Fast, Compact Design
Best Uses:	Multimedia

Was this review helpful to you? Yes / No

4.0

Love the Ereader by Sony

Reviewed by Ereader Lover (Multimedia Professional, Tech Savvy, Avid Gamer) from Texas on Jan 01, 2008

BOTTOM LINE Yes, I would recommend this to a friend.

I will use this to read books while traveling so that I don't have to carry around a bulky book. I will also use this (SD memory slot) to put my recipes on and take into the kitchen instead of printing off recipes.

Pros:

Compact Design, Easy To Use, Good Compatibility, Adequate Storage

Was this review helpful to you? Yes / No

4.0

I recommend this product again and again

Reviewed by Avid Reader (Multimedia Professional, Tech Savvy) from Fort Lauderdale, FL on Dec 29, 2007

BOTTOM LINE Yes, I would recommend this to a friend.

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.

Pros:	Adequate Storage, Easy To Use, Long Battery Life, Compact Design, Fast
Best Uses:	Business Use, Great for vacations, Syncing With Computer
Cons:	Not compatible adobe digi, Limited Compatibility, Not compatible with lit

Was this review helpful to you? Yes / No

3.0

Nice product, bad compatibility

Reviewed by Oyahuasca (Multimedia Professional) from Brooklyn, NY on Dec 27, 2007

BOTTOM LINE No, I would not recommend this to a friend.

The product itself is cool, but not all pdf files work on it. For example, it does not accept foreign texts, some pdf files look extremely small and unreadible, and regular pdf files are not compatible. When you put a pdf file that you made or that is not made especially for this product, the file looks very unorganized, almost undreadable and obviously not customized for this product. I am still trying to figure out how to format the file to fit this product.

Pros:	Fast, Compact Design
Cons:	Limited Compatibility, Limited Storage
Best Uses:	Syncing With Computer, Multimedia

1 of 1 customers found this review helpful.

Was this review helpful to you? Yes / No

4.0

Works well - glad I bought it

Reviewed by Rabid Reader (Tech Savvy) from Marshall, MN on Dec 26, 2007

BOTTOM LINE Yes, I would recommend this to a friend.

Lightweight, easy to use. Not quite as easy to read as a book, but close. It would be nice if the background was more white instead of light gray, but it is still very readable. I did not give it 5 stars because you can only use Sony's eBook site for downloads due to their proprietary book format - and it does have some limitations. I did an author search for Tom Clancy and found nothing. The other annoyance is the price - 300 is pretty steep, but that's the perils of being an early adopter I guess.

Best Uses:	Casual Reading
Pros:	Compact Design, Easy To Use, Long Battery Life, Fast, Adequate Storage
Cons:	Limited Compatibility

Was this review helpful to you? Yes / No

5.0

Perfect size, really like reading a book

Reviewed by hal (Multimedia Professional) from New York City on Dec 06, 2007

BOTTOM LINE Yes, I would recommend this to a friend.

Great for travel, light and simple

Pros:	Compact Design, Great Software Bundle, Easy To Use, Fast, Long Battery Life, Adequate Storage, Good Compatibility
Best Uses:	Syncing With Computer, Business Use

Was this review helpful to you? Yes / No

4.0

Better than books.

Reviewed by Waiting Room Warrior (Technically Challenged) from Medina, OH on Dec 03, 2007

BOTTOM LINE Yes, I would recommend this to a friend.

I really like this reader. I like that I can have any nummber of books at my fingertips and yet I can slip it into my purse and take it anywhere. I only gave it 4 stars because it is limited in that you can only use books downloaded from eConnect. I previously used Mobipocket Reader and those books are not compatible with this reader. I'm also disappointed that I can't change the font style and there are only 3 font sizes. I did like that feature about the Mobipocket. I also liked the fact that Mobipocket will automatically scroll so you don't have to constantly click to the next page. Sony Reader doesn't do that either. Although the Mobipocket is compatible with Palm it does not have a large screen that the Sony Reader does and I do like the larger screen. Sony Reader is a little slow when changing settings and occasionally when going to the next page but nothing that I can't live with. It is basically a good reader and a great concept but I can see things that they could incorporate into the design to make it great. Oh, I almost forgot: If you buy this be sure to buy the AC adapter. It is not included with the reader. You can charge the reader from your computer with the USB cable provided but you must have the computer on for it to charge.

Pros:	Adequate Storage, Easy To Use, Compact Design, Long Battery Life
Cons:	Limited Compatibility, Slow

Was this review helpful to you? Yes / No

5.0

Sony PRS-505 In Dark Blue

Reviewed by Master (Tech Savvy) from Staten Island, NY on Dec 03, 2007

BOTTOM LINE Yes, I would recommend this to a friend.

I use this reader to read regular books that I download online. I read mostly in Russian and for that I had to mod it with a custom image. Sony does not have a good support for non latin alphabet out of the box. The screen is very clear and I dont get any eye strain from reading. Battery life is amazing since it has an e-paper display thay only drains power when you change pages. MP3 player function sucks, so don't expect to listen to music on it. I also found that sony website for purchasing books is buggy, but I dont have the most up to date version of sony software installed on my PC. All-in-all this is the best device on the market right now for the price.

Best Uses:	Any reading
Pros:	Compact Design, Great Screen, Good Compatibility, Adequate Storage, Long Battery Life, Easy To Use, Fast
Cons:	Poor Software Bundle

Was this review helpful to you? Yes / No

2.0

Sony Portable Reader needs more work

Reviewed by RichReno (Tech Savvy) from Reno NV on Dec 01, 2007

BOTTOM LINE No, I would not recommend this to a friend.

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.

Best Uses:	Casual
Cons:	Difficult To Use, Slow
Pros:	Long Battery Life, Great Software Bundle

Was this review helpful to you? Yes / No

4.0

Outstanding. Needs better book selection

Reviewed by Alan (Tech Savvy) from New York on Nov 27, 2007

Great product. Not great selection of books. Not compatible with Mac.

Pros:	Adequate Storage, Fast, Compact Design, Easy To Use
Cons:	Poor Software Bundle

Was this review helpful to you? Yes / No

2.0

Sony PRS-505

Reviewed by Renotheet (Avid Gamer) from Norman Oklahoma on Nov 26, 2007

BOTTOM LINE No, I would not recommend this to a friend.

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.

Pros:	Adequate Storage, Compact Design, Long Battery Life
Best Uses:	Multimedia
Cons:	Poor Software Bundle, Difficult To Use, Limited Compatibility

Was this review helpful to you? Yes / No

5.0

Perfect for Travel!

Reviewed by Lucy's Dad (Technically Challenged) from New York on Nov 23, 2007

BOTTOM LINE Yes, I would recommend this to a friend.

This is a really nifty machine and perfect size. It would be nice to have a back light and navigating takes a bit of time, but really worth the effort. I only wish that the SONY booklist was more complete - have not used other sites yet.

Pros:	Adequate Storage, Easy To Use, Compact Design, Crispness
Cons:	Download Slow, Sony Books are Limited
Best Uses:	Travel

Was this review helpful to you? Yes / No

4.0

great to read books on

Reviewed by some_guy (Tech Savvy) from small_town_USA on Nov 19, 2007

BOTTOM LINE Yes, I would recommend this to a friend.

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.

Best Uses:	comfortable reading
Pros:	Good Compatibility, Long Battery Life, Easy To Use, Compact Design
Cons:	Slow

Was this review helpful to you? Yes / No

5.0

Everything I Expected

Reviewed by Student in NYC (Tech Savvy) from New York, NY on Nov 10, 2007

BOTTOM LINE Yes, I would recommend this to a friend.

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.

Pros:	Long Battery Life, Fast, Compact Design, Easy To Use
Best Uses:	Reviewing Study Notes, Business Use

0 of 1 customers found this review helpful.

Was this review helpful to you? Yes / No

5.0

Perfect!

Reviewed by King (Tech Savvy) from Lawrence, KS on Nov 05, 2007

BOTTOM LINE Yes, I would recommend this to a friend.

I just love it! Much thanks

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

0 of 1 customers found this review helpful.

Was this review helpful to you? Yes / No

5.0

I just love it!

Reviewed by Crown (Multimedia Professional) from Lawrence, KS on Nov 05, 2007

BOTTOM LINE Yes, I would recommend this to a friend.

Good stuff!

Best Uses:	Business Use, Syncing With Computer, Mobile Communication
Pros:	Compact Design, Easy To Use, Long Battery Life, Fast
Cons:	Limited Compatibility

Was this review helpful to you? Yes / No

4.0

surprisingly great and serious gadget

Reviewed by Paul (Technically Challenged) from Ontario, Canada on Nov 02, 2007

BOTTOM LINE Yes, I would recommend this to a friend.

Generous book storage, almost as well readability as an expensively published books. A little bit slow, but not really annoying if you use *.rlf Sony files or converted. Not for use with PDF, actually it is but it's too slow. And the main complain, no embedded light(or backlight)- whatever could be done according to technology.

Pros:	Adequate Storage, Compact Design, Long Battery Life, Easy To Use
Best Uses:	Daylight book reading
Cons:	Slow, Limited Compatibility

Was this review helpful to you? Yes / No

4.0

PRS-505 Reader should be a "Best Seller"

Reviewed by Qsecofr (Tech Savvy, Multimedia Professional) from Syracuse, New York on Oct 05, 2007

BOTTOM LINE Yes, I would recommend this to a friend.

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.