Amazon Kindle 2 vs. Sony Reader 700: A 2009 Review

[pcmattesful]

The winner is Kindle 2.

[SELECE101]

i'm in middle school and my mom wants to buy me a kindle i have a couple of questions to ask...

1) how much does the kindle cost?

2) can you surf the web for it to look for books like in google, etc?

3) where can you buy it?

4) does it come in balck or white?

[stee1face]

Nice comparison thanks.

[TheCivilEngineer22]

this review is quiet biased to kindle.. lol its disgusting

[felo790]

Can I buy kindle at regualr stores? Im asking beacause im from Brazil and my father will go to US. I am afraid to order on internet, because I may have to pay 70% import taxes.

[babaikaushik]

I have a number of e-books in PDF format downloaded from different sites...I was wondering whether I can transfer those files to Kindle through USB in Kindle 2 & Kindle DX now

[bostonbytes]

What about DRM and checking books out of the library? Only Sony does that...Dude- do your research.

[moh2o]

Amazon's site says the Kindle now has 'native' PDF file readability. This review is 8 month old. I think the technology has advanced,,,for both.

[Slashouts]

Better file format support for the sony (the sony just whoop the kindle on that one), bigger library thanks to the free ebooks, touch screen which brings tons of new fonctions, better book management (no folder on kindle). Better dictionary (just click on a word to see the definition). Better looks.

I think those are also important points that should be covered in the review, and that would make things more even. Because this feels more like it covered most of the good points of the kindle.

[rancwr]

This seems more like a promotional video for the Kindle rather than an unbiased review.

Sony supports ePub, the most popular world-wide format for ebooks. I think that's a huge advantage for Sony.

Because of this, I can go online and borrow FREE from my library all manner of ebooks, yes, including the latest "best-selling" books, all for FREE! Can't do that on the Kindle because of EZW (which is an advantage??)

Outside the US, Kindle is a ripoff. "Free" books, $2!! and all others $2 extra.

[riskyshotz]

Stanza can convert all book formats to ePub, and any other formats. For free. For pc, mac, and iPhone.

Your dilemma is imaginary to anyone with a pc, mac or iphone, which covers about 98 percent of the population right now.

[sandy22queen]

Is this true to the Sony Reader PRS600?

[HarryBallbag]

@rancwr

I was swayed by the Sony because of the native pdf processing. Thanks for this additional information too.

[marcomixtle]

This is the worst comparison I've ever seen. Way too biased and poorly informed.

[6627982]

Can you upload books bought at Amazon to the Sony reader?

[Halbmond]

Kindle is basically tied to the proprietary AZW eBook format while Sony supports the de-facto eBook standard ePub AND PDF AND RTF ... and you are saying this is a draw?

[kirlie1]

Amazon's Kindle-you can BUY amazon's ebooks.

Sony Reader-you can check out ebooks from your local library for FREE

Which one has the advantage now?

[trucalling1214]

three inches longer? haha 8 - 6.8 = 1.2" difference

[mainlander2]

Not a helpful review...very biased

[ruddha2]

The Kindle looks like a tupperware product. I would definitely go for the Sony.

[panzom]

Very biased review. Everything that Amazon had an advantage he would say clear advantage Kindle. The things the 700 where better at he would give it a disclaimer "depending on your use" advantage Sony. Sorry PDF support is big. O yeah did he talk about how Sony does not just delete books off of your device like Amazon does. I do not own ether Im just looking for reviews on all e-readers to see which one to buy, but I will not be using this review.

[ebookreadersresource]

If you will be using a reader primarily to read the latest "best-selling" books and just popular books in general, then stick with the Kindle. You'll also get access to newspapers and magazines with the Kindle. If you'll primarily be reading PDF files, then stick with the Sony.

[mornmeril]

@ebookreadersresource You can get best-selling books in e-book format in more places than amazon, you know. Or do you? Then again, I realize this is an american review. In Europe we have a lot more regular bookstore networks that also sell ebooks online and you can download them in almost every ebook format to read on your pc or mac or tablet or whatever and guess what? They don't go poof because one day the retailer decided to pull the publication off the shelf. Once you buy it, you keep it.

[electronikos]

OK what about the touch screen of sony? It is not an advantage for sony? Really BIASED review!

[ebookreadersresource]

Yes, touch screen is nice but if you read the reviews from those that own the latest Sony Reader, the touch screen function has lessened the quality of the display screen. It's not as clear and readable as the old 505.

[johnmonk66]

please help with two questions

\why does the kindle have a keyboard? can you do word processing?

\and more importantly, it mentions how the kindle supports other formats, can i write my own stuff and put it on there? and how do i do that, is there a computer cable to transfer my own contant?

[ebookreadersresource]

It has a keyboard so that you can type notes, do searches, and mainly "browse" the Kindle store (and other online sites). If you write something and save it as a PDF and then have it converted, then you could download it to your Kindle. In other words, you can't create a Word document and then just download it to the Kindle. The unit does come with a USB cable to connect to your computer.

[johnmonk66]

thank you for the response, might i bother you with another question? There are certain reference books i use for work, is there a way I can scan them and transfer them to the kindle?

\i saw a program that will do this for over 500 bucks, but is there a cheaper way?

\thanks

[lemuelgulliver2000]

This is a very biased review.

[kal1fornia]

Some of the points that you didn't mention that are superior on the Sony, is the touch screen, and also the backlight that the sony has. If Kindle offered either of these, I would buy the Kindle. As yet, I am still undecided.

[MrMoneyHelper]

Newspapers and other articles downloaded can't be transferred from one device to another. They aren't stored by Amazon. If you loose your device you loose everything that wasn't a book. I want an e-book reader. Until I can save all the files and transfer them to different devices by different manufacturers, have color images, create my own documents, and a few other things, I won't be buying one. Also, if a paperback costs $7.95 and the e-book version costs $7.25 I don't see a price advantage.

[formallypegscraper]

What are your thoughts on what I posted?

[ebookreadersresource]

All your points are valid and I have come to realize that the bulk of the people watching this video are Sony fans. I have nothing against the Sony. Heck, I own one (the 505 anyway), but for me the Kindle is a far superior ebook reader for my needs. I like the fact that I can be sitting at the airport and on a whim I can download a book and start reading it within a minute. Given the content and convenience of the Kindle, it simply can't be beat.

[neobrown81]

great side by side format, great review.

[selmuir]

If the Kindle was 2oz lighter you would have said "Oh kindle wins this one" YOUR A SONY HATER"

lol fail.

[toomanybears]

One item left out was ease of navigation. For this the Sony PRS 700 wins hands down. I tried one in Borders and it works very good. The touch screen really makes navigating menus much easier, as well as highlighting text. The main problem with the PRS 700 is that the touch screen also killed the contrast level of the eInk screen and makes for a lot of glare. On display sitting next to the 505, the difference was vast. It's too bad because otherwise I think the 700 is better than the Kindle.

[Chenzel05]

Update! Sony's eReader is now $349

[BearBoi69]

I don't own either, still researching. That said; the whisper-net on the Kindle seems more like a $ gimmick than a necessary function. Also, it's free 'for now' but they could add a service charge in the future. I dislike the Kindle's extreme DRM; the "buy everything from us or you get nothing." Finally, you should mention that Kindle (and its services) is only available in the US. Sony is international and via a deal with Google eBooks provides thousands of free titles.

Tnx for the review.

[manuvlad]

Review? It's a amazon kindle 2 ad!

[jorgepk2]

The reason Kindle books are available only in the US is because of copy rights, mostly because of publishers and authors, Amazon actually is just trying to keep things legal, I don´t know how Sony is selling those books outside the US...

[endemion32]

This is a pathetically partisan advertisement in favour of the Kindle 2. It is not a "review".

[ebookreadersresource]

I feel like Rodney Dangerfield...I get no respect. LOL:) You Sony reader fans crack me up. You're so hardcore about your devices. This isn't a "review" per se...it's a comparison of two devices. And if it seems I'm biased towards the Kindle, I am. It cracks me up that so many people get so mad about this video. I'm a fan of the Kindle and I put together a video comparing it to the Sony and everybody freaks out. Relax you Sony fans. I get it. You LOVE the Sony Reader.

[fotozeus]

2 weeks with the backlite on, r u sure?

[formallypegscraper]

No chance. Couple of avg days of reading at the most. Works great though. They aren't back lights though, they are side lights. Big difference because you can read for hours without ever getting eye strain with the side lights.

[formallypegscraper]

Well, I just noticed the other day, if you turn off the lights and use the side lights...there is absolutely ZERO glare!!! While I know most people don't read in the dark, I do a lot of my reading at night when my wife wants to sleep so this works out perfect for me!

[talcaforever]

what kind of review is this?

"Kindle: no external memory--

Sony: Up to 16 GB memory stick....

And the winner is: ???DRAW???".

[ebookreadersresource]

Yes, it is a draw because it depends on what your needs are. If you're looking for just pure memory capabilities, then of course the Sony wins hands down! However, if you don't need tons of memory and don't want to deal with memory cards, then the Kindle 2 wins.

[jorgepk2]

Well the reason you don´t need all that space is because all books you purchase from amazon are saved in their server, so you can access all your books from you amazon account and you can download all your books again anytime you want as many times you want, so you don´t need all that space really, just for personal documents maybe.

[formallypegscraper]

Sorry, I keep forgetting things. You also fail to mention the new FASTER software of the Sony. Page turn is VERY fast now. Also, the new X5 zoom feature.

[formallypegscraper]

Sorry I had to break this up...length and all. Also, why did the Sony NOT get the edge when it comes to file space? You stated that they had expandable when the Kindle did not...edge...Sony. Simple as that. Wanted to also agree with an earlier comment that the page turning style was a subtle and clever way to do this. Good job.

[formallypegscraper]

but they are now AN OPEN FORMAT!!!! That is a huge deal. Plus, as others have said..the Kindle is ugly. Sony has already stated that they are working on a wireless...though I don't think it needs one. I got it to read BOOKS....not magazines and newspapers. I have never come upon a situation where I just finished a book without expecting it. If you prefer to read magazines..then yes..the Kindle..if not...Sony. My opinion. Thank you for taking the time to do this though.

[formallypegscraper]

The touch screen is awesome. I used the side lights last night...THEY WERE GREAT!!! Very easy to read with and soft/gentle enough to where it didn't bother my wife at all. You also glazed over the fact that the Sony works with .ePub. This allows someone to buy their books from ANY store that sells the .ePub format. So yes, the Sony library itself is not huge...

[formallypegscraper]

OK....your music sucks but that's no biggie. Your comments were well thought out but you seem to pause a lot. Now to my opinion. You really sold the Sony short. I have a 700 and it is an excellent machine. Yes, the screen is not as sharp as my 505 was, however, it is still clear and easy to read.

[szlevi]

Very poorly executed review.

I'm the last one to defend Sony but this review is PATHETIC: why is it that WHEN KINDLE LOSES a KEY ISSUE you say ADVANTAGE: ? instead of giving it to Sony?

Witness it at storage, at the content - Sony has the ENTIRE GOOGLE LIBRARY support! - and you don't even meantion Sony's TOUCH SCREEN and INTEGRATED READING LIGHT nor the fact that Kindle has VERY LIMITED MEMORY.

This is a completely worthless, biased review, posing as "unbiased", SORRY.

[ebookreadersresource]

Wow...put together a simple little video and people jump down your throat;) I guess you can't please everyone but I appreciate you watching the video nonetheless. Who would have thought that a stupid ebook reading device would create such anger in someone! As for your "Sony advantages" they are actually weaknesses. The Google library consists of mostly PRE 1930's titles and the touch screen and reading lights has made the clarity on the display worse (read reviews from Sony readers).

[karlei709]

Really nice video. I've been saving up for an ebook reader and I've already gotten to the point where I can buy a Kindle but not a Sony Reader. Now I know there's no need to save some more for that additional $40 or so... Thanks :)

[eigenlance]

Great video! Very informative. I agree that the Kindle takes home the prize. Now if only Amazon has a sleek black model of it...

[maxxhunter88]

I would have appreciated this review more if you had just given credit where the Sony excelled. The Kindle may be better, but the fact is, is that Sony has more formats (without requiring a silly conversion) regardless of how many books there are for Kindle, and more expandability for storage. It's not hard (at all) to fill up 1.4GB of space.

I like the Kindle fine, but I just think it's important to be fair.

Good luck!

[weijiajun]

Well I think this review seemed a little biased because they didn't even discuss the sony's TOUCH SCREEN and INTEGRATED LIGHT.

Price, The sony reader is $50 less so $350 for reader and case (Kindle's case costs $30 so it is $389 total). Oh the 3" difference in size is HUGE when you are using a small device.

If you are going to do a review don't just show the benefits of one end unless you are being paid off by the company, and if you are... well enough said.

[ebookreadersresource]

Yes it is bias because after doing the review (and after using both), the Amazon Kindle is the far superior ebook reader right now. The Sony doesn't even come close. There is a reason the Kindle is the #1 selling ebook reader. Having said that, Sony isn't a bad reader either. It's just not as good. Furthermore, the touch screen and the light have both "ruined" the viewing experience of the Sony Reader as the display isn't as clear and crisp as its predecessor, the 505.

[szlevi]

Jesus, what a JOEK you are - so you ar enow openly admitting you are biased towards Kindle and you just made up this fake "comparison" to further hammer your PoV?

Truly PATHETIC.

[gmailer24]

sony cut off $50 couple of days ago so the price factor now is on sony's behalf

[evinsask]

Horrible distracting music. Loud and ridiculous.

[v1m]

Grrr. If you didn't have that craptastic muzak playing in the background, I could follow your review.

Why do you think readers are interested in wading through infomercial theatrics?

[ebookreadersresource]

Ouch. Can't please them all, I guess. Sorry you hate the music. You should still watch it though...it has some good comparisons. And while it may sound like an infomercial it's not. The facts are funny things. The Kindle 2 is THE BEST ebook reader available right now - hands down.

[SchalaKid]

Indeed, the winner is clear. Only problem is that the Kindle looks atrocious. In all honesty, its appearance is one of the major factors keeping me from buying it. Well...that and the proprietary nature of its ebook files. Imagine....Amazon features with Sony hardware design... it'd be perfect! :o)

[xixor69]

Not clear in my mind. If your not in the US like I am, then the amazon's kindle wireless is 100% useless. The fact that the kindle doesn't use an external memory card is major, also the fact that it doesn't natively use pdf without conversion is also a major drawback. For my purposes, reading scientific and mathematics pdfs, the only advantage of the kindle is the 16 level greyscale display, so the overall winner, for me, is the sony by far.

[SchalaKid]

Forgive me, my sarcasm didn't come through as well as I meant it to. :o) I completely agree with you (particularly as I will be living abroad myself very shortly). This video, however, makes it seem as though Kindle 2 is the obvious choice for those comparing the two. When really, there are serious advantages and drawbacks to either. For me personally, I've just gotten the Sony eReader 505 (not a huge fan of the 700).

[planbsk8er912]

good review but ima stick with the sony reader. It has touch screen, plus it supports many types of files which means it has well over 100,000 books available. Also I like how it comes in that little leather book :D I think the sony reader is a better deal for only 40$ more because you can get far over 100,000 free ebooks online but with the kindle you either have to buy them or convert them :( That wastes time! So thus i like sony reader more

[ebookreadersresource]

I'd love to know if you find the touch screen on the Sony Reader is really as bad as everything I've read about it. Specifically, how it has made the display harder to read and reflects more light. Since you're sticking with the Sony, I'm assuming you're not having these issues. Thanks for your feedback!

Travis

[alanot]

This is really two tough products to compare. I think I'd stick with Sony Reader because of my laziness to convert all the files that I would use on the reader (I use almost everything in PDF format)... Plus its capability to expand its memory is all that matters to me.

On the other hand, I'd be dying to use the internet on these little devices to quick access wikipedia, which I use everyday... and the screen of kindle, as seen on the video is better too.

[GayleJonez]

I don't know much about the ereader, until now. The information was all easily laid out for buyers. I love to have all the facts about all products I'am interested in buying. Thanks for all the time spent in making this buying guide. Also maybe list prices choices as well, as for the ebooks.

Thanks

[debipp]

Excellent review. Very informative about the different features of both the readers.

[ksjgirl]

I think using the book style (flip pages) was a creative idea, since you are reveiwing Ebooks. There was really no movement on the page, so maybe a little color or a couple changes in page set-up would have been a nice touch. The video was very informative and addressed most questions that one may have about the two products before choosing to purchase.

[kawazx7r01]

Good review and comparison just a little boring to watch 6min 30 sec of text and graphics with no audio whatsoever

[xixor69]

uh.... I think you gotta turn your speakers on there champ

[iconst]

Its the best review. No actual person but just the comparisons of necessary facts. I liked it.

[joehe888]

A very good comparision. After seeing this video, it is obvious that Amazon Kindle is better than Sony Reader.

[gibbzy]

Very enlightening video....now I know what I'm going to buy!

[luisj2222]

Excellent. All features very well explained, and now anyone knows not only that Kindle it's the best choice but can opt for Sony Reader if any feature is crucial to them. Well done!

[smoofssmoofs]

Wireless is important for me.. so.. i kinda like Amazon Kindle best.. and over 250.000 books vs. under 100.000 books.. that`s a big advantage for Amazon.. Great video.. thank you for it. 5 stars

[khushe31]

This is a really good comparison. I don't think there is any feature that has not been covered. All the features have been nicely compared.

[sabeenaibu]

this is very different video. i like this video very much . thanks for the great information.

[moontotheworld]

The video is very interesting and gives us the clear cut ideas about the two readers.You have provided clear difference between the readers.Thanks for the video..

[srinivas2468]

Now i know there are only two hot ebook readers in the world and their characteristics by watching this video.

[aakay4u]

Nice piece of information.Very interesting and the differences pointed out by you will help people in making their decisions.

[mysconnie]

That was a great comparison of those two. Good reference material if you're in the market for one of these--quite informative. You pointed out a few things which people might not have realized otherwise.

[nimbette2]

Thanks for the review. I was looking for a comparison like this. Thanks for that!