As you all know, there is a battle going on in the world of electronic book readers between Amazon and Sony. A couple of weeks ago Amazon released their second generation electronic book reader, the Kindle 2.0. Well, it didn't take long for Sony to counter strike with their second generation electronic reader, the Sony PRS-700. I've seen and used the older version Sony PRS-505 (which I like a lot) but I recently had the opportunity to play with Sony's newest version. I'll say straight out...I like it, but there are a few areas I think it could be stronger.
Let's have a look now and see how it stacks up to the older version Sony and to the Kindle 2.0.
Sony and Google have announced a deal that will make Google's 500,000 public domain e-books available to Sony and its electronic readers, the PRS-700 and the PRS-505.
This partnership comes at a time when Sony and Amazon are dueling for dominance in the new electronic book reader industry.
This is big news for Sony users as it bumps up their library catalog to nearly 600,000 titles, far more than the 250,000 that Amazon has available. The Google e-books are a part of the public domain, meaning they are freely available to anyone who wants to read them. All of the titles which are available through Google were published before 1923 and include works of fiction and non-fiction in several different languages.
Up until now though these books could only be read on a computer screen which as most of us can attest to causes strain on the eyes after long periods. In contrast, electronic readers use a new technology called e-ink which creates "virtual paper" giving users a reading quality in line with traditional paper.
That's right, an officially licensed-to-kill James Bond kick-ass electronic reader! Sony has just released this limited edition of their Sony PRS-505 electronic reader.
This special Ian Fleming edition comes with a very sophisticated leather cover with the famous 007 logo imprinted on the front. Also included are two free Bond books - Casino Royal, the first in the James Bond series, and For Your Eyes Only, a collection of Ian Fleming short stories which includes Quantum of Solace.
Electronic readers don't get any cooler than this.
When you hear the name Sony - what comes to mind? Is it the music label giant that introduced artists such as Michael Jackson and Britney Spears; the maker of excellent home entertainment systems; or, is it the company that pioneered mobile music with the introduction of the Walkman portable tape player? One thing seems clear Sony has always been at the forefront of innovation. And, it seems that Sony might still be leading the mobilerevolution with their newest gadget, the Sony Reader PRS-505.
Several years ago, Sony introduced the world to the first mobile electronic reader. It was an impressive device at the time, incorporating a new technology that will certainly revolutionize the printing and publishing industry, E-Ink.
As you all know, there is a battle going on in the world of electronic book readers between Amazon and Sony. A couple of weeks ago Amazon released their second generation electronic book reader, the Kindle 2.0. Well, it didn't take long for Sony to counter strike with their second generation electronic reader, the Sony PRS-700. I've seen and used the older version Sony PRS-505 (which I like a lot) but I recently had the opportunity to play with Sony's newest version. I'll say straight out...I like it, but there are a few areas I think it could be stronger.
When you hear the name Sony - what comes to mind? Is it the music label giant that introduced artists such as Michael Jackson and Britney Spears; the maker of excellent home entertainment systems; or, is it the company that pioneered mobile music with the introduction of the Walkman portable tape player? One thing seems clear Sony has always been at the forefront of innovation. And, it seems that Sony might still be leading the mobilerevolution with their newest gadget, the Sony Reader PRS-505.