Poll: Sony Reader PRS-505 upgrade to Sony PRS-700

[Dannik]

Originally Posted by Kris777

My opinion they will discontinue 505 model soon

Originally Posted by Patricia

On what evidence?

You should pick up a dictionary and check out the definition of the word "opinion".

[ShellShock]

Originally Posted by Trek

Option 0 for me. I wouldn't "upgrade" my 505 for a 700 even if Sony would pay for it. That 700 screen blows chunks.

Now, some people are ok with that because it's faster,better,stronger in other regards. That argument just doesn't work for me. I'm using the device for everyday, leisure reading. No fast-flipping through pages, no annotations. I only get to see the menus when I'm done with one book and moving to the next. It's rare enough that I hardly care whether I'm pressing buttons or using direct screen touch. I'm comfortably doing the planning and generation of book collections on the PC.

Unlike the menus, I very much care about the display and text quality. That's what I'm staring at 99.9% of the time. It's old-fashioned, no-frills, basic reading. And the 505 is a joy for that.

Would I like a faster 505? Sure. Would I trade the 505 for a 700? No way.

I could not agree more. Plus the long battery life - I do not want a battery draining light. My fear is that in the coming years "progress" will mean that will no longer be able to buy a reader without a touch screen, light, wifi, e-ink (eek) etc etc, and will end up with a product that has all the bells and whistles the marketing geeks can think of, but is no longer a great reading experience, requires recharging every day, and has a screen that needs constant cleaning (at least with my greasy paws).

I miss my Psion PDA - a great device in a great clamshell format, which I don't think has been bettered. But it is no longer supported, supplanted by so-called better brands. The same could happen with e-readers.

[dhbailey]

Originally Posted by ShellShock

I could not agree more. Plus the long battery life - I do not want a battery draining light. My fear is that in the coming years "progress" will mean that will no longer be able to buy a reader without a touch screen, light, wifi, e-ink (eek) etc etc, and will end up with a product that has all the bells and whistles the marketing geeks can think of, but is no longer a great reading experience, requires recharging every day, and has a screen that needs constant cleaning (at least with my greasy paws).

I miss my Psion PDA - a great device in a great clamshell format, which I don't think has been bettered. But it is no longer supported, supplanted by so-called better brands. The same could happen with e-readers.

Your Psion may no longer be supported, but did it stop working?

There's no reason to think that your 505 won't continue to work for many years to come, especially with the need to recharge the battery only once every few weeks.

I agree that once the marketing department gets its hands onto something, many of the benefits of the original get lost.

However, in defense of the 700, the improved interface, the ability to take notes, etc. are wonderful things, and you don't have to use the lights if you don't want to. Keep a battery-operated booklight with it and you should be able to read in all the situations you could with the 500. Admittedly the 505 with the higher contrast screen can be read in less ambient light than the 500 or the 700, but if you don't use the light with the 700, the charge will last close to the charge on the 500 and 505.

New bells and whistles are fine *if* the designers remember to make them user switchable, like the light on the 700. There's no reason to use it if you're looking for longer battery life, and while some of the price of the 700 did go into the light, the other benefits make it a worthwhile device even if you never use the light.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by dhbailey

There's no reason to think that your 505 won't continue to work for many years to come, especially with the need to recharge the battery only once every few weeks.

The limiting factor will be how long Sony continue to offer battery replacements for it - in 5 years time, virtually every 505 that's been sold to date will be in serious need of a new battery. That's one of the issues one faces when buying a machine which doesn't have a user-replaceable battery.

[Kris777]

Originally Posted by HarryT

The limiting factor will be how long Sony continue to offer battery replacements for it - in 5 years time, virtually every 505 that's been sold to date will be in serious need of a new battery. That's one of the issues one faces when buying a machine which doesn't have a user-replaceable battery.

Sony may offer send units back for battery replacement and charge some fee for it (I remember Apple did it for old versions of iPod players)

[Aurora W]

Originally Posted by Kris777

Sony may offer send units back for battery replacement and charge some fee for it (I remember Apple did it for old versions of iPod players)

That, and you could find kits for some of the iPods (replaced the one in my Mini at home) - after looking at the 505 it's probably going to have to be some professional battery replacement (like you mentioned)

[lovebeta]

I finally saw this thing in the borders store. I have to say that, like most of the members here, I am disappointed with the screen. And I don't find the touch screen particularly useful. The page turn speed is impressive though. So I would like to say an upgraded device with 505 type of control and 700's screen control chip. I think maybe Kindle 2 could satisfy this requirement.

[Kris777]

Originally Posted by lovebeta

I finally saw this thing in the borders store. I have to say that, like most of the members here, I am disappointed with the screen. And I don't find the touch screen particularly useful. The page turn speed is impressive though. So I would like to say an upgraded device with 505 type of control and 700's screen control chip. I think maybe Kindle 2 could satisfy this requirement.

so, you choose option 3 ($0 - I don't want to upgrade it), right?

[Kris777]

The results: 67.35% (98 people participated) don't want to upgrade. I guess it will be the same results for Kindle1->Kindle2 upgrade

[ChelC]

I'm not voting because I don't have the 505. I'll tell you why I chose the 700 though. For me the difference in screen contrast didn't seem all that dramatic as a new user. We'll be using this device in our homeschool so that my kids can access the public domain books, and also for my personal reading and scripture study. Any device that doesn't have collections is almost useless for me. I have to have the ability to make notes, and speed is important. I also want the ability to change SD cards for the kids, so that the unit is customized to the user.

This for me eliminated the kindle and the 505.

I think most of the 505 users probably don't need the same features as many of the new users do, or they probably would not already have a reader. Chances are that those who purchased the 505 weren't looking for any of those features so of course for them the screen contrast will be a deal killer, but that doesn't mean that the 700 is inferior simply because of that issue.

[dordale]

ChelC--
I'm in full agreement with your statement.

I think most of the 505 users probably don't need the same features as many of the new users do, or they probably would not already have a reader. Chances are that those who purchased the 505 weren't looking for any of those features so of course for them the screen contrast will be a deal killer, but that doesn't mean that the 700 is inferior simply because of that issue.

I have a 505 and love it. I wouldn't trade it for the 700--but my husband has a 700 and he loves it and wouldn't trade it for the 505. I read mainly fiction/novels and really like the better contrast on the 505. My husband does a significant amount of technical reading on his, so finds the additional features--better zoom, search, highlighting to be worth the loss in clarity.

dordale