Virtually Reading

I am something of a bookworm (okay, understatement), and an American friend had been telling me recently how much she was enjoying her new Kindle eBook reader. Since I take public transit daily, and will be taking a fairly long train trip at Christmas, it sounded like it might be worth checking out – a machine the size and weight of a paperback that holds a couple of hundred books.

Don’t bother, fellow Canadians – they are sold only in the U.S., and will only work there.

During my research, however, I discovered that Sony was selling something very similar. It needed to be plugged into a computer to download books, unlike Kindle, but on the upside it can be used in Canada. It is also metal rather than plastic, and has a more attractive appearance (in my opinion). Most importantly, it contains the same “E-Ink” technology that makes the screen almost as easy on the eyes as a sheet of paper.

So a couple of weeks ago I invested $299.00 in a Sony PRS-505. It comes with 100 free downloads from Sony’s eBook store (out-of-copyright books only) to get you started. It has its own format, but can read several others. Additionally, free software is available on the Internet to convert books from one format to another.



So after two weeks what do I think? Well, I got pretty much what I expected. I am not planning to give up on printed books – there is just something comforting about curling up with a good book that hitting buttons on a machine can’t match. But it is a terrific tool for reading on the subway or while travelling, and the screen is much easier to read than a computer. In addition, you can set the font to three different sizes, so if your eyes are getting tired or the light isn’t the best, you can increase the print size at any time.

If you would like to learn more, here is a blogger who has all the details:

http://ebooktest.blogspot.com/