Sony Reader vs. Kindle
As e-book (electronic book) readers become more popular, Amazon and Sony are competing against each other for leadership in the market. A lot of people prefer the feel of a good old-fashioned paper book in their hand, but like it or not, the market is changing and more people are realizing the beauty of having multiple books stored away in their readers. Many books are available for upload with the push of a button. The e-books don't take up space on bookshelves and are always available. This comparison will rate the Sony Reader and the the Kindle 2.
Other People Are Reading
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Screen
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The Sony Reader can be turned so that the screen can be read in a landscape or portrait position. The buttons are a bit harder to navigate in this position, but it does provide a way to rest the hands from the other position. The screen also has a light around the edges, allowing the reader to be used in low-light situations like a dim bedroom or on a plane, etc. While the Kindle doesn't have a built-in light, there are lights available for purchase to make reading in low-light situations possible.
Overall Appearance
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The Kindle 2 is slightly bigger than the Sony Reader in size, but the actual screen size is the same. The Kindle's larger size allows for a QWERTY keyboard at the bottom. The Sony's keyboard has an on-screen keyboard. The Sony's case is a darker color, or can be purchased in several other colors, whereas the Kindle's case is bright white. The Kindle's functions, next page, menu, etc., have separate keys at the side of the screen. The Sony does have navigation buttons along the bottom of the screen.
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Fun Feature and Costs
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One fun feature on the Kindle 2 is the text-to-speech feature. This feature allows the books, newspapers, or magazines to be read aloud to the consumer. The function is easy to turn on and off, so the Kindle can read to you when traveling in traffic and then can be turned off so the consumer can read on their own when not traveling. The Sony Reader starts at approximately $199. The Kindle 2 costs approximately $299. Because technology constantly changes, check the websites for current prices.
Fonts
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Both the Kindle and the Sony Reader have adjustable font size. This is a wonderful perk for users with tired eyes or users who prefer larger print when reading. The Kindle's font can be changed to six different font sizes. The Sony's font can be changed between three sizes; small, medium, or large. The only downside is that the larger font size will necessitate more page turns, more often.
Downloads
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The Kindle allows access to hundreds of thousands of books in seconds. The 3G wireless system means downloads occur in less than 60 seconds. No cables attached to computers are needed. The Kindle will hold approximately 1500 books. Sony has worked a deal with Google to allow the download of thousands of books for free. Books are available for purchase on the Sony site, too. The Sony holds approximately 350 books. It needs a cable for downloads.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Dooly
