| Electronic book readers are a look into the future. | | | | sizes available, while the Sony has 5. Both readers |
| It won't be too long before we are all reading | | | | have a 6" display and both use e-ink electronic |
| using this format. While physical books, magazines | | | | paper display. |
| and newspapers won't disappear overnight (and | | | | The Sony requires a computer for downloading |
| hopefully never), it is believed that our | | | | your books, while the Kindle uses a built-in wireless |
| grandchildren or great-grandchildren will be using | | | | connection to download books from almost |
| electronic readers as their primary method of | | | | anywhere. There is no extra charge for the Kindle |
| reading. | | | | wireless connectivity and most books (depending |
| While electronic book readers have been around | | | | on location) will download in under a minute. |
| for a few years, it is only recently that the | | | | Both electronic book readers have USB cables |
| technology and capabilities of them have | | | | and wall charging units although the wall charger is |
| progressed far enough to catch the publics avid | | | | an additional accessory for the Sony - it is |
| eye. | | | | included with the Kindle 2. The listed battery life |
| Currently, there are two major developers of | | | | for the Sony is "up to 7,500 continuous pages (or |
| electronic book readers. Sony PRS 700BC and | | | | up to two weeks of reading) on a single charge". |
| Amazon's Kindle 2. Both are light weight and both | | | | The Kindle states: "up to 4 days with wireless on. |
| are closely matched in price. The Knidle sells for | | | | Turn wireless off and read for up to 2 weeks" on |
| $359 and the Sony for $399. | | | | a single charge. |
| Both the Sony and the Amazon product are | | | | The Kindle has Text-To-Speech technology, which |
| about the size of a regular paperback and weigh | | | | the reader can switch to and from with one click. |
| around 10oz. The Sony will hold about 350 | | | | With the included conversion software, you can |
| average sized books, while the Kindle will hold | | | | read Adobe, MS Word BbeB and other text file |
| approximately 1500. The Sony does offer | | | | formats on the Sony PRS 700BC electronic Book |
| additional memory, however, in the form of | | | | reader. The Kindle offers email conversion of |
| external memory sticks. (8 GB for $89 and 16 | | | | these document for a small (.10 per document) |
| GB for $120). | | | | fee or offers the same service for free through |
| The Sony PRS 700BC electronic book reader has | | | | a free email connection |
| a built in LED light for night reading while the Kindle | | | | Both electronic readers offer, search and |
| does not. However, Kindle offers a clip on light for | | | | highlighting capabilities. While the Kindle has a built in |
| under $15. | | | | keyboard, the Sony offers a "virtual" keyboard |
| The Kindle 2 currently has 230,000 titles available | | | | using their touch screen technology. |
| in their Kindle store. The Sony uses DRM format | | | | The Kindle offers free wireless access to the |
| with thousands of titles available. From my | | | | Wikipedia and has it's own built in dictionary as |
| research it appears that the electronic books | | | | well. |
| available at Kindle are, on average, about $4 less | | | | These are the major features of both electronic |
| than the same titles available at Sony's eStore. | | | | book readers and it's up to you to decide which |
| The Kindle 2 electronic book reader has 6 type | | | | one you prefer. |