Jan 25 2009
Ode to the Sony Reader
On the evening of January 15, 2009, I got my Sony reader, a silver PRS-505. It is a thing of beauty. The case looks sleek and classy. I think the red ones are very pretty too, but the silver is gorgeous and one of the reasons I wanted it is that bright colors can strain my eyes after a while. Yes, I’m the kind of person who decorates her apartment in restful shades of cream, beige and khaki, until my husband says “Can’t we get some color in here?”
And speaking of my husband, when he saw I had gotten my reader, the first words out of his mouth were “I guess you won’t be needing all these paper books, then?”
His second sentence was: “I’m jealous. You’ll love that thing more than you love me!”
I don’t quite love the reader more than I love him, but it’s a near thing. I think of a section from one of my favorite books, A.S. Byatt’s Possession, a little segment in a letter describing cucumber sandwiches:
oh, the perfect green circles — oh the delicate hint of salt — oh the fresh pale butter — oh, above all, the soft white crumbs and golden crust of the new bread
And just as Henry Randolph Ash sighs in writing to the woman he is falling in love with about the food that “the poetic imagination…pictures to itself as a form of English manna,” so I can sigh in writing about my Sony:
oh, the gleaming silver case — oh the cool, smooth feel of it in my hands — oh the e-ink display — oh, above all, those crisp black letters and the spaces that separate them into words
The letter-writers in Possession assert that “poems are worth all the cucumber sandwiches in the world.” But my new little gadget is more than a mere physical object. If the body is the temple of the soul, this Sony seems to me at this moment to be a shrine for the written word. It’s a veritable wellspring of poetry. For lo, by the morning of January 16th, I have loaded Shakespeare’s sonnets and the poems of T.S. Eliot onto my Sony.
I should make it clear that this is no small thing. I am a Luddite, a technophobe, a plank in the mud when it comes to anything electronic. When occasionally I learn something (such as the difference between a modem and a router) it often doesn’t stick with me…. and when it does stick, like my rudimentary html, it’s because, despite the fact that I find almost all things computer-related cumbersome, repetitive and demanding, those few little bits of technology give me a secret thrill.
So the fact that it took me no more than a few hours to charge my Sony, install eBook Library on my desktop computer, register my new reader, purchase eBooks from the Sony eBook Store, download them to eBook Library and from there transfer those to my reader shows that’s using the Sony is as easy as coconut cream pie.
Almost. I do have to agree with Jan about the Reader’s Quick Start Guide. Folding and unfolding the thing is annoying, and I too would have rather had a booklet with pages that you actually turn.
A bigger irritant for me is that whenever I have the reader hooked to my desktop computer via USB cable, the reader tells me not to disconnect it. So far, the only way I have found to safely disconnect the reader from the USB cable is to turn off the desktop computer first. Closing the Sony eBook Library software doesn’t seem to be enough.
My husband, who is the technogeek in the house (whereas I am, to quote him the “word nerd”), tells me that we should get a power adapter so that I don’t have to hook the Sony up to the desktop to charge it.
He also says that there should be a safe way to disconnect the reader from the USB cable without turning the desktop computer off. But what that way is, I still haven’t figured out, and hubby, who has been called upon umpteen times to troubleshoot my desktop and my PDA for me, at this particular moment is not in the mood to act as my tech support (“It’s your device; you have to learn how to operate it.”) Oh, the joys of being a Luddite.
If the USB thing is a pain in the butt, spending $$ at the Sony eBook Store is a summer breeze. Once the Sony was hooked by USB to the desktop, and my credit card information entered at the Sony eBook Store, it was simply a matter of clicking on the item I wanted, then going to my shopping cart and confirming that I wanted to purchase it. The book downloaded to my eBook Library and from there, it was nothing to drag it over to the Sony Reader icon and load it on my reader. Since I’m a sucker for instant gratification, I can tell I’m going to have to be careful not to read myself into penury.
Reading on an e-ink display after squinting at computer screens large and small (I consider my Dell Axim PDA a computer, just a very small and limited one) is a joy. The letters are curved in all the right places.
I know that sounds pervy, but I have a thing for letters. Some people want to make love in a bank vault amidst millions of dollars. Me, I’d rather do it amidst thousands of magnetic poetry kit words (“I is still in love by you” my husband once spelled out with magnetic poetry on our fridge, when he couldn’t find an “am” or a “with.” Ingenuity is only one of the reasons I’m still with him). Language is the way to seduce me.
And so, though I am daunted by the idea of trying to figure out the difference between Calibre and “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari,” I am determined to do so. Eventually. After I’ve had a chance to curl up with my Sony reader and enjoy the beauty of the written word.
“I am moved by fancies that are curled / Around these images, and cling” writes T.S. Eliot in his poem “Preludes.” So am I, Thomas Stearns. And they are that much more moving in e-ink.
Note: Sony is having a special Valentine’s Day Reader bundle in conjunction with Harlequin’s 60th Anniversary starting Jan 28th. We will have more details for you next week.
Related posts:
Jan 25, 2009 @ 12:11:23
o da jealousy lol
Figure it all out so I can refer back when I finally get me one!
Jan 25, 2009 @ 12:21:39
The solution to the USB problem is simple- you just close the Library. Voila! No “Safely Remove Hardware.” Once you close the library, you’ll see the USB cord image still on, but the do not disconnect goes away. Then just yoink that baby out.
Also, if you want to read while it charges, take yourself to Target and buy a Sony PSP charger (they might even have them on clearance). It charges faster and allows you to read at the same time.
And, if you are like me, you will love your Reader more and more every day. I coo at mine (My…Preccciiooousssss).
Last but not least, 20% off one book (not bundles) with the code JNYREADS.
Jan 25, 2009 @ 12:58:18
I’m strictly an end-user, not quite a luddite.
I love my Sony reader with a passion that is probably illegal in my southern state (and three or four others). I was devastated when I lost it a couple weeks ago. Turned out, I had taken it to bed. Captain Blood in bed, what could be better?
Calibre isn’t hard. I can use it and not foul things up.
Keep at it, and prepare to be become an e-reader evangelist. Not very many people have encountered them, and they want to see and handle and learn.
Jan 25, 2009 @ 13:34:26
When you have your reader plugged into your computer and the software is running, you should notice a little “eject” symbol next to the Reader listed in the left-handed menu. The symbol is a triangle with a line beneath it. Just click on that symbol, wait a minute and you should notice that your Reader disappears from the menu on the left – this means it’s okay to disconnect it from the USB chord (double check that it doesn’t say “Do not Disconnect” on your reader’s screen). Then you can keep on using the software on your PC if you want.
I, too, decided to get a charger for the reader because it didn’t seem to be getting fully charged via the USB connector. But I had the hardest time locating one. Borders – where I got the reader – didn’t carry them in the store and it was on backorder via their website. Best Buy didn’t even list them. I ended up getting something from a third-party company (via Amazon) that works fine, and it only cost $19.95 which was cheaper than the official Sony Reader Adaptor. Now I can plug in and keep reading even if my battery gets low without having to hook up to my PC.
Jan 25, 2009 @ 13:47:02
Question for you, Janine…..
Does it have a back lit screen so that you can read in bed and not have to have on room light? Thanks, Liz
Jan 25, 2009 @ 13:52:40
Liz – I’ll but in for Janine and answer your question. No, it doesn’t. The general consensus is that it induces eye strain anyway. I use a book owl booklight at night, and it does the trick. You use the same amount of light you would for any other book.
Lynn- I’ve never noticed that before. I know the way Sony tells you to do it is to close the Library software. I wonder why they don’t mention that.
Jan 25, 2009 @ 13:58:28
Rebyj — Will try, but honestly, Jane or Jan are better people to ask about technical issues!
Jessica G. — Do you mean close the Sony eBook Library on the desktop computer screen? Or are you referring to something on the Sony?
I tried to close the Sony eBook Library on the desktop screen. The first time I did it it worked exactly as you describe. But later attempts were unsuccessful. I still have not figured out why.
Thanks for the coupon code!
Angelia — Thanks. I will keep at it. I’m glad to hear that Calibre isn’t hard.
Lynn — Can you be more specific about where the “eject” symbol appears? Is it on the reader, or on the desktop, and in which menu?
My husband got me a charger for the reader, but I have not tried it yet. It seems to keep its chage for a very long time, something I really appreciate.
Liz — No, it doesn’t have a backlit screen — from what I understand no e-ink device does. I believe the e-ink technology is incompatible with backlighthing. However, if I’m not mistaken Sony makes a page-shaped light that you can buy and that goes on in the front of the reader. The Sony PS-700, the next model up from this one, comes with an integrated front light.
If any of what I said to Liz above is inaccurate, I hope that someone will correct me…
Jan 25, 2009 @ 13:59:51
Janine, we are definitely separated at birth: TS Eliot was one of the first things I loaded onto it. I love the way poetry looks on the screen. I think the inability to flip through physical pages makes me concentrate more.
Glad to see you’ve been sucked into the Sony Reader vortex. I loved mine so much I got my husband one for Christmas. He’s now shamefully neglecting his iPod Touch. And even though I love my Centro, it’s hard to go back and read on that once you’ve been spoiled by the big e-ink screen.
Harlequin bundle … oooh!
ETA: I have the Sony light but I prefer a normal clipon booklight, and some people have gotten scratches on the Reader if they leave it in the Sony light case.
Jan 25, 2009 @ 14:08:44
Like Sunita, I also have that light. It’s not worth the price. Several reasons: 1) it scratches easily and you see those marks while you’re reading. 2) it adds considerable weight to the reader and 3) when you’re reading without the light on, you still have to keep the light flipped over the reader, which creates a glare and reduces a lot of the benefits of eink. I’m actually getting ready to buy a new case for the Sony and just use one of my clip-on lights like I did for the Kindle.
Jan 25, 2009 @ 14:11:59
I have been told that the PSP charger works just as well as the Reader packaged charger, and at a much lesser cost. Both are Sony products.
Jan 25, 2009 @ 14:17:00
Sunita — It is always great to find another T.S. Eliot fan!
Sunita & Angela — Is there a specific clip-on light you would most recommend?
Jan 25, 2009 @ 14:17:27
Angela, thanks!
Jan 25, 2009 @ 14:34:06
I use a couple different ones. I’ve not found one I prefer over the other, though I have one somewhat like this: like this that I like since the neck is adjustable.
What I wish is that they’d make for the Sony a cover/light like this light for the Kindle. If you look at the fourth picture from the left (under the main item picture) you can see how the light slides into the case for use, and also travels easily with the Kindle. I want one for the Sony!
Jan 25, 2009 @ 14:40:14
Janine – that’s weird. My mom’s did the same thing right when I first plugged it in, but when I restarted it worked fine. I meant just close the library screen on your computer. Sounds like you are doing it right, I’m not sure what is going on. I would try it again, and if it doesn’t work, reopen the library software again and after a few minutes, close it again. If that doesn’t work, then restart and use Lynn’s method.
Booklights- I have a Book Owl (buy one get one free Borders Black Friday), and it isn’t very good. It flickers if I breathe. Mine might be defective though. I liked Mighty Brights though.
PSP chargers work the best (Sony even recommends using them). I got mine at clearance at Target (it was actually the Sony braned one) for $7.48.
Jan 25, 2009 @ 14:46:41
Do you have a windows computer? If so, you should have at the bottom right corner of the taskbar, a small row of icons. The one you want may be hidden, but if you click on the white < symbol, it should open out. In it there will a small grey box with a green left facing arrow. If you hover over it, you will see that it is called “Safely Remove Hardware”.
Double left click on it, and it will pop up a window of all the USB devices. Select the one you want to remove and click the “Stop” button. It will then pop-up a message saying “Device is now safe to remove” or words to that effect. Go ahead and disconnect.
I’d like to know if it’s just the ones in stores getting a lot of wear and tear, or the page turning is really as slow as it seems to be. I read really fast and so I spend more time waiting for the page to refresh than I do reading, when I’ve tried them in Waterstones.
Jan 25, 2009 @ 15:01:17
I don’t know about the 700, but the 505 has a slow page refresh rate. Slower even than the Kindle. But what you find is that you learn to adapt to it really quickly. First on the Kindle and now on the Sony Reader, I’ve just learned where on the page I need to turn. In other words, if I’m 2/3 of the way down the page, I know to press the page button and while I’m still reading, let it refresh. Once I adapted, I haven’t noticed any interruption in my reading flow, and I read very quickly as well.
Jan 25, 2009 @ 15:12:41
FD – the safely remove hardware doesn’t work for this.
Jan 25, 2009 @ 15:12:55
I love my sony digital reader so much, I may just marry it. except that my hasband gave it to me for christmas and i really shouldn’t displace him since he was so wise. I’m so convinced that it makes me a much fasted and better reader doe to the lack of fidgeting required; no readjusting glasses or position after page turning etc. it’s why i was first attracted to audiobooks but they tend to lull me asleep which can be problematic when one is driving!
Jan 25, 2009 @ 16:03:04
I use an old Levenger booklight that I don’t think they carry any more. It’s heavy, but it has a diffuse white light that minimizes glare. I think the Mighty Bright is pretty good, and there are a couple of others, but there’s no clearly superior one so far. The one that Angela linked to for the Kindle looks teh awesome, though!
Has anyone tried the Light Wedge with the Sony? When I looked at it in the store I didn’t think they’d work together, but if they did the light would be pretty nice.
Jan 25, 2009 @ 16:15:23
Have any of you checked out the Foxit eSlick?
I blogged about it and placed my order already:
HERE
Jan 25, 2009 @ 17:04:56
re: disconnecting – if you’ve closed the eBook Library, just yank the cord out. It won’t hurt anything. Well, maybe if you literally “yank” on it….
re: charger – the 505 (and PSP) connection is a standard “mini-USB” type. Any mini-USB charger should work, including the ones that come with many phones (Motorola, BlackBerry, etc).
My wife gave me a 505 for Christmas. I already have way more books than time!
I have not yet had a reason to use a separate charger. I always see another book to download, so it gets plugged into my PC way before it needs a charge. Well, except for the time I was showing it off, and my sister started playing one of the MP3s, and I realized it was still running 4 hours later.
Jan 25, 2009 @ 17:23:13
Jonathan- A standard USB charger will NOT work with the Reader, it will just drain the battery. Even if it has a USB end (like ones for digital cameras) it will not work. The AC adapter plugs into an entirely separate slot (the yellow one next to the USB port).
Jan 25, 2009 @ 17:31:09
Heehee. Men are so cute, aren’t they? My husband gave me a Sony reader for Christmas and I love it! It is a thing of beauty. He also commented, “Now we’ll have a lot less books cluttering up the place. You won’t need to buy any more in print.” He’s so adorable!
Jan 25, 2009 @ 17:42:44
@Angela James The 700 refresh rate is really fast. I don’t have a Kindle so I can’t make a comparison but it’s one of the reason I ended up keeping the 700.
Jan 25, 2009 @ 20:36:19
Hey Janine – glad you got a reader, finally! I love mine, it’s a blue one. Calibre shouldn’t be all that difficult for you and well, that’s it. Enjoy!!!
As for the light source, I use MightyBright2 and that seems to work just fine (and it’s cheap and has two levels of brightness).
Jan 25, 2009 @ 20:50:37
Has anyone tried this light?
I originally purchased Verilux’s version of the wedge light, but it arrived scratched from Amazon, so I sent it back immediately. I loved the size (it was larger than the Sony screen), as well as the light coverage, and it had a nice rubber lip to keep it elevated above the Sony screen. But I could not stand the distortion of the light on the scratched surface, and I knew I would not be able to keep it from scratching further, so for me the wedge lights are probably not a good match.
Jan 25, 2009 @ 21:27:42
Wait, keeping the 700? What did we miss? I thought you all were getting 505s? I remember you posted a link to the negative reviews of the 700 due to glare?!
Spill, is the glare as bad as anticipated? Obviously, the refresh rate is attractive!? Attractive enough to overcome the glare?
The only reason I’ve been looking at the 505 was the glare issue, so if that’s not an issue, then I need to know. :)
Spill! :) Thanks!
Jan 25, 2009 @ 21:37:16
@GrowlyCub I kind of brazenly asked Sony if I could get a 700 instead of a 505 and they agreed. (Sony has been great to us, obviously). I don’t know that the glare is bad or worse than the 505, but the screen quality is less paper like – probably 2 steps down. BUT, I found that since I read almost exclusively at night, the built in light was just too great to give up. Plus, the refresh rate is quite a bit faster. I’ll be posting my own thoughts about the 700 one of these Sundays but the key for me was the builtin backlight. The refresh rate was kind of a bonus.
Jan 25, 2009 @ 22:05:39
Thanks, Jane. I think I’ll stick with the 505. I’m having major issues with skipping/skimming when reading on my laptop and the only reason want to try an e-reader is the e-ink technology which the initiated all said was very paperback like. If the 700 is more towards normal computer screen then it’s probably not for me.
Jan 26, 2009 @ 02:13:55
That “do not disconnect” message irritated me as well because I had not idea why it wouldn’t go away the first time I saw it on my 505. There is no reference to this in the user’s manual. After reading the answer on the Sony esupport site (where I typed in my question and it gave me the solution), I basically just unplug it whenever I’m done transferring without regard to whether the library software is still open. Here is the answer from this page
Jan 26, 2009 @ 10:31:46
I didn’t even realize that the instructions were “foldable”. I mean, hooking this thing up was intuitive enough (if you have experience with other similar synchronizable PDA) that I didn’t even bother with them until I tried to figure out how to friggin’ purchase a book (that one was a DUH moment for me and I didn’t like having to do that to purchase books from Sony ebooks online store while the gizmo is connected. That is the main downside, from my perspective.
Jan 26, 2009 @ 10:50:37
What a lovely, lovely piece of prose to read, Janine!
I still blink when you refer to him as “my husband.” LOL. I think, who?
Now I’m totally tempted even though I’m convinced I’ll lose my e-reader if I have one.
And I’m even tempted to give Possession another try–just because the lines you quoted are so gorgeous.
Jan 26, 2009 @ 10:53:52
Oops, I just disconnect mine as long as nothing is transferring according to the desktop. It hasn’t damaged anything yet. I hope.
I like the Mighty Bright natural spectrum reading light I got. It’s bulky but very light, though I’m using it with a plug in adapter. I have no idea how heavy it would be with 4 batteries in it.
Jan 26, 2009 @ 11:40:45
@Sunita:
That’s very interesting. I’ve developed a bad habit of skimming and flipping ahead when I start getting tired. I bet an ereader would make that harder to do.
I’ve been wanting a Sony ever since I saw a working display at Books a Million. If only the price would come down.
Jan 26, 2009 @ 12:20:11
Curses, Janine! You had to post this a few days after I put my order in for a Kindle!
That anecdote gave me a smile, and I need one today.
As for your love of letters, did you ever see the Peter Greenaway movie, The Pillow Book, starring Ewan McGregor? Takes it to a bit of an extreme, as is Greenaway’s wont, but worth seeing if you haven’t!
Jan 26, 2009 @ 15:27:41
Anne Douglas, FD & Jessica G. — Thanks!
Deb —
LOL. Since my having a Sony Reader is the result of Jane’s brainstorm, I really don’t want to displace Jane either.
Sunita, Keishon, and Jan – Thanks!!! I may look into the Mighty Brite, then.
Terri -
They sure are!
He sounds just like mine!
Robin — I will stay away from Verilux, then.
Amy — Thanks for solving the riddle of the “Do not disconnect” message. It doesn’t explain why on my reader, that message doesn’t go away when I close the Sony software. Could it be a glitch with my machine?
Mireya — I hear you on having to purchase the books while connected to the desktop. I think the wireless connection is an advantage of the Kindle.
Sherry – ::blushing:: Thank you.
LOL — I still blink when he refers to me as his wife!
On the upside, the books are all backed up on the desktop, so even if you lose your reader, you don’t lose the books. But, I don’t think it’s so small you’d lose it easily, especially if you got one of the colorful covers that Anne makes at Anne’s Addictions.
And yes, by all means give Possession another try. It’s a very rewarding book if you stick with it.
MaryK — I think we will be doing one or two more giveaways. Maybe you will win one.
Jessica — Sorry. Before I got this Sony for free, I was tempted to purchase a Kindle. The wireless capability, the two chapter previews and the discounted price on many new releases that also come out in hardcover made it very enticing. The Sony is a lot prettier, though, and you get to back up your library rather than relying on Amazon to do it. I think they both have their minuses and pluses.
And no, I haven’t seen “The Pillow Book.” I may look into it sometime.
Jan 26, 2009 @ 17:34:58
So wonderfully said. When people ask about my Reader, I think I’ll just send them to this post and say, “Everything She Said!”
Otherwise I’m left with my usual inarticulate and unlovely description: I heart my Sony Reader!
I have the 700. The text isn’t as crisp as the 505, but the built-in light, the touch screen and the ability to annotate make up for it. I like the grippy texture on the left side–it is very comfortable to hold for hours on end–so if I want to spend 4-6 hours at a stretch reading, I can.
I also heart the news feeds you can download for free using Calibre.
Jan 26, 2009 @ 21:18:00
Thanks, Bettie! I don’t care that much about the light or the touchscreen, but have to admit to being a tad envious of 700 users for the ability to annotate.
Jan 27, 2009 @ 01:44:49
Just a question – can I convert all my previously owned ebooks so I can read it in the Sony? Html, pdf?
Jan 27, 2009 @ 08:22:37
@Ana.D If there is no DRM, yes, you can. It’s easy using Calibre for html files. Not so easy with PDF. I always recommend that people save their PDFs as RTF or Htmls. RTF files do not need to be converted as the Sony reads them natively but the html will.
Jan 27, 2009 @ 08:25:25
Jane – that is great! Thanks!
Jan 27, 2009 @ 08:50:48
Tsk Jan. I use a clip-on. I don’t suffer from glare while reading but I know everybody’s looking for the perfect reading light but Mighty Bright is decent enough for me. I may take a look at the 700 but I have no plans to upgrade anytime soon. They’d have to add wireless capability for me to do that.
ETA: I didn’t quote the whole comment but I was responding to the bulky light.