I’m still home with my family, where my reading and internet time is limited. In fact, I’ve yet to finish a book since I’ve been here, though I’ve started several! The next week will be a little short on reviews as (a) I haven’t read much, and (b) I’d like to review 2010 before moving on to 2011. Today, though, I’d like to introduce you to the newest member of my library, brought to me by Santa: my new Sony Reader!
Over the past few months I spent a good deal of time researching and trying three eReaders: the Amazon Kindle, the Barnes & Noble Nook, and the Sony Reader. I chose the Reader for several reasons (obviously some more important than others):
- First and foremost, I love its amazing note-taking capabilities. It’s the only one of the big three with a full touch screen and a stylus, which makes looking up a word (double-tap and the definition appears), highlighting, bookmarking, and even adding handwritten notes are extremely easy.
- It’s not dependent on a specific company; I can get eBooks from a variety of sources.
- I can borrow library books on it.
- The whole screen is touch, which means no keyboard or separate navigation screen is necessary on the front of the device.
- It’s easy to organize my digital library.
- I can change the screen saver pictures to my own photos!
The first thing I did was to set up a NetGalley account and request a few digital ARCs. I then headed over to Project Gutenberg and downloaded all the books on my Classics Reclamation Project list that were available. So far, my new Reader has 93 books on it…and it’s only been two days!
As for actually reading on the device, I’m relieved to find I have no problems with it. I’ve only read 30 pages or so on it, but the Reader is lightweight and comfortable to hold, and the E Ink screen really is easy to read. Yes, it’s missing the tactile pleasures of reading an actual book, but for certain situations (pretty much anythin on-the-go) the Reader will be perfect. I will, of course, always have my paper library at home, and I know it will continue to grow!
Overall assessment: I’m even happier with my Sony Reader than I’d expected. I’m 100% sure I chose the right eReader for me. (If you are looking at them, I cannot stress how important it is to go and play with the different options for yourself–they’re all good for different things, and the best eReader for you depends heavily on what you’re looking for in an eReader!)
I’m working on knitting my Reader a case so it can travel safely with me. I’m also wracking my brain for a suitable name for my Reader. I’m shooting for something literary but preferably not gender-specific, and I’m having a devil of a time coming up with something. Does anyone have any suggestions?
I love my Sony reader – glad you are happy with yours so far!
I love it! I believe it was your post about your Reader that first got me looking at them, so thanks 🙂
I’m glad you got your ereader! I’m starting to read a little more on my kindle, but still not too much. I wonder if having a new iPad will change that, reading books on there…but I worry about my eyes starting at the screen, you know? Well we’ll see…
Don’t you love Gutenberg??
Gutenberg is amazing! I think the Reader will be especially great for traveling, as well as for having with me in situations where I have to wait. It’s thinner and lighter than most books and would be easy to just carry around. We’ll see, though! I’m not sure I could read on an iPad, with the backlighting. Though I’d have plenty of fun doing other things on it!
93 books?! I have had my Kindle for three years and I doubt I have that many books on it! lol.
Yup…thank you, Project Gutenberg! And NetGalley. I haven’t bought a book for my Reader yet!
Glad you are enjoying your Sony Reader! I love my nook for many of the same reasons you give. I think I would really like the full touch screen, otherwise, they are similar. Multiple formats and the ability to work with libraries is what narrowed the field for me.
Enjoy your reader and I look forward to seeing it at our next meeting!
It was the touch screen that put me over the edge toward the Reader. That, and its easy note-taking functions, which are definitely due to the touch screen. I’m a bit of an obsessive notetaker 🙂 I have to sign up for the Free Library of Philadelphia now!
I tend to go with famous last names for my devices; my iPod’s name is Krumholtz after actor David Krumholtz, since my iPods named after composers or musicians tend to die horrible, horrible deaths. Surnames tend to be fairly gender neutral—for instance, I knew a guy in high school named Austen after you-know-who.
I like that idea! I’ll have to think about which famous last names might work for me. They do have that bonus of being gender neutral. Hmm…
What a great Christmas gift, and 93 books?? Wow! That is amazing in itself! I hope you enjoy it to the fullest and that it continues to be wonderful for you. I don’t have any suggestions for a name though!
I downloaded them all while my family was watching their new DVDs 😀 So far, I’ve definitely been enjoying it!
Thanks for sharig this. I’ve been shopping around, too, and am leaning toward Sony because of this post.
Thanks!
Feel free to let me know if you have any questions! I’m so, so happy with my decision. Good luck making yours 🙂
My nook is Calliope, my iPhone is Morpheus. I was on a mythology kick for awhile. The laptop, however, is Mike Wazowski (he’s green, with a camera that looks like an eye). Which means the little green netbook is Ike.
If your eReader is a female, you could go with Sonia. Or, you could opt for a classic character, to go along with your CRP.
I love all your device names! I really like Sonia…it’s currently the front runner, even though I didn’t want a gender-specific name initially. I’d love to name it after a classics character, but if I do that, I’ll have to postpone the naming, as I’ll have to read some classics before I can choose a character! Thanks for the suggestions!
I’m the proud owner of a new Kindle (thanks to the PF), so no doubt I’ll be posting my review of it soon. The Sony reader looks great, though!
How about the Gaskell or the Eliot (both women who have written under men’s names–very gender non-specific!
Ooh, nice! I’ll be interested to read your reactions. Gaskell or Eliot would both work! I like the gender non-specific, women-who-wrote-as-men thing. I’ll have to read some of their novels first, though, just in case I end up hating one of them!
Glad you enjoy your eReader!! Technology is amazing!
I travel frequently for work and am always stuck in an airport, hotel, etc. – and I was so very excited when I opened up one of my presents and it was the Nook Color! I felt the most comfortable with this device the most and so far, I have yet to put it down because I am sucked into The Passage by Justin Cronin. I knew that this would be the perfect thing for me to download all of these chunkster books and not have to worry about my back hurting with my purse, laptop, etc., and a 700-page book when I am going through security, getting on the plane, etc.! I thought it would be tough to get used to reading on it, but so far, it’s been immensely easy!
Ooh, a Nook Color! I haven’t played with that one. I bet it’s cool! Don’t you love being able to carry around a bunch of chunksters without adding extra weight?? I love being able to have several books with me at once, too, especially for traveling. I never thought I’d be an eReader convert, but I think I am now! Enjoy your Nook!!
I have the exact same ereader and I also love it! We started off with Nooks but soon realized they were not for us (hated having the separate touch area and they were really laggy… plus the battery life just wasn’t great) and when I spotted this ereader at Target, I fell in love. Even though other ereaders come out that are fancier and shinier, I have no regrets.
I called my ereader “My Little Psony”, because I love a pun!
I was going to get a Nook until I got to play with the Sony, which was the last eReader I looked into. I’m really happy with my choice and am glad to hear a longer-term user still loves her Sony! Or should I say, psony…that is AWESOME!!
Sounds like you did a lot of good research. And 93 books!! Wow … you got that loaded up quickly (Project Gutenberg is awesome isn’t it? I read all my classics from them on my Kindle.)
Enjoy … you’ll love it more and more over time I think.
I love me some Project Gutenberg! While my family was watching TV, I just sat there and downloaded every classic I had even the vaguest interest in reading. Maybe I’ll actually read some of them now! Someone should do a challenge about reading classics on an eReader. I would enjoy the irony 🙂