Two weeks ago we bought two eBook readers to trial at work. The intention is to see how viable technologies such as this are for University students of the future, particularly as we already buy eBooks through our supplier, Dawsonera.
After just under a week of playing of the device I have to admit I am suitably impressed; the PRS-505 to start with is beautiful to look at, housed in a leather wallet which provides the studious smell you get from leather bound books. Sony also provides 100 free classic books, but these can be accessed for free anyway!
The screen is superb; I have been able to read from it without any of the strain on the eyes experienced from LCD screens. The device can also be tilted at many different angles and the reader can still view the text, something near impossible when reading from a laptop screen.
Accessibility is good, users can simply zoom in and out of the text with the touch of a button. I was also able to bookmark without any issue, as the device will save multiple pages across multiple books. The battery is impressive to – I have used it now for around 4-5 hours with no visual drop in battery life, despite only having an hours’ charge time so far.
The only drawback is that Sony requires you to install software in order to transfer books onto the device, something which many have come to detest with some MP3 players. It would be nice to see an updated version at some point, providing a simple ‘drag and drop’ set-up in Windows explorer.
Seeing this as a viable alternative for students is very challenging. The eBooks we buy are hosted through our suppliers site, as licencing issues mean that a system has to be in place for digital rights management. Making eBook texbooks available on these devices would mean years of complex negotiation with publishers, but I am sure this negotiation has already started.
A full review of this product will follow shortly. All members of Library staff will have the opportunity to try them out over the next few months, with a short questionnaire to complete.
