We’ll have to wait until December for a full Sony Reader Daily Edition review. However, Sony’s stance that ’this is Sony’s answer to the Kindle’ means that a quick Kindle 2 Vs Sony Reader Daily Edition comparison is in order.
Kindle 2 Vs Sony Reader Daily Edition – Videos
All indications are that the 7″ Sony Reader 900 will look almost identical to the Sony Reader 600. Here’s a combination of videos –
The YouTube video has good notes on screen quality (or lack thereof). It certainly seems that the 600 suffers from glare and screen contrast issues that affected the 700. This will almost certainly carry into the 900.
Kindle 2 Vs Sony Reader 900 – Price of Device and Value for Money
The $399 price of the Sony Reader 900 kills its chances to compete with the Kindle 2.
As we look at the next two sections on Killer Features we’ll see that the killer features of each balance each other out leaving the Kindle 2 as much better value for money (relatively).
When we look at book prices, we have balancing factors i.e.
- Cheaper Prices in the Kindle Store, and more free book offers on new books.
- Sony’s Free public domain books from Google and the Library ebooks factor (explored below).
Kindle 2 Vs Sony Reader Daily Edition – Kindle’s Killer Features
Kindle 2 has a few killer features -
WhisperNet Vs Wireless Store
Sony’s wireless solution from AT&T will only include access to the Sony store and will not have free Internet access, leaving some of Kindle’s advantage intact.
It also wouldn’t be a stretch to say that most people would prefer Sprint’s network over AT&T’s.
Kindle Store Content
The Kindle Store has much more content and at cheaper prices than the Sony. Sony has said it will announce some deals soon. However, Amazon has been the leader in adding new books and promoting the $9.99 price point and has a substantial lead.
Better Screen Contrast
As the video above demonstrates Sony hasn’t fixed the glare and contrast issues that afflicted the touch 700. After trying out the Sony Reader 900 myself (in December) will update this section.
Sony Reader Daily Edition Vs Kindle 2 – 900′s Killer Features
TouchScreen
One obvious competitive advantage the Sony Daily Edition has is the touchscreen. The addition of free hand notes makes it even more compelling.
This is a serious disadvantage that Amazon ought to address in Kindle 3. What makes it really challenging is that touch has to be added without hurting screen contrast.
Library eBooks
This feature is getting a lot of praise. While it might end up severely affecting ebook sales, its good to see Sony push the envelope on features.
If you contrast the limited range of paid new books in the Sony Store with -
- Presence of 500K (soon to be a million) free books from Google.
- Ability to access Free Library eBooks.
You have to ask – Does Sony even care about selling content?
It certainly looks like Sony will corner the market on people who never want to pay for an ebook. Amazon probably doesn’t mind that at all.
Sony Reader 900 Vs Kindle 2 – Portability, Screen Size and Looks
Chances are the 900 looks just like the 600 and is about the size of the Kindle -
Sony Reader 900 Vs Kindle 2 - Predicting the Design
- Battery life will not be much of a differentiating factor.
- The 7″ screen is somewhat better than 6″ – however, it is not a big factor.
- Sony clearly wins on looks, not to mention availability in various colors.
- Sony will actually end up being a little smaller or the same size as the Kindle 2, thanks to the lack of a keyboard.
- Some users will actually miss having a keyboard (even one as tiny as the Kindle 2′s).
Conclusion – Waiting to test out the Sony 900
A final verdict depends on possible improvements between now and December. It certainly seems like Sony is making a big mistake by taking on the Kindle 2 with a $399 ereader when there’s the $299 Sony 600 available..
Its particularly inelegant strategy given that price is the single biggest impediment to eReader adoption.
Sony have played up Sony 300 Vs Kindle 2, and now are promoting Kindle 2 Vs Sony 900. It almost seems like a kung-fu movie where a succession of poorly matched fighters are followed by the real enemy Boss.
Unfortunately, the enemy Boss Sony Reader 600′s lack of wireless might kill its chances of putting up a spectacular ending.
Filed under: kindle 2, sony reader Tagged: | kindle 2 vs sony reader daily edition, kindle vs sony reader
There is a pretty good video on mobiletechreview comparing the 600 to the 505 and the DX. Contrast on the 600 is way better than the 700 and appears to be pretty much on par with the DX. They both have their advantages and disadvantages, but I definitely like this size device. I’ve used an iLiad and love the roughly 8″ diagonal screen size.
i’ve put up videos of the 300 vs 600 vs kindle 2. At Kindle Vs Sony Reader Touch and Kindle Vs Sony Reader Pocket.
The contrast on the 300 is amazing. On the 600 – not as much. 300 > Kindle 2 >> 600.
Regarding this comparison, you missed one key detail in the press release regarding the PRS-900.
It said the PRS-900 will have support for 16 levels of grayscale, twice as much as the PRS-600, surely that will greatly improve the contrast ratio.
You should just start a Sony blog too, switch11, and not worry about the threat to your livelihood.
I love your blog btw; you’ve got a lot of great info.
Perhaps. The layer to support touch is what messes with readability. For contrast shouldn’t it be the darkest black and the whitest white that matter – not whether there are 6 or 14 shades of grey in between.
There is so much wrong with this “comparison”.
BIG BIG NEWS FLASH – the Kindle has free internet access?
“Sony’s wireless solution from AT&T will only include access to the Sony store and will not have free Internet access”
The company that I work for switched from AT&T to Sprint internet for our laptops. Most of the time it is very good, but other times I’ve had to drive a few blocks to get an adequate signal.
Sony’s big problem is that it can use many different formats.
Kindle’s best feature? – Amazon can delete books from the Kindle.
I had the Sony reader overnight and returned it because I found the Kindle 2 internet download access compelling. I ordered the K2 the next day and now I will need to get another because I cannot get it from my wife. I know, get rid of the wife, but that is much more costly than getting another K2. I was considering the Sony Daily Edtn., but when I realized the internet feature is on a fee basis I decided to stay with Kindle for the second device. I will probably await the K3 and with it a return to domestic tranquility.
awesome comment – glad you picked your wife
. Thought the Sony reader Daily Edition had free access to the bookstore and no fee basis.
One thing about the Sony Daily Edition that is very compelling to me is the PDF ability as that is what I mostly use for my classes… I know Kindle has this ability, but the K2 is fee based and the DX, costs more for it only being larger and having PDF… I hear that you will be able to zoom in on PDF’s which you can’t do on the DX… Plus the large amount of free books on the daily, sounds awesome!
The Kindle 2 now supports PDFs natively. Also, you can get conversions (always could) free by having them sent to your email instead of to the Kindle.
The Daily Edition is sold out till 2010.
The 1 million google books is an advantage – However, you can use Calibre (for ePub) or Amazon’s conversion service (for PDFs) to get all those free books on the Kindle.
planning to buy either the Sony Daily or the Kindle 2 for my brother for Christmas (doesn’t matter if he gets the actual device later), and i want to know whether it’s worthwhile trying to make a decision now about which to buy. i’m considering just writing him a letter telling him that one or the other will be arriving on his doorstep just as soon as i determine which is actually better.
I’d wait until the Daily Edition starts shipping. The screen glare of the 600 is a concern and it’s worth seeing a few video reviews to confirm the issue is fixed and what the Daily Edition really is like.
One thing you forgot to mention; and the major thing which drove me away from Kindle, the DRM. Amazon’s DRM looks to be a nightmare Sony’s DRM is well, flexible, depending on who you buy from. Worth mentioning I think.
Don’t understand what you mean by Sony’s DRM is flexible.
Interesting comparison. I chose the Sony 600 based purely on the fact that I wanted acces to library books. I read a lot, but am not interested in buying books when they’re free at the library.
This fact alone took Kindle totally out of the running when choosing a reader.
Not having first hand experience with the Kindle, my only issue with my Sony PRS600 is that it would benefit from a lighter background instead of the greyish bg color it employs, thereby dramatically improving contrast and readability. I suspect there is a reason for using this newsprint background color, but honestly, I’d prefer white.
I’d like to add that I don’t find the glare to be a showstopper. The touchscreen aspect truly outweighs any minor issues associated with the small amount of glare I experience.
Is the glare on the Sony so un-noticebale that it renders meaningless the fact that the Kindle’s glare is non-existant even outside on a sunny day? I do a lot of beach, soccer field, and swimming pool reading, and what blew me away the first time I saw a Kindle Dx was how easy it was to read even outside — easier than a paper book! But, 3 months later, I’m still fence-straddling, witing to see what a Sony daily Edition looks like, what kindle 3 might be, and what Amazon might entere the cage waiving. But it’s SOOOO hard to not just buy a Kindle DX that i can get my hands and eyes on NOW!
After quite a lot of research I went ahead with the Kindle 2 as a gift for my wife. It was a tough decision and I think what finally lead me to Kindle 2 is that most of the reading she really enjoys doing is paperback fiction. So the lager form factor and PDF qualities of the device for my primary needs were less important. I am hoping that I will be able to format some PDF books on asp.net, c sharp and web development for display but that will just be a bonus. Now for myself I will probably wait for a color reader that is in a form factor like the Kindle DX. Probably a few years off and still will be in the $300 range but something that can show text books and technical PDF’s without losing all the formatting and detail is what I want in the end.
i just have to say that everything posted and said on this page is very bias. There are more features than the touch addition and you should definitely wait before making a “comparison” video.
With the Sony 900 offering a touch screen, a nice leather cover, wifi, built in dictionary, PDF format that displays things correctly (unlike the Kindle), it’s better looking, and has a larger screen, and additional memory available, I am looking more at the Sony Daily Reader over the Kindle. I don’t like the keyboard taking up space, and the cost for PDF format to be on the Kindle.
Well, each has its strengths and weaknesses. There is no cost for PDF format to be on the Kindle – now Kindle supports PDF natively.
I think the ebooks are very good but I am disappointed that if you put your memory card in pictures they are all black and white. If I could get them coloured I would give the ebooks a +9.
EReaders are missing the point if they’re not lighted! I have the Sony 700 and won’t buy another reader without a built in light. Even though the battery life is only 2 hours with light on I can read at night and can use AC cord to read in the dark forever (beats a booklight). Why would you want a new age product that only has 1/2 the functionality???