Sony Reader Touch Review
I love books. I love the way they feel, I love the way they smell, and I love the magical worlds they contain. I have more books than I know what to do with and have traded in so many at the used bookstore I have enough credit for a small country. However, when I first heard about eBook readers I was immediately intrigued. The concept seemed interesting. In one small device, I could store hundreds books and have them at my fingertips anytime I wanted. No more finishing a book on vacation and wishing I had brought another book from home to read. No more sitting at the doctor’s office wishing I had something to look at other than year old issues of Good Housekeeping. Finally, reading whenever and wherever I want – utopia!
I researched the various models of digital readers and decided on the Sony Reader Touch. The price was a little steep, so I decided to wait to purchase it. When Christmas rolled around, the only thing I asked Mr. Saluki to buy me was a digital reader. Of course I looked longingly at the package under the tree, wishing I could open it immediately. After much waiting and anticipation, I opened my present on Christmas Eve and immediately began playing with it.
The first thing I noticed was the size. It is roughly the same size as a small paperback novel. I have the version with the 6 inch screen. However, there are models with 5 and 7 inch screens as well. It is also lightweight (10 oz), which makes it comfortable to hold the device for extended periods of time. So, for size and weight, I give the Sony Reader Touch two thumbs up.
Next is the screen. The use of E-ink technology makes it feel like you are reading an actual book. The screen is a greyish color and the text is black, which really gives the impression of paper. You can also adjust the text size from small all the way to XXL. I have found that medium text best replicates reading a book. In my opinion, one of the best things about the device is that there is no glare. It is nothing like reading from a computer screen. No eye fatigue, no headache. And, you can read in direct sunlight! My only complaint is the lack of backlight. However, there is a case with a light that you can buy separately, which will be my next purchase. So, a definite two thumbs up for readability.
Another important feature of the device is its touchscreen. You can use this feature to turn pages and navigate the menu. There are right and left page advance buttons as well. I find using the buttons is easier than the touchscreen for turning pages. There is a notepad feature, which I could see using in a meeting or taking notes in school. You can even export your notes to your computer using the Reader software, which is pretty cool. Another neat feature is the ability to highlight portions of text, which is another one of those features that I probably won’t use, but I can see it being useful.
Lastly, the Sony Digital Touch accepts multiple formats, which means you aren’t limited in what types of ebooks you can load to your device. I’ve ordered ebooks from Ebay, purchased some online through the Reader store, and even converted a few stories to PDF and loaded them onto my reader. The possibilities are endless, and I can’t wait to add more books to my Reader.
Other features of the Sony Digital Touch include a built in dictionary, memory expansion slots and the ability to import both pictures and music to your device. I’ve already imported some pictures, and the quality is good but anything you import will be in black and white.
So, my final verdict on my Sony Reader Touch – I love it! I’ve already read one book on it and can’t say enough about how much it felt like reading an actual book. I can see myself taking this everywhere I go so that I have hundreds of books at my fingertips whenever I want them. But, I can also tell you I won’t be giving up purchasing paper books anytime soon. There is just something about curling up with a good book that a digital reader can’t replace.
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