Amazon Kindle 2 vs. Sony Reader PRS-700 2009 Review

The Amazon Kindle 2 and the Sony Reader PRS-700 are two of the hottest ebook readers to hit the market in the past 12 months, bringing reading pleasure to an entirely new level. For those who are new to ebook reading devices and are interested in getting one, here's a comparison of the Amazon Kindle 2 vs. Sony Reader and how they match up against each other.

Price

Of course the price is one of the biggest factors in any electronic device so let's compare them first. The Amazon Kindle 2 is now priced at $359, whereas the Sony Reader is a little more expensive at $399. If you want to judge on price then the Kindle is the winner, saving $40.

Size and Weight

The size and weight of the gadget is the next factor that we will consider. Although this is not the most distinguishing factor between the two, it does help to know. The Sony Reader is actually a little wider and thicker than the Amazon Kindle 2. In fact, the Sony weighs 10 oz, with the Amazon being a little more. They are both very easy to carry about and won't cause a problem in size or weight. There is no clear winner in this test.

Display

The two reading devices both use e-ink technology which creates a display that is very similar to text on paper, eliminating eye strain, and providing an easy read with crisp, clear text and images. The Amazon Kindle 2009 however, is now enhanced with 16 shades of gray, while the Sony Reader has an 8-level gray scale.

Wireless Capabilities

The Kindle 2 has a major benefit that the Sony Reader does not. This is because the Kindle has wireless capabilities as it makes use of the Whispernet technology. This gives access to free wireless coverage in the US via Sprint's 3G high speed network - the Sony Reader does not have this functionality. This is really one of the main buying factors for the Kindle 2, and something that the Sony cannot compete with. Anyone with a Kindle 2 can choose from 240,000 ebooks, magazines, blogs and magazines from the Kindle library. This is a huge library that that Sony users do not have. You can also access this library at anytime with wireless functionality. Because the Sony PRS-700 does have wireless capabilities, users can only access 100,000 ebooks which have a limited rage in subject matter.

Supported Formats

Both the Amazon Kindle 2 and Sony Reader PRS-700 support the most common file formats, but the Kindle does not support PDF document which is very inconvenient. You will need to email the PDF to Kindle support and have it converted if you want to use it. The Sony Reader is better than the Kindle 2 in this respect.

Storage Capabilities

The Amazon Kindle 2 can hold 2GB of internal memory. This means it can hold up to 1500 ebooks, however it doesn't support external memory cards. The Sony Reader has 256mb of internal memory, but it supports up to 16GB of external memory which is huge. This is another huge advantage that the Sony has over the Amazon Kindle 2. This means you can store huge amounts of data and keep it with you at all times on small data memory cards.

Charge Time & Battery Life

The two ebook readers have the same capacity when it comes to battery life. On a fully charged Kindle 2 or Sony Reader, one can read straight for two weeks without needing a recharge. The only difference is that if the Kindle 2 is used with the wireless turned on, the battery capacity is reduced to just four days. Charging time for both readers is four hours via USB, or two hours using an AC wall charger.

The Bottom Line 2009 Comparison of the Amazon Kindle 2 vs Sony eBook Reader:

Overall, the Amazon Kindle 2 is the best ebook reader by far. The Sony Reader is a great ebook reader, but it can't come close to the Kindle 2. The Amazon is so much better because of the price, breadth of content, wireless capabilities, and overall design improvements. The Sony Reader 700 comes in second place to the power of the Amazon Kindle 2.

Article by: ReaganMiers | Total views: 101 | Word Count: 699

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Watch the detailed video review of the Kindle 2 vs. Sony Reader here and see for yourself why the Amazon Kindle is the best handheld ebook reader money can buy right now!