We’ve all heard about Amazon’s entry into the electronic book business a few weeks ago. And while it looks like a great device on paper, several negative reviews have floated about. I won’t comment on the device, having not tried it myself. But having alternatives in life is always good. So if you wanted to buy an eBook reader, and don’t want a Kindle, there’s always Sony’s PRS-505 Reader.

It has much the same features as the Kindle, but is priced at $300, which is $100 less. It’s also quite a bit easier on the eyes. The PRS-505 replaces the PRS-500 model, and has a few updates:

The ‘505 keeps the 6″ SVGA display of the original Reader, but uses an improved version of E Ink’s imaging film with faster refresh time, brighter white state, and 8-level grayscale.PRS-505 is thinner than its predecessor (8 mm vs. 13 mm) and comes with more internal memory (192 MB vs. 64 MB).

Other new product features include auto-synchronization to a folder on a host PC, support for the USB Mass Storage Device profile, and full USB charging capability

However (and this may be the PRS-505’s achilles heel) it IS completely wired, unlike the Kindle. If you want to get any content on it, you must either connect it to a computer, or get content on a storage card. And that wireless convenience alone might just be enough to look over the heftier price tag and ugly step-child looks of the Kindle.

Still, alternatives are good.

[ Product Page ]