Sony Reader Review

Sony used to offer three ebook readers, but has since revamped its strategy and now focuses on one model that incorporates features found in the best ereaders. The latest version is the Sony Reader Wi-Fi PRS-T1, which is basically a Sony Reader Touch Edition with Wi-Fi and audio support added. Sony Reader Wi-Fi reviews praise the competitive pricing, range of functionalities, and overall performance. Although a Sony Reader Wi-Fi review on Tech Radar says the touchscreen is a tad sluggish, the weight of expert opinion expressed on other review sites deems the touchscreen responsive. Engadget says pages load quickly but the page-by-page refresh produces a nano-second of flicker. Still, text looks sharp and the readability factor is high on the six-inch screen. Experts award the Sony Reader Wi-Fi bonus points for the inclusion of Wi-Fi connectivity and support for audio files. CNET's Sony Reader Wi-Fi review says the company is finally getting its due with this model after having pioneered both the ereader concept and the use of E Ink touchscreen technology with infrared sensors.

The Sony Reader Wi-Fi is easy to manage. In addition to the swipe page turns, you can tap and hold to call up words from one of the 12 stored (multilingual) dictionaries, use a finger or the stylus to highlight passages and write notes, and pinch to zoom in and out. There are eight font sizes and seven font styles, and the 2GB of internal memory stores up to 1,200 titles; a microSD card significantly expands the size of your own virtual holdings and you can download directly from your local library. A single battery charge lasts up to a month with the wireless turned off, or for 14,000 page turns, a level of performance that PC World's Sony Reader Wi-Fi review notes is weaker than other leading ereaders. This model supports EPUB, PDF, and TXT formats; JPEG, PNG, BMP image files; and MP3 and ACC audio files. It weighs slightly less than six ounces and comes in black, white, and red.

This is a solid entry in the ebook reader race. Unlike the Kindle, the Sony Reader Wi-Fi supports EPUB and the company maintains an extensive list of titles available for sale. One small knock against the Sony is the price -- it's the most expensive of our picks but well within competitive range.