The Bottom Line
I wanted to love the Sony Reader Daily Edition. But I don’t. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a nice e-book reader. It’s solid, well-made, feels great, and has a noticably larger screen the the Nook or standard Amazon Kindle. It’s just not quite as user-friendly as the Nook, Amazon Kindle, or iPad, and its bookstore prices can be higher (at the moment) than other e-readers. For now, business travelers should bet on the Kindle, with its international support, or the iPad.
Pros
- 3G wireless access to books and periodicals
- Relatively large 7-inch touch screen
- Built-in leather cover and case
- Nice build quality and solid feel. Comfortable to hold
- Extensible storage (using standard SD card, even—unusual for Sony)
Cons
- Touch screen provides a bit more glare and depth than Kindle or Nook screens
- Sony store not as robust or fast as Amazon.com with Kindle
- Limited international coverage for integrated 3G wireless connection
Description
- Larger version of Sony’s popular electronic reader
- High-quality integrated leather cover with magnetic closure easily protects screen
- Integrated 3G wireless access to Sony Reader bookstore from within the U.S.
- Supports Adobe PDF, Microsoft Word, and other formats, making it good for business purposes
- Light and thin - 0.6 inch thin, weighs 12.75 ounces.
- PC and Mac compatible
- Adjustable font, reading mode (landscape or portrait)
- Freehand highlighting and notes
Guide Review - Review of Sony Reader Daily Edition
The Sony Reader Daily Edition is Sony’s answer to the Kindle, with its wireless access. Most Sony Readers require a connection to a computer to update or download books or periodicals. The Sony Reader Daily Edition has a 3G wireless capability built in, much like Amazon’s Kindle or Barnes & Noble’s Nook. It allows you to wirelessly access the Sony Reader store, where you can download from over a million free books (from Google Books) or purchase books, magazines, or newspapers.
The device is self is slick. The screen is larger the competing models and includes an integrated touch screen. The touch screen is nice for flipping pages (pretty fast response) and good for navigating menus or selecting items by touch (which is great, if you’re an iPhone user). The real downside for the screen, though, is that having a touch screen over the e-ink display adds an element of glare and reflection that you don’t have with the Kindle or Nook. The touch screen also makes it easier to take notes, highlight text or a adjust fonts.
As with most Sony products, the build quality is high. The unit’s aluminum body feels solid, light, and thin without feeling cheap. The integrated cover is perfect. Magnetic closures allow it to snap shut with a definite click.
Users with specialized document requirements might do with the Sony Reader, since it supports a broader set of document types than the Kindle, although the Nook will likely increase its support as well in the future (and don’t be surprised if Kindle does as well).
All-in-all, I really wished I liked the Sony Read Daily Edition more. The Kindle’s smaller screen is a negative if you read a lot, but the their user interface, easy of use, and general design makes it a much more appealing package—in addition to the Kindle’s international wireless support.
