Sony and Amazon are pushing digital books into the mainstream, but despite repeated attempts, eBook readers have remained a luxury rather than a necessity. Below we looked at some of the benefits of owning a dedicated eBook reader, along with some budget-friendly alternatives Amazon and Sony don't want you to know about.
e-book Readers
| Amazon Kindle | Sony Reader Digital Book PRS-505/SC | Sony Reader Digital Book PRS-700** | UMPC Laptop + Software | iPhone + Stanza App |
|  |  |  |  |  |
| Price | $309* | $299 | $399 | from $299 | from $199 |
| Screen Size | 6" | 6" | 6" | from 7" | 3.5" |
| Weight | 10.3 oz. | 9 oz. | 10 oz. | from 2.2 lbs | 4.7 oz. |
| Formats Supported | AZW, TXT, HTML, .MOBI, .PRC, PDF | DRM Text, BBeB Book, PDF, TXT, RTF, ePub | DRM Text, BBeB Book, PDF, TXT, RTF, ePub | PDF, ePub, LIT, HTML, .MOBI, unprotected AZW | PDF, ePub, LIT, HTML, .MOBI, unprotected AZW |
| Onboard Storage | 256MB | 256MB | 512MB | 8GB | 8GB |
| External Storage | SD | Memory Stick Duo, SD | Memory Stick Duo, SD | Multiple devices/cards | None |
| Rated Battery Life | 30 hours | 7,500 page turns | 7,500 page turns | N/A | N/A |
Via coupon "OPRAHWINFREY" (ends Nov 1, 2008)
**Available next month.
eBook state of affairs
Although there are plenty of eBook readers to choose from, Sony and Amazon are the only two companies with a following. However, you don't necessarily need a dedicated eBook reader to enjoy digital books. Coupled with the right software, your current notebook or even your iPhone can double as an eBook reader, saving you a few hundred dollars. The downside is that it won't offer the same experience you get from a dedicated device. In addition, your laptop and iPhone won't play some DRM-protected content, such as books purchased from Amazon's Kindle store.
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