My 12-year old daughter is a real bookworm and always has been. I’m not sure whether she gets her love of books from me, or she was just born a natural reader. She was even potty-trained whilst we sat reading books together!
When it came to her 12th birthday, I had already decided to buy her an eBook reader. I have a Sony PRS-600 and, have to say, I love the look and feel of the Sony ereaders.
I was delighted when I discovered that Sony had recently released the new PRS-350 and decided that this new model would make the perfect gift. Just as I anticipated, she was absolutely delighted with her birthday present!
Let’s take a look at a little bit of background information regarding the PRS-350 before we compare it to some of the other eReaders currently available…
The Sony PRS-350 replaces its predecessor the PRS-300, but this latest model now has many new and improved features, which make the way it operates similar to the more expensive Sony PRS-650.
Whereas the PRS-300 didn’t have a touch screen, the PRS-350 does. Although this is perhaps the biggest difference between the two models, there are other improvements too.
Lightweight and portable
The Sony PRS-350 is even smaller than the Amazon Kindle and weighs just 155 grams, which makes it exceptionally neat and portable. It fits beautifully in a very small handbag, or even a jacket pocket.
However, don’t be fooled by the size of this device, as it still has plenty of room for the quality features which make this eBook reader stand out from the crowd, including the battery life which means you can enjoy up to 2 weeks continuous reading from one charge.
Look and Feel
The PRS-350 is available in a choice of pink or silver. Its brushed aluminium casing makes it feel somewhat sturdier than Kindle and gives it a very modern, sleek and classy feel.
Display screen
The display screen measures 5ins diagonally, which provides a perfectly adequate and comfortable, on-screen reading area. Like the Amazon Kindle, the Sony PRS-350uses E-Ink pearl technology which offers an exceptionally clear, high quality read and won’t tire or strain your eyes. The screen ink quality is excellent and there is no glare, even in direct sunlight.
Furthermore, you can customise your reading experience to suit your personal preferences by setting the ink tone to one of the 16 changeable shades of grey. As if that wasn’t enough to guarantee a very comfortable, crystal clear read, you can also increase the adjustable screen contrast to a level which suits you personally, as well as increasing the text to one of 6 different font sizes, up to XXL.
Touch screen
As mentioned, the Sony PRS-350 now comes with a touch screen, which its predecessor the PRS-300 didn’t have. For anyone who enjoys using a touch screen this was perhaps the biggest weakness of the PRS-300 and the fact that this model now features a touch screen really makes the PRS-350 feel more like the little brother of PRS650, instead of a more basic, cheaper alternative.
There is also a stylus provided, which fits neatly into the slot at the top corner of the reading device and you can use this to write freehand notes, or draw images on screen.
Page turning
There are 2 ways to turn pages on the Sony eReader.
- You can turn pages by gently swiping your finger across the touch screen.
- You can use the easily accessible and conveniently located page turn buttons just below the screen.
Both these options for turning pages make navigation simple and comfortable, whatever position you’re in.
Personally, I find the page navigation a little less clumsy than the Amazon Kindle, because you can accidentally turn the pages of the Kindle sometimes if you’re laid down, especially on your side, with the device resting on the surface of a bed or sofa.
It’s in the memory!
One of the greatest benefits of eBook readers is they allow you to carry a vast number of books around in a convenient way. The Sony eReader is no exception and the 2GB built-in storage means you can store approximately 1200 books.
You can buy books from a wide variety of places and may even be able to borrow eBooks from your local library because the reader supports many formats, including EPUB, PDF, Microsoft Word, TXT and BBeB. This means that, unlike the Kindle where you are tied to purchasing books from Amazon, you can shop around and find the best price for your books.
For some, one of the drawbacks of the Sony PRS-350 is that, unlike the Kindle eReader, it doesn’t come with Wi-Fi or 3G connectivity. Instead, you have to purchase books from your desktop or laptop and then connect your eBook reader to the computer, to transfer the files and books.
However, the high speed data transfer means books are usually transferred in under a minute and the library works very similar to iTunes, so is straightforward and easy to use.
Does the PRS-350 have a dictionary?
The Sony PRS-350 eBook reader comes with 12 built-in dictionaries, allowing translation to and from English, French, German, Dutch, Spanish and Italian.
What’s included?
Sony PRS-350 reading device
USB cable
Quick start guide and instructions
What additional accessories are available to purchase?
A wide variety of cases and covers to protect your eReader
Illuminuated cases
Mains charger
An extended warranty, which also covers accidental damage.
What are the main differences between the PRS-350 and PRS-650?
The PRS-350 really packs a punch, offering excellent features with a cool, sleek exterior. Although there are a couple of differences between the PRS-350 and PRS-650, the main difference is the size of screen, because the PRS-350 has 5” diagonal screen, whilst the PRS-650 measures 6” corner to corner.
Also, unlike the PRS-650, the smaller PRS-350 doesn’t have the option to increase the memory with either a memory stick or SD card. However, you’ll no doubt agree that the 1200 books which the built-in memory can hold will be more than ample for even the most avid of readers.
Finally, there is no audio output on the PRS-350, unlike the PRS-650, so you don’t have the option to listen to music from your device, whilst reading.
Are there any complaints?
The main complaint for me, personally, would have to be that the Sony eReader only comes with a USB lead for charging.
Although this is perfectly fine when you’re at home and have access to your computer, you will need to purchase a mains charger if you intend to charge your eBook reader when you’re away travelling, etc. However, these mains chargers can be purchased quite cheaply in many high street electrical stores.
Reviews
Since its launch at the end of 2010, the Sony PRS-350 has received excellent reviews and other users have rated it an average of 4.5 out of 5 on Amazon’s website.
Here are just a few of the comments to date:
- “This Sony product is really a lovely compact design.”
- “After about a minute I forgot about the fact that I was reading a screen and not paper.”
“My wife was extremely sceptical about e-readers, but is now a total convert. An advantage for her is that by increasing the font size she doesn’t need to use reading glasses. “ - “I’m a convert! I’ve got lots of books on it, it is easy to use, good range of font sizes, clear display. “
- “I recently purchased this little gem and it was love at first sight.”
Where can you buy the Sony eReader?
You can buy the Sony eBook reader from Amazon. After searching the internet, Amazon would appear to have one of the best prices available, especially with the free delivery option. Check the latest price for the Sony PRS-350 here.