Sony Reader PRS-T2 review

We were hoping to review the Sony Reader PRS-T2 a few weeks back, but we couldn’t get our hands on a review sample. Now that we have one, the new eReader is up against some stiff competition from rivals – namely the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite and Kobo Glo – both of which have backlit displays.

FRONT COVER

The new Reader certainly doesn’t suffer in terms of appearance, our review model may be a rather sombre black but it’s also available in white and red. The soft finish plastic shell is pleasing to the touch, but we found it picked up and showed greasy fingerprints very easily. It’s thin and light though, weighing just 164g (compared to 213g for an Amazon Paperwhite), though both are around the same size.

There are no audio capabilities on the PRS-T2, and we’ve never found eBook storage to be a problem on eReaders, as we simply use ours to read novels, and don’t feel the need to carry every book ever written around with us. If you do like to carry a reference library with you, though, then the new Reader is highly suitable. It has 2GB of built-in memory and the option to expand on that hugely via a micro SD card slot.

As with the current Kindle range the power button is on the bottom beside the micro USB port. It makes it a bit awkward to get to, but then you’re unlikely to hit accidentally either. The five silver buttons beneath the screen are icon-shaped and therefore obvious in their functions. The sheer fact they’re there is unusual though, as most design have eschewed all but a single button in preference of touch screen controls. We like the buttons though, as you don’t have to remember which corner of the screen you need to tap to get up a menu.

Of course, as with the majority of eReaders now, input is largely done through the touchscreen. Swishing your finger across the screen turns the page – or you can use the left and right arrows button below if you prefer, though these are only easy to reach if holding the device left-handed. Swiping for page turns is reliable anyway, so it’s not a big deal. Page turns are rapid, but not quite as quick as the newest Kindles.

The screen itself is the same 800×600 E Ink Pearl display we’ve seen on numerous readers, it’s still a great display for reading, but it’s no longer the best. The Paperwhite’s display is the same size and uses the same technology but has a higher 1,024×768 resolution, in addition the backlight actually improves readability, even in well-lit conditions.

TYPE SETTING

The main menu is pleasingly laid out, with your most recently read and added books plus nice big shortcuts to your library of books (Bookshelves), the Reader Store and Applications. The Bookshelves give you thumbnails of your books (nine per page) and you can browse through them using the touchscreen.

Sony’s Reader Store has a reasonable range of content, but we found that key bestsellers on Amazon’s list were missing, while others were hard to find – we searched for the exact title of one book but it didn’t come up in the first page of results, searching for the author did work however. Thankfully you can always buy books from other ePub-based retailers if the Reader store frustrates you.

The browser isn’t at all bad for an eBook reader, we quickly navigated to Expert Reviews and double-tapping text re-flowed it to fit on the screen for easy reading. We’re not actually too bothered by the mono nature of e-ink displays when browsing, but the slow refresh rates are a pain, especially given you have to scroll down regularly due to the small screen resolution. Still it could prove handy, once you’ve set up a few bookmarks, for quickly checking the weather or news without having to switch devices. There’s even a link in the settings menu to take you straight back to reading.

Users of the Evernote service, which allows you to compile notes and clippings in cloud-based ‘notebooks’ may rejoice at seeing support for it here. You can upload and download notes, but it’s all hand-cranked rather than simply automatic – it would be great to have an option where all notes you take are automatically added to Evernote. There’s also a Facebook application, which keeps your friends up-to-date with your reading. You can post quotes from your book, though they are curtailed frustratingly to just a few lines.

EPILOGUE

The Sony Reader PRS-T2 is a good eBook reader, and a few weeks back it might even have been a great one. But things change quickly and this eReader has been superseded by devices that cost less than it does. If you’re happy to buy your books from Amazon the Paperwhite is the obvious choice, if you’re looking for an ePUB device then the Kobo Glo is a better bet.