If you use it right, the Sony PRS 600 can be a great ereader at a great price. It has no built in wifi, and the built in software and desktop reader software is a bit out of date, don't rely on them to collect and transfer ebooks to your device. So what good is it? It only has 500MB of internal storage but since one cannot easily transfer files with the mini-USB (not microUSB) cable to/from your pc or mac, the best alternative is using a standard SD card to load your ebooks (many formats are compatible, I prefer ePub). Since I have all my ebooks stripped of any DRM, I can read my ebooks on any ePub compatible device. I copy my ebooks onto an SD card (up to 8GB works-but copy them under a folder named 'library'), and when you insert the card and turn on the reader, it will read (not load them into internal storage) and list them as available books. Even if you remove the card, to add more books, the ereader will remember your reading position when you reload the book. You can change the font size (but not font style) with the magnification button, and change the orientation from portrait to landscape via the options button. Turn pages via the two page turn buttons. In terms of the software of the reader, the only thing missing for me is the sorting feature of my onboard books. You can sort by title or by author or date of pub, but not by recently opened, as most epub reader apps can do. That would be convenient if you are reading a few titles concurrently. The screen is not backlit, but if you happen to find the original sony case, it has a built in light, and just insert a new AAAA battery. The Ereader is a sustainable design, as batteries can still be found on Ebay/Amazon, and it's very easy to remove the back cover to replace the battery. Just two screws removed and you're in business. Another plus, add some relaxing instrumental music to your SD card, and you can listen to them (headphones only) while you're reading. There is a built in stylus, and the screen is the old fashioned resistive screen, not glass capacitive like smartphones today, which is good as it adds extra screen protection - more durable. Tip, don't charge with the USB cable - it won't work unless connected to a pc as opposed to a power supply - design issue there. I recommend using an old Playstation portable compatible power supply (it's the same size as many power supplies for things like routers, etc), or if that's too bulky, get a $3.00 usb-psp cable and use it with a USB wall charger and it will charge fully in about 2 hrs. For someone who wants to access and read their own collection of books, don't care about WiFi access or connecting to Amazon or BN etc.'s ecosystem, then this can be a great device. Just read it with the usual lighting you would for a real book, and you'll be fine. I was lucky to find a mint PRS 600 with case (no charger) for $15 total, on Ebay, so I'm a happy reader, er, camper. It's nice to be able to use an older device without needing to buy something new, and thus keeping one piece of electronics out of the waste management stream. I imagine as long as the screen works, and ePub formats stick around, this can be a reader that I can use for many years to come.Read full review
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Garbage and waste of money - Manufacture cut short on display screen. DO NOT WASTE YOUR COIN. Display is slightly foggy/pixelly compared to its predecessor model PRS500. If you want to waste your money then buy it. Otherwise this model should be taken of the shelves and the market.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
When I got this the battery was dead, and leaking a little… But I had another one, same model, which had a bad screen, and I really like the quality of this model, having had the other one for 10 years or so. I took it apart, and was pleasantly surprised how easy it was to swap out the battery- somehow I figured soldering would be involved, but no, there was a tiny plug, and it was a piece of cake. Works good now, my old battery is still 80-90% of a new one, I think.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Small enough to not be inconvenient, but heavy enough to feel sturdy and not cheaply made. Has SD expansion slot which is very nice. Software for books seems very lacking and outdated, as it is kind of difficult to find books on. Enjoy and got a great deal for my value. I am using this product to help me get back into reading, I am not a heavy reader and this product is great for my use. If you are a heavy reader though you may want to look into a more expensive e-reader as this is missing some nice features such as being able to change the contrast, and other little things, but for someone who is unsure how much they will actually use the e-book this is perfect.
I own a Sony PRS 500 which I've had for over 3 years an have started having screen problems. Since it was such a wonderful product and after trying out the Kindle & the Nook I decided to go with Sony again & got the PRS-600. Love the ability to add extra storage since I keep around 800 books on it at a time. Love the touch screen. HATE the battery life. With the old PRS 500 I had to charge it once a week. I'm a heavy reader, reading 4-6 hours per evening and longer on the weekends. Now with the PRS-600 I have to charge it every other day throughout the week and each day on the weekend. Due to my heavy reading the battery life makes a huge difference. However, since that is the only bad thing I have found I would highly recommend this reader over the Nook and the Kindle for an ereader. If you want color - go with the Nook. But since I graduated from Picture books a few decades ago I would rather have the much lighter weight PRS-600. And while the Kindle is even lighter weight, for the price the screen size is smaller, no touch screen and no extra storage. Again, I would recommend the Sony Ereader. Since I use the ereader for READING and not for social networking or checking emails - the Sony was the right choice for me. On a business note, with the ability to add a memory card this ereader works great with the legal field because I can save all the pleadings in a case onto a memory card and simply insert the card to take the entire file to court without the hassel of taking the hardcopies.Read full review
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