Sony's New PRS-700 E-Reader A Worthy Foe For Kindle

I’m currently listening to The Omnivore’s Dilemna and am quite satisfied with getting my extra reading in via audio. I know that for some reason Kindle is leading a revolution of the e-reader, a fact that I just can’t get behind no matter how cool or non-headache inducing the device may be. But it’s certainly no surprise that others are trying to get in on the action. Enter Sony and their new PRS-700, featuring a six-inch touchscreen E-Ink display.

The PRS-700 is essentially a slightly upgraded version of the PRS-505. I admit that it’s convenient to be able to carry around hundreds of books in a convenient tiny package. And the LED reading light (not a backlight, but an actual light to allow you to read in the dark) is much appreciated. What these devices are missing is wireless access to the internet to download books. When you’re waiting at the airport for 2 hours and need something to get through the boring wait it’d be convenient to purchase a book at your seat.

On paper and in specs the PRS-700 sounds like a worthy competitor to the Amazon Kindle. At $400 you’ll have to decide if it’s a worthy competitor for your hard earned cash. Aside from serving as a paper weight when not in use I can’t think of anything else to do with an e-reader to make them worth the exorbitant cost.