Sony unveils the lightweight PRS-T1 eReader
UPDATE: 19/11/2011 – Full review now available…
We’ve now fully-tested the new Sony reader in our lab. Go to the full Sony PRS-T1 review for our definitive verdict.
Sony has unveiled the PRS-T1 eReader, which, at 168 grams, is the lightest eReader to date – according to Sony. It’s 8.9mm thick, supports wi-fi connectivity and should be in the shops at the end of October 2011.
The new touchscreen ebook reader provides on-the-go access to ebookstores and a new public eLibrary services – providing that a wi-fi internet connection is available.
The PRS-T1 supports pinch to zoom and, if a finger is held over a word, will bring up an on-screen dictionary.
The device has 2GB of onboard memory, which can be expanded with the use of a MicroSD memory card. It will be available to buy in red, white or black.
We’ll bring you further details of this new eReader when we get our hands on the device at the IFA technology show in Berlin – so keep an eye out for further news.
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Richard
This looks great and the dictionary feature is very cool.
I would like to know how many ebook services this device can be connected to and from the statement above is the ebook only streamed and not download-able?
Full spec please;-)
Ben Stevens
Hi Richard,
The ebooks can be downloaded to the device, and Sony claims that it is compatible with all major ebook formats, including EPUB, PDF and TXT. And you can buy these formats of ebooks from a number of ebook stores.
NickT
I would like to know if it will display Russian (i.e Cyrillic text) ebooks as well as English ones? If it can I will be buying one :0)
Tanx
Nick
Chris Christoforou
ПРИВЕТСТВЕННЫЙ ВОЗГЛАС NickT!
Interesting question! I have the Sony PRS-T1 here. To test whether it displays Cyrillic I downloaded a book in Russian by Gavrila Romanovich Derzhavin from Project Gutenburg – the large online library of free ebooks.
I downloaded it in two formats, EPUB and TXT, to my computer, then transferred it to the Sony.
The TXT version looks fine on the screen, as it does on the computer. So good news there.
The EPUB version doesn’t work properly, the text can’t be read/converted by the reader.
Hope that helps. I’m not sure how Cyrillic is handled by other ebook readers.
This Sony looks like a nice little model on first inspection. Look out for a review of the PRS-T1 (in English), coming soon…
Chris
Glen
Hi Chris,
As a person who has a light sensitivity problem with my vision, I would be very interested to know if the page colours on the PRS-T1 can be inverted i.e. white text on black background, instead of the usual black text on white. I know e-ink technology is supposed to make reading on an e-reader very comfortable, but I still need this feature. Amazon don’t appear to be interested in this kind of feature. In fact on the Kindle, there is no adjustment for brightness or contrast at all! At least on the Sony reader one can make the background off-white or a shade of grey. Being able to have white text on black background would be an absolute bonus on the PRS-T1!
Gary
Chris rightly mentions the Kindle App on both Android and iOS having a choice user-selectible colour schemes. Another thing to consider, which might be more appropriate for you would be the use of an actual Android or iOS device although, of course, either of those options would come in more expensive than a basic eReader. In the new iOS 5 (and as far as I can remember, also in iOS 4) you can globally set your contrast level at the OS level. Choose Settings > General > Accessibility > White on Black: On/Off.
http://www.apple.com/accessibility/ipad/vision.html
I don’t have any real Android experience, so can’t comment on whether or not such functionality is available there, but I’d be surprised if you couldn’t do something similar. Then, if you don’t fancy splashing out on an iPad, a “budget” Android tablet (along with the free Android Kindle app) might be your best bet.
Chris Christoforou
Hi Glen,
The lab will check this out when they receive the Sony PRS-T1, but we suspect it isn’t a feature of this model, or indeed any other ebook reader.
I know off the top of my head that the Kindle ebook reader Android app (for mobile phones and tablets) allows you to choose from 3 different styles (sepia background-black text, white background-black text, black background-white text) so hopefully that is some good news. I will check the iPhone/iPad shortly…
Chris Christoforou
Update – the lab has received the PRS-T1.
There are some mild background and text brightness and contrast adjustments, but I don’t think they’ll be what you’re looking for really, Glen.
The Kindle iPhone/iPad app has the same sepia/white/black background options as the Android one.
The iPhone/iPad iBooks app has sepia/white background options only.
I’ve now written a Which? Tech Daily first look review on the Sony PRS-T1 by the way….
Glen
Hi Chris,
Thanks for reporting back on my colour invert, brightness / contrast questions regarding the PRS-T1.
Yes, I am already aware of the custom colour settings in the various eBook reader apps for iOS and Android tablets. Thanks for mentioning it though. Unfortunately, that doesn’t help me much, as those devices need a backlight to show the font, which I find uncomfortable. Thus, I was hoping to find an e-ink reader which can darken the background and change the font to be suitably contrasted to that background i.e. white or light grey text, on black.
I’m actually amazed that no e-ink reader so far seems to offer such a high-contrast function (white text on black background) as e-ink technology is perfectly capable of providing it. The screen colours are inverted to refresh the screen each time a page is turned, so there should be nothing stopping this kind of thing from being implemented.
In fact, when I was trawling through the official Kindle forums (when I was considering that device), I came across so many people requesting or asking about a high-contrast feature for the Kindle e-ink device.
Maybe Which? can give Sony, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble a nudge in that direction? – i.e. to be more accessible for people with vision difficulties who need an e-ink device to provide a high-contrast feature. … and a screen reader is not a solution, as often offered by many people who don’t understand the problem. People with this issue can often read perfectly well, it’s just the lighting / colours that are the problem.
Zoe
I agree with Glen completely here, just because people have issues with their vision doesn’t mean they can’t read, or that they need, or want a screen reader.
The kindle app for pc can invert the colour and has the ability to change font size (I also struggle with small font as well as screen brightness / contrast) in a user defined manner but who wants to spend their time glued to a pc to read? Or spend the money required for an Ipad or Iphone?
I’m actually surprised RNIB and other such organisations don’t seem to have done any nudging of their own. RNIB do have a section in the website dedicated to e-reader accessibility, which i found useful, despite it saying nothing has what I need.
RNIB also have the RNIB National Library Service which provides quite a wide range of books in 24 point font, posted free to members, and returned free to themselves under the Articles For The Blind scheme. But they are quite heavy books, and most are in more than one volume. Also not much help if you cant read standard or near standard print and / or struggle with print books themselves.
I love books and reading, and I absolutely despise the fact that right now, I can only manage five pages of a standard print book with a x5 magnifying glass. I’d absolutely love to be able to have, and be comfortable reading with an e-reader.
I do remember hearing somewhere that Amazon’s tablet…is it the kindle fire hd? Has the ability to invert the background and text colours, but as with an Ipad, it will come with a tablet price and seems rather like overkill just to read comfortably.
Here’s hoping e-reader manufacturers get clued in to what real accessibility means.
(wow I just squinted at the dates on these posts and have seen how long ago they were posted….So i’m a tiny bit late in replying… The T’s & C’s tick box hid from me, second time of trying to post this! lol.)
Rebeca Ruiz
Hi from Spain!
I am looking for a device capable of reading EPUB3 and displaying it properly. That means displaying HTML5, SVG graphics as well as the rest of EPUB3 specifications. May the PRS-T1 the suitable model for that?
Chris Christoforou
Hi Rebecca! Hope the weather there is better than here!
We don’t have a definite answer for you yet, we’ve not got hold of up to date EPUB3 files (it’s still in development). We only have old EPUB3 test files that don’t really tell us much.
Anyway, the Sony doesn’t appear to be able to support EPUB3, just reading the specs.
We may find in the future though that currently available readers will have software upgrades to be able to deal with EPUB3, we think this is quite likely (at least on a few models, perhaps the Kindle…)
Chris
Glen
Hi Chris,
Looking forward to the full review on the PRS-T1.
One more question: Can one increase the line spacing. Sometimes folk find that, in addition to increasing the font size, increasing the line spacing makes reading even more comfortable and easier.
Thanks
Glen
Beth
Hi,
Question re: Audio books. Does the Sony PRS-T1 eReader support Audio books ? In the review it says ‘Sony plays audio in mp3 or AAC format’ but in the Full Specification it says ‘No’ for Audio books. Could you clarify please? Thanks.
http://www.which.co.uk/technology/computing/reviews/ebook-readers/sony-prs-t1/specifications/product-finder/basket-/page-1/view-25/sort-score-DESCENDING/activefilter-1/appliedfilter-TWFudWZhY3R1cmVyLTIwMjM4MS0tQW1hem9u,TWFudWZhY3R1cmVyLTIwMjM4MS0tU29ueQ==/low-/high-/appliedglobal-false-false-false/
stacey
hi im not up to date with technology lol but wanted to know if my friend has a kindle and i buy a sony ereader would it be possible to transfer some of the books she has onto it ?
Selina
I am searching for an light ereader that has a ‘page size’ larger than a kindle (6″ diagonal).
For those serious readers who love hardbacks or airport special size books but find an ipad too heavy and expensive) is there anything on the market?
surely there must be a big demand for this spec.