usability, portability, screen, size, design

performance, reliability, durability

65% of the reviews on Amazon.com give this product a positive rating.

Pleasing design, clear screen, excellent battery life and huge capacity

Expensive, lacking in connectivity and features, and slightly soulless

Easy-to-read display. Long battery life. Reads non-DRM file formats, such as RTF and PDFs. Adjustable text size.

Limited eBook selection on Sony Connect. Won?t work with protected PDFs. RSS feeds look a little choppy. Sluggish performance. No backlight. ; Watch the Sony Reader (PRS-500) Video Review!

that battery life comes at a cost. the reader has no backlight, which means you really have to be in a well-lit area or even—gasp—use a reading light to see the non-reflective screen. for some people this is a deal-breaker, but it doesn't bother me so...

Slim and relatively lightweight; screen requires no backlight and is easy to read in bright environments; with the addition of optional memory card (SD or Memory Stick Pro), it's capable of storing thousands of electronic books; font size can be...

Overall, the unit feels a tad sluggish, with a short but noticeable delay when turning a page; controls aren't as intuitive as they could be; interface could be slightly easier to use; Sony's online Connect bookstore is still a work in progress;...

Though the Sony PRS-500 Portable Reader System is an impressive platform for reading e-books and other documents, the price and availability of compatible "books" makes it a tougher sell.

So, who's going to use this? I'm not sure it's for everybody. Most people carry around one book at a time, so why have a device that carries many? And personal library builders who like to show off their collections more than their gadgets won't see...

Sony's Reader uses a new on-screen printing technology called E-Ink, which gives letters the crispness of printed fonts and the rest of the screen the matte look of paper. Sure, you always know you're looking at an electronic gadget, but the effect is...

Like all eBook devices, the Sony Reader can carry more books than you usually do when globetrotting or just visiting the coffee shop. Great for the environment by saving trees. Amazingly readable screen and easy to use. Device has good design that...

Too pricy. No backlight option for those who want to read in the dark. Users who've purchased titles from other online book sellers won't be able to read them on the Sony Reader.

We applaud Sony for bringing the Reader to the US market. For some folks, it's been long time coming after watching the Sony LIBRIe released only in Japan. Apparently there are quite a few fans-- Sony can't make the Sony Reader fast enough to fulfill...