Sony Reader gets a new design, Evernote integration and a free Harry Potter book for $129
In the market for a new e-reader? One could certainly do worse than Sony's Reader line. The company's been packing features onto its devices, and the already leaked latest entry is no different, with upgrades over its predecessor, packed into a newly redesigned body with bigger, better looking buttons. Sony's promised more intuitive touch with the Reader PRS-T2, smoother zooming and improved page turning, this time out. On the sharing side of things, Evernote functionality joins the fray here, letting users save their favorite passages to the service. Users can also post passages from books, along with corresponding covers and other identifying information to Facebook, if you're the sort who loves to share such literary info. On the store side of things, Sony's offering up browser-based account access now, so when users buy books on their desktop, they'll get pushed to the reader.
The PRS-T2 offers up 2GB of storage, two English and four translation dictionaries (though, contrary to its name, doesn't do so in an Austrian accent), two months of battery life (WiFi off) and the customary six-inch Pearl E-Ink display for $129. Oh, and Sony's also throwing in a free copy of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, for good measure. The PRS-T2 starts shipping today. More information on the subject can be found after the break.
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Sony's New eReader Provides Book Lovers with More Freedom to Read Anytime and Anywhere
Sony introduced today Reader™ (PRS-T2), a light and thin 6" eReader with an enhanced, intuitive touch screen optimized for long-term reading and the most natural, immersive reading experience. Available in three colors – white, red or matte black – Reader offers new social features and a simplified and intuitively designed home screen.
The most natural, intuitive eReading experience
The glare-free, E-Ink® Pearl V220 touch screen has been enhanced for optimal long-term reading. It now features intuitive touch, more paper-like page turns, improved continuous page turns and a smoother zoom in and out. The new device features an improved default book layout and makes it easier to organize and find books. The device has two English language and four translation dictionaries built-in and provides up to two months battery life(with wireless off) and 2GB of storage. Readers can swipe a finger to turn a page, zoom in and out by pinching fingers together or apart or write notes on the page or highlight text with a finger or the supplied stylus. Users can also choose from eight font sizes and seven font styles.
Share content wherever you are
The device includes new Facebook® and Evernote® features. Consumers now have the ability to post a short passage from books purchased from Reader™ Store to Facebook directly from the device along with the book cover, author and title.
For the first time, Reader is combining features from Evernote to allow users to save their favorite web content to enjoy any time. Evernote's Web Clipper allows saving content with a click, and pages saved with Evernote Clearly are optimized for Reader's crisp E-Ink display. Favorite passages can also be annotated on Reader and saved back to Evernote for viewing later on any smartphone, tablet or PC.
Books at your fingertips from Reader Store and Public Library System
With built-in Wi-Fi®, Reader PRS-T2 offers consumers more access to books anytime and anywhere. Sony continues to offer its popular and critically-acclaimed public library lending feature by offering patrons with a valid library card the ability to easily and conveniently borrow free e-books wirelessly from over 15,000 public libraries in the US via an intuitive, simple-to-use dedicated icon on the device.
Beyond borrowing free books from public libraries, book lovers can also continue to access and download thousands of e-books, newspapers and magazines from Reader™ Store directly to the device using a Wi-Fi connection. Reader Store now offers a web-based Store, giving consumers more freedom to read the content they love, anytime and anywhere. Reader Store accounts are now accessible from most web browsers, and sign-in and purchase can be done without having to install any software to a computer. The web store officially supports the latest browsers on Windows® and Mac® operating systems, including Internet Explorer®, Safari®, Chrome™ and Firefox®. Any book purchased via web browser will be waiting in the user's Reader library, ready to be read.
As part of Sony's collaboration with Pottermore and the Pottermore Shop (the exclusive home of the Harry Potter eBooks), Sony will offer a voucher to redeem against the first eBook in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, for free. The voucher can be redeemed at the Pottermore Shop following purchase of the matte black Reader PRS-T2.
Reader PRS-T2 is available for order now for about $129 at Sony Stores and online at http://store.sony.com and other authorized retailers nationwide. Accessories for Reader include a Cover and a Cover with light, for about $35 and $50 respectively.
