Sunday, September 26, 2010

TSS: Did you hear me squeeing from where you are?

This week was a big week in Melbourne. It's school holidays, the Royal Show is on (think county fair type deal), it was grand final day yesterday (more about that later) and it was the boy's birthday yesterday. That means a full day out yesterday for a birthday party, and people coming for dinner tonight. I really haven't decided what I am going to cook yet so I should really be working on that instead of writing a blog post, but never mind!

Whilst the boy was very excited about his present, which was his first mobile phone, I was more excited about the present I bought myself on Friday. I actually chose a bad day to buy it. I work on the edge of the city, and the store I bought it from is in the city centre. What I had forgotten was that there was a massive parade of the players who were playing in the AFL Grand Final. I should have realised when there were so many Collingwood fans wandering about the city, but I didn't. So I walked a few blocks and then caught the tram to the city centre, went and bought it, and then went to catch the tram back again, only to discover that they weren't running because of the parade, and so I had to walk all the way back to work. Made an already longish lunch even longer!

So, what did I buy?

I bought an e-reader! A Sony Touch e-reader to be precise, in red! I had been waiting for the Sonys to be released in Australia for a while now. I have been keeping an eye on various review sites for opinions etc, and had a bit of a play at the store, and then I was sold!

So far I am really impressed. Yesterday afternoon I sat out in the sun and read for a while and there was no glare. The e-ink screen is really clear, and it seems really easy to use, although I haven't tried to do a lot with it just yet. The touch screen is really good, and I was really pleasantly surprised at how fast the page turns are.  I also bought the cover with the light in because I do read a lot at night, so for a few more dollars it made sense to get that one, rather than the plain cover.

My main reason for choosing Sony in the end was that I wanted to be able to read in multiple formats, and I didn't really want to be tied to buying from Amazon. I am hoping to join the city library service, which has an ebook lending service, and I will be able to do borrow from them using this reader whereas I wouldn't have been able to on a Kindle.

I did struggle a bit not to get it out on Friday afternoon at work and have a play then, and I did manage to resist that temptation until one of my co-workers who I know is a fairly avid reader walked past, so I had to show her!

Last night we went to the drive-in movie theatre. The boy had a friend staying over and they wanted to see a movie that I had absolutely no interest in, and so I transferred over a book that I won a while ago and hadn't read because I don't like reading on the computer, and sat in the back of the car and read while the boys watched the movie! The movie sound got a bit distracting at times, but for the most part, they were happy and so was I!

I mentioned the AFL Grand Final. Everyone here was pretty shocked here when the Grand Final between Collingwood and St Kilda ended in a draw this year, which means that the two teams come back again next week to do it all over again! This is only the third time that this has happened. It does seem a bit crazy that there is no way of deciding a draw on the day, but it was very interesting to see the crowd and players reactions! Neither of those teams is my team, so I am kind of an impartial but interested observer.

What this means is that all of a sudden I have not only the 3 books that I was part of the way through in book form, but also now another book in ebook form! Normally I have two books that I am reading at any one time, but I am beginning to feel a bit overwhelmed by having so many on the go. I think I need to just go and read and finish at least one of them. After I have decided what we are having for dinner and gone and bought the ingredients, and started cooking. Maybe I will get to read tomorrow.

27 comments:

  1. So glad your son had a wonderful birthday. The e-reader is great news as we've been debating over which ones and I may play copy-cat and just get one of these. I did not know the library had an e-book collection! That's encouraging.

    The big game was interesting, we sat on the sofa waiting to find out what's done for overtime and were shocked to find - nothing! Next week! Those people who bought tickets for yesterday must be fuming.

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  2. Congrats on your Sony e-reader! I am not so familiar with this brand of e-reader . . . the red looks really cool!

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  3. Very nice, and love the color too. enjoy

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  4. Hope you enjoy your sony eReader as much as I enjoy mine Marg. I am rather astonished at how easily I have taken to reading in the format and I really do think the device is spectacular. I had some troubles with the software though which are apparently quite common - if you experience a duplication of your book every time you sync your device let me know and I'll fill you in on how I got out of that mess (every time I synced the device a new copy of each book in my library was added).

    As for the grand final I am pleased - another day to go shopping while there is no one around, yes I am one of those non-footy watching people who takes advantage of everyone else's obsession to enjoy the shops ;)

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  5. Looks like fun, I'm glad you like it. I sort of wish I'd waited and got an ereader with a touchscreen -- the little bottom part on the nook isn't quite the same.

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  6. I hope you're enjoying your e-reader! And a belated happy birthday to your son.

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  7. I bought a Kindle 3 (after owning a Sony 505 for a few years) and I am sending it back. I bought the new Sony 650 Touch the other day and I love it! So easy to sync with Calibre and all my collections and tags. I hope you're having as much fun reading as I am!

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  8. I wonder - is it the new Sony Touch? I have the (now old, I suppose) Touch Edition and am most pleased, but I'm curious to know how Sony improved on that model (and there was indeed what to improve upon, even if it did not deter me from original purchase or replacement since...). My Reader has been excellent in the past year, and certainly pays itself off in the long run. I hope yours will be the same. Enjoy!

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  9. Biblibio,

    The new 650 Touch has an infared touch screen (the infared bits are in the four sides around the screen) instead of the touch layer over the e-ink that the 600 has, so it's supposed to be clearer. It has the new e-ink Pearl screen, which the new Kindles have. It has a larger option for expansion, allowing up to a 32GB SD card (not sure of the size allowed for the Pro Duo). It's smaller than the 600 and very lightweight. Other than that, I'm not really sure what's different from the 600.

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  10. I chose Sony because of the multiple formats as well! I did think the Sony 600 Touch had a glare though, but maybe this is a different version or maybe you aren't as picky as I was (I bought the cheapest model in the end, Sony 300, even though it wasn't cheap compared to US prizes at all). I hope you enjoy ereading!

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  11. Hmmm I bought the Kindle but am now wondering whether the Sony Touch would have been a better option. I really bought it for "free" classics rather than for purchasing current novels but maybe I will become so enamoured of it that I'll want current and will be sorry I have gone with Kindle. Oh well, time will tell.

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  12. Ooh, I'm happy to hear someone's experience with a Sony Touch! It seems I mostly read about Kindles, which I dislike for the same reason you do: don't want to be tied to Amazon. I love the idea of borrowing e-books from the library!! I'll have to see if my library does that. If so, I may be one step closer to getting a reader of my own. Enjoy!

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  13. ooo, the red is so lovely. My Nook is white and rather plain compared to your Sony. Enjoy it.

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  14. A happy birthday wish for your son! Congrats on your gift to yourself too :) I love that eReader! I really like that it's red. I don't think I've seen one in color yet so very pretty.

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  15. Yay Marg! I am loving my ereader! (I picked the Nook) With the Sony you can download from any site, right? I got that Anna Elliott novella for free on B&N. I haven't read her books yet, but the description said this one was a stand-alone so I thought I'd check it out! Thanks for visiting my Mailbox. Can't wait to see what you think of The Exile. I'll be posting my thoughts later this week.

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  16. Squee for you! I have been looking at ereaders lately, and touch is at the top of all the Australian lists I can find. Unfortunately, I can't handle the price tag so I'll likely end up with a Kindle, but the Touch looks fantastic!

    As for the footy, I think Collingwood's captain put my thoughts best on the whole 'come back next week' rule. Maybe if they donated all the earnings from the second game to charity or something...

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  17. Woohoo!! That's so awesome!! E-readers are so great! I love my nook so much! Hope you have so much fun with it!

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  18. When I go e reader I am looking at the Sony. And I did hear your squuuuueeeee.... all the way in Minnesota :)

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  19. Happy birthday to your son :)
    You've started a revolution in this household- it's a pity it's a public holiday here today because we've spent a lot of time reading, looking and comparing the Sony e-reader. It looks brilliant (and having shelf space again is tempting). Do review more about it please!

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  20. First the election, now the football! If the Melbourne Cup is a draw is it totally evidence that THE END IS NIGH.

    Thanks you for your congratulations too!

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  21. It's the second good opinion I read about Sony! I've been thinking quite seriously to get one, but they're still quite expensive over here. I might wait a bit and check around Christmas time again!
    Nothing wins a good paper book, and the magic of bookstores and libraries...but we're seriously running out of space at home (plus traveling with that small thing is easier than having 2-3 books packed!)
    Eve

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  22. I hope you love your e-reader as much as I love my Nook. I have read 4 times as many books from the library on my reader as I've bought: that was the main reason I bought the Nook, for the sideloads from the library. It's especially nice whe traveling: you can eliminate the totes of books.

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  23. How awesome! I love my Kindle and I hope you love your Sony Reader just as much. I never want to give up my paper books, but it is quite nice to have a portable, readable library everywhere I go.

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  24. Meghan, at this stage I can't see myself totally giving up paper books, but it does provide a good alternative.

    Mamajulie and Erin, I am hoping to join one of the local library services here that does lend out ebooks so that I make sure that I get as much use as possible out of it.

    Eve, it was one of the more expensive options, but I was happy to pay that bit more for the good build quality, the additional features, and the nice look of it.

    Rhiannon, it's been a funny couple of months hasn't it!

    Sam, I spent a long time reading reviews and looking at the different options before making my decision. I will try and do another TSS post in a few weeks telling of my experiences.

    Sheila, sorry about that squeeing! I was a tad excited.

    Aths and Stephanie, so far I am loving it. I have been reading a book on it instead of reading my library or review books! Whoops!

    Jaime, the price was the biggest con against the Sony when I went through and did the pros and cons. In the end I decided that I didn't often buy things for myself, so I was prepared to pay the additional money! I did here that the AFL is holding back some tickets to try and give some to disadvantaged people, but it does really seem to be a $20 million bonus for the AFL.

    Lady Q, I ended up downloading the two Anna Elliott stories. I need to read the first book still though.

    Iliana, Stephanie and Amy, the colour was definitely one of the attractions.

    Whisperinggums, I know the Kindle came preloaded with classics, but you can find those free books in lots of places so I haven't lost out yet.

    irisonbooks, I used it outside on Saturday but didn't think there was a glare at all.

    Thanks Anasthezea. You seem to know much more about it than I do! lol

    Thanks Kerrie.

    Kim, the touchscreen is very cool.

    Bernadette, I haven't had any trouble yet, but I also haven't pushed the Sync button. I have just dropped it into the books section and it appeared on the reader. Maybe I am doing it wrong! Enjoy your extra shopping day! I didn't watch much of the first final because I had a birthday party to run, but I might watch it this week unless I find something to do.

    Lyvvie, not all of the library services have an ebook collection, but there are several that do, and they are allowing people from outside their areas to join up and use them.


    Thanks for the birthday wishes for the boy.

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  25. So THAT was the sound I heard the other day? Congrats on the new toy. I have toyed with the idea, and Sony sounds good, but you are the only person I know that has one, so I look forward to hearing your thoughts as you use it. The one reason I would go for the Kindle is becuase of the PDF ability. I have many knitting patterns that are PDF.

    So now what does this mean for the tbr? Is your list going to get bigger? I know mine would.

    And big birthday wishes to the boy. Hope he had a fab day and some cake :)

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  26. Oh, that IS exciting! I'm hoping for one for Christmas, now that I can borrow books for ereaders from my library. No more book panic when I travel!

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