Sony is off the blocks with new e-book readers that come in the form of the Reader Pocket Edition and the Reader Touch Edition which we’ll look at in greater detail below. This isn’t the first e-book reader to be released from Sony, and will most probably prove to be quite the competitor towards the Amazon Kindle and its sequel. Both of these e-book readers from Sony will be available at the end of this month onwards from various sources including SonyStyle.com, SonyStyle stores and select retail partners. Apart from that, you can also pick up new releases and New York Times bestseller titles in the eBook Store from Sony for $9.99 apiece, making it cheaper compared to the actual paperback, saving you costs on purchasing a bookshelf as well.

First off is the Reader Pocket Edition that comes with a 5″ electronic paper display which is crammed into a stylish chassis. Nice to know that Sony has released it in a bunch of different colors, including navy blue, rose and silver. The Reader Pocket Edition is a snap to navigate through using but a single hand, where the relatively small size also means it can slip into a purse or jacket pocket without causing any noticeable bulge. Also known as the PRS-300, this model can hold up to around 350 standard e-books with its internal memory, and the battery is able to last up to two weeks of non-stop reading before it requires a trip to the nearest power outlet. The Sony PRS-300 Reader Pocket Edition will retail for $199, making it the most affordable dedicated reading device on the market at the moment.

As for the Reader Touch Edition, you can tell by its name that the PRS-600 (model number) will come with a responsive, menu-driven 6″ touchscreen display which makes it possible to take advantage of quick, intuitive navigation, page turning, highlighting and note taking with but a swipe of the finger or using the included stylus if you hate leaving fingerprints over all your devices. The stylus will also come in handy when one needs to take down handwritten notes on the go, while those who are more comfortable with a virtual keyboard can opt for that as well. It will come with a pre-loaded Oxford American English Dictionary to expand your word power, boasting memory card slots for Memory Stick PRO Duo and SD formats. $299 will net you the Sony PRS-600 in either red, black or silver colors.

Press Release