The New Baby: Sony PRS-350

It wasn't planned.

Please don't think that makes the PRS-350 unwanted, but sometimes things happen when you don't expect them. (I was sober. I swear.) Like all unplanned events, this one has a long story attached. Short version is I decided not to take Ozymandius (iPad) on the road, but I was afraid that Baby (Sony 505) would be under constant siege. My plan was to borrow a 505 from someone who was selling theirs, but I was too slow. This left me two options - buy a second e-reader (selling whichever one I like least on my return) or suffer the perils of one e-reader for four travelers. There wasn't really a choice.

Well, ok, there was. Did I get the Kindle?  Did I get it with offers? Did I go for a Nook, despite my desire to never use B&N as a supplier? Should I just take Ozy on the road? If I did buy a Kindle, should I get it from Amazon? From Target? There was much debate. Like all things, it came down to love. (It would have to. Sony markets these things like Hipsters advertise bars. If you want to buy one you'd better know the secret handshake and the unmarked door.) I love my Sony 505. It has given me very little trouble despite the long hours I make it work. While I was going to side load anything I bought (I'm a stripper, I don't have time to screw with permissions and passwords and clouds and what not. I paid for it, I'll store it, thank you very much) the history I had with my 505 made me consider another Sony and the PRS-350 was in my price category. ($120 if you must know.) Until I picked it up, I thought I was going to buy a Kindle. You may remember that I was not that impressed with these touch screen units when they came out. The screen on the 350 seemed too small and the 650 was too buggy as a touch screen. I hadn't been impressed enough to walk away from Baby. Thinking about traveling made me look at the Sony Pocket differently.

This baby is light. It's not as small as I had recalled, more the size of a 1944 paperback in it's face. (What you don't read vintage? '44 was a great year.) Being left handed, the location of the page turning buttons was ideal for one handed reading. (Not like that! OMG are you at the wrong blog. Move along.) The touch screen solved an embarrassing problem I'd developed since using Ozy as my primary reader. When I was with Baby I kept smacking it in the face as though it would do something. Suddenly, scrolling seemed so last century and tedious. PRS-350 may not be as responsive as Ozy, but it does the job. We haven't been together long enough for cute little pet names, but I can already tell that Baby is halfway out the door. (I may not bother opening that leather cover I got it.) PRS-350 fits nicely in a Tokidoki for Sephora zip top pouch, making it compliment any bag I carry (since I have a well documented Tokidoki Problem). The screen is so much clearer than Baby. It's not perfect, it still requires a decent light for reading (unlike Ozy, who is ready to go anytime, anywhere) but it's so much better. Baby requires a full font size higher to be clear. I'd tell Baby I don't have a favorite, but I'd be lying. If PRS-350 travels well, it's getting a pet name and a permanent home. Shh. Baby doesn't know yet.