Thursday, January 14, 2010

Sony’s E-Reader Opens New Chapter in Kindle Rivalry | Walt Mossberg | Personal Technology | AllThingsD

No wsj.com subscription required to read this review, which includes a 7-minute video tour

The Daily Edition isn’t a mere clone of the Kindle. It has a different design philosophy and is stronger in some areas, weaker in others. In general, I enjoyed using it, once I mastered its user interface, which took several days. I especially liked the fact that it packs a larger screen into a comfortably small device, and mostly uses touch navigation instead of all physical controls. For instance, while the Sony does have a small page-turning button, you can more easily turn pages by just swiping your finger across the screen. It’s also better at navigating digital newspapers, something I’ve never found very satisfying on the Kindle.

(Full disclosure: Sony has struck a special deal with Dow Jones, which owns The Wall Street Journal and this Web site. Under the deal, a special late-day edition of the Journal, containing updated news, will be available on the Daily Edition for an extra charge starting later in January.)

Sony’s E-Reader Opens New Chapter in Kindle Rivalry | Walt Mossberg | Personal Technology | AllThingsD

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