• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Blog
  • Kindle
  • Nook
  • Onyx Boox
  • Kobo
  • Comparisons
  • About
  • Disclosure
The eBook Reader Blog

The eBook Reader Blog

The eBook Reader Blog keeps you updated on the latest ereader and tablet news, reviews, and tutorials.

  • News
  • eBook Readers
  • Sales & Deals
  • Reviews
  • How To Guides
  • eBooks
  • Free eBooks

A Few New Details About the Sony PRS-950 Daily Edition

September 28, 2010 by Nathan

Sony PRS-950 Daily Edition

Okay. So it’s not much, but I managed to obtain a few minor details about the new Sony PRS-950 that haven’t been revealed anywhere else.

This came via a PDF from Racepoint Group, Sony’s PR agency. I spotted a couple of typos and factual inaccuracies in the PDF so take this information with a grain of salt.

The first thing is that the Sony PRS-950’s web browser will be unlocked for use with WiFi only; it won’t work over 3G. The free 3G will be provided by AT&T—the same as the first generation Daily Edition—along with access to free WiFi hotspots. The most disappointing news about this, however, is this line quoted from the PDF:

Content outside the Reader Store and Google Books content will not be available for wireless download, but can be easily managed through your compatible PC or Mac.

I hope that Sony reconsiders not allowing downloads with the browser. Not being able to severely hampers its usefulness. If the browser only works over WiFi, then what has Sony got to lose? Why not continue with their open approach attitude toward ebooks? At least let people download free ebooks and ebooks borrowed from libraries, if not 3rd party ebook retailers that sell Adobe DRM-ed ebooks.

Again, the same with the PRS-900, Sony wants to force users to buy ebooks from the Sony Reader Store. Everyone always speaks bad of Amazon’s closed-in approach, but even the Kindles can download ebooks in compatible formats (PDF, AZW, TXT, MOBI, PRC) using the web browser over WiFi and 3G.

Aside from the wireless, the only other new information not mentioned on Sony’s website or any of their press releases so far is that the PRS-950 will have 2GB of internal memory, the battery is rated to last 14 days with wireless on and 27 days with it off, and the device weighs in at 8.99 ounces. That’s almost 4 ounces lighter than the older PRS-900. In fact, it’s lighter than Sony’s earlier 6-inch model, the PRS-600.

All the other details the PDF talks about have already been reported on these two posts about the new screen technology and new features.

Make sure to subscribe to this site’s RSS Feed to get all the latest news about the Sony PRS-950.

Update: Sony has updated some information on the PRS-950 product details page. It says the device weighs 9.6 ounces and is .38″ thick. Additionally, they say that the battery life is 10 days with wireless on and up to 22 days with wireless off.

Filed Under: News, Sony Tagged With: daily edition, prs-950

Disclosure: This website earns commissions using affiliate links through Skimlinks and Amazon's Associates program.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Mimsy says

    September 28, 2010 at 11:09 am

    Thank you fr posting this! I’m still trying to be patient about the 950… and taking the information with grains of salt. 🙂

    I’m very disappointed in the crippled wifi, and the lack of 3G support in the browser. I want and need to be able to download from the many free ebook sites out there. This might actually end up being a deal breaker. Damn you Sony!

  2. purcelljf says

    September 28, 2010 at 1:53 pm

    hmmmm.

    I am anxious to see if the Cruz tablet will be any good, since the Cruz Reader apparently isn’t. The tablet is suppose to have a capacitive screen and support flash, and at $299 a good price.

  3. J.M. says

    September 28, 2010 at 10:50 pm

    “…but even the Kindles can download ebooks in compatible formats (PDF, TXT, MOBI, PRC) using the web browser over WiFi and 3G.”

    So does that mean you can download directly from sites like Feedbooks,Manybooks and Gutenberg to the Kindle using the Kindle Browser?Is that free or do they charge you since it`s not the Amazon store.

  4. Nathan says

    September 29, 2010 at 2:38 am

    No, it’s free. I’ve been downloading from Feedbooks lately; I like how their ebooks are nicely formatted. I double checked and actually it won’t download PDFs, even though that’s a supported format, but the others work fine, as long as the file doesn’t open a new window (an annoying thing about the browser is that it won’t open pages that open in a new window.)

  5. J.M. says

    September 29, 2010 at 8:29 am

    Good to know.
    Thanks for checking that.

  6. Flavia Biccas says

    September 29, 2010 at 4:25 pm

    I waiting on the 950 to be rellease! I still think is the best ereader for me. The problem with the wifi, will not be one for me, even more de 3G. Cause 3G won’t work here in Brazil. Since the wifi download the files from my computer is enough by me. The great news is that the 950 is ligther! Thanks again for the review!

  7. John McGinty says

    October 2, 2010 at 8:01 am

    Also on the site was the reported thickness of the 950 being only .38 inches, and that is important as well.

  8. Caryl Taucher says

    April 10, 2012 at 4:13 pm

    I am in the process of selecting an e book reader and have nearly decided on the sony 950. I want the reader mainly because I travel a lot and the weight and ease of handling is an important feature for me. Our local library supports the sony e reader also. However, there are certain things I don’t know – would it be a disadvantage not to have wifi and what is 3G. We ave wifi at home because we run a bed and breakfast accommodation but am not sure how it would work for me if overseas. Can someone please enlighten me?

    • Nathan says

      April 10, 2012 at 4:19 pm

      Sony doesn’t make the 950 anymore, just the prs-t1. The 950’s are really expensive now if you can find one. The 3G was for wireless on the go but only worked for getting ebooks from Sony in the US, nothing else,

Primary Sidebar

Kindle Reading Insights

eBook Readers Lack Useful Reading History and Reading Stats

eReader Boot Times

Boot Times for eBook Readers Ranked from Fastest to Slowest

Kobo Clara Colour Summer Return

Kobo Says the Clara Colour Will Return to the US This Summer

Kindle Rewards Changes

Kindle Rewards Program Now Open for All US Accounts

BookFab Kindle Converter

BookFab Kindle Converter Removes DRM From Kindle eBooks

Navigation Menu

  • Homepage
  • The eBook Reader Blog
  • Comparison Tables
  • Kindle Comparisons
  • Best eBook Readers
  • Reviews
  • How To Guides

Follow

Copyright © 2025 · Magazine Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress