Sony ereader

[dontdisstheteens]

I have persuaded my mum to buy one of these for my dad. I would really like him to be able to read newspapers on it as well as books. Is this possible? I know you can do it via apps for iPhone etc I would have thought you could do a daily internet download and then read it throughout the day somehow.

I would be really grateful for any help at all.

[bran]

Has she already bought it? A Kindle might be more what you're looking for.

I have a Sony eReader and it doesn't have wi-fi or 3g connectivity (is that a word or have I made it up?). It has to be linked with a cable to my computer to upload books. My Sony is a couple of years old so the new ones might be wi-fi enabled, but, if so, I haven't heard about it.

[dontdisstheteens]

Hi

We did look at both. My father has large fingers and little control over them! He has to use a keyboard designed for children with learning difficulties with keys four times the size of usual one just to give you an idea. Being able to sweep pages across and use the touch screen will be easier than using those tiny buttons on the kindle. Also he will be able to borrow ebooks from our local library which will be a big bonus. Being able to adjust the print is important and likewise it being very light to hold.

You are totally right about the wireless - sorry my carelessness. I am looking for a subscription so he can download.

Beginning to wish we had gone for the ipad but wanted to avoid the backlight.

[lilystar]

Have a look at Calibre, which you could install on his computer. You then set up the news sources you want, and it collects the articles for you.

He'd need to plug the reader in every day to sync the news across, as the Sony doesn't do wireless syncing, but it would provide what you are looking for.

[dontdisstheteens]

Thank you this looks like exactly what we need. I am going to go round while he is out tomorrow and see if I can set it all up for him. That way when he is given it, it will work straight from the box so to speak!

If anyone thinks of anything I should do please say. He likes older literature so my plan is to set up links to Gutenberg.

[lilystar]

Have a check of the disc that you get with the Sony software on - I tested one of these and the disc had 100 classic ebooks on it. The one I tested was very easy to set up, it took me about 10 minutes to get everything installed and I was reading.

There are a lot of other places you can get the free classics from, including Amazon and manybooks.net, which I have also used, and they have been very good.

[dontdisstheteens]

Can you download from amazon for the Sony? I did not think the file types were compatible. Would love to learn I am wrong!

[Acekicker]

Make sure he registers with Sony when he gets the eReader - Sony will then send you c50-100 free books (the classics) over the first few months. Amazon (Kindle) books are a different format from Sony so won't work directly on an eReader and not sure what the process is for converting them easily...

Also check out if your local library does e-lending. It's free to 'borrow' the books and then they magically 'return' themselves after 21 days.

Another big Calibre fan here.

[bran]

Calibre looks fantastic - thanks for that link Lilystar. I have books in a few different formats, Sony reader, iPhone and Kindle for iPhone and it looks as though I can convert them back and forward and read them on whatever suits me at the time.

[lilystar]

don't diss - you can't download directly from Amazon to the Sony, party because the Sony doesn't have internet access, but also because the format is incompatible.

However, you can download from Amazon to your pc, and then the very lovely Calibre will convert the Kindle books to the Sony format.

It is very easy to do - click on the Help link within Calibre and it will walk you right through it, but if you get stuck at any point, just shout.

[dontdisstheteens]

That answers my question. Thank you very much.