Following last night’s announcement of a new Kindle Paperwhite model, the Sony Reader PRS-T3 ebook reader has been officially announced.
The Sony Reader PRS-T3 carries on the long-running Sony ereader series, taking the baton from last year’s PRS-T2. However, bafflingly, it still does not appear to have adopted the light diffusion layer used by the Kindle Paperwhite and Kobo Glo.
This is an ebook reader, therefore, that relies entirely on ambient light, meaning you’ll need to keep your bedside light on for late-night reading.
Sony Reader PRS-T3 Features
The Sony Reader PRS-T3’s key features relate to things other than a light. Sony boasts of the ebook reader’s Quick Charge feature, which claims to give enough power to read a six-hundred page novel following a three-minute charge.
Its second key feature is a neat flip cover that acts as a screen protector when you’re not reading. When closed, a magnetic strip tells the PRS-T3 to power off, saving extra power.
Fully-charged the Reader PRS-T3 will last for up to two months of reading with Wi-Fi turned off – this generally is calculated based on 30 minutes of reading a day.
Sony has also reworked the page refresh system in the Reader PRS-T3. It says the page can be made to refresh as little as every four hours – although judging by our previous experience this may mean dealing with some significant screen residue.
Sony Reader PRS-T3 Screen
Specs-wise, the Sony Reader PRS-T3 screen is very similar to that of the Kindle Paperwhite. It’s six inches across, uses a standard E Ink Pearl panel and has a resolution of 1,024 x 768 pixels.
And like previous Sony Reader models, the screen is touch-sensitive and uses dual-IR sensors to avoid giving the screen a nasty shiny finish.
Unlike the Kindle Paperwhite, the Sony Reader PRS-T3 keeps the hardware buttons seen in the Sony PRS-T2, letting you avoid the touchscreen while reading if you prefer.
The Sony Reader PRS-T3 comes in three colours – red, black and white – and will go on sale later this month. UK prices are yet to be confirmed. It had better be cheap, though, given its lack of light layer.
Next, read our Kindle Paperwhite review
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
