Is the Amazon Kindle Facing Tough Competition With the Sony PRS-600?

How much better really will the Sony PRS-600 be than its predecessors? Will it really give the Kindle, which is considered to be the darling of the ebook reader industry, some real competition? Heres an early preview.

The Amazon Kindle is known in tech circles as the ebook reader to beat. With its closest competition coming out with two new e-readers, the Sony PRS-600 and the Sony PRS-300, will the Kindle be finally given a run for its money? Not all details are known of these two new devices to hit the ebook reading industry, but there's enough data released to keep us intrigued and waiting. First, Sony itself has verified that it is indeed about to release two new e-readers. Then, some actual features were leaked to the public - features that could get Amazon a bit worried.

The first thing most people are going to notice is the price. The Kindle 2, the older model now that the Kindle DX is out, still runs for about $300. However, the brand new Sony PRS-600 is purported to be releasing at that same price. The aggressive pricing clearly shows that Sony is looking to get in on people who still aren't will to shell out $500 for a Kindle DX, but who want something newer than the Kindle 2. Sony also states that they will be matching the $9.99 price for new releases and best sellers, further proof of their willingness to compete with Amazon. For the money Sony is asking, they certainly appear to be offering something quite substantial.

Leaked portions of the manual hint at what the new ebook readers may have to offer. One feature that stands out is the touch screen. Available on top end models like the $1,000 FLEPia, the touch screen helps to clear up some more space that buttons would otherwise occupy. It also means the device can be even smaller and lighter. Even with a 6 inch screen, it would still only weigh about 10 ounces. And at just .4 inches thick, it is one of the most compact, yet advanced, readers that you will be able to find.

But if you are into cool features, you're probably most excited about the possibility of a flexible screen. While it hasn't been confirmed by Sony, the manual for the device does state that many of the parts are flexible. This has opened up some speculation that the device may have a bendable and unbreakable screen, a new technology of which Sony may be trying to get in on the ground floor.

Speculation is all well and good, but it is the hard facts that have people intrigued about the Sony PRS-300 and Sony PRS-600. The Sony PRS-600 comes with freehand writing via a stylus, a built-in dictionary, a library software suite that supports both Mac and PC, 380mb of storage with possibility for expansion and a battery life up to 7,500 pages. That's all very impressive given the modest price. While the details are still not entirely fleshed out by Sony, it is clear that Amazon is going to have some competition. With the Sony PRS-600 and it's little brother the PRS-300 getting ready to hit the market, potential buyers might just be holding out a little longer on that Kindle 2 they've been watching.

How does the Sony PRS-600 compare to the Amazon Kindle 2? Visit us to check out the detailed Amazon Kindle 2 review and find out for yourself. You'll be able to watch the device in action to discover how it stacks up against other ebook readers like those made by Sony.