I had a Sony reader a while ago (bought in the US), from what I remember, it could display Japanese well enough , but there were no Japanese menus or anything, because the US and Japanese models were diferent.

I hate to say this, but I think you should return the e-reader if you already bought it..
The Japanese publishing industry has decided to go with the
EPUB 3.0 format.

Previously Sharp created the XMDF format and Japan had its sight on making
that the ebook standard, but it failed.

So everyone is going back to the drawing board and I'd expect new EPUB 3.0 compatible e-readers starting next year. The current Sony Japanese ebook store only has maybe 20,000 books, I think.

Sony even claimed recently that they predict they'll have 50% of the Japanese ebook market next year. A very bold statement indeed. But I expect that to mean the Sony PRS-T1 will become obsolete very soon and they'll introduce a new line of e-readers.

Also, Amazon is rumored to be released the Kindle in Japan very soon (possibly this month, but I doubt it). They will have some partnerships with Japanese publishers, but no one knows specifically which publishers.

Last edited by chamcham (2011 December 08, 1:32 pm)

Because E-ink is better for the eyes.
It is hard to read books on the iPad (I have one) without
straining your eyes because of the IPS display.
IMHO, it is the best reason to get an eReader.
It really makes a difference.

Also, you can read an eReader when the sun is shining.
It is almost impossible to read an iPad outdoors in sunny weather.

One other reason is battery.
The kindle lasts over a month on a single charge.
The iPad lasts 10 hours max.

E-readers are MUCH lighter than the iPad.
So you can hold it much longer without tiring your arms.

The  screen doesn't pick up fingerprints like they do on the iPad.

Lastly,  the cheapest kindle is $80. So it won't hurt your wallet so much.

I would say if you're mainly interested in reading modern (or classic) novels
then an e-Reader is the way to go. If you're looking for more than just
reading books, than maybe you should look at a tablet/laptop/desktop.

If you need both, you can get both.

Last edited by chamcham (2011 December 08, 8:21 pm)

Maybe bacause I don't have an ipad or i-phone, and my kindle is much more portable than computer, which I would rather not lug around to the places I'd want to read such as in bed, on the train, etc.

As others have mentioned, the screen is better for reading under many conditions (and not under 5 layers of fingerprint grease) and the price difference between an e-reader and iPad or iPad clone of some sort is significant. Also, battery life. Turn the wireless off, and the Kindle lasts for a month even with fairly heavy use.

I have the Sony PRS-T1. It's great. I chose it over Kindle because I read that it performs better with PDF files. It also has an extra micro SD slot that allows you to add a lot of memory, but you really don't need that much memory in an e-reader.

My sister got a Kindle as a Christmas gift and she said she didn't like it as much as the Sony PRS-T1 she has. She bought one after I told her how great I enjoyed mine.

Norman wrote:

But, the best thing about the Sony eReader from a nihongo perspective is when you are reading a Japanese book or PDF file, and you come across unknow kanji, individually or in compounds, you just touch it with your finger and the definition+kana pop up.

I'm assuming this is a Sony PRS-T1 that you bought in Japan?

See this post about caveats of buying PRS-T1 in Japan.

EDIT: I think, I'm going to get one regardless - I don't know when I'm going to come to Japan again.

Last edited by Inny Jan (2012 March 13, 7:54 am)