Sony reader prs t1 formats. Sony PRS-T1 e-reader review

Sony's latest reader has already been in and produced good impression. The device turned out to be unique to some extent - it is one of the lightest and thinnest 6-inch touch devices for reading e-books on the market; Sony refused to support the proprietary format in it LRF in favor of the more common EPUB, used the Android OS, and it was also completely different from the company’s other readers - it was not “Sony style”, rather something akin to solutions from Sony Ericsson. Not everyone likes the new appearance, and the proprietary software, to be honest, leaves much to be desired. But everything can be changed and improved if there is a desire, but there is one. Let's improve it!

As a big admirer of electronic paper in general and Sony readers in particular, I have PRS-T1 caused ambivalent feelings. I became acquainted with this kind of product from a Japanese company back in 2007, when, with considerable difficulty and for a lot of money, I got hold of the legendary one. Yes, by modern standards it is heavy (about 300 g), but at the same time it is very thin, all-metal, stylish - a real Japanese Thing with a capital letter. Since then, I have owned other readers from the company, all of which pleased me with their design, but somehow I didn’t think much about functionality. Fortunately, enthusiasts have created very convenient tools for converting a popular format into a proprietary LRF and even software for creating collections from ordinary folders (proprietary software for this was, to put it mildly, inconvenient).

But then 2011 came, Amazon carried out a price collapse in the market for e-book readers (for the second time), and a Japanese competitor appeared, which is cheap in comparison with its predecessors, it also looks cheap and, in general, is somewhat disappointing in appearance . I wanted to exclaim: “Sony, put the PRS-T1 in the case from!”

Yes, the device turned out to be lightweight - this is undoubtedly good, but without a case it is still not advisable to use it on the road: the display in modern readers is very delicate, and replacing it costs almost the same as a new device. That is, we can safely add to the price of the gadget the cost of the case, which was included in the previous models (a chic book case in the PRS-500/505 and a neoprene “bag” in subsequent models). Now we have a choice of what to buy and add to the mass of an ultra-light reader.

On own experience We tested two accessories of this kind, one of which pleasantly surprised by returning the same Sony style to the reader, the second was kind to the wallet, but first things first.

Unnamed leather cover: cheap, cheerful, thick and nondescript, but reliable

Modern readers are cheap, but branded cases for them are expensive. It’s like with inkjet printers, when the hardware itself is available for essentially ridiculous money, a little more than the price of a complete cartridge, but manufacturers then make money by selling consumables. With the gadgets in question, the situation is somewhat more complicated; they do not have consumables; on the contrary, they save paper and save forests. But there is a fragile display, and its protection is not cheap. At least if we're talking about about the national market and branded accessories. And in their native lands they are offered at a price of a third, or even half, of the cost of the reader. Original accessories are undoubtedly good and attractive in appearance, and we will see this a little later, but for now we will consider an inexpensive and completely unoriginal alternative.

The cover does not have a specific name or trademark, and it is made from the skin of an unknown creature, perhaps even artificial. Nevertheless, the material is durable - it endured a month of very harsh use stoically, plus it does not have the sharply negative smell that nameless Chinese accessories often suffer from. The inside is lined with soft fleecy fabric, which elegantly collects dust, but does not scratch the reader’s body. There are even two flat pockets and a place for a stylus. To accommodate the latter, the manufacturer made the cover considerably wider than the body PRS-T1. Controversial decision, since the stylus is practically not used in everyday use, but the dimensions of the case increase significantly.

The reader is held in place by a pair of leather loops and two panty elastic bands. It sounds funny, but this is exactly the association I had after placing the device inside. Although, the main thing in this case is that PRS-T1 sits securely inside the case, does not wobble, and certainly will not fall out of it, even if the gadget is dropped. Moreover, when closed, the cover is held in place by a strap with a magnetic clasp, mind you - a very strong magnetic clasp.

The cover itself is hard - you don’t have to worry about the safety of the display and the back panel of the reader. A targeted impact (for example, on the corner of a table) is especially dangerous for the screen, and the accessory will withstand it easily, and it will also withstand pressure over a large area, which can be experienced in a crowd on public transport. In pairs similar situations private PRS-T1 visited - “alive and well”, works and pleases the owner.

This cover costs within 130-150 UAH, which in comparison with the branded case, which will be discussed below, is not expensive. On the other hand, for comparable money you can find the original somewhere on Amazon; they often have discounts on this kind of product. The only problem is that in most cases sellers do not send this product to Ukraine. As a result, it’s a good budget alternative that will protect the reader.

In addition, this case makes it quite convenient to hold the device in one hand due to its increased dimensions. It's like holding a pocket book. Plus, in this position it is easy to turn pages with a standard gesture. You can also hook a book light like this onto the accessory:

By the way, the cover weighs a lot, about 120 g, and this is a pretty decent minus. Together with the reader, the result is almost 300 grams. It cannot be said that it strains the hand very much, but a lot depends on the physical condition of the user, which is different for everyone.

PRS-T1 Standard Cover: “Sony-style” made of leather and plastic

After a month, I got tired of the nameless cover. Yes, it’s reliable, yes, it’s strong, yes, it copes with its responsibilities, but I wanted something more compact and at the same time no less reliable, something lighter and more beautiful. The most attractive was the branded case PRS-T1 Standard Cover. In Ukrainian realities, this is offered for $50-60 . For this money (and if you have access to foreign flea markets, then half the price) you can make a real Japanese reader from the PRS-T1 in Sony’s corporate style.

It is worth noting that the first impression was more negative than positive due to the plastic base - it does not follow the shape of the reader and makes it visually thicker, although in fact it practically does not increase the thickness of the PRS-T1, but its tricky shape conceals the real dimensions.

There is never a need to rush to conclusions. As soon as you put the device in a case, pick it up, open it, close it, touch it, turn it and examine it from all sides, all doubts disappeared. The shape and design of the reader in the case resembles a book, a very cool, expensive and high-quality book - it looks simply gorgeous and feels the same in your hands.

The second thing that attracts attention is the almost imperceptible change in the weight of the gadget. The cover is very light, weighing approx. 60 g and its presence does not transform PRS-T1 into something heavy and cumbersome.

And the third is decent rigidity Standard Cover. The leather front cover, which is thinner than in the nameless case, is no less dense, and the lower part is made of strong plastic with additional stiffening ribs; inside it is lined with some soft material such as felt.

The reader is held in the cover using edges protruding from the plastic base on the left and right. It is quite easy to place it, just insert it on one side, lower it and press it on the other, but removing it will be more difficult. You need to take the device in both palms, as if you were holding a joystick, and place your thumbs on the analog sticks, in this case these will be the two plastic corners of the cover, its leather part hanging down. Then you need to simultaneously press on these corners with two thumbs (you will have to make a serious effort, but the accessory is strong, so it is unlikely to break), the gadget will be freed from the plastic bottom.

The outside of the entire case is covered with leather. In the back and third of the front, some kind of clever processing is used, creating a matte, rough and pleasant-to-touch surface. It improves the grip of the device.

The front part consists of as many as four layers, partly has a more traditional finish and carries corporate logo « Reader».

Inside the front cover there is a stylish recess for hardware buttons:

A standard book flashlight cannot be attached to such a case, but there is a version of the cover with a built-in lighting device (however, this one on the national market costs absolutely crazy money, comparable to the price of the reader itself). But the accessory is very easy to use and, as mentioned above, lightweight.

Packed in a cover PRS-T1 It is convenient to hold with any hand and at the same time turn pages with standard gestures. You can even hold the reader in your left hand by the corner to turn pages using the hardware keys.

On at the moment Standard Cover is one of the best cases for this reader on the market and practice confirms this. In addition, it gives PRS-T1 that same mythical “Sony style”, although this is a matter of taste.

Android is freedom...and new reading software

Sony already accomplished a lot when it abandoned its proprietary e-reader format LRF in favor of the most common now EPUB, and the Russian font in texts is supported right out of the box. There is no need to Russify or redo anything, as with previous models.

The company did even more for the reading and software modernization community when it decided to use a standard kernel Android 2.x instead of our own solutions based on Linux. If desired, from PRS-T1 you can practically make a tablet with an E-Ink screen, or you can limit yourself to a good, generally original interface with new reading software fully integrated into it. I personally am an adherent of the latter method and will mainly be discussed, but the path for more severe modifications will also be indicated.

It is worth noting that there is an official version PRS-T1 for the CIS countries, which comes with an initially Russified interface and in the near future will receive support for the “folk” format FB2(Sony promises to release new software this month). It uses firmware 1.0.00.11041 , on which alternative software cannot be installed. Accordingly, everything written below applies to European and American models, which come with firmware 1.0.00.09010, 1.0.00.09270, 1.0.02.10280, 1.0.03.11140 And 1.0.04.12210 inclusive.

There have not yet been any cases of irreversible damage caused to the reader due to modification of the original software, but anything can be broken if there is a desire. It should be understood that any experiments with the device’s software are done by users at their own peril and risk, and the authors of alternative software do not bear any responsibility for harm caused to gadgets, nor does the author of this review. In addition, it is advisable to have a free microSD card in stock. With its help, the reader is restored in the event of a total pogrom of the internal software.

So, what will alternative software give to an inquisitive person who wants to expand the capabilities of his PRS-T1? The most important thing is support for the vast majority of modern e-book formats, including FB2, FB2.zip And djvu. Also included is Russification of the interface, Russian on-screen keyboard, additional dictionaries, viewing MS Office documents ( DOC, DOCX, XLS, XLSX, PPT, PPTX, PPS, PPSX) and other “goodies”. There are a lot of goodies and amenities; it makes sense to strain a little, worry a little and upgrade your favorite gadget.

I will not describe in detail the process of installing alternative software; the authors of the modifications outlined everything in the forums of the The-eBook portal. I will dwell on my own experience of working with revised firmware.

There are two main options for alternative software for Sony Reader PRS-T1: from a friend with a nickname beard and from an enthusiast with an online pseudonym amutin. The first turns the reader into that same tablet with an alternative launcher reminiscent of the standard Android interface and a lot of all sorts of software, including two programs for reading books: CoolReader And FBReader. Here is a discussion thread about this software, where there are all the instructions and a description of the functionality of the package.

It was this that I tested first due to the fact that at the time the reader appeared, I had access only to OS X, and the software from Boroda is practically not tied to the platform and can be installed without Windows (the firmware files are unpacked and rewritten in PRS-T1 in data transfer mode, after which the process starts on the device itself).

The firmware provides a huge field for experimentation, and even the month-old version behaved quite stably. You can use the original launcher or an alternative one, select one of them by default, and similarly with reading programs. But, after all, the original software is modified too much, or you will need to spend a lot of effort to customize everything for yourself.

I’m not a big fan of unnecessary gestures, except as part of work experiments, and on my personal device I didn’t want to have anything more than what was needed for comfortable reading. Accordingly, when I was able to get to a PC with Windows on board, the first thing I did was change the alternative reader software to a less aggressive firmware from amutin. Her discussion thread is at this address.

To successfully upgrade the software, you will need to install the latest version of proprietary firmware ( 1.0.04.12210 ), which can be downloaded from the official Sony website ( 104 MB). In turn, before flashing the reader, you need to install proprietary software to interact with it, which is located in the device’s internal memory and is available when it is connected to a PC in data transfer mode ( Data Transfer Mode). Upgrading the original firmware is carried out in the same mode and takes no more than 10 minutes. All that is required is to run the executable file with the reader connected to the PC.

Installing alternative software from amutin(and from Boroda too) is not very different from flashing the reader, with the exception that you first need to unpack the self-extracting archive (the author recommends doing this to the system disk, usually “ C:\"") and run the executable only after disabling UAC ( User Account Control) in Windows Vista or Windows 7.

The developer offers several packages to choose from. For example, Standard includes an alternative launcher, the ability to add and change the composition of packages for yourself, and a lot of other features for lovers of experiments and adventures with gadgets. With version Minimal a little more complicated: 1.xx (1.65 at the time of writing) is a compact package that differs from the Standard version in the absence of an alternative shell and installation mechanism own programs. 0.xx (0.25 at the time of writing) is the lightest version: Russification of the interface and keyboard, CoolReader, file manager, plus a couple of other goodies that I personally don’t use.

With version 1.xx There was an incident a couple of times when the reader froze during operation, and the content update arrows constantly rotated on the screen. A soft reset of the device using the Reset button at the bottom of the gadget (press and hold for a couple of seconds) helped. I’m sure this problem has now been solved, but after another gadget freeze, about a month ago, it was decided to switch to the software version 0.xx and during the entire period of operation no difficulties arose with it.

Moreover, after the recent update of CoolReader, the author of which began to actively implement support Sony Reader PRS-T1 in the application, as well as after making a number of modifications by an enthusiast with the nickname horn into alternative software, it actually received full integration with the original reader shell. Actually, it was this moment that prompted the creation of this material.

At the moment, a device with alternative software works perfectly: it does not freeze, does not slow down, is well integrated into the shell, although there is nothing special to integrate there, mostly small things, but these little things affect the experience of using the gadget. So when PRS-T1 goes into standby mode, the book cover is used as a screensaver. Example in the image below:

Before adapting CoolReader for a reader, in order to display the cover of a book read in an alternative program on the screen saver in standby mode, it first had to be opened once with a standard reading program. If several people use the device, then it was generally inconvenient; the screensaver was always there at random. Plus, for her sake, I had to select a reading application every time I opened a book:

But now there is no such problem. CoolReader is integrated into the standard Sony launcher and automatically displays the cover of the current book on the screensaver. Naturally, the alternative reader is designated as the default book reading application. Moreover, horn got the Sony shell to recognize and display book covers from files FB2 And FB2.zip- this is full-fledged and very high-quality support for this format, CoolReader works well with it:

Now let's compare the text in the alternative and original reading programs. First, the solution from Sony (in the first screenshot the font is small, in the second it is a couple of points larger):

From the perspective of an inexperienced E-Reader user, everything seems to be fine. But different distances between words are clearly visible, that is, there is no support for hyphenation in the Russian language, and there is no clock yet. Both of these nuances are annoying if you are used to reading not only on a specialized device, but also on a smartphone. Plus, after a year of working with the PocketBook reader, I also somehow got used to the presence of transfers. Together with this function, the e-book really looks like a real one on the E-Ink screen.

Here's what it offers CoolReader:

Not only does it have support for Russian hyphens, but also hanging punctuation, when punctuation marks and hyphens at the end of a line are moved outside the text block, as well as font kerning and hinting. All this has a very positive effect on the visual perception of the text. Actually, here is the result on the same part of the book that is shown in the original reader above:

By the way, there is also a clock, plus the battery charge level and related information. In general, this line can be flexibly configured, like many other aspects of the program, including the indentation from the edges (in my case, 40 points on the left and right and 20 on the top and bottom).

The only disadvantage of minimal assembly amutin lies in the absence of a dictionary and if it is needed, you will have to install a standard package or 1.xx from the simplified ones.

A fun experiment with a large smartphone

It so happened that in addition to the pumped up on our own, we have in stock PRS-T1 It also turned out to be a Samsung smartphone. A very good smartphone for reading with a 5.3-inch Super AMOLED HD display with a resolution of 1280x800 pixels. Naturally, it also has CoolReader installed and there is a unique opportunity to compare both devices under almost identical conditions and with similar software. The size of the display is not very different, the text is laid out similarly - the only difference is in the screen technology and, in fact, the devices themselves.

What can I say - Sony Reader PRS-T1 simply tore the “competitor” into shreds for several reasons. First, size still matters and even an extra 0.7 inches feels good. Plus, the reader has a pocket book format, which makes it even more similar to its paper counterparts.

The second reason is the E-Ink display. I have never complained about my eyes or any particular strain on them when working with LCD or AMOLED screens. I read from such without special problems and with great pleasure. Moreover, in 2010 he abandoned it in favor of iPad, on which I liked reading much more at that time, and so the practice continued until the end of last year: at home - a tablet, on the road - iPhone.

And then I returned to electronic paper again. Because it makes your eyes strain much less. Some people feel this especially sharply and sensitively, others, like me, for example, only with direct comparison. Together with the Galaxy Note, we managed to do this, since the first delight from the devices passed, and nothing prevented a balanced comparison. The bottom line is that the only thing better than an E-Reader for reading is another E-Reader.

The third reason for losing a smartphone (as well as a tablet) is to some extent funny and implicit. This is a multifunctional device: you can make and receive calls, work with mail, communicate via social networks, surf the web, play, after all. As a result, because of this functionality, it is not always possible to concentrate specifically on reading and immerse yourself in a book 100%. The boundaries of reality are just beginning to dissolve, the letters disappear before the eyes, and the reader dives headlong into the fantastic world when he is rudely pulled out of there into real world a call, a notification about new tweets or mail, a sudden desire to read the news and see if anything interesting has appeared on, etc.

But when you pick it up PRS-T1 or any other e-paper-based reader, you clearly understand that now is the time to read, the time to travel to other universes, to empathize with your favorite characters and let the rest of the world wait a little.

Universal reader

Sony Reader PRS-T1- this, of course, is not ideal. All people are different, everyone has their own preferences, habits, wishes. But this is one of the few universal devices on the market that, if you have a little free time, can be customized. In this regard, it is even more versatile than PocketBook solutions, which have always been famous for their high-quality software, and is not very expensive. It may well compete in price with the Kindle if we are talking about gray supplies.

Only one has similar software modification capabilities, but it is larger, thicker and heavier. Although, the devices are comparable if the hero of the article is used with a branded case, however, the latter, in this case, is physically more protected and this is the same “Sony style”. For me it's pumped up Sony Reader PRS-T1- this is an almost ideal reader.

Website about e-books and tablets

How to flash Sony PRS-T1. Detailed instructions.

Resources describing firmware and alternative packages, in addition to download links, usually contain instructions for installing the corresponding firmware. This applies to both Sony firmware updates and alternative packages from boroda, amutin and rupor. In our opinion, these instructions are quite detailed and understandable. However, judging by the questions sent by readers via email or via form Hotline, as well as in terms of the content of search queries, this is not entirely true. Many readers do not understand what “run as administrator” or “disable User Account Control” (UAC) means, and do not know how to check the Reader disk for file system errors and how to fix these errors. To meet the wishes of the workers, we decided to create as many detailed instructions by firmware e-book Sony PRS-T1.

Let's make a few important comments. Not all points in this instruction are required to be followed. For example, if you are sure that the Reader disk of your e-reader does not contain file system errors (you meticulously use the function of safely disconnecting the device before disconnecting the USB cable), then there is no need to check and fix this disk before flashing the firmware. If User Account Control is already disabled on your system, or you are using the Windows XP operating system, then you also do not need the option to disable UAC. If you constantly work with administrator rights, then there is no need to run programs as an administrator. You can check whether you are working with administrator rights as follows. Go to the "Computer Management" snap-in ("Control Panel" - "Administrative Tools" - "Computer Management"), expand the "Users and Passwords" item, right-click on the user you are currently using, select "Properties" and see if this user is included in the Administrators group. Please note: if you fail to flash your book the first time, then on the second try, be sure to check if UAC is disabled, reboot the computer, check the Reader volume for errors (even better, format the Reader disk) and run all programs as an administrator.

Before flashing your reader with one of the alternative packages, you need to make sure that you have the latest version of the firmware installed (at the time latest edition of this article - 1.0.05.11130). If this is not the case, then before installing packages from boroda, amutin or rupor, update the firmware to version 1.0.05.11130.

Before flashing your book, it must be fully charged (until the red indicator goes out). Be sure to remove the memory card if it is inserted into the device. You also need to clear some space on the Reader disk where dictionaries and installation files will be copied. If you are going to install PRS-T1 Flasher minimal version 1.71 from amutin (or later), then you must have at least 300 MB of free space. For other packages, you can leave less free space.

To successfully flash the firmware, you must first disable User Accounts Control (UAC). Just remember to turn it back on after successful completion of the firmware and reboot the computer. It is necessary to disable UAC in the Windows Vista and Windows 7 operating systems. In Windows XP there is no UAC function, and there is no need to disable it.

Windows Vista. Go to "Control Panel" - " Accounts users" and click on the link "Turn User Account Control (UAC) on or off". In the window that opens, uncheck "Use User Account Control (UAC) to protect your computer", click "OK", and then be sure to reboot the system:

Windows 7. Go to "Control Panel" - "User Accounts" and click on the "Change User Account Control settings" link. In the window that opens on the left side, lower the slider to the very bottom (“Never notify”), click “OK”, and then be sure to reboot the system:

Connect your device to your computer using a USB cable. Use the cable that came with the Sony PRS-T1 e-reader. Do not use extension cords or hubs. In the computer's energy saving settings, automatic transition to standby/sleep mode must be disabled (or the delay before entering these modes must be set to at least 30 minutes). If you are going to flash the device by connecting it to a laptop, power the laptop from the mains.

A few seconds after connecting the device, the message “Data Transfer Mode” should appear on its screen. Tap directly on this inscription.

Click the "Start" button and select "Computer" ("My Computer" in Windows XP) or double-click the corresponding icon on the desktop. A list of available disks will be displayed in the window that opens. In the "Devices with removable media" section, find the "Reader" disk and remember (better write it down on a piece of paper) what letter the operating system assigned to this disk. In the example below, the Reader drive is assigned the letter "K":

Next, you need to check the Reader disk for file system errors and fix them. Errors could occur when the device was disconnected from the computer incorrectly (without using the Safely Disable Devices feature). If you have ever turned off a device “just like that,” then checking and correcting errors is necessary. To carry out the test, run the command line as an administrator. Click "Start" - "All Programs" - "Accessories". Right-click on "Command Prompt" and select "Run as administrator":

In the window that opens, type the disk check command - “chkdsk X: /f” (without quotes), where “X” is the letter assigned by the system to the Reader disk (previously, you looked at what letter was assigned to your Reader disk and wrote it down on a piece of paper). The "/f" option means that any errors found will be corrected automatically. Press the "Enter" key. Here's what it should look like (in our case, the Reader drive was assigned the letter "K"):

When the check is complete, the command line window will look something like this:

Close the window with the cross in the upper right corner or type the command "exit". Now you can start flashing the firmware.

To update Sony firmware from one of the versions 1.0.00.09010, 1.0.00.09270, 1.0.02.10280, 1.0.03.11140, 1.0.04.12210 to version 1.0.05.11130, you must have the previously downloaded file PRS-T1_Updater_1.0.05.11 130.exe. To update the firmware from version 1.0.00.11041 to 2.0.00.14070, you must have the file PRS-T1_UPDATER_2.0.00.14070.exe.

Close any programs that may be accessing the Reader drive. Reader for PC, if you have it installed, should also be closed. It's best to close all programs altogether. Open "Computer" ("My Computer" in Windows XP), right-click on the executable file and select "Run as administrator":

Follow the instructions that appear in the program window. The duration of the firmware is approximately 10-15 minutes. Upon completion of the firmware, a message should appear on the computer screen stating that the firmware has been successfully completed, and the indicator of your device should either turn off or glow solid red. Disconnect the device from the cable (in this case there is no need to use "Safe Disconnection") and check the result by accessing "Settings - About - Device Information - Version".

Next, we will tell you how to flash a device with proprietary software version 1.0.05.11130 to alternative packages from boroda, rupor and amutin (what are the differences between these firmwares - read the article Comparison of firmware from amutin, boroda and rupor). In case you want to install the Apps2SD package from rupor, first flash your device with one of the alternative packages “Absolutely minimal root” from rupor, “Minimal Root Set” from boroda or “PRS-T1 Flasher minimal” from amutin. Links to pages where you can download alternative application packages can be found in our section Firmware, installing applications.

The procedure for installing firmware from different authors is practically the same. Packages from boroda are distributed in zip format archives, packages from rupor are distributed in 7z (7zip) format archives. A suitable archiver, for example WinRar, must be installed on your system. After unzipping, in both cases you need to run the flash_reader.bat file. Packages from amutin are distributed in self-extracting archives (files with the .exe extension). After unpacking the archive from amutin, you need to run the RunMe.exe file.

To install, for example, any package from rupor, open "Computer" ("My Computer" in Windows XP), find the file you downloaded containing the required firmware, right-click on it and select "Extract files":

As the location where you want to extract files from the archive, specify the root of drive C (type "C:\") and click "OK":

Close any programs that may be accessing the Reader drive. Reader for PC, if you have it installed, should also be closed. It's best to close all programs altogether. Open "Computer" ("My Computer" in Windows XP), find the unpacked archive on the C: drive in the "rupor-minimal" folder, open the folder, right-click on the flash_reader.bat file and select "Run as administrator" :

Be patient. The duration of the firmware can be up to 15 minutes. Have lunch, watch the news on TV. During this time, your device will reboot several times. Upon completion of the firmware, the device screen will display the Home page, and the indicator will either be constantly lit in red or will be extinguished. Disconnect the device from the computer (in this case, you do not need to use "Safe Disconnection"), check the version of the installed package ("Settings - About the device - Device information - Version", section "Root & Mods") and its functionality.

If you decide to install the PRS-T1 Flasher minimal package (or the PRS-T1 Flasher recovery package) from amutin, do the following. Open "Computer" ("My Computer" in Windows XP), find the .exe file you downloaded and double-click on it. The "Self-extracting WinRar archive" window will open. Specify the root of the C: drive ("C:\") as the destination folder and click "Extract":

When you finish unpacking, be sure to close all programs that may be accessing the Reader disk. Reader for PC must also be closed. It's best to close all programs altogether. Open "Computer" ("My Computer" in Windows XP), find the unpacked archive on drive C: in the folder "PRS-T1_Flasher_minimal_1.71" (instead of "1.71" there may be other numbers, depending on the version of the package you are installing). In the case of a recovery package, the folder name will be different - “PRS-T1_Flasher_recovery_1.0.05.11130”, open the folder and right-click on the RunMe.exe file. Select "Run as administrator":

The duration of the firmware can be from 10 to 20 minutes. The process takes the longest when installing PRS-T1 Flasher minimal versions of the 1.xx family, since ColorDict dictionaries, which occupy a significant amount of space, are copied into memory. Do not click anything on your device or computer until the flashing is complete. During this time, your device will reboot several times. Upon completion of the firmware, the Home page will be displayed on the screen, and the indicator will either be constantly lit in red or will be extinguished. Disconnect the device from the computer (there is no need to use "Safe Disconnection"), check the version of the installed package ("Settings - About the device - Device information - Version" in the "Root & Mods" section) and its functionality.

After installing all required packages Folders created during unpacking to drive C: can be deleted. You also need to restore your User Account Control settings and restart your computer.

I would like to hear readers' opinions about this article. Is the firmware procedure described in sufficient detail? Do you understand everything? Which points should be expanded, which terms should be deciphered? Are there any errors in the procedure descriptions? Send us feedback by email [email protected], or use the Hotline form below this article.

Gabriel Chitalkin, 07/01/2012
Last revision: 12/02/2012

Are you asking a question for the first time? Read "How to ask the right question." Be sure to indicate the model name, firmware version, name and version of the application package. Describe what actions led to the device not working correctly.

Website about e-books and tablets

FAQ: General questions for Sony PRS-T1 and Sony PRS-T2 models

What is the difference between the PRS-T1 and PRS-T2 e-reader models?

You can compare these models on the page Key Features of Sony PRS-T1 and Sony PRS-T2. The main differences are the presence or absence of an audio output (and support for audio format files), the set of dictionaries included in the package, the presence or absence of the ability to disable the full screen update every time you flip through the built-in book reader. Shape, size, weight - very close. The devices use the same type of e-ink screen and infrared touch panel. The photo on the right shows both devices side by side (see also full-size photo by Theonna).

I'm going to buy an e-reader Sony PRS-T1 (PRS-T2). What should you pay attention to first when purchasing, what should you check? Is there any way to find out whether the device has been used before or not?

When purchasing, check the integrity of the packaging, completeness, and appearance of the device (no scratches, cracks). The frame of the new device must be covered with a transparent protective film. Turn on your device. The battery level of the new book should be approximately half. There should be no stripes on the screen of a switched-on book (gray stripes are typical for a damaged screen). Check whether the screen responds to taps, check the functionality of the hardware buttons. You can also turn on Wi-Fi and check if the device can see any wireless networks.

There is no 100% way to know whether a book was used before it was sold. Try to buy from trusted sellers: read reviews in forums, on Yandex.Market, etc. On the page "Where to buy" We also post links to sellers with an established reputation.

Is the Sony e-reader compatible with computers running the MacOS operating system?

Yes. Both Sony models can be connected to a Mac (Apple) to download and delete books and other compatible file formats. You can use the system file manager or install Reader for Mac. To update the firmware of the PRS-T1 reader, you will need to connect to a PC. Firmware updates for the PRS-T2 model are available from Windows, MacOS X, and also via the Wi-Fi wireless interface (in the latter case, no connection to a computer is required). All existing programs that install alternative firmware (currently only for PRS-T1) work only under Microsoft Windows.

Do I need to install Reader for PC (Reader for Mac) on my computer?

You can do just fine without this program, but it provides some additional conveniences and features, for example, creating collections directly on your computer, buying books from the Sony store, exporting notes to a file, checking for program updates and firmware (firmware).

How to download books from a computer to an e-reader?

This can be done by directly copying files to a USB connected device. Create any convenient folders on the READER disk and copy books there using the file manager. You can also use the Reader for PC program (only for epub, pdf, txt formats).

How to delete previously downloaded books?

There are several ways to delete books previously recorded in the memory of Sony PRS-T1 and PRS-T2 e-readers. Here are some of them.

If the books you are interested in are displayed in the "Books" submenu (books in a format supported by the "native" reading program), open "Books", make a long tap on the book to be deleted and select "Delete".

Connect your device to your computer and tap on "Data Transfer Mode". Using your computer's file manager (Windows Explorer or any other file manager), open the READER disk and find books condemned to be deleted, mark them and delete them in the usual way.

If you have Cool Reader installed (currently the ability to install additional programs implemented only in the PRS-T1 model), go to the "Open file" section and make a long tap on the book to be deleted. The Properties window opens and the keyboard appears. Press the Return key to remove the keyboard from the screen. Tap on the top right button (“Delete book”).

If a file manager is installed on your device - Root Explorer, Total Commander, etc. (Currently, the ability to install additional programs is only available on the PRS-T1 model), launch it. Find the books that require deletion (from the point of view of these programs, the internal memory of your device allocated for storing books is called “sdcard”, the Micro SD card is called “extsd”), make a long tap and select “Delete”.

How do I change the built-in browser screen to landscape orientation?

Go to your browser. Click the button. Tap the "Orientation" icon at the bottom left.

How to switch the screen to landscape orientation for reading e-books with the built-in program?

Open the book in the built-in reader (Sony Reader). Click the button. Tap the "More" icon and select "Orientation"

Can I install additional Android apps?

Currently, the ability to install programs for Android is implemented only for the PRS-T1 model. Before installing additional applications, you need to flash your reader with an alternative package. For firmware versions 1.0.00.09010, 1.0.00.09270, 1.0.02.10280, 1.0.03.11140 or 1.0.04.12210, take the description of installing alternative packages, for versions 1.0.00.11041 or 2.0.00.14070 read these instructions.

Tell me a converter for converting books from fb2 format to ePub format.

The most common converter is Fb2ePub. Launched from the command line, it has many options, in particular, allowing you to embed a font. If there are few books, then it is convenient to use this online converter. You can convert files and famous program Caliber.

Please note: reader models intended for Russian consumers can read files in the fb2 format, so it is quite possible to do without a converter.

The e-reader does not include a charger. Can any device with a Micro USB output be charged?

Last October, Sony supported the trend towards cheaper and simpler new models by introducing the PRS-T1 electronic reader. The manufacturer's previous models PRS-350 and PRS-650 were good in everything except the price. To increase market share, the Japanese company urgently needed a budget reader. The manufacturer responded to the appearance of the new Kindle Touch, Kindle 4 and Nook Simple Touch, hoping to take away customers from Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and increase sales outside Japan. The new T1 - in terms of price and offered characteristics, is certainly a serious challenge to the American market leaders.

Equipment

The device comes with only a Micro-USB cable for connecting to a computer (charging and loading books through it) and a stylus. Sony adheres to market trends: the most simple packaging and minimal equipment. A set of accessories (, mains charger, memory card) is sold separately.

Appearance and weight

The design will seem familiar to anyone who has ever held a Sony e-reader in their hands. The manufacturer has not abandoned the controls proven by older models: the context menu, return, main menu and page turn buttons are located in one line at the bottom of the screen.

But the power on/off button has moved to the bottom end of the reader, where it is now adjacent to the micro-USB port, reset and headphone jack. The result was a fusion of our own developments and borrowings from the Kindle, and overall a very successful control interface.

Another attempt to beat the competition was a non-standard set of body colors. In addition to the traditional and boring black and white, the new product is offered in a bright red body color. None of the leaders in both the global and Russian e-reader markets offer devices in bright body colors.

The new Sony PRS-T1 model is positioned as “the lightest 6-inch reader in the world.” 168 grams of weight makes the reader the nominal leader (the closest competitor weighs 169.5 grams). The previous 6-inch model Sony PRS-650 weighed 215 grams due to its solid aluminum body. The T1 has a plastic body, and the back panel is covered with a rubberized pad that is pleasant to the touch. The appearance has not suffered in any way from the change in materials - the reader looks stylish and is not at all cheap.

Among the disadvantages of the ereader design, we highlight the inability to attach a stylus to the body. In previous models 350, 650, the stylus was very conveniently placed in a special slot inside the case. In the case of the T1, there are no fastenings for it either on the case or on the original cover. Apparently, priority was given to minimizing the dimensions of the device, in particular its thickness.

Screen

Like the 350 and 650 models, as well as a direct competitor, the new product is equipped with a screen with touch glass or an infrared frame. The owner of T1 will be able to use the multi-touch function (zoom in and out with a pinch, respectively, when spreading and closing your fingers). The role of the screen in control is great - it is impossible to flip through a book using buttons while holding it in one right hand (the scrolling keys are on the left), which means that in order to change hands and conveniently turn pages, you need to use a touchscreen. Scrolling occurs both when you swipe your finger across the screen horizontally and when you swipe vertically.

The touchscreen provides additional control options. Clicking (and holding for a couple of seconds) on a menu item, a word in the text, or a book in the collection opens a context menu with additional options. For example, the highlighted word in the text can be searched on Google or Wikipedia (provided you have a WiFi connection).

The touch screen is very responsive and has a good speed of changing images. Excellent image quality is maintained in bright sunlight. The downside is that the image is completely updated after each page (press the button - the screen flashes brightly black and the image changes). For example, Kindle Touch completely updates the image only after the fifth page and with virtually no loss of quality.

Reading

Reading books on the Sony PRS-T1 is comfortable and enjoyable. The context menu key opens the settings menu. They allow you to change the screen orientation to horizontal, use search inside the book, change the font size, adjust image quality and text placement on the screen. Let us clarify the last two points. The image settings are given to the user more for show. By default, the whitest image background and the most contrasting and saturated text are selected. Other options do not improve the picture quality in any way. The text placement setting allows you to sort in two or three columns, as well as rotate the image and fit it to the full width of the screen. These capabilities are relevant for texts of periodicals, laid out in columns, as well as for viewing PDF files.

Menu

The reader's main menu consists of two pages, the first of which is entirely devoted to reading. The book you recently read and the three books most recently loaded into the reader are in quick access here. Also on the main page there are “Collections” and “Periodicals” icons. The second page contains a set of additional features. In the Russian version of the reader, some menu items were removed (for example, “Books from Google” and “Shopping” in the branded online store ReaderStore), since it was obvious that these offers were not yet particularly relevant for Russian users. For those who are interested in books on foreign languages, are likely to choose Kindle and the more content-rich Amazon.com service.

Among the interesting and necessary functions, we highlight an audio player that plays music files in MP3 and AAC formats, and plays tracks while reading (Fyodor Butyrsky can be read under Mikhail Shufutinsky). In addition, we note the handwriting input function, which allows you to draw on the screen with a stylus. For example, you can draw a driving map on the display, save the picture as a JPEG file, and then send the image by email directly from the reader.

Internet access

The Sony PRS-T1 model is the reader in which the presence of a WiFi module is really justified. Of course, one should take into account the features of electronic ink technology, which has not yet been characterized high speed image updates. Nevertheless, thanks to the touch screen, navigating through web pages is quite convenient - the reader copes with tasks such as checking your mailbox and viewing news feeds with a bang. You don't need much.

Multi-touch also works in the browser, and to navigate small web links it is better to use the stylus that comes with the device. You can make bookmarks, set your home page, take screenshots, and view your browsing history.

FB2 format support

The Sony PRS-T1 model began selling in Russia in December 2011, and initially only read EPUB, TXT and PDF formats. The device can be installed with an official software update that Sony released in February this year for reading FB2 format files. Thanks to this, the functionality of the model is significantly expanded, offering the user the ability to use the two most popular types of e-book files - EPUB and FB2. The T1 version released for the Russian market does not offer any additional functions, but the user receives an official Sony warranty for 1 year and the ability to carry out warranty repairs at branded service centers.

Sony's overall popularity Russian market leads to the fact that many buyers prefer devices from the Japanese company to many competitors (primarily American) with similar parameters. And many more potential buyers models, for example, of the Nook Simple Touch from Barnes&Noble will be put off by the non-Russianized interface of this American reader, and they will prefer to buy the PRS-T1. Sony is the winner here.

Conclusions

In conclusion, we list the disadvantages and advantages of the reader for those who are considering it as an option for purchase.

Cons:

full screen update after each swipe;

inability to attach the stylus to the body;

inconvenient location of page turning keys;

Pros:

a successful and necessary touchscreen for all functions;

support for the most popular e-book formats;

the ability to choose a bright body color;

the best operating speed and response to user commands among other models with a touchscreen;

software, focused specifically on the use of touch controls;

interesting additional features (player, handwriting input);

justified availability of a WiFi module and ease of access to the Internet.

Of course, the user is unlikely to be very interested in the position of the model as a sales leader, because he is primarily concerned with ease of use. But Sony seems to have come up with a successful formula and is responding to both consumers and competitors: the reader satisfies the needs of buyers, who prefer it to many similar models, and increases sales of the Japanese company. In terms of price-quality ratio, the Sony PRS-T1 model has already become number one for the youth audience, who value additional advantages in the form of a player, the ability to connect to the Internet, stylish appearance and affordable price.