Sony's Reader PRS-505 is so full of options that it leaves your head spinning and it's possible to tweak your digital library as much as you like with this feature-packed device.

The Japanese manufacturer has wisely decided to partner with leading publishing houses and bookstores in several markets to make sure that the most up-to-date titles are available for its new e-book reader.

In the UK, that means a series of titles selected by Waterstone's is available at launch, while in the US, Sony runs its own dedicated site.

Despite having room for 160 e-books and great battery life, we were nevertheless disappointed to learn that both a touchscreen and a wireless connection had been left out of this product.

In terms of its specification, the Reader does little to distinguish itself from the other e-book reader we've looked at, the Bookeen Cybook Gen 3.

Looking Good

Hi-tech manufacturers know that the look and feel of their products can sometimes hold more sway with consumers than what's inside, and Sony in particular has built up a reputation for producing gadgets that are as aesthetically pleasing as they are powerful.

Their efforts with the Reader certainly won't disappoint: it's small, light (260 g) and no thicker than a folded newspaper (8 mm).

In terms of its dimensions alone, it's ultra compact and follows our modern obsession for smaller and smaller technology--just look at the current craze for netbooks, for instance.

The whole thing is wrapped in camel-colored leather case, which recalls the cover of Moleskine notebooks.

All in all, it's a very attractive package.

Once you've flipped open the case, you're met with a very sober brushed-metal finish with a handful of controls and a nice big screen.


Sensible Interface

Switch the Reader on and you're met with the last page you were reading almost instantaneously.

The quality of the text is at least as good as it is on a printed paperback, and the e-Ink technology accurately reproduces characters.

The screen can draw eight shades of gray (compared to four on the Cybook) which makes illustrations a little more bearable.

Three different font sizes are available, which is useful when footnotes are printed in tiny text.


Flipping through a book is easy--there are three ways to get to different parts of your e-book.

Firstly, a vertical menu bar down the side of each page gives access to the pages immediately preceding and following it.

Secondly, along the bottom of your screen, two arrows allow you to move forwards and backwards.

Finally, two separate buttons are found on the bottom left of the Reader, which are particularly comfortable if you're holding it in your left hand.

Sorting your books and finding the one that you're after is very easy, as the menus offer plenty of options and are sensibly laid-out.

Drawbacks

As if we hadn't already worked out that e-book readers only really work when you pair them up with a computer to download content, Sony made it abundantly clear by only providing a USB charger with the Reader.

Although you won't need to charge it very often (it lasts around two months without needing a recharge), if you're not near a computer the day it runs out of juice, you'll just have to get over it.

If you're really worried about this possibility, an adapter that allows you to connect the Reader's USB port to mains electricity is available as an optional accessory from Sony.

Another paid-for extra is a small transparent panel that provides enough light to use the Reader in the dark.

Although the screen does adjust its brightness according to light levels, there's no backlighting to save battery life and avoid eye-strain, so without this extra option, you can't read in dark rooms.


Finally ...

Even if "the technology is ready and is almost as comfortable as reading a real book," as Sony France's CEO Philippe Citroen told us recently, the reading public, for their part, might not be ready.

Before we see the e-book take over, they're going to need to be won over--with attractive subscription deals, perhaps, or technological advancements.

There's still no news on when Sony might launch a version of the Reader featuring a touch-screen or a wireless connection, for instance.

In the meantime, we can't help but agree with Arnaud Nourry, CEO of French publishers Hachette, who recently suggested that "the book market is certainly not going to change dramatically in the next six months."