Sony Reader Daily Edition PRS-900

Sony Reader Daily Edition (PRS-900)

The Sony Reader Daily Edition addresses one of the Touch Edition's ($169.99, ) most glaring weaknesses: the lack of wireless book downloads. It also features a larger, 7.1-inch touch screen, and comes with an AC adapter, unlike its smaller brethren, which also includes the Pocket Edition ($149.99, ). But the Daily Edition's $299.99 (direct) price and poor display contrast make this e-book reader a tough sell, especially since the introduction of the vastly more capable and diverse 16GB Apple iPad ($499, ) with iBooks (Free, ). The Daily Edition is a classy looking device. It's constructed of aluminum with a black matte finish, and comes housed in a faux leather cover that makes it look like an executive day planner. The gadget itself measures 5.0 by 8.1 by 0.6 inches (HWD) and weighs 12.8 ounces; the cover adds an additional tenth of an inch of thickness. Along the bottom edge is a wireless radio switch, the power jack, a standard-size 3.5mm headphone jack, a mini-USB port, and a volume rocker switch. The right side contains covered expansion slots - more on those later - while the top edge contains a sliding power switch and a hidden stylus for writing on the screen. Five chrome buttons along the bottom control basic functions.