Sony Reader Touch Edition (PRS-650)

Sony has revamped the interface for the Readers, added a touch screen, and upped the contrast on the display to make it even sharper.

All told, the Touch Edition can handle up to 32GB of extra storage—combined with the 2GB of internal memory, you’ll certainly never be wanting for extra space.

On the bottom of the Touch is a reset button, a micro-USB port for charging and connecting the device to a computer, a headphone jack, and volume controls.

The new version measures 6.6 by 4.7 by 0.4 inches, and weighs 7.2 ounces; it’s slightly smaller and significantly lighter than the previous Touch Edition, which weighed over 10 ounces.

The Touch Edition is available in black and red versions (my unit was black), both of which are aluminum on all four sides. The single color, lack of keyboard, and sparing use of buttons make for a minimalistic and sleek device.

The screen on the Touch Edition is both its selling point and its biggest upgrade. The Touch Edition has always had a touch-enabled display (hence its name), but it’s much improved this time—instead of a dim, dark, difficult-to-press screen, the new e-ink Pearl display is every bit as sharp as a Kindle or a Nook.