Using the five basic principles of ergonomic design: safety, comfort, ease of use, performance or productivity, and aesthetics, I am going to analyze the design of the Sony e-book model PRS-505. There isn’t really much that I can say about the safety quality of the device, except that it seems to be a very safe object. I see no qualities in it that would suggest that it is unsafe.
This model of e-book is very lightweight and thin, which makes it ideal for travelling. As somebody who is in the habit of always carrying a book with them, I really like how easily this e-book fits into almost any bag or purse and the fact that it hardly adds any weight to the bag. The e-book is a very good size, the screen is large enough to read from (and if you find that the text is too small, there are options to enlarge it), but the device is still very comfortable to hold and does not feel bulky when you are using it. Also since the device’s screen does not have any backlighting, so it doesn’t strain your eyes if you are reading for long periods of time, like computers and other electronic device screens sometimes can.
This model is very easy to use, especially in comparison to other, newer models and brands I’ve encountered, which I have found to be more complicated and confusing to use. The buttons are all very clearly marked on the device either with words, numbers, or small icons depicting the function of the button. There are not a whole bunch of unnecessary buttons, just the ones to turn the pages, adjust the text size, go to the menu, scroll through the menu lists, bookmark a page, and turn the power on and off. The device automatically opens the last page you were viewing when it was turned off, so you don’t have to worry about losing your page if you forget to bookmark it before turning the device off. Charging the device is also very easy. You simply connect it to your computer with the USB cable that comes with the device, and you can charge it while just working on your computer. It is also very easy to manage your books and remove them from the device from your computer using the software that comes with the device or, if you lose the disk, you can download the program from the internet for free. And if the device isn’t working properly, you can easily reset it by pressing the reset button on the back.
I have had this model of e-book for about five years now, and it still works very well for me. The battery lasts a long time; however I don’t like that the battery lasts for a limited amount of time regardless of use. So you can charge the battery completely, but even if you don’t use it at all, in a few weeks the battery will be empty again. This is, in my opinion, the biggest flaw in the design of this e-book. The device is able to hold many books at the same time, though I can’t remember the exact number, but even if you do manage to use up all the space built into the e-book, there are two slots for memory cards on which you can save and access even more books for the e-book. The device also has the ability to have music and photographs saved into it, but it has been my experience that those files don’t save for long periods of time for some reason. The e-book also allows the reader to choose between three different text sizes, to maximize readability.
I found the aesthetic design of the device to be fairly standard, but pleasing. The silver color makes it look very sleek and shiny, and in general it is a fairly minimalistic design, with just the screen taking up the majority of the space and the necessary buttons. However, there are a variety of different covers available for the e-book with which you can personalize the look of your e-book if you choose to. Overall, I feel that the design of the Sony e-book is a successful one. Yes, there are a few improvements that could be made, but it is easy to use, lightweight, and works well.
This model of e-book is very lightweight and thin, which makes it ideal for travelling. As somebody who is in the habit of always carrying a book with them, I really like how easily this e-book fits into almost any bag or purse and the fact that it hardly adds any weight to the bag. The e-book is a very good size, the screen is large enough to read from (and if you find that the text is too small, there are options to enlarge it), but the device is still very comfortable to hold and does not feel bulky when you are using it. Also since the device’s screen does not have any backlighting, so it doesn’t strain your eyes if you are reading for long periods of time, like computers and other electronic device screens sometimes can.
This model is very easy to use, especially in comparison to other, newer models and brands I’ve encountered, which I have found to be more complicated and confusing to use. The buttons are all very clearly marked on the device either with words, numbers, or small icons depicting the function of the button. There are not a whole bunch of unnecessary buttons, just the ones to turn the pages, adjust the text size, go to the menu, scroll through the menu lists, bookmark a page, and turn the power on and off. The device automatically opens the last page you were viewing when it was turned off, so you don’t have to worry about losing your page if you forget to bookmark it before turning the device off. Charging the device is also very easy. You simply connect it to your computer with the USB cable that comes with the device, and you can charge it while just working on your computer. It is also very easy to manage your books and remove them from the device from your computer using the software that comes with the device or, if you lose the disk, you can download the program from the internet for free. And if the device isn’t working properly, you can easily reset it by pressing the reset button on the back.
I have had this model of e-book for about five years now, and it still works very well for me. The battery lasts a long time; however I don’t like that the battery lasts for a limited amount of time regardless of use. So you can charge the battery completely, but even if you don’t use it at all, in a few weeks the battery will be empty again. This is, in my opinion, the biggest flaw in the design of this e-book. The device is able to hold many books at the same time, though I can’t remember the exact number, but even if you do manage to use up all the space built into the e-book, there are two slots for memory cards on which you can save and access even more books for the e-book. The device also has the ability to have music and photographs saved into it, but it has been my experience that those files don’t save for long periods of time for some reason. The e-book also allows the reader to choose between three different text sizes, to maximize readability.
I found the aesthetic design of the device to be fairly standard, but pleasing. The silver color makes it look very sleek and shiny, and in general it is a fairly minimalistic design, with just the screen taking up the majority of the space and the necessary buttons. However, there are a variety of different covers available for the e-book with which you can personalize the look of your e-book if you choose to. Overall, I feel that the design of the Sony e-book is a successful one. Yes, there are a few improvements that could be made, but it is easy to use, lightweight, and works well.
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