November will mark the debut of the second entry in Sony’s e-book reader range, the PRS-700, which will come with more features than its predecessor the PRS-505, such as a touch panel and a reading light.

The PRS-505 has so far been the only e-book solution available from Sony, and it has been on par with other 6 inch display e-book readers from competitors, such as the Kindle or the iRex iLiad. It sports an e-ink display which allows it to be read in sunlight, and does not consume power except when turning the page. But it does not include what some would call essential features present on older readers. The Ebookwise 1150 comes to mind here, which had a backlight and a touch screen, and it was released in 2004.

Enter the PRS-700. The device, which weighs 10 ounces, or 280 grams – compared to the 260 grams weighed by the 505 – now brandishes a touch-screen and a stylus to use it. The 6 inch display uses e-ink technology like its predecessor, but now has an added backlight that automatically turns on in bright light (to improve readability in direct sunlight) or in darkness ( to allow one to read in, well, darkness). Its internal memory can store around 350 books reportedly; we were unable to obtain an estimate in megabytes. It can be extended, however, by as much as an SD card or USB memory stick can hold.

The device will be available for $400, which is $100 more than the PRS-505, which will remain on sale as an entry-level alternative to the new reader.