Hello,

I currently own a BEBook and am perfectly happy with it, with one exception if I want to read technical pdf documents on it (especially mathematics) the screen is to small for me. The DR Reader seems to me the solution to this problem but I'm a little bit concerned about the bulk and portability of the reader and given the fact that most mathematical books are not in A4 format, I want to give the Iliad also a try.
So my question is this, is there someone on this forum who has used both the Iliad and the DR Reader for reading technical documents like mathematics and can he comment if this can be done in a comfortable way on the Iliad or does he recommend that the only way to read this kind of text is using a A4 sized device like the DR Reader.

Thanks a lot in advance.

PS. If neede i can upload a pdf file containing the kind of material that I want to read

Upload a file, Marc, and I'm sure you'll find people willing to help.

I can show you what it looks like on the iLiad. If you haven't had a reply from a DR1000 owner in the next few days, I'll load it on mine and take a photo (its at the office and I'm on a long holiday weekend).

Hello,

here is a typical example of the files that I want to be able to read on either the Iliad or the DR Reader


Thanks

Loaded on a USB stick, the file took 6 seconds to open on my iLiad.

When the page is zoomed too large to fit the screen, as in the landscape view, its easy to pan around by drawing with the stylus.

Note these are screenshots, not photos. The iLiad's screen contrast looks just the same as the DR1000S, HanLin V3 (BeBook) and Cybook (I've seen them all side by side, often).

People comment on the large screen size of the DR, especially when its next to a 6" reader, but its not particularly heavy or bulky, in my opinion.

Click 3 separate times on the pics to view them clearly.

Just for curiosity, I tried your file on my Cybook and I had to pan across 1/4 pages at a time in landscape view, zoomed 70%, to have it a readable size. Not a convenient way to read, but it was clear.

I am having to make precisely the same choice, especially since it is possible to buy a near new iliad for £300 (ebay) as opposed to DR at £479 delivered. cbell, your screenshots of this A4 pdf suggests great readibility! Of course, the pixel density on the iliad is probably a lot higher than on my monitor, so it might be somewhat less readable in portrait than it appears. Is it possible for you to post a few pictures?

Thanks a lot.

Photos? OK, I'll take some over the weekend and post them here (unless someone else does in the meantime).

Its getting late here now, too tired to focus. My camera's only 5mp and I'm a lousy photographer, but I'll have a try :)

Cheers :)

Some photos of your document in the DR1000S.
You can read a page at a time without problem.:)

Thank you very much, I will look forward to see the photos

Marc

Of course, the pixel density on the iliad is probably a lot higher than on my monitor, so it might be somewhat less readable in portrait than it appears. To see the screenshots actual size, print to paper at 4.8" by 6.4" (160 ppi). One good way to visualize the difference is that the DR's screen is as wide as the iLiad's screen is tall (both have about 160 ppi). So the iLiad landscape mode will be similar to the DR in portrait mode, except showing less of the page height.

In my case I eventually chose the DR1000s over the iliad. I tried the iliad and for reading A4 technical papers it was adequate in Landscape mode but was a challenge for myself with my older eyesight. Additionally, I require to examine Larger technical drawings/standards (A3 usually) and this made me wait and go down the DR1000 route. A Larger screen does make a difference in my case. Wallcraft's suggstion about printing out is a very good one and I did that myself before making up my mind. Set your page size to the appropriate screen dimension & print to fit & you will get a good idea.

That said, the iliad does have several features not available on the DR1000 that I would have liked, such as the ability to just plug in a flash drive & read it's contents. This when on site or in some meetings would be very helpful. It also has ethernet and on one version wifi availability, the DR1000 with wifi/bluetooth is not yet available.

In my case I eventually chose the DR1000s over the iliad. I tried the iliad and for reading A4 technical papers it was adequate in Landscape mode but was a challenge for myself with my older eyesight. Additionally, I require to examine Larger technical drawings/standards (A3 usually) and this made me wait and go down the DR1000 route. A Larger screen does make a difference in my case. Wallcraft's suggstion about printing out is a very good one and I did that myself before making up my mind. Set your page size to the appropriate screen dimension & print to fit & you will get a good idea.

That said, the iliad does have several features not available on the DR1000 that I would have liked, such as the ability to just plug in a flash drive & read it's contents. This when on site or in some meetings would be very helpful. It also has ethernet and on one version wifi availability, the DR1000 with wifi/bluetooth is not yet available.

Hello,

here is a typical example of the files that I want to be able to read on either the Iliad or the DR Reader


Thanks

Hi Marc, I am going to have to disagree with everyone. I think it is not the size of display but the information contained in the pdf. I tried reading the same thing on my 24" monitor and after about 20 pages I found myself getting a head ache. :)

Hi there,
Even if there are problems in DR1000S, I don't think that anything can come close.
I have to read quite diverse set of papers, ranging from statistics texts to medical articles. Once you get used to dr1000s's display, I can't imagine you using anything smaller.
You may have to buy a mobile charger, an angled usb cable etc, but I'd be more than happy to carry them around. I was in Birmingham yesterday, for a conference, and in the train I picked a spot in front of a table. four people sitting, with 3 using their laptops, and one using his dr1000s :)
people did notice that someone was much more comfortable, and I really enjoyed reading the articles. Size does matter :) Buy dr1000s, even with the initial set of issues, it is a great device.

pthwaite, plugging a USB stick into the iLiad is a feature I use every day.

I have a USB stick that's an SD card reader (ebay has them very cheap). Its quite convenient to use this with the DR.

Now, where's my camera...

Photo for those interested in comparing sizes... From the left: DR1000S, iLiad V2, Cybook Gen3, iLiad BE, HanLin V3. iLiad zoomed landscape, iLiad zoomed full page portrait x 2.

Its very readable on the iLiad (although I agree with Aces that its headache-inducing text). My photos don't do the iLiad justice.

I am well aware that my photography skill's non-existent. Just ask the dog on my avatar.

Thanks for all who has replied, especially the suggestion to print out at different sizes allows me to see if the text is readable on the Iliad. For those who tried to read the content, hopes you enjoined the math:)

Thanks

Marc

Over a year I have used an Iliad for reading scientific papers and books and also to handwrite my research in theoretical physics. The file that you uploaded should be perfectly readable on the Iliad. Since last week I have the iRex 1000s. With the larger display, the difference is huge, especially for handwritten notes. I think all scientists should have one of these.

Hello,

thanks for your reply, nice to know that the Iliad and the DR are good for reading science documents. As I have not yet fully made my mind up, can you tell me something about your experience concerning portability of the DR in relation to the Iliad. As I plan to take the e-book reader always with me, portability is important for me and the DR seems a little bit to big (of course that means better readability) and heavy to me. Also did you use wifi a lot on the iliad (as the DR is missing this on the moment and I can buy also a cheaper Iliad without wifi).

Thanks in advance

Marc

Hello,
DR seems a little bit to big (of course that means better readability) and heavy to me.
Marc

If your main purpose is to read scientific papers like me, I'd suggest DR1k is the way to go. I had both and they differ greatly in readability of scientific papers. And yes, it is true DR is poor in portability (than iLiad). There's a trade-off b/w readbility and portability. But it is at least as portable as laptops... (except for the constant fear of breaking it).

I will buy the DR1000s because I had to read a lot in landscape mode on iLiad, and there I often was unhappy when I missed footnotes or diagrams were cut in half, or the text mentioned a diagram which was on the other half of the page etc etc.

Gogolo

Hello,

thanks for your reply, nice to know that the Iliad and the DR are good for reading science documents. As I have not yet fully made my mind up, can you tell me something about your experience concerning portability of the DR in relation to the Iliad. As I plan to take the e-book reader always with me, portability is important for me and the DR seems a little bit to big (of course that means better readability) and heavy to me. Also did you use wifi a lot on the iliad (as the DR is missing this on the moment and I can buy also a cheaper Iliad without wifi).

Thanks in advance

Marc

I do not see much difference in portability and weight (I have the bad habit of reading and studying in bed and feel quite confortably with the DR). The real difference comes when you write mathematical stuff. The DR is as convenient as a sheet of paper while the Iliad is a bit cramped. An advantage of the Iliad is that you can add (delete) pages but i suppose this feature will be implemented in the DR as well. Although it is nice to have wifi, the third party browser (DILLO) that you can use in the Iliad has some limitations (I have used wifi mostly for consuklting Wikipedia).

My thoughts for what they are worth. I have a DR and apart from the intermittent annoyance with battery life & software bugs (early adopter blues), reading my clinical texts & operative techniques is outstanding on the DR.

The size is just right, DR is not heavy at all <600gms (don't make my mistake of buying the Deluxe cover - it more than doubles the weight - better to get Zeroshock case on Ebay) and the screen is ideal for scientific papers.

Aside from intermittent anguish due to reasons noted above, which I hope will be sorted out soon by iRex, DR is probably the best reader around for scientific or medical ebooks. If current issues persist, I may still have to get a Tablet as well.

I don't miss wifi as all of my ebooks can simply be transferred to the 16GB SDHC card in my DR whenever I connect to the Mac. Overall it is a very good reader, regrettably slightly hamstrung (hopefully only temporarily) at the moment.

Good luck with your decision.

My thoughts for what they are worth. I have a DR and apart from the intermittent annoyance with battery life & software bugs (early adopter blues), reading my clinical texts & operative techniques is outstanding on the DR.

The size is just right, DR is not heavy at all <600gms (don't make my mistake of buying the Deluxe cover - it more than doubles the weight - better to get Zeroshock case on Ebay) and the screen is ideal for scientific papers.

Aside from intermittent anguish due to reasons noted above, which I hope will be sorted out soon by iRex, DR is probably the best reader around for scientific or medical ebooks. If current issues persist, I may still have to get a Tablet as well.

I don't miss wifi as all of my ebooks can simply be transferred to the 16GB SDHC card in my DR whenever I connect to the Mac. Overall it is a very good reader, regrettably slightly hamstrung (hopefully only temporarily) at the moment.

Good luck with your decision.

Since you're talking about medical books and you have the DR, I would like to know about the readability of pictures and diagrams. Specially the colour pictures, where the colour is important to discern diferent components in a picture.

Hi Over,

Colour photos obviously show up in grayscale on DR. Overall pretty good display and differentiation in grayscale. Downside is slow loading times if there are lots of photographs.

Diagrams are fine. I have lots of drawings in medical texts which load quickly and show up very well. No issues there at all.

I must admit that I am getting slow loading times and issues mainly with Mobipocket etexts. PDFs seem to work without major hitches although again they are slow if full of photographs. I remember iRex forum mentioning fixes in firmware updates.

I have concluded that with the innovations involved in DR, it takes getting used to. That is, compared to a Tablet PC (which I have) which runs on Windoze and is as slow to boot as DR if not slower !! That aside, the quirks of slowish page loading times, unexpected refreshes, Mobipocket issues and other annoyances of early adoption.

The large eink screen and excellent legibility make up for most current bugs except battery life. That is the single most important let down at the moment with DR. When that is sorted out, it would be fair to say that DR is likely to be the best ereader.

Hope this helps. The senior members on this forum and iRex forums have a lot of technical knowledge and I have picked up a lot of valuable information. Best wishes.