Do You Still Carry a PDA?

[RWood]

ddoyle777: Picking up on what NatCh said, the main list of converters is in the MobileRead Wiki Converter Page

I have converted over 100 PDB texts to RTF for use in my Sony Reader. Currently I use the ABC Amber Palm Converter to move the data from the PDB format to RTF. I then use Stingo's MS Word Macro to format the text for the Reader. Any final editing is done by hand. This combination has produced books that are excellent for reading. If you need additional features that this combination does not provide -- things like index, toc, pictures -- then other tools such as BBeB Binder may be what you are looking for.

Good luck in your quest.

[SoCal Bob]

Originally Posted by RWood

ddoyle777: Picking up on what NatCh said, the main list of converters is in the MobileRead Wiki Converter Page

I have converted over 100 PDB texts to RTF for use in my Sony Reader. Currently I use the ABC Amber Palm Converter to move the data from the PDB format to RTF.

I have used ABC Amber to convert numerous PDB files with great success too.

This does not work however with PDB files with DRM. Sadly I have over 60 books purchased from eReader that I would like to be able to read on the Sony, without buying them all over again.

Any creative folks out there with a way to crack the DRM on the PDB files? I have no interest in distributing or sharing, just would like to read what I've purchased on a better reader.

[Azayzel]

Even though the PRS-500 is a great reading device, I don't thnk it can replace my PDA. I've been using a PDA since the first Palm Pro came out and have gone through quite a lengthy (and expensive) upgrade process before finally settling on an iPaq 4150. It's been, hands down, the best PDA I've purchased and I've stuck with it for the past ~4+ years (usually upgraded everytime the latest and greatest came out). Some things it does that I can't replace, easy input for calendar (phone doesn't cut it on the road, though it can't beat direct input via Outlook), contact management (phone almost took over this function before I moved), wifi utilities, CHM reader, control my HTPC via wireless connection from anywhere in my home, awesome scientific calc, portable movie viewer, some cool interactive teaching apps, and let's not forget the best part... the games! All that said, I never really cared to read books on the PDA due to its small screen, but I coped with it, thankfully the eReader came out with incredible battery life and the best display to date!

While I know this discussion isn't about PDA's per se, I did use the Audivox SmartPhone prior to my move overseas and that phone friggin rocked! Games weren't too cool and I challenge you to attempt to read a book in it, but it was great to have for my calendar/contacts and then I found the bluetooth GPS apps. Man, I sure miss being able to have sweet GPS directions/maps when I needed 'em; sadly, I now live in Japan where all the friggin maps & directions are all in Japanese (kanji characters; e.g., just barely beginning to understand now) and a sad fare for the PDA market. At least I can now enjoy all my eBooks on the train!

[pdam]

Wow - people still use PDA's in a world with Blackberries, 3G phones with pims and the like? I use my old iPaq 3870 as a universal infared remote, with a wireless card to control my X10 stuff in the house and for simple games - as a PDA, not for ages! An ebook reader as a PDA? too much faffing transfering stuff if it doesn't sync automatically for me I'm afraid ... now if it did ...

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by pdam

An ebook reader as a PDA? too much faffing transfering stuff if it doesn't sync automatically for me I'm afraid ... now if it did ...

Interesting to read how different people have different likes and dislikes in these things. I don't want automatic synchronisation - what I'd like to do is ditch the "Connect" software, have "Reader" show up as a device on Windows Explorer (like my iPaq does) and simply be able to drag and drop files to and from it.

[Azayzel]

pdam, I tried to use a Blackberry about two years ago but found it woefully overrated compared to what I was used to with my iPaq. That is why I switched over to the SmartPhone, it still maintained most of the functionality of my standard PDA and could do everything the Blackberry did (I took the BB back for a refund). While some people may like the simplicity of the BB, I prefer the advantage of the larger software platform of the Windows Mobile envrionment. If I was still in the states right now, I would have already picked up the Motorola Que.

[DougFNJ]

I have gone through so many types of PDA's I couldn't keep up with myself on them. I always like the Palm platform. Touch screen, multi-Media, ease of use....and I felt the Treo was perfect. The problem I had was I used the Treo for E-mail and PIM functions as well as games and video, and I had a Nextel phone thats completely paid for by my company for voice. When Blackberry 7520 came out, I sacrificed the Multi-Media functions to move everything to it so I could have e-mail, PIM, and voice on 1 device. Although I would definitely love to eventually go back to the Treo, the Blackberry has met my needs well. Neither the Treo or the Blackberry has a very good screen for reading an entire E-book, so I'm sticking with my Blackberry for everything, and my Sony Reader for Reading

[ddoyle777]

Whoo hoo!

Works great for the unencrypted files. Thanks