Device for reading textbooks?

the_swede · 06-17-2013, 03:06 PM

Hi! Im looking for a device to mainly read physic textbooks in pdf format.

I've been looking in older threads concerning the same question and consensus seems to be that e-ink readers are to small for reading large-scale pdfs. The thing is I cannot read these pdfs for a very long on my laptop before getting sore eyes. Thats why I don’t want an Ipad or similar and hence is looking for a good e-ink reader.

Does anyone have any good suggestions what to buy for this purpose? Would it be possible to read the textbooks on for example kindle PW without getting to annoyed of the small screen, anyone with experience of this? Are bigger tablets like kindle fire or DX as easy to read from as an e-ink reader, if not are they a lot better than an Ipad? Personally I would satisfy with a kindle PW if it where big enough for the purpose.

Lots of questions, perhaps I can get some answers anyway.

many thanks,

Oskar

susan_cassidy · 06-17-2013, 03:15 PM

No, the screen on a PW is too small to easily read PDF files. The Kindle Fire is a tablet, like an iPad, so it won't help with your problem with tired eyes.

Rbneader · 06-17-2013, 03:31 PM

The Onyx M92 / Icarus Excel is a large eReader, as is the Kindle DX that Amazon just re-released. They are more expensive than a typical ereader, about $300.

I know that Sony and B&N readers have some support for PDF files on the small screens, but from what I hear it's still basically annoying.

markom · 06-17-2013, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the_swede

...

Does anyone have any good suggestions what to buy for this purpose? Would it be possible to read the textbooks on for example kindle PW without getting to annoyed of the small screen, anyone with experience of this? Are bigger tablets like kindle fire or DX as easy to read from as an e-ink reader, if not are they a lot better than an Ipad? Personally I would satisfy with a kindle PW if it where big enough for the purpose.

Lots of questions, perhaps I can get some answers anyway.

many thanks,

Oskar

DX is an e-ink reader.

My suggestion is to buy used Kindle DX and install Kindlepdfviewer thereon.

Installing it takes just a few minutes and it is much better PDF reader than the native one.

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho....php?p=2466450

You can also buy M92(Icarus Excel) if handwritten annotating is important to you or simply use some tablet/e-ink simultaneously with Kindle DX.

I don't get sore eyes after reading on LCD's for hours because I use good anti-glare protection and always reduce brightness and contrast as much as possible.

jbcohen · 06-18-2013, 07:33 AM

I typically recommend the Kindle DX for this sort of task.

Randy11 · 06-19-2013, 07:27 AM

I have an M92 mainly for the textbooks. It's a pleasure with the 9.7" screen and the crop and zoom functions. You can define the margins for odd and even pages. You can read in portrait or landscape mode.
There is a mode to read the multicolum documents.
You can scribble on the PDF or annotate it.

Randy11 · 06-22-2013, 02:45 PM

This a picture of my M92 with a page from a textbook and a ruler. It's a full page view in portrait mode. There is many zoom option and the landscape mode.

Ansileran · 06-26-2013, 05:11 AM

I'm struggling with the same problem (though it's not physics ^^).

Size is one thing. If that's your only concern, then any reader with a 9" screen should do the trick. The Kindle's support of pdf used to be dreadful. I'm sure it's better now, but having to install a new app for something that should be a basic functionality...

If you want to annotate your pdfs then the M92 seems better (though no OCR...). I might be biased on this one though because I don't like Amazon's e-book format policy. Still, having a wacom stylus should beat a capacitative screen for note taking.

What really makes me hesitate is the following:

color: my textbooks have lots of colored graphs which would be terrible on b&w e-ink screen
multiple files opened at once (the M92's new firmware seems to allow this)
jumping between pages (but it's the same on a computer)

HarryT · 06-26-2013, 05:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ansileran

What really makes me hesitate is the following:

color: my textbooks have lots of colored graphs which would be terrible on b&w e-ink screen
multiple files opened at once (the M92's new firmware seems to allow this)
jumping between pages (but it's the same on a computer)

These are all the reasons that a tablet is so much better as a PDF reader. I too read a lot of PDFs, and (having tried many alternatives) I stand by my view that an iPad with the "GoodReader" app is the best combination for PDF reading.

Ansileran · 06-26-2013, 08:31 AM

But an iPad (or any other tablet) is backlit... So it is just as tiring to the eye as a computer screen. Most tablets only have a capacitative screen (except for the Galaxy Note) so you can't really handwrite on them. Of course, you can also turn your tablet into a GBA or a graphic calculator... ^^

As I already own a tablet (and a reader) I guess I'm just looking for the perfect (fictional) device...

HarryT · 06-26-2013, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ansileran

But an iPad (or any other tablet) is backlit... So it is just as tiring to the eye as a computer screen.

The normal reason for finding a screen tiring is having the brightness turned up too high. Set it to the minimum brightness that allows you to clearly read it. I work on an LCD laptop all day, every day, and don't find it tiring in the least. Nor do I find my iPad tiring. I appreciate, though, that we're all different in this regard. Do you fid using a laptop tiring on your eyes?

Sukiyaki · 06-26-2013, 09:51 AM

I just purchased the Nook HD+, I only wanted it to use occasionally for pdfs and cookbooks, but not daily reading as my eyes also get tired from the color screens. I normally use an HP touchpad. However, surprisingly I've been able to easily read without strain, even very small text. Also, check out gaming glasses such as http://www.amazon.com/Black-Gaming-E.../dp/B009OZYIA0 Just search amazon for "gaming glasses" There are several brands, you can often get them for about 20 bucks, they have good reviews for reducing eyestrain.

Ansileran · 06-26-2013, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

The normal reason for finding a screen tiring is having the brightness turned up too high. Set it to the minimum brightness that allows you to clearly read it. I work on an LCD laptop all day, every day, and don't find it tiring in the least. Nor do I find my iPad tiring. I appreciate, though, that we're all different in this regard. Do you fid using a laptop tiring on your eyes?

Yes, even setting the brightness to a minimum I usually get tired at the end of the day (I also spend all day working on a computer). If I need to read on a computer on evenings, I usually try setting my reader to grey/green on black if I can. Of course, the main problem isn't the occasional textbook / dictionary I open on evenings but the time I spend on a computer at work in poor lighting conditions...

Still, on a sunny day, I'd rather be able to go and sit outside in a park, not worrying over battery life (tablets and external batteries solved this) and reflective glare...

An up-to-date version of Entourage's Edge could a great solution...

06-17-2013, 03:06 PM	#1
the_swede Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2013 Device: none	Device for reading textbooks? Hi! Im looking for a device to mainly read physic textbooks in pdf format. I've been looking in older threads concerning the same question and consensus seems to be that e-ink readers are to small for reading large-scale pdfs. The thing is I cannot read these pdfs for a very long on my laptop before getting sore eyes. Thats why I don’t want an Ipad or similar and hence is looking for a good e-ink reader. Does anyone have any good suggestions what to buy for this purpose? Would it be possible to read the textbooks on for example kindle PW without getting to annoyed of the small screen, anyone with experience of this? Are bigger tablets like kindle fire or DX as easy to read from as an e-ink reader, if not are they a lot better than an Ipad? Personally I would satisfy with a kindle PW if it where big enough for the purpose. Lots of questions, perhaps I can get some answers anyway. many thanks, Oskar

06-19-2013, 07:27 AM	#6
Randy11 Wizard Posts: 1,138 Karma: 1577094 Join Date: Oct 2008 Device: Samsung EB60, Onyx M92, Onyx Max2	I have an M92 mainly for the textbooks. It's a pleasure with the 9.7" screen and the crop and zoom functions. You can define the margins for odd and even pages. You can read in portrait or landscape mode. There is a mode to read the multicolum documents. You can scribble on the PDF or annotate it. Last edited by Randy11; 06-19-2013 at 07:32 AM.

06-26-2013, 05:11 AM	#8
Ansileran Zealot Posts: 136 Karma: 614774 Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: China, Yunnan, Kunming Device: Sony PRS-505, Kobo Aura HD, Cybook Odyssey HD	I'm struggling with the same problem (though it's not physics ^^). Size is one thing. If that's your only concern, then any reader with a 9" screen should do the trick. The Kindle's support of pdf used to be dreadful. I'm sure it's better now, but having to install a new app for something that should be a basic functionality... If you want to annotate your pdfs then the M92 seems better (though no OCR...). I might be biased on this one though because I don't like Amazon's e-book format policy. Still, having a wacom stylus should beat a capacitative screen for note taking. What really makes me hesitate is the following: color: my textbooks have lots of colored graphs which would be terrible on b&w e-ink screen multiple files opened at once (the M92's new firmware seems to allow this) jumping between pages (but it's the same on a computer)

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06-17-2013, 03:15 PM	#2
susan_cassidy Wizard Posts: 2,251 Karma: 3720310 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: USA Device: Kindle, iPad (not used much for reading)	No, the screen on a PW is too small to easily read PDF files. The Kindle Fire is a tablet, like an iPad, so it won't help with your problem with tired eyes.

06-17-2013, 03:31 PM	#3
Rbneader Fanatic Posts: 500 Karma: 2661351 Join Date: Mar 2012 Device: None	The Onyx M92 / Icarus Excel is a large eReader, as is the Kindle DX that Amazon just re-released. They are more expensive than a typical ereader, about $300. I know that Sony and B&N readers have some support for PDF files on the small screens, but from what I hear it's still basically annoying.

06-18-2013, 07:33 AM	#5
jbcohen Wizard Posts: 3,025 Karma: 11196738 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Piper College Device: Samsung A21	I typically recommend the Kindle DX for this sort of task.

06-26-2013, 08:31 AM	#10
Ansileran Zealot Posts: 136 Karma: 614774 Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: China, Yunnan, Kunming Device: Sony PRS-505, Kobo Aura HD, Cybook Odyssey HD	But an iPad (or any other tablet) is backlit... So it is just as tiring to the eye as a computer screen. Most tablets only have a capacitative screen (except for the Galaxy Note) so you can't really handwrite on them. Of course, you can also turn your tablet into a GBA or a graphic calculator... ^^ As I already own a tablet (and a reader) I guess I'm just looking for the perfect (fictional) device...

06-26-2013, 09:51 AM	#12
Sukiyaki Member Posts: 20 Karma: 608996 Join Date: Aug 2012 Device: Sony PRS T-2, Nook HD+	I just purchased the Nook HD+, I only wanted it to use occasionally for pdfs and cookbooks, but not daily reading as my eyes also get tired from the color screens. I normally use an HP touchpad. However, surprisingly I've been able to easily read without strain, even very small text. Also, check out gaming glasses such as http://www.amazon.com/Black-Gaming-E.../dp/B009OZYIA0 Just search amazon for "gaming glasses" There are several brands, you can often get them for about 20 bucks, they have good reviews for reducing eyestrain.