An E-Reader Just Like Paper... Isn't that the Point!?

[MartinDu]

Hello,

My name is Marty Duggan. I'm a Medical Student, who is dating a Psychology Grad Student. I would like to get her an E-Reader for Christmas. This is my first Legit (non-intro) post. I want this device to be as close to paper as possible in every conceivable way. I know that was the ultimate goal at the start... But things have seemingly gone awry. I have not been able to find any similar threads yet. Maybe I'm the only one thinking like this? But I will list my priorities in an E-Reader device in order of importance.

#1) By FAR the most important feature, and the one for which I'd sacrifice on any of the other features.... IS: THE ABILITY TO HIGHLIGHT AND TAKE NOTES WITH A STYLUS OR WHATEVER ON THE ACTUAL SCREEN, SOMETHING SO THAT I CAN HIGHLIGHT/WRITE NOTES ON IT LIKE I CAN ON PAPER. Call me old-school, but using a key pad and scrolling around on the page (ala the kindle), just doesn't get it done. Like I said, think "paper." OBVIUOSLY, THIS FEATURE IS USELESS IF I CANNOT GO BACK AND LOOK AT WHAT I'VE HIGHLIGHTED OR JOT DOWN...
--Okay, I'm a realist, so I acknowledge that paper is paper and an ereader is an ereader, and that the ability to jot notes directly onto the screen with a "pencil-like or highlighter-like device" will probably never be equal between the two mediums... However, I just can't bring myself to buy one of these devices until I can drag a physical, highlighter/pencil-like thing across the screen... Obviously I don't expect this feature to be perfect (slight delay as I write or more expensive or something like this), but it's just gotta be there before this purchase makes sense to a couple of students.


#2) I want to be able to (somehow, someway... legal or illegal--> preferably legal) put PDF files onto my device AND THEN BE ABLE TO ANNOTATE/HIGHLIGHT THEM WITH A STYLUS/HIGHLIGHTER/PENICIL-LIKE thing.

#3) I want it to look like paper! From what I've found, the Amazon devices and devices with that "pearl" display which use that E-Ink technology are the best as far as display goes.

#4) Price. Inexpensive as possible. Granted, this is a Christmas gift for my Gf AND... this isn't jewelry so I have to spend a decent amount to get her attention... However, we're both students... And I'd much rather have a cheap unit for which I can then purchase accessories (buy her the thing and then put her favorite book on it and put some stuff on it that is similar to the stuff she'll want to use it for at school).

#5) Portability. IT HAS TO BE AN E-READER... Please don't tell me to just buy her a "Netbook" or "Tablet" or something... There just not something she and I would use.

#6) Please don't tell me to buy the IPAD... Well... Okay, tell me to buy it if there's really nothing else that can do this... Haha, I don't even know if the IPAD can support a stylus and highlighting/annotating the way I want it to do so.

Does anybody else agree with me? Isn't it insane that the original goal of making it "like using paper" has just passed over the important (maybe #1) pro of reading something in paper---> Namely, YOU CAN WRITE/HIGHLIGHT ON PAPER!!!!

If there aren't any such devices available... Are there any plans to make such an E-reader available?

There's gotta be a lot of people thinking exactly the way I am.

[MartinDu]

Just did some reading... Apparently, if I am able to highlight/write with a stylus or pencil-like thing on a a specific filetype on my E-Reader, then I will almost assuredly be able to convert a PDF file into whatever filetype I am able to read/annotate on... This is cool. So I guess You can sort of ignore #2.

[ardeegee]

I think that your solution is to stick with paper.

[MartinDu]

? Gee thanks...

[viviena]

I think 'use paper' is a reasonable response at this point in time. Many people would also like the same things that you want, but the technology doesn't seem mature enough yet. For leisure reading, or even just to have simple lecture notes at hand, by all means, get an ereader, but for heavy annotation, consider using pen-and-paper still. Or an actual laptop loaded with Adobe Reader + OneNote or EverNote.

All the same, if you're really intent on this, check out the Sony Reader 950 or the Pocketbook Pro 903. I assume you're already aware of the Kindle DX. Maybe they come close enough to what you're looking for.

[Dulin's Books]

Onyx Boox 60. Stylus input on most formats . Definitely on PDF. Highlight, notes in the "margin", free hand notes in the notepad app. 6" only at the moment, 9.7" on its way in the new year but Superior PDF handling.

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=220
http://booxusers.com/
http://www.onyx-international.com/en/
http://www.onyx-international.com/en/M_pr2.php

Irex DR 800. very similar to the Onyx, but Irex went bankrupt. If you can find a used DR 800 at a decent price its a wonderful device. But if something goes wrong they arent there to call. 8" display.

Irex also had a larger model , DR1000, which you might find used. Its PDF handling was more "complete" than the DR800(unless the last DR800 updates fixed it, Im not sure)

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=99

PocketBook 603 and 903. 6" and 9.7"

Not here yet Will have stylus input .PDF handling nearly the equal of Onyx except for one thing that might be changed when they are ready. Onyx has "selection zoom" drag a box around something on the display and that selected area is zoomed in. Dont know for certain PocketBook will have it at launch.

But PocketBook does multi column PDF reading better than Onyx and the reflow is arguably better as well.

Read the info about 602/902 it will be the same but for stylus
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=206
http://pocketbook-usa.com/


Those are your choices. They all use Wacom pen tech.

The KDX is quite far behind in its PDF handling and note taking etc in comparison.

The other possibility for you is Hanvon . They make their own wacom -like stylus input and offer it on a range of devices. However they dont sell in the US. I know I've tried.

http://www.hanvon.com/en/products/ebook/index.html

They will be the first company to sell an ereader with COLOR Eink during the first part of the new year.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/08/technology/08ink.html

Im sure they will offer it with stylus/pen input. But we'll know for certain in a few weeks when it is officially shown at CES the 6th of Jan.




The link below is my website. I sell both the Onyx and the PocketBook lines. The reason I chose them was for their Superior PDF handling and Onyx originally because it was the only brand to offer stylus with great PDF support outside of Irex.

[daffy4u]

If this is for your girlfriend are you sure your wants are the same as hers for an ebook reader? Not trying to be snarky but it is important.

[v1k1ng1001]

Onyx Boox
Pocketbook 302
Sony 650

[emellaich]

So, I'm a Kindle owner and an iPad owner. I prefer the Kindle for leisure reading. For work stuff I use the iPad for the reasons you list (highlighting, etc.). Specifically, look for an iPad app called iAnnotate. It even has one more feature you didn't ask for, that I think is great. Once you annotate an entire PDF, you can have a summary emailed to yourself. This gives you just the text you highlighted and any notes you took.

On the other hand, if I was you I would call $500 plus too pricey. At least it was for me when I was a college student. So, I think we have several years ahead before we see iPad like capabilities on eInk or pixelQi for under two hundred dollars.

[MartinDu]

Thank you so much for your responses! Especially "Dulin's Books." You're a saint for helping me out like that.

In reply to a few of the "snarky" comments. Yes, the needs that I listed up there are not my own needs. I took several hours today to research and write this post asking for help (for a first year medical student, that's a LOT of time). I simply wrote it that way because it was easier.

And, I'm not giving my girlfriend paper. I know her backs been bothering her because of all of the books she carries around and I know she's sick of waiting in line at the University Library to use their printer.

I realize that my options aren't perfect, and I agree "emellaich," the Ipad is just too pricey and really, it does too much without perfecting what I want it to do.

The Sony 950 or even the 650 seem to be EXCELLENT options. They allow the user to jot handwritten notes right on the page! PERFECT. I don't know if I (or she if you're going to be "snarky") really need the 3G wireless part. I know she's mostly just going to be loading PDF files from her computer.

I looked into the Irex or whatever it's called and it is tempting, but I refuse to get her something from a company that is "out of business;" right or wrong it would make me feel guilty to do so.

I'm now going to check out the other guys.

Dulin's Books. You are my hero. This was exactly what I needed; I never would have been able to find those devices on my own; I just don't have enough time. You have saved Christmas for a pretty girl in Philadelphia and made her boyfriend look very good.

[caleb72]

Could the Entourage Edge be an option? Sorry if that's a dumb suggestion at this point, but I was interested in an e-Reader for a mixture of e-Reading and business use and the idea of having the dual screen with stylus etc.. seemed like a good option.

I ended up dropping the idea because of weight and the fact that I couldn't purchase it outside of the US.

Regards
Caleb

[Dulin's Books]

Originally Posted by MartinDu

You have saved Christmas for a pretty girl in Philadelphia and made her boyfriend look very good.

even better Although I live in Oregon I grew up right outside of Philly. I have one friend who recently finished med school at Penn(now in residency in Nashville) and another is in med school there now. Small world. Love helping people from home Merry Christmas

[maxbookworm]

I would just add the caveat that it's hard to write legibly on the new Sonys (at least for me). The fidelity of tracking where your pen actually is, and the speed with which it tracks your movements, is not as good as the 600 was. If you write slowly, and big, and in block letters, it should be fine though. Highlighting works great, and it's even better than paper in that you can see a list of all your highlighted text in one view rather than following a bunch of sticky notes.

[Kali Yuga]

Originally Posted by MartinDu

Does anybody else agree with me? Isn't it insane that the original goal of making it "like using paper" has just passed over the important (maybe #1) pro of reading something in paper---> Namely, YOU CAN WRITE/HIGHLIGHT ON PAPER!!!!

Meh

I for one never write in my books. If I'm going to take notes, I typically use a paper notebook or occasionally type up notes on a separate computer.

That said: I generally agree that annotations are important, especially for education. I expect that as tablets pick up steam, the ereader apps on them will offer options like hand-writing notes.

[anjirlly]

Writing on the Sony 650 is NOT like writing on paper. The lag makes me lose my train of thought.

Search for the thread "PDF annotations on Pocketbook 903" for a discussion of the processing power needed for academic-strength notetaking. Ereader hardware is not as capable as the ipad's.