Same old question - Which reader?

madmandegge · 07-11-2009, 08:49 AM

Hi all,

Quick bit of background, I'm looking for a reader for both entertainment and work purposes. I read probably an even number of novels and textbooks. I've recently found I have access to the Open University library, a lot of content is in PDF with some HTML formatted docs, as well as having PDF versions of text books I'm reading.

I've previously owned a StarEbook reader, which I got on with, but found it a pain converting all books before reading.

I've considered the PRS-505 and also the SmartQ 7, but neither seem perfect for reading PDFs.

I'm aware of the benefits of both, the PRS505 has the better screen and much longer battery life, the SmartQ 7 supports PDF natively. To be honest I'm not bothered about the WiFi or ability to browse the web, and have been looking at older tablet PCs on eBay, but am worried about the probably very short battery life.

I did have a look at the iLiad, but I just can't justify spending that much money.

Anyone got any ideas? I'm tending towards buying the SmartQ 7 or an older tablet off eBay, I don't travel much so the battery issue isn't so crucial.

The big question is does anyone else have experience with tablet PCs for reading ebooks/PDFs, and if so, good or bad? Really I think I'm just worried about bulky tablets and battery life!

Regards,
Simon

hnoto · 07-11-2009, 01:57 PM

I love my 505; but it isn't ideal for reading pdfs. I prefer to convert them when possible, or get my book in another format.

My father has had a series of notebook PCs that he has used for reading ebooks & pdfs and really prefers that over the dedicated reader. (If he is reading a story about a castle in Wales, he wants to be able to look it up on the internet, for example.) He doesn't take it anywhere, just up and down the stairs in his house, so that isn't a concern for him, but would be one for me.

richman · 07-11-2009, 02:54 PM

No ebook reader works for pdf's , I mean nothing works PERFECTLY! So it comes down to what you can live with. If it's a bookish pdf , which I have many of, I convert it to epub or sony and LOVE reading it on prs-505. What I love is the zoom feature, and the fact I have 20 of my favorite books on it and can turn it on in 1/2 second and turn off in 1/2 second. And battery lasts a couple of weeks. If they are pdf's with diagrams and charts, or scanned pages, the prs-505 will not be good. And straight pdf on sony I don't like because font sizes are too small for me.

If it's for pleasure type reading, prs-505 is cool, or reading txt files or notes, or self help, bible, other reference type stuff , 505 works for me. You can look in table of contents and pick any chapter or pick up where you last left off.
I have netbook, itouch, laptop, zune, and all the other toys, but I love this prs-505 because it lets me go back to reading , in 1/2 second (compared to 2 minute startup in netbook to where I'm actually reading a book)
505 has proven track record and it built well. Eventually they will have 9 inch or 11 inch eink screens that will produce pdf's the way they are suppose to be, but NOT YET. So make do , and convert or hold off and use netbook or laptop.
Only you can decide what you are willing to live with. It works for me, but it might not for you.
Read lots of reviews and check like you are doing with other users.

HarryT · 07-12-2009, 04:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by richman

Eventually they will have 9 inch or 11 inch eink screens that will produce pdf's the way they are suppose to be, but NOT YET.

I beg to differ; the iRex DR1000S, which has an A5 (10.4") screen, displays PDFs superbly well.

madmandegge · 07-13-2009, 06:35 AM

Hi guys, thanks for the replies.

I did consider the Iliad, still a bit expensive for me though, sadly.

I've been looking at tablet PCs on eBay, nothing brilliant has turned up and the battery life is always a concern, especially with second hand machines.

Had another look at the SmartQ7, the idea of a linux distro sounds good, especially as there are good ebook readers and comic applications out there already.

Still toying with the idea of a PRS505 for reading, and just hope that I can resize PDFs suitably by cropping loads!

Then again the iRex DR1000S does look like a very nice bit of kit...

richman · 07-13-2009, 06:56 AM

yeah, I figured when you saw the price of the irex dr1000s around 800 dollars , you would rule it out, that's why I didn't go there. If you do get the prs-505 (150 with sony deal), at least you are going into it with your eyes open.

You might want to download calibre, it's free, and convert one of your pdf's into epub or sony's format and look at it in the built in reader within calibre on your PC in view mode, that will give you idea of how the book would convert, and if you could live with it.

Also, maybe go into the pdf forum room and ask there on their advice on the best way to convert your pdf's for ereaders, there may be specialized programs that can do more advanced converting, they would know.

Sweetpea · 07-13-2009, 08:40 AM

The Iliad does have another advantage, especially if you use it for textbook purposes. It has a touchscreen and lets you make notes.

ever since I've know the Iliad, I've been wanting one. But, as I would use it 99% of the time for reading novels, I really can't justify the cost. If I could think of a reason why I'd use it for work (for instance), I'd probably could convince myself to get one (despite the cost!)

HarryT · 07-13-2009, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

The Iliad does have another advantage, especially if you use it for textbook purposes. It has a touchscreen and lets you make notes.

The DR is even better than the iLiad. Not just because it has a larger screen, but the user interface is dramatically better. Eg, you can have multiple documents open, and flip between them at the tap of the stylus. It also now has a generic "document interface" allowing you, for example, to use a Mobi dictionary to look up a word in a PDF document.

I think it's worth every penny, personally.

HarryT · 07-13-2009, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by richman

You might want to download calibre, it's free, and convert one of your pdf's into epub or sony's format and look at it in the built in reader within calibre on your PC in view mode, that will give you idea of how the book would convert, and if you could live with it.

Calibre is a very nice piece of software, but PDF conversion is not one of its strengths. Programs like Book Designer do it a heck of a lot better.

Sweetpea · 07-13-2009, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

The DR is even better than the iLiad. Not just because it has a larger screen, but the user interface is dramatically better. Eg, you can have multiple documents open, and flip between them at the tap of the stylus. It also now has a generic "document interface" allowing you, for example, to use a Mobi dictionary to look up a word in a PDF document.

I think it's worth every penny, personally.

Hmm, I thought the DR was about €200 more expensive, but apparently it's "only" €100. And I'd really buy one if I could find even half a reason to do so. But €700 is about thrice as much as I could afford.

yangae · 07-13-2009, 10:18 AM

Hi,

I have the same question as Simon, my main requirements for e-reader are:
a. Read company annual reports, mainly in PDF formats with pictures, tables, charts, financial statements - numbers in two or three columns etc.
b. Read financial accounting books, investment books + novels.
c. Ability to annotate and simple note taking during meetings.
d. Good to have - dictionary function.

Are Iliad or DR the only e-readers that can achieve this ? any other recommendations ? netbook tablet ?

Thanks very much.
Yangae

HarryT · 07-13-2009, 10:44 AM

The iRex devices and (in the US) the Kindle DX are currently the only "large screen" eInk devices on the market, and the Kindle unfortunately has extremely poor PDF support. There should be a wider range of devices using 9.7" screens coming onto the market in the next few months.

jetreader · 07-13-2009, 11:45 AM

I use jetbook reader and don't know much about pdf files. I have some preloaded (like instruction and useful websites) when I bought it, so probably there is no problem. I use it mostly to download political commentarty from personal blogs and use txt file - nice and simple. I can download books the same way. I'm not trying to say, which ebook is the best, but what I appreciate most in mine is it's size. It fits perfectly all my jacket pockets inside or outside. The screen is 5 inches. I suspect that the feel of convenience comes from the fact that if you read across, the line length is almost the same as in a regular paperback.
The price is $200 at newegg, so it's rather inexpensive.
My question to Sony and Kindle owners: do you experience problems if you read your ebooks under the bright sun, say when you are on the beach? With the jebook the brighter the light the better the reading.

pilotbob · 07-13-2009, 11:56 AM

OK, I'm going to through this out there.

Kindle DX

You don't say where you live, but if in the US I think it would meet your needs.

BOb

madmandegge · 07-13-2009, 01:22 PM

I'm still looking towards the SmartQ 7, got a price from them today, should come in just under £150, which is almost exactly the same as the PRS505.

I did have a look at the Kindle DX, and although it looks like a very nice piece of kit, will cost me over £300 to get, probably more when shipping is included

I did ask the seller about the A700 device, which has a much larger screen, that comes in at about £175 without shipping. They should be getting these at the end of July, but they are only demo units, no date given on the released devices.

Having sat here with my 10" netbook screen sideways, it certainly isn't massive! Having said that, I can't see me spending the £300+ pounds on the iRex or the Kindle DX. The newer iLiad also looks nice, but again they're over £300, and they don't really appear on eBay very often.

Having thought about it, my main concern seems to be reading off an LCD. Using them for probably 7+ hours a day, I'm unsure how well I will get on with an LCD device for reading. The SmartQ 7 is growing on me, with the idea of resized PDFs and comics

I think I may go for the SmartQ 7 for the time being, to see how I get on with the device. As there are a lot of developments coming in larger eInk devices soon, I may upgrade to the newer iLiad if the second hand prices drop.

07-11-2009, 08:49 AM	#1
madmandegge Enthusiast Posts: 49 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2008 Device: None yet	Same old question - Which reader? Hi all, Quick bit of background, I'm looking for a reader for both entertainment and work purposes. I read probably an even number of novels and textbooks. I've recently found I have access to the Open University library, a lot of content is in PDF with some HTML formatted docs, as well as having PDF versions of text books I'm reading. I've previously owned a StarEbook reader, which I got on with, but found it a pain converting all books before reading. I've considered the PRS-505 and also the SmartQ 7, but neither seem perfect for reading PDFs. I'm aware of the benefits of both, the PRS505 has the better screen and much longer battery life, the SmartQ 7 supports PDF natively. To be honest I'm not bothered about the WiFi or ability to browse the web, and have been looking at older tablet PCs on eBay, but am worried about the probably very short battery life. I did have a look at the iLiad, but I just can't justify spending that much money. Anyone got any ideas? I'm tending towards buying the SmartQ 7 or an older tablet off eBay, I don't travel much so the battery issue isn't so crucial. The big question is does anyone else have experience with tablet PCs for reading ebooks/PDFs, and if so, good or bad? Really I think I'm just worried about bulky tablets and battery life! Regards, Simon Last edited by madmandegge; 07-11-2009 at 09:02 AM.

07-13-2009, 06:56 AM	#6
richman Addict Posts: 269 Karma: 58 Join Date: Jul 2009 Device: sony prs-505 BLUE,itouch,netbook	yeah, I figured when you saw the price of the irex dr1000s around 800 dollars , you would rule it out, that's why I didn't go there. If you do get the prs-505 (150 with sony deal), at least you are going into it with your eyes open. You might want to download calibre, it's free, and convert one of your pdf's into epub or sony's format and look at it in the built in reader within calibre on your PC in view mode, that will give you idea of how the book would convert, and if you could live with it. Also, maybe go into the pdf forum room and ask there on their advice on the best way to convert your pdf's for ereaders, there may be specialized programs that can do more advanced converting, they would know. Last edited by richman; 07-13-2009 at 07:02 AM.

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07-11-2009, 01:57 PM	#2
hnoto Groupie Posts: 194 Karma: 177180 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Mesa, AZ Device: Sony PRS 505	I love my 505; but it isn't ideal for reading pdfs. I prefer to convert them when possible, or get my book in another format. My father has had a series of notebook PCs that he has used for reading ebooks & pdfs and really prefers that over the dedicated reader. (If he is reading a story about a castle in Wales, he wants to be able to look it up on the internet, for example.) He doesn't take it anywhere, just up and down the stairs in his house, so that isn't a concern for him, but would be one for me.

07-11-2009, 02:54 PM	#3
richman Addict Posts: 269 Karma: 58 Join Date: Jul 2009 Device: sony prs-505 BLUE,itouch,netbook	No ebook reader works for pdf's , I mean nothing works PERFECTLY! So it comes down to what you can live with. If it's a bookish pdf , which I have many of, I convert it to epub or sony and LOVE reading it on prs-505. What I love is the zoom feature, and the fact I have 20 of my favorite books on it and can turn it on in 1/2 second and turn off in 1/2 second. And battery lasts a couple of weeks. If they are pdf's with diagrams and charts, or scanned pages, the prs-505 will not be good. And straight pdf on sony I don't like because font sizes are too small for me. If it's for pleasure type reading, prs-505 is cool, or reading txt files or notes, or self help, bible, other reference type stuff , 505 works for me. You can look in table of contents and pick any chapter or pick up where you last left off. I have netbook, itouch, laptop, zune, and all the other toys, but I love this prs-505 because it lets me go back to reading , in 1/2 second (compared to 2 minute startup in netbook to where I'm actually reading a book) 505 has proven track record and it built well. Eventually they will have 9 inch or 11 inch eink screens that will produce pdf's the way they are suppose to be, but NOT YET. So make do , and convert or hold off and use netbook or laptop. Only you can decide what you are willing to live with. It works for me, but it might not for you. Read lots of reviews and check like you are doing with other users.

07-13-2009, 06:35 AM	#5
madmandegge Enthusiast Posts: 49 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2008 Device: None yet	Hi guys, thanks for the replies. I did consider the Iliad, still a bit expensive for me though, sadly. I've been looking at tablet PCs on eBay, nothing brilliant has turned up and the battery life is always a concern, especially with second hand machines. Had another look at the SmartQ7, the idea of a linux distro sounds good, especially as there are good ebook readers and comic applications out there already. Still toying with the idea of a PRS505 for reading, and just hope that I can resize PDFs suitably by cropping loads! Then again the iRex DR1000S does look like a very nice bit of kit...

07-13-2009, 08:40 AM	#7
Sweetpea Grand Sorcerer Posts: 9,707 Karma: 32763414 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Krewerd Device: Pocketbook Inkpad 4 Color; Samsung Galaxy Tab S6	The Iliad does have another advantage, especially if you use it for textbook purposes. It has a touchscreen and lets you make notes. ever since I've know the Iliad, I've been wanting one. But, as I would use it 99% of the time for reading novels, I really can't justify the cost. If I could think of a reason why I'd use it for work (for instance), I'd probably could convince myself to get one (despite the cost!)

07-13-2009, 10:18 AM	#11
yangae Yangae Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2009 Device: None	Hi, I have the same question as Simon, my main requirements for e-reader are: a. Read company annual reports, mainly in PDF formats with pictures, tables, charts, financial statements - numbers in two or three columns etc. b. Read financial accounting books, investment books + novels. c. Ability to annotate and simple note taking during meetings. d. Good to have - dictionary function. Are Iliad or DR the only e-readers that can achieve this ? any other recommendations ? netbook tablet ? Thanks very much. Yangae

07-13-2009, 10:44 AM	#12
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	The iRex devices and (in the US) the Kindle DX are currently the only "large screen" eInk devices on the market, and the Kindle unfortunately has extremely poor PDF support. There should be a wider range of devices using 9.7" screens coming onto the market in the next few months.

07-13-2009, 11:45 AM	#13
jetreader Banned Posts: 23 Karma: 102 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: New York Device: jetbook	I use jetbook reader and don't know much about pdf files. I have some preloaded (like instruction and useful websites) when I bought it, so probably there is no problem. I use it mostly to download political commentarty from personal blogs and use txt file - nice and simple. I can download books the same way. I'm not trying to say, which ebook is the best, but what I appreciate most in mine is it's size. It fits perfectly all my jacket pockets inside or outside. The screen is 5 inches. I suspect that the feel of convenience comes from the fact that if you read across, the line length is almost the same as in a regular paperback. The price is $200 at newegg, so it's rather inexpensive. My question to Sony and Kindle owners: do you experience problems if you read your ebooks under the bright sun, say when you are on the beach? With the jebook the brighter the light the better the reading.

07-13-2009, 11:56 AM	#14
pilotbob Grand Sorcerer Posts: 19,832 Karma: 11844413 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Tampa, FL USA Device: Kindle Touch	OK, I'm going to through this out there. Kindle DX You don't say where you live, but if in the US I think it would meet your needs. BOb

07-13-2009, 01:22 PM	#15
madmandegge Enthusiast Posts: 49 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2008 Device: None yet	I'm still looking towards the SmartQ 7, got a price from them today, should come in just under £150, which is almost exactly the same as the PRS505. I did have a look at the Kindle DX, and although it looks like a very nice piece of kit, will cost me over £300 to get, probably more when shipping is included I did ask the seller about the A700 device, which has a much larger screen, that comes in at about £175 without shipping. They should be getting these at the end of July, but they are only demo units, no date given on the released devices. Having sat here with my 10" netbook screen sideways, it certainly isn't massive! Having said that, I can't see me spending the £300+ pounds on the iRex or the Kindle DX. The newer iLiad also looks nice, but again they're over £300, and they don't really appear on eBay very often. Having thought about it, my main concern seems to be reading off an LCD. Using them for probably 7+ hours a day, I'm unsure how well I will get on with an LCD device for reading. The SmartQ 7 is growing on me, with the idea of resized PDFs and comics I think I may go for the SmartQ 7 for the time being, to see how I get on with the device. As there are a lot of developments coming in larger eInk devices soon, I may upgrade to the newer iLiad if the second hand prices drop.

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