Need to read, annotate, browse a bit...

Firynze · 06-20-2010, 09:31 PM

Help! I'm completely overwhelmed by the research I've been doing into MIDs, e-readers, and mobile devices. I've ruled a few devices out, and keep finding more that might meet my needs partially, but not completely. I'm totally lost now, and could use some informed opinions on what to try out!

I'm an editor. I need to read manuscripts comfortably and easily, and I need to be able to annotate these manuscripts - I want to be able to take margin notes while I'm reading, for later use. If there's a way to do handwriting recognition or something with Track Changes as in OpenOffice or Word, that's even better.

I'm going to want to do some emailing and basic web browsing on whatever I get, as well, so WiFi and a competent browser are a must, although 3G isn't necessary.

I want the best battery life I can get, because this thing is going to be with me pretty constantly.

I'd like something with a USB Host, so that I can use an external USB thumbdrive or plug in an external keyboard if I need to do more involved work than a stylus can get me.

So...the Kindle and the Nook are out (although I quite like the Nook for basic reading). The Eken M001 has lousy battery life, so it's out. The Pandigital Novel looks interesting, if they get the bugs worked out, but I don't think it does annotations.

At the moment, I'm looking at the SmartQ 7 and SmartQ V7, the WITS A81, the Archos 7 Home Tablet, and the Entourage Edge most seriously (although the Edge is really heavy for what I want), although I'm really tempted to wait and see what Notion Ink does with the Adam, and what price it ends up being.

Does anyone have a suggestion of what tablet/OS/app combinations might work for what I need to do? The biggie is having EASY annotation capability - the ability to make notes on a manuscript on the fly, preferably with a stylus that's got a dedicated slot on the device for easy storage. If there's a way to convert said annotations to text and send it through to OpenOffice as Comments and Tracked Changes, even better, but I suspect that functionality is a mythical pink unicorn that I can only dream of...

Thanks!

neilmarr · 06-21-2010, 05:14 AM

Good to have your company, Firynze.

I'm a pro and full time fiction editor myself and originally searched for an ebook reading device I could use at least for proof reading. That was ten years ago, and I still haven't found what I need in eink. I bought a Sony 505 but use it only for recreational reading.

Unless something has come about recently (possibly the iPad -- though my parter bought one and finds it anything but ideal for the job), I'd strongly suggest a simple netbook. You can run Word.docs on it and edit and proof just as you might on your PC ... except that you can take it into the fresh air or even to bed and not be tied to a desk.

I bought two, the Samsung and the Acer 10" (I believe the Dell is also effective). Although they're both excellent, I kept the Samsung and gave the Acer to my mother-in-law for a wee prezzy. I'd suggest, though, that you install Microsoft Office with its full Word programme if you're serious about the job. You can add comments, track changes, search, spellcheck, the lot.

What I do (like today when it's sunny) is to work with the netbook on a table on my terrace and simply email files in progress to my desk-bound PC. Being able to get away from the desk this way over the past year or two has made the job a lot more fun -- and just as efficient.

Good luck. Neil

Firynze · 06-21-2010, 09:11 AM

Thanks, Neil!

I actually have a netbook - an Acer AspireOne - that I'm using for proofs and markups currently, as well as editing. The problem is that I have carpal tunnel and therefore find the constant PgDn-PgDn-PgDn and typing to be a problem when I'm working in bed on the thing, or even sometimes on the couch. I don't mind doing my heavy edits and revisions at a desk using OpenOffice (which I prefer to Word/Microsoft Office, honestly), but I'd like something I can read proofs and do quick marginalia on when I'm reading submissions...especially since I still like to do handwritten notes-to-self sometimes. I'm old-fashioned that way, hah (I've never lost my fondness for the red pen).

Sadly, it's looking more like such a mythical beast doesn't really exist. The Entourage Edge looks close, and I'm intrigued by the Pocketbook 302 and Sony Touch Edition with their annotation/handwriting features, but I just can't figure out if there's an e-reader - eInk or LCD, I'm not married to either, though I love the battery life of eInk - that will do what I need!

Do you do any proofing/submissions reading on a dedicated e-reader, or just on your netbook or desktop?

jasonfedelem · 06-21-2010, 02:39 PM

Don't know much about this product, but you may want to look at it:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technolog...en-laptop.html

dorino · 06-21-2010, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jasonfedelem

Don't know much about this product, but you may want to look at it:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technolog...en-laptop.html

Poor battery life, otherwise it would satisfy. Expensive, though.

I'd say keep with your netbook, though you might consider getting a touch screen kit for your acer aspire one, that could definately make things easier for you!

Firynze · 06-21-2010, 03:00 PM

If the battery life were better and the device less expensive, I'd be all over that dual-screen. Wish they'd put a PixelQi display in it...!

Interesting suggestion, @dorino! How hard is it to do a touch-screen mod on a netbook? I've done all kinds of hacking-apart of desktops, but I've always been a bit intimidated to crack into a notebook computer.

06-20-2010, 09:31 PM	#1
Firynze Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Kindle, HP TouchPad, Entourage Pocket eDGe	Need to read, annotate, browse a bit... Help! I'm completely overwhelmed by the research I've been doing into MIDs, e-readers, and mobile devices. I've ruled a few devices out, and keep finding more that might meet my needs partially, but not completely. I'm totally lost now, and could use some informed opinions on what to try out! I'm an editor. I need to read manuscripts comfortably and easily, and I need to be able to annotate these manuscripts - I want to be able to take margin notes while I'm reading, for later use. If there's a way to do handwriting recognition or something with Track Changes as in OpenOffice or Word, that's even better. I'm going to want to do some emailing and basic web browsing on whatever I get, as well, so WiFi and a competent browser are a must, although 3G isn't necessary. I want the best battery life I can get, because this thing is going to be with me pretty constantly. I'd like something with a USB Host, so that I can use an external USB thumbdrive or plug in an external keyboard if I need to do more involved work than a stylus can get me. So...the Kindle and the Nook are out (although I quite like the Nook for basic reading). The Eken M001 has lousy battery life, so it's out. The Pandigital Novel looks interesting, if they get the bugs worked out, but I don't think it does annotations. At the moment, I'm looking at the SmartQ 7 and SmartQ V7, the WITS A81, the Archos 7 Home Tablet, and the Entourage Edge most seriously (although the Edge is really heavy for what I want), although I'm really tempted to wait and see what Notion Ink does with the Adam, and what price it ends up being. Does anyone have a suggestion of what tablet/OS/app combinations might work for what I need to do? The biggie is having EASY annotation capability - the ability to make notes on a manuscript on the fly, preferably with a stylus that's got a dedicated slot on the device for easy storage. If there's a way to convert said annotations to text and send it through to OpenOffice as Comments and Tracked Changes, even better, but I suspect that functionality is a mythical pink unicorn that I can only dream of... Thanks!

06-21-2010, 05:14 AM	#2
neilmarr neilmarr Posts: 7,216 Karma: 6000059 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Monaco-Menton, France Device: sony	Good to have your company, Firynze. I'm a pro and full time fiction editor myself and originally searched for an ebook reading device I could use at least for proof reading. That was ten years ago, and I still haven't found what I need in eink. I bought a Sony 505 but use it only for recreational reading. Unless something has come about recently (possibly the iPad -- though my parter bought one and finds it anything but ideal for the job), I'd strongly suggest a simple netbook. You can run Word.docs on it and edit and proof just as you might on your PC ... except that you can take it into the fresh air or even to bed and not be tied to a desk. I bought two, the Samsung and the Acer 10" (I believe the Dell is also effective). Although they're both excellent, I kept the Samsung and gave the Acer to my mother-in-law for a wee prezzy. I'd suggest, though, that you install Microsoft Office with its full Word programme if you're serious about the job. You can add comments, track changes, search, spellcheck, the lot. What I do (like today when it's sunny) is to work with the netbook on a table on my terrace and simply email files in progress to my desk-bound PC. Being able to get away from the desk this way over the past year or two has made the job a lot more fun -- and just as efficient. Good luck. Neil Last edited by neilmarr; 06-21-2010 at 05:17 AM.

06-21-2010, 02:39 PM	#4
jasonfedelem Zealot Posts: 118 Karma: 202232 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Texas Device: Kindle Paperwhite Gen2	Don't know much about this product, but you may want to look at it: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technolog...en-laptop.html Last edited by jasonfedelem; 06-21-2010 at 02:41 PM.

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06-21-2010, 09:11 AM	#3
Firynze Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Kindle, HP TouchPad, Entourage Pocket eDGe	Thanks, Neil! I actually have a netbook - an Acer AspireOne - that I'm using for proofs and markups currently, as well as editing. The problem is that I have carpal tunnel and therefore find the constant PgDn-PgDn-PgDn and typing to be a problem when I'm working in bed on the thing, or even sometimes on the couch. I don't mind doing my heavy edits and revisions at a desk using OpenOffice (which I prefer to Word/Microsoft Office, honestly), but I'd like something I can read proofs and do quick marginalia on when I'm reading submissions...especially since I still like to do handwritten notes-to-self sometimes. I'm old-fashioned that way, hah (I've never lost my fondness for the red pen). Sadly, it's looking more like such a mythical beast doesn't really exist. The Entourage Edge looks close, and I'm intrigued by the Pocketbook 302 and Sony Touch Edition with their annotation/handwriting features, but I just can't figure out if there's an e-reader - eInk or LCD, I'm not married to either, though I love the battery life of eInk - that will do what I need! Do you do any proofing/submissions reading on a dedicated e-reader, or just on your netbook or desktop?

06-21-2010, 03:00 PM	#6
Firynze Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Kindle, HP TouchPad, Entourage Pocket eDGe	If the battery life were better and the device less expensive, I'd be all over that dual-screen. Wish they'd put a PixelQi display in it...! Interesting suggestion, @dorino! How hard is it to do a touch-screen mod on a netbook? I've done all kinds of hacking-apart of desktops, but I've always been a bit intimidated to crack into a notebook computer.

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