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Old 06-26-2010, 10:46 AM   #1
vexx
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The best for scanned (without OCR) PDFs: Sony PRS600 vs B&N Nook (vs Foxit eSlick)?

Hello people, few words from you or/and advices would be great...

Little intro for my problem: I study physics and have a lot of scanned books in PDF format. Few are plain text/OCR and the most of them are just "scanned images". Now they are not my primary source from which I am learning. But in most cases I need them lets say about 10-15 minutes during one hour of learning or less. So I'm buying an eReader out of need so I can carry many books with me around to help me when I'm stuck with something.

The main purpose would be something like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaUkx2KLVbI
To open a pdf, zoom it if the letters (in a "picture" because most of them are not OCR) are too small, read it for a while, like 3-5 pages.

1.My first choice was Sony PRS-600. It has cool/handy stuff like selecting text and adding notes relatively easy via stylus and zooming via touch screen.

2.Then I saw B&N Nook, looked little into specs. WiFi, web-browsing (beta), android platform(options for applications in future?), extra 3.5" color touch screen, got little taken away with all those extras... But I realized all that options are not my primary needs. Couldn't find how it preforms in zooming/scrolling large pdf scans. Does anybody have any experience with it?

3.The last is Foxit eSlick Reader. It got my attention just because it was using Foxit software. I use Foxit on my computer and it seems good reader with many options. A drawback is just 4-level gray scale and could not find how it preforms with scanned PDFs. Also it has no touch screen of any kind so inputing notes (I don't think this is a option that I would often use but...) would be nightmare/impossible?

The offer of books in store by a specific company are of no value for me because most of books I need are not available and I use most of my own PDFs. For the same reason 3G/WiFi is not important.
If I need to use some book more often I think it would not be a problem to run some software to remove the margin/convert it to OCR text for better display, I know my way around computers. But I wouldn't like to do it for every file because I need just small portions of PDFs and dont know in advance which part I will need.
I'm not in a hurry to buy it so debate all you think is important. The problem is I have no place to try different models because I live in Croatia, Europe and the offer of eReaders in my country is equal to 0. My friend will buy it for me when he comes from the States to my country on vacation. So there is no returning it if it doesn meet my needs

My price target is around 200-250$. Been thinking abound Sony PRS-900 and for that money I would rather add few hundred bucks and buy some small 14" Dell but that is not what I need here...

So your opinion, experience and/or advices are welcome to help me decide. Also speak freely if you think some other model would be better.
Tnx in advance and sorry if my English isn't good, its not my primary language.
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Old 06-26-2010, 11:01 AM   #2
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trust me, don't look any further (as numerous people have posted similar questions and I being one of them), none of the 5" and 6" readers is good for that. You will need to get a Kindle DX, but given that price, you might as well get an iPad. Either technology-wise or economically or both, the e-readers have not progressed well enough to accommodate your needs to read scanned PDFs with ease.
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Old 06-26-2010, 01:05 PM   #3
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Hello
I have the same needs/problems that you have.
After reviewing all the current and future e-reader I decide to wait a little more for the release of devices like the Asus DR900, Copia Ocean 9 and similar: the larger screen and (hopefully) faster processor (better and faster refresh modes) will worth the waiting.
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Old 06-26-2010, 01:19 PM   #4
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I can't comment on the Foxit, but between the Sony 600 and the Nook, both of which I've used, I'd say the 600 is better suited to your needs. There are image pdf's I can read on the 600 in landscape mode that are not legible on the Nook in portrait mode (Nook does not have landscape). The Nook screen has less glare, though some are not bothered by the slightly more glare on the 600 - obviously the best option would be to try both, or at least the 600 and see if you fall into the camp that isn't bothered and can tilt the reader to eliminate the glare, or the other camp that is distracted by, and finds the glare uncomfortable.

As others have noted, if PDFs are your primary reading material AND you are not bothered by a larger device (I also read mostly PDFs, but I really didn't want a larger device, as I would rarely use it outside the home), you should look into a larger reader, or the iPad (of course, backlit LCD means a lot more glare, but quite a number of MR members are using iPads as readers).

I agree with your assessment of the Sony 900, it is overpriced, and no way is it worth $150 more than the Sony 600.

Last edited by flyash; 06-26-2010 at 01:24 PM.
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Old 06-26-2010, 01:25 PM   #5
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Now that the iPad is out, I cannot recommend anything else for viewing scanned PDF pages that are not OCRed. The e-ink is just not suited to do that very well so I'm never really satisfied with using it for anything that is not a mostly pure text PDF. iPads on the other hand display such files beautifully, but yeah...they're not $200-300. : (
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Old 06-30-2010, 03:08 AM   #6
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Originally Posted by librus38 View Post
Hello
I have the same needs/problems that you have.
After reviewing all the current and future e-reader I decide to wait a little more for the release of devices like the Asus DR900, Copia Ocean 9 and similar: the larger screen and (hopefully) faster processor (better and faster refresh modes) will worth the waiting.
The Asus DR900 is supposedly "out," but I don't know where or for how much.
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Old 06-30-2010, 03:13 AM   #7
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The Asus DR 900 is already available for sale? Would love to know more about it...

Last edited by librus38; 06-30-2010 at 04:17 AM.
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Old 06-30-2010, 06:48 AM   #8
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No, apparently not. I mistook "launched," "introduced," etc. for "on sale."
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Old 06-30-2010, 08:15 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vexx
PRS 600 ... Nook ...
None of the devices you initially chose will be adequate for reading scanned PDF documents. The Asus DR900 is supposed to come out in August and should cost around £275. Another option might be the Asus EEE tablet assuming it supports PDF. This is available in September and they say it will cost $200-$300. I'd wait for a full review before buying though. The Kindle DX should drop it's prices in the next month or two and then it might also be in the running. A standard netbook or an Ipad would also work fine though the ipad is likely to look cooler while sitting in a coffee shop and the batteries should last the whole day.
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Old 06-30-2010, 11:29 AM   #10
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The Kindle DX should drop it's prices in the next month or two and then it might also be in the running
Really? Where did you hear this from? I may want to get my hands on a DX if it gets a little cheaper.
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Old 06-30-2010, 08:35 PM   #11
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Originally Posted by librus38 View Post
Hello
I have the same needs/problems that you have.
After reviewing all the current and future e-reader I decide to wait a little more for the release of devices like the Asus DR900, Copia Ocean 9 and similar: the larger screen and (hopefully) faster processor (better and faster refresh modes) will worth the waiting.
Any word on the Asus and Copia ones? They're my favorite at this point, but they are way past their original delivery dates. I'm worried, given that the Que and Skiff now seem dead in the water.
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Old 07-01-2010, 02:49 AM   #12
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Have been checking the internet for those 2 (Asus and Copia) but still no word. Does anyone has privilege information about these two release dates (and prices ands availability to Europe) or has any form to obtain that information from the manufacturers ...?
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Old 07-01-2010, 03:21 AM   #13
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The Kindle DX should drop it's prices in the next month or two and then it might also be in the running.
you're done.
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Old 07-01-2010, 03:42 AM   #14
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Quote:
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The Kindle DX should drop it's prices in the next month or two and then it might also be in the running.
Really? Where did you hear this from? I may want to get my hands on a DX if it gets a little cheaper.
I didn't hear it but it seems obvious that it's priced too high for the current market. Ipads are available for a similar price and other ereaders such as the new Asus DR 900 and Pocketbook 901 will soon undercut it. If they want to sell the DX then they need to reduce the price. I was about to include a table of the prices for all the relevant machines and found that Amazon had just cut the price of the DX from $489 to $379 in the last few minutes. I wouldn't be surprised if the price drops again to around $300 in September.

I'm now feeling psychic, perhaps I should put a bet on the world cup?
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Old 07-01-2010, 04:02 AM   #15
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A standard netbook or an Ipad would also work fine though the ipad is likely to look cooler while sitting in a coffee shop and the batteries should last the whole day.
So, that's why people are buying those Ipads, to show off!



But on-topic: I'd wait at least till september/october. If no new larger device is presented then, I'd give up on them for this year and look to existing devices, or even netbooks.

I wouldn't go for a 6" screen for scanned documents. You'll need a magnifying glass, I think...
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