pdf questions

omro · 05-17-2010, 12:47 PM

Hi,

I'm awaiting my iPad with bated breath. A couple of questions about PDFs...

How easy is it to put a PDF onto the iPad, do you need to sync via iTunes?

How easily does the iPad open PDFs? Has anyone had any issues opening a PDF on their iPad? What about DRMd PDFs?

Can you annotate the PDFs?

Thanks

dmaul1114 · 05-17-2010, 12:54 PM

Various ways to get PDFs on to the iPad. The one drawback is you have to load them into individual apps. So if you have more than one PDF reading/annotating program you'll have to separately load each document into each program.

To use goodreader as an example, you can drag PDFs into the Goodreader file sharing area in iTunes (no need to sync, they appear instantly after dropping), transfer via Wifi, download form e-mail or the web browser, use the cloud sharing/transfer programs like dropbox.

For DRM, I don't believe any DRM PDFs can be read currently. But not 100% sure.

Pdfs can be annotated with the $6.99 (for now, supposed to go up to $9.99 at some point) App iAnnotate. Haven't used it myself, reviews I've read are mixed. But looks pretty robust from videos etc. Negative comments are bout it being non-intuitive, mixed impressions on how well it works with a capacitive stylus etc.

Fotoman · 05-17-2010, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by omro

Hi,

I'm awaiting my iPad with bated breath. A couple of questions about PDFs...

How easy is it to put a PDF onto the iPad, do you need to sync via iTunes?

How easily does the iPad open PDFs? Has anyone had any issues opening a PDF on their iPad? What about DRMd PDFs?

Can you annotate the PDFs?

Thanks

Syncing PDFs through iTunes is an option. You do this through the device app view. Any apps that allow syncing files such as Pages, Numbers, Goodreader, etc. will have their own file syncing line. Most good iPad PDF readers will give you many other options such as grabbing a PDF email attachment and copying it to the app, etc.

There are several iPad apps that do a great job of handling, formatting and reading PDFs. Goodreader ($0.99) is the most popular and is very full-featured with one exception...

For annotating PDFs the only current solution that I know of is an app called iAnnotate ($6.99.) I haven't used it but it has good reviews.

Can't help you with the DRM issue although I don't think there is currently any way to read Adobe Digital Editions DRM PDFs on it... I might be wrong though.

omro · 05-17-2010, 04:13 PM

Thanks for the answers. Is there no built in PDF support in iPad?

murraypaul · 05-17-2010, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by omro

Thanks for the answers. Is there no built in PDF support in iPad?

There is built in support for viewing PDFs in emails or web pages, but not an actual PDF viewer application. So you could email yourself a PDF to try it out.

Fotoman · 05-17-2010, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by omro

Thanks for the answers. Is there no built in PDF support in iPad?

Just a viewer in Safari and Mail and both work well as simple viewers.

kjk · 05-17-2010, 05:14 PM

Easiest way to read PDFs for me has been GoodReader + Dropbox.

murraypaul · 05-17-2010, 08:51 PM

At 99c there is really no reason not to get GoodReader, although I was a bit disappointed with the delay in page turning.

omro · 05-18-2010, 07:25 AM

which is better as a pdf reader? Goodreader or iAnnotate? I am erring towards something that allows notations, but is also able to allow full page pdf reading. Specifically for textbooks.

omro · 05-18-2010, 09:18 AM

I've been browsing the app store and it looks like only iAnnotate obviously allows notations. However, if it's a poor pdf viewer then I would pass.

Any other thoughts?

davidspitzer · 05-18-2010, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by omro

I've been browsing the app store and it looks like only iAnnotate obviously allows notations. However, if it's a poor pdf viewer then I would pass.

Any other thoughts?

Check out Iannotate - good pdfreader and you can fully annotate and markup pdf's - I have loaded some ridiculously large pdf's with no problem - if you just want to read them i agree goodreader is very good

Iannotate has a new version that is waiting approval by apple, which will allow Itunes sharing - right now they have a free upload utility which works very well

murraypaul · 05-28-2010, 11:14 AM

There is a much cheaper option for annotating pdfs, called Noterize (59p on UK store, I would assume 99c on US one).
PDFs can be loaded from Box.net, Dropbox or a link on an any web page with the builtin browser, but it doesn't support drag-and-drop in iTunes on Open In on the iPad.
You can draw foreground lines or highlighters of variable thickness and width, and erase existing annotations. You can also add text boxes and voice memos.
I haven't yet seen any way of getting the documents out of the application into anything else.

dhiru · 05-28-2010, 12:12 PM

For reading only, free app cloud reader is best in my opinion. It reads pdf, cbz & cbr

dhiru · 05-29-2010, 01:53 AM

i have found two more very good pdf readers.
fast pdf
http://appshopper.com/productivity/fast-pdf

and

ibunko hd
http://appshopper.com/books/ibunkohd

MMascaro · 05-30-2010, 09:34 AM

For marking up PDFs IAnnotate works good but is a flat file storage system. As to getting them out, at the top of IAnnote there is an up arrow that sends your files back to Itunes on the next sync. You then save the files from Itunes to your PC. I saved mine to a folder called "imported documents" on the desktop. all the annotations are there; highlights, circling lines, and notes in popup ballons.

For mass storage of PDF I use DeaddleDocs It is a file viewer with a folder based storage system.

Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, Powerpoint (.doc/.docx, .xls/.xlsx, .ppt/.pptx)
• Apple iWorks including iWorks ‘09: Pages, Numbers, Keynote (.pages,
.keynote, .numbers).
• Portable document format (.PDF)
• Web pages (.html, .htm)
• Rich text documents (.rtf, rtfd)
• Text files (.txt)
• Images (.jpeg, .jpg, .gif, .png. .tiff)
• Media formats (mp3, mp4, 3gp, mov, mpv)

05-17-2010, 12:47 PM	#1
omro Addict Posts: 373 Karma: 452000 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Hamilton, On Device: Kobo Aura HD	pdf questions Hi, I'm awaiting my iPad with bated breath. A couple of questions about PDFs... How easy is it to put a PDF onto the iPad, do you need to sync via iTunes? How easily does the iPad open PDFs? Has anyone had any issues opening a PDF on their iPad? What about DRMd PDFs? Can you annotate the PDFs? Thanks

05-17-2010, 12:54 PM	#2
dmaul1114 Wizard Posts: 2,300 Karma: 1121709 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Amazon Kindle 1	Various ways to get PDFs on to the iPad. The one drawback is you have to load them into individual apps. So if you have more than one PDF reading/annotating program you'll have to separately load each document into each program. To use goodreader as an example, you can drag PDFs into the Goodreader file sharing area in iTunes (no need to sync, they appear instantly after dropping), transfer via Wifi, download form e-mail or the web browser, use the cloud sharing/transfer programs like dropbox. For DRM, I don't believe any DRM PDFs can be read currently. But not 100% sure. Pdfs can be annotated with the $6.99 (for now, supposed to go up to $9.99 at some point) App iAnnotate. Haven't used it myself, reviews I've read are mixed. But looks pretty robust from videos etc. Negative comments are bout it being non-intuitive, mixed impressions on how well it works with a capacitive stylus etc. Last edited by dmaul1114; 05-17-2010 at 01:03 PM.

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05-17-2010, 04:13 PM	#4
omro Addict Posts: 373 Karma: 452000 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Hamilton, On Device: Kobo Aura HD	Thanks for the answers. Is there no built in PDF support in iPad?

05-17-2010, 05:14 PM	#7
kjk . Posts: 3,408 Karma: 5647231 Join Date: Oct 2008 Device: never enough	Easiest way to read PDFs for me has been GoodReader + Dropbox.

05-17-2010, 08:51 PM	#8
murraypaul Interested Bystander Posts: 3,725 Karma: 19728152 Join Date: Jun 2008 Device: Note 4, Kobo One	At 99c there is really no reason not to get GoodReader, although I was a bit disappointed with the delay in page turning.

05-18-2010, 07:25 AM	#9
omro Addict Posts: 373 Karma: 452000 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Hamilton, On Device: Kobo Aura HD	which is better as a pdf reader? Goodreader or iAnnotate? I am erring towards something that allows notations, but is also able to allow full page pdf reading. Specifically for textbooks.

05-18-2010, 09:18 AM	#10
omro Addict Posts: 373 Karma: 452000 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Hamilton, On Device: Kobo Aura HD	I've been browsing the app store and it looks like only iAnnotate obviously allows notations. However, if it's a poor pdf viewer then I would pass. Any other thoughts?

05-28-2010, 11:14 AM	#12
murraypaul Interested Bystander Posts: 3,725 Karma: 19728152 Join Date: Jun 2008 Device: Note 4, Kobo One	There is a much cheaper option for annotating pdfs, called Noterize (59p on UK store, I would assume 99c on US one). PDFs can be loaded from Box.net, Dropbox or a link on an any web page with the builtin browser, but it doesn't support drag-and-drop in iTunes on Open In on the iPad. You can draw foreground lines or highlighters of variable thickness and width, and erase existing annotations. You can also add text boxes and voice memos. I haven't yet seen any way of getting the documents out of the application into anything else.

05-28-2010, 12:12 PM	#13
dhiru Connoisseur Posts: 83 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: iphone, Irex iliad, sony prs950, kindle Dx, Ipad	For reading only, free app cloud reader is best in my opinion. It reads pdf, cbz & cbr

05-29-2010, 01:53 AM	#14
dhiru Connoisseur Posts: 83 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: iphone, Irex iliad, sony prs950, kindle Dx, Ipad	i have found two more very good pdf readers. fast pdf http://appshopper.com/productivity/fast-pdf and ibunko hd http://appshopper.com/books/ibunkohd

05-30-2010, 09:34 AM	#15
MMascaro Zealot Posts: 111 Karma: 1009 Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Maryland USA Device: HP mini 1035/Sony Reader/IPad	For marking up PDFs IAnnotate works good but is a flat file storage system. As to getting them out, at the top of IAnnote there is an up arrow that sends your files back to Itunes on the next sync. You then save the files from Itunes to your PC. I saved mine to a folder called "imported documents" on the desktop. all the annotations are there; highlights, circling lines, and notes in popup ballons. For mass storage of PDF I use DeaddleDocs It is a file viewer with a folder based storage system. Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, Powerpoint (.doc/.docx, .xls/.xlsx, .ppt/.pptx) • Apple iWorks including iWorks ‘09: Pages, Numbers, Keynote (.pages, .keynote, .numbers). • Portable document format (.PDF) • Web pages (.html, .htm) • Rich text documents (.rtf, rtfd) • Text files (.txt) • Images (.jpeg, .jpg, .gif, .png. .tiff) • Media formats (mp3, mp4, 3gp, mov, mpv)

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