Which one to buy if I read a lot of .pdf?

trincam2008 · 06-13-2009, 02:19 AM

Hello,
I've spent ages trying to decide which ebook reader to buy, finally narrow down to Sony PRS 700 & 505.
I know this question has been asked tons of times and I've also searched and read most of the things related I found on this forum -> still cant really find the answer to some of my thoughts.

A bit about the background:

1. I am in the UK so for now only the PRS 505 is available for £179.99 (~ $296.4), However, I can also get a PRS 700, brand new with 1 year warantee from B&H with the price of (£244.3) - $402.35 (including shipping) -> the price matters, not too important but as I am a student I wish to get the best deal

2. I am a uni student + I read quite a lot. I've been using my computer and a O2 Xda Exec to read ebooks but ereader seems the best option for less eyestrain + I can carry a lot with me anywhere -> I already have quite a big collection (read and want to read) of ebooks, especially in .pdf

I 1st tempted to buy the PRS 700 with its many new features (especially faster refresh rate and search abilitty) and then I am aware of the screen problem i.e not quite like reading a book, extra plastic between screen + text due to the touch screen, glare issue, with PRS 700 compared with the PRS 505 as many report. Nearly chose PRS 505. For searching, I can always use my laptop as I have a copy there anyway, same story for taking note. Both have bookmarking. Then some more reading reveal that the PRS 505 is not so good with reading .pdf and most of my stuff right now are in .pdf

I really want to buy one now as my exams are over (YAY) and I love to start reading those I want (not what I have to

. My problem is that as I am in the UK, there's no way I can test the devices myself.

Can you please help me with this? or share your experience?
To sum up, which one do you think is better, taking in the account of the ability to read .pdf and the price (not too important though as I'm willing to go for PRS 700 if it suits me and worth the extra money)?

Is there any way to get around the .pdf issue with PRS 505? like converting to other format etc..

Thank you so much for reading and even more for replying.

P/s: Sorry for a long note and sorry if there're loads of English mistakes (Im an international student from Vietnam)

HarryT · 06-13-2009, 05:19 AM

If reading PDF files is your top priority, I honestly wouldn't go for any 6" book reader. The overwhelming majority of PDF documents are formatted for an A4/Letter sized page, and there's just no way to read them satisfactorily on a screen with only 1/6th the area of an A4 page.

Sweetpea · 06-13-2009, 06:31 AM

Why do you read a lot of PDF? You mention you're done with school and can read what you want and not what you have to. So, you'll be reading mostly novels? Or will you read PDF files from textbooks (for work, for example)?

If it's the first, a 6" would be fine, if it is the second, I'd go for a bigger screen.

trincam2008 · 06-13-2009, 10:08 AM

Hi,

Thanks a lot for replying, Sweetpea and HarryT. I plan to do both actually. For work, I can always use my laptop (as I use a lot of the searching for specific words and work shouldnt mean in bed

but the amount of textbook I use during the year is large :P and would be nice if I need to use when, say, Im in the library / queueing.

Recreatinal reading would best describe I think e.g I read novels, reports and ebooks of different types I download/buy from the Internet or sent by friends/ family. Of course even these sometimes have illustrations. Carrying loads in suitcase is not so wise and I dont quite like reading from laptop for extended period.

You both mention a bigger screen one, can you please recommend any, which use EInk? and how about portability? It's just because Im relatively new at this. Irex and Iliad are a bit too expensive and as I read around, many suggest they're not really worth the extra, but Im not that sure. Also the battery is long relative to others.

Im in the UK and for now the only mean for me to know these things are via the Internet. I wish there are some sort of techno show / fair soon and around to try but I dont think there's any between now and mid July (on holiday = like some reading as well).

Ah also, all these different ereaders can support a lot of formats, can I convert from .pdf to these so that the reading would fit onto the small screen? Maybe this doesnt work with scan .pdf but just a thought

for reading

Sweetpea · 06-13-2009, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trincam2008

Hi,

Thanks a lot for replying, Sweetpea and HarryT. I plan to do both actually. For work, I can always use my laptop (as I use a lot of the searching for specific words and work shouldnt mean in bed

but the amount of textbook I use during the year is large :P and would be nice if I need to use when, say, Im in the library / queueing.

Recreatinal reading would best describe I think e.g I read novels, reports and ebooks of different types I download/buy from the Internet or sent by friends/ family. Of course even these sometimes have illustrations. Carrying loads in suitcase is not so wise and I dont quite like reading from laptop for extended period.

You both mention a bigger screen one, can you please recommend any? and how about portability? It's just because Im relatively new at this. Irex and Iliad are a bit too expensive and as I read around, many suggest they're not really worth the extra, but Im not that sure. Im in the UK and for now the only mean for me to know these things are via the Internet. I wish there are some sort of techno show / fair soon and around to try but I dont think there's any between now and mid July (on holiday = like some reading as well).

Ah also, all these different ereaders can support a lot of formats, can I convert from .pdf to these so that the reading would fit onto the small screen? Maybe this doesnt work with scan .pdf but just a thought

for reading

Right now, the only large screen reader you can get is the IRex one. The other that is sold is only sold in the US. Naturally, you can get it in the UK, but not by ordering from amazon

I've not done a lot of PDF conversions, but if you've a scanned PDF, it would mean OCR'ing the document. I think if you've a "text-based" PDF, it might be that reflowing works and then it shouldn't be too much of a problem (I've no experience with PDF myself, I tend to avoid them).

trincam2008 · 06-13-2009, 10:54 AM

Thanks. I come across both types in my pdf collection. I dont mind a bit of fiddling about if it helps to read better later on.
I think I prefer a smaller screen rather than 10inch Irex + this is so expensive and what I want normally is just to read the information comfortably. Laptop is great but not always convenient.
Should I go for 700 or 505?

=X= · 06-13-2009, 12:04 PM

Hi trincam,
What is the average size of the pdf you are reading? If they are a4/letter then I completely agree with HarryT a lager screen is better both on the eyes and in time saving.

Both the 700 & 505 have the same PDF rendering engine, and they both have the same screen size. So the reading experience will be virtually the same except one major difference, with the 700 you can zoom in, which will matter only if you want to look at a chart, picture that is too small to see in the book.

That said let me give you my opinion of the 505. I have the 505 and a little less than half of my books are PDFs. Most of the PDF I have are non-fiction they have lots of graphs , tables, and charts. There are times I wish I had the 700 my work around is to look at the chart on my PC or my smartphone (3.5") screen... pretty ironic huh.

The average PDF book is about 6-9" so by simply removing the 1" margins of these books is enough to make these books readable. You can use tools like soPDF or caliber's pdfmanipulate to remove the margins.

Then there is also PaperCrop which has become my second favorite tool. This tool can reflow any PDF even imaged based PDFs so they are readable on any device.

>>>>

Okay to get to the meat of the advice. There are tons of free tools to make PDFs readable on any device. But they take time to learn and use. Once proficient the time to prepare a PDF is small.
My advice is do not fixate on the PDF support , focus on the features. For instance size, portability and UI.

For me the built in light, zoom, annotation, speed, touch screen make for a far superior product than the 505 because I read everywhere and I read mainly non-fiction. When I'm reading fiction I don't miss those features so much.. Except for the built in light.

Okay after all that you still have other options. Isn't the cooler suppose to be a UK product. And it supports PDFs too at only $200.

=X=

emellaich · 06-13-2009, 04:00 PM

It reads like you are reading pdf's in an academic setting. Either as a student or a professor. I'm not sure that it is really realistic to read academic pdf's on a six inch screen, maybe not even on a 9.7 incher.

When I read standard magazine articles, or fiction books, I can just scan linearly through the text. However, comprehension of academic articles takes a bit more work. We have to use convoluted language in order to sound important enough to be published [grin].

In order to understand this type of article I need more context. I may need to refer back to the headings and sub-headings to see what a given comment refers to. At a minimum, I need to see more than a six inch screen will reveal. However, even a 9.7" might not be sufficient. For example, when I read in real life I often look at two pages at once. I'll keep referring back to a graph or table as I read the text. This involves flipping the pages back and forth, or even unstapling them so I can see them side-by-side. I'm not sure a single screen and/or a single view can really make it workable.

06-13-2009, 02:19 AM	#1
trincam2008 Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: UK Device: none	Which one to buy if I read a lot of .pdf? Hello, I've spent ages trying to decide which ebook reader to buy, finally narrow down to Sony PRS 700 & 505. I know this question has been asked tons of times and I've also searched and read most of the things related I found on this forum -> still cant really find the answer to some of my thoughts. A bit about the background: 1. I am in the UK so for now only the PRS 505 is available for £179.99 (~ $296.4), However, I can also get a PRS 700, brand new with 1 year warantee from B&H with the price of (£244.3) - $402.35 (including shipping) -> the price matters, not too important but as I am a student I wish to get the best deal 2. I am a uni student + I read quite a lot. I've been using my computer and a O2 Xda Exec to read ebooks but ereader seems the best option for less eyestrain + I can carry a lot with me anywhere -> I already have quite a big collection (read and want to read) of ebooks, especially in .pdf I 1st tempted to buy the PRS 700 with its many new features (especially faster refresh rate and search abilitty) and then I am aware of the screen problem i.e not quite like reading a book, extra plastic between screen + text due to the touch screen, glare issue, with PRS 700 compared with the PRS 505 as many report. Nearly chose PRS 505. For searching, I can always use my laptop as I have a copy there anyway, same story for taking note. Both have bookmarking. Then some more reading reveal that the PRS 505 is not so good with reading .pdf and most of my stuff right now are in .pdf I really want to buy one now as my exams are over (YAY) and I love to start reading those I want (not what I have to . My problem is that as I am in the UK, there's no way I can test the devices myself. Can you please help me with this? or share your experience? To sum up, which one do you think is better, taking in the account of the ability to read .pdf and the price (not too important though as I'm willing to go for PRS 700 if it suits me and worth the extra money)? Is there any way to get around the .pdf issue with PRS 505? like converting to other format etc.. Thank you so much for reading and even more for replying. P/s: Sorry for a long note and sorry if there're loads of English mistakes (Im an international student from Vietnam) Last edited by trincam2008; 06-13-2009 at 02:34 AM. Reason: Mistake some information i.e price

06-13-2009, 10:08 AM	#4
trincam2008 Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: UK Device: none	Hi, Thanks a lot for replying, Sweetpea and HarryT. I plan to do both actually. For work, I can always use my laptop (as I use a lot of the searching for specific words and work shouldnt mean in bed but the amount of textbook I use during the year is large :P and would be nice if I need to use when, say, Im in the library / queueing. Recreatinal reading would best describe I think e.g I read novels, reports and ebooks of different types I download/buy from the Internet or sent by friends/ family. Of course even these sometimes have illustrations. Carrying loads in suitcase is not so wise and I dont quite like reading from laptop for extended period. You both mention a bigger screen one, can you please recommend any, which use EInk? and how about portability? It's just because Im relatively new at this. Irex and Iliad are a bit too expensive and as I read around, many suggest they're not really worth the extra, but Im not that sure. Also the battery is long relative to others. Im in the UK and for now the only mean for me to know these things are via the Internet. I wish there are some sort of techno show / fair soon and around to try but I dont think there's any between now and mid July (on holiday = like some reading as well). Ah also, all these different ereaders can support a lot of formats, can I convert from .pdf to these so that the reading would fit onto the small screen? Maybe this doesnt work with scan .pdf but just a thought for reading Last edited by trincam2008; 06-13-2009 at 10:33 AM.

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06-13-2009, 05:19 AM	#2
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	If reading PDF files is your top priority, I honestly wouldn't go for any 6" book reader. The overwhelming majority of PDF documents are formatted for an A4/Letter sized page, and there's just no way to read them satisfactorily on a screen with only 1/6th the area of an A4 page.

06-13-2009, 06:31 AM	#3
Sweetpea Grand Sorcerer Posts: 9,707 Karma: 32763414 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Krewerd Device: Pocketbook Inkpad 4 Color; Samsung Galaxy Tab S6	Why do you read a lot of PDF? You mention you're done with school and can read what you want and not what you have to. So, you'll be reading mostly novels? Or will you read PDF files from textbooks (for work, for example)? If it's the first, a 6" would be fine, if it is the second, I'd go for a bigger screen.

06-13-2009, 10:54 AM	#6
trincam2008 Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: UK Device: none	Thanks. I come across both types in my pdf collection. I dont mind a bit of fiddling about if it helps to read better later on. I think I prefer a smaller screen rather than 10inch Irex + this is so expensive and what I want normally is just to read the information comfortably. Laptop is great but not always convenient. Should I go for 700 or 505?

06-13-2009, 12:04 PM	#7
=X= Wizard Posts: 3,671 Karma: 12205348 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: Galaxy S, Nook w/CM7	Hi trincam, What is the average size of the pdf you are reading? If they are a4/letter then I completely agree with HarryT a lager screen is better both on the eyes and in time saving. Both the 700 & 505 have the same PDF rendering engine, and they both have the same screen size. So the reading experience will be virtually the same except one major difference, with the 700 you can zoom in, which will matter only if you want to look at a chart, picture that is too small to see in the book. That said let me give you my opinion of the 505. I have the 505 and a little less than half of my books are PDFs. Most of the PDF I have are non-fiction they have lots of graphs , tables, and charts. There are times I wish I had the 700 my work around is to look at the chart on my PC or my smartphone (3.5") screen... pretty ironic huh. The average PDF book is about 6-9" so by simply removing the 1" margins of these books is enough to make these books readable. You can use tools like soPDF or caliber's pdfmanipulate to remove the margins. Then there is also PaperCrop which has become my second favorite tool. This tool can reflow any PDF even imaged based PDFs so they are readable on any device. >>>> Okay to get to the meat of the advice. There are tons of free tools to make PDFs readable on any device. But they take time to learn and use. Once proficient the time to prepare a PDF is small. My advice is do not fixate on the PDF support , focus on the features. For instance size, portability and UI. For me the built in light, zoom, annotation, speed, touch screen make for a far superior product than the 505 because I read everywhere and I read mainly non-fiction. When I'm reading fiction I don't miss those features so much.. Except for the built in light. Okay after all that you still have other options. Isn't the cooler suppose to be a UK product. And it supports PDFs too at only $200. =X=

06-13-2009, 04:00 PM	#8
emellaich Wizard Posts: 1,101 Karma: 4388403 Join Date: Oct 2007 Device: Palm>Ebookman>IPaq>Axim>Cybook>Kndl2>IPAD>Kndl3SO>Voyager>Oasis	It reads like you are reading pdf's in an academic setting. Either as a student or a professor. I'm not sure that it is really realistic to read academic pdf's on a six inch screen, maybe not even on a 9.7 incher. When I read standard magazine articles, or fiction books, I can just scan linearly through the text. However, comprehension of academic articles takes a bit more work. We have to use convoluted language in order to sound important enough to be published [grin]. In order to understand this type of article I need more context. I may need to refer back to the headings and sub-headings to see what a given comment refers to. At a minimum, I need to see more than a six inch screen will reveal. However, even a 9.7" might not be sufficient. For example, when I read in real life I often look at two pages at once. I'll keep referring back to a graph or table as I read the text. This involves flipping the pages back and forth, or even unstapling them so I can see them side-by-side. I'm not sure a single screen and/or a single view can really make it workable.

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