Very disappointed with Adobe DE ebook!

Juggle4Evr · 01-29-2009, 11:54 AM

Hi,

I purchased an ebook from BooksOnBoard just to tried it, I used the Adobe Digital Edition format for my PRS-505. Everything worked fine, the download and installation on the device, BUT: it's very difficult to read because there is a huge white margin around the text, so a lot of space is wasted, even in max. zoom the characters are very small and the contrast is very low, the characters seem all to be grey instead of near-black (other PDFs I have are much much better to read). I cannot see how to improve that.

A very disappointing experience for around $11 I spent!

FizzyWater · 01-29-2009, 08:44 PM

How odd...that sounds more like a PDF (image-based PDF, at that), rather than an ePub. ePub should be reflowable and more like...well, html. If you resize, the font should resize.

RSaunders · 01-30-2009, 11:04 AM

Without having seen the book, this is why I don't buy $11 DRMed anything. You just don't know what you're getting, you can't fix it, and you can't return it. None of this would be acceptable in a real-world bookstore.

With Calibre and all the other tools we have to tweak non-DRM content, you can have a very attractive ebook if you want one.

The Kindle folks have had a lot of problems with what's called the Topaz format. Publishers are scanning paper books from back catalog and putting the resulting scans out for Kindle as books. Since each page is a picture, you don't get all the cool reflow and search features. I haven't heard of this process for us, but then I don't buy DRMed stuff. Would you share the publisher of this non-good product? I'd like to be able to avoid their products if I'm ever at Books-on-board.

Juggle4Evr · 01-31-2009, 05:15 AM

I've taken a second look on the book and I have to admit that it isn't as bad as I thought first. The first time I was very shocked about the huge white border around the text but when using the first zoom (M) I think it is really ok. And on bright daylight the contrast is also manageable.

I have attached some fotos for you to see it yourself with different zoom levels.
It seems that the text reflow is quite ok when zooming (some of the spaces between words seem to get a little large, but it's ok to read).

However it's disappointing that the book it not optimized for mobile readers, it seems to be thought for reading on a bigger computer screen.

Anyway I can think I can go with that, but the bext books I'll buy (if any) will be in a more convenient format like the one from Sony.

BTW: The book is from here:
http://www.booksonboard.com/index.ph...ook&BOOK=19909

wallcraft · 01-31-2009, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Juggle4Evr

The book is from here:
http://www.booksonboard.com/index.ph...ook&BOOK=19909

Books on Board actually has another supplier for The Confusion by Neal Stephenson, http://www.booksonboard.com/index.ph...ok&BOOK=143749, which includes ePub but is slightly more expensive.

When I am searching at BoB I use the "list" display option to see which formats the various versions of the same book include (although in this case it shows two PDF icons rather than one ePub and one PDF).

aliencane · 02-01-2009, 08:50 PM

NYPL has several Neal Stephenson books in mobipocket format. The Confusion is available .

JSWolf · 02-06-2009, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Juggle4Evr

I've taken a second look on the book and I have to admit that it isn't as bad as I thought first. The first time I was very shocked about the huge white border around the text but when using the first zoom (M) I think it is really ok. And on bright daylight the contrast is also manageable.

I have attached some fotos for you to see it yourself with different zoom levels.
It seems that the text reflow is quite ok when zooming (some of the spaces between words seem to get a little large, but it's ok to read).

However it's disappointing that the book it not optimized for mobile readers, it seems to be thought for reading on a bigger computer screen.

Anyway I can think I can go with that, but the bext books I'll buy (if any) will be in a more convenient format like the one from Sony.

BTW: The book is from here:
http://www.booksonboard.com/index.ph...ook&BOOK=19909

What you did was purchase the eBook in PDF format. PDF eBooks like The Confusion are setup for letter size and generally have huge margins. Purchasing PDF is not normally a good idea. What you can do it purchase the MS Reader version and remove the DRM using ConvertLIT and then convert to LRF using Calibre.

SteveK · 02-07-2009, 12:20 AM

Although I'm not optimistic, I hope that Sony can improve the reflow function in future firmware releases. I recently sent them an email asking if this might be possible, but unfortunately I received only the canned "We're sorry you're not happy with your purchase" reply.

Maybe they'll find a way to fix it if they get enough "not happy" complaints. But I suspect it's a problem more with pdf itself than it is with Sony's implementation of pdf.

SteveK

01-29-2009, 11:54 AM	#1
Juggle4Evr Connoisseur Posts: 58 Karma: 180 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Munich, Germany Device: PRS-505, PRS-600, Cybook Opus	Very disappointed with Adobe DE ebook! Hi, I purchased an ebook from BooksOnBoard just to tried it, I used the Adobe Digital Edition format for my PRS-505. Everything worked fine, the download and installation on the device, BUT: it's very difficult to read because there is a huge white margin around the text, so a lot of space is wasted, even in max. zoom the characters are very small and the contrast is very low, the characters seem all to be grey instead of near-black (other PDFs I have are much much better to read). I cannot see how to improve that. A very disappointing experience for around $11 I spent!

01-30-2009, 11:04 AM	#3
RSaunders Groupie Posts: 162 Karma: 2054 Join Date: Jan 2007 Device: Sony PRS-500	Without having seen the book, this is why I don't buy $11 DRMed anything. You just don't know what you're getting, you can't fix it, and you can't return it. None of this would be acceptable in a real-world bookstore. With Calibre and all the other tools we have to tweak non-DRM content, you can have a very attractive ebook if you want one. The Kindle folks have had a lot of problems with what's called the Topaz format. Publishers are scanning paper books from back catalog and putting the resulting scans out for Kindle as books. Since each page is a picture, you don't get all the cool reflow and search features. I haven't heard of this process for us, but then I don't buy DRMed stuff. Would you share the publisher of this non-good product? I'd like to be able to avoid their products if I'm ever at Books-on-board. Last edited by RSaunders; 01-30-2009 at 11:10 AM.

01-31-2009, 05:15 AM	#4
Juggle4Evr Connoisseur Posts: 58 Karma: 180 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Munich, Germany Device: PRS-505, PRS-600, Cybook Opus	I've taken a second look on the book and I have to admit that it isn't as bad as I thought first. The first time I was very shocked about the huge white border around the text but when using the first zoom (M) I think it is really ok. And on bright daylight the contrast is also manageable. I have attached some fotos for you to see it yourself with different zoom levels. It seems that the text reflow is quite ok when zooming (some of the spaces between words seem to get a little large, but it's ok to read). However it's disappointing that the book it not optimized for mobile readers, it seems to be thought for reading on a bigger computer screen. Anyway I can think I can go with that, but the bext books I'll buy (if any) will be in a more convenient format like the one from Sony. BTW: The book is from here: http://www.booksonboard.com/index.ph...ook&BOOK=19909 Attached Thumbnails

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01-29-2009, 08:44 PM	#2
FizzyWater You kids get off my lawn! Posts: 4,220 Karma: 73492664 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Columbus, Ohio Device: Oasis 2 and Libra H2O and half a dozen older models I can't let go of	How odd...that sounds more like a PDF (image-based PDF, at that), rather than an ePub. ePub should be reflowable and more like...well, html. If you resize, the font should resize.

02-01-2009, 08:50 PM	#6
aliencane Enthusiast Posts: 27 Karma: 52 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Florida Device: Sony 505, iPad	NYPL has several Neal Stephenson books in mobipocket format. The Confusion is available .

02-07-2009, 12:20 AM	#8
SteveK Addict Posts: 272 Karma: 1017902 Join Date: Nov 2008 Device: Kindle PW, PW2, Kindle3, Kobo Glo, tablets, phone	Although I'm not optimistic, I hope that Sony can improve the reflow function in future firmware releases. I recently sent them an email asking if this might be possible, but unfortunately I received only the canned "We're sorry you're not happy with your purchase" reply. Maybe they'll find a way to fix it if they get enough "not happy" complaints. But I suspect it's a problem more with pdf itself than it is with Sony's implementation of pdf. SteveK

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