[Cosmo Spring]

Some more $.02 on the "academic eReader" topic...

I was in a similar situation until I picked up a DX-Graphite a couple weeks ago. I did a lot of research, and found this site quite useful for its user comments. I'm a doctoral student and I'm starting the part where I have to read every word written on my topic of interest. I was already sick of printing and carrying so much paper. I'm a gadget geek, too, but with my income (did I mention I'm in grad school?) I don't want to make this decision twice and end up having to buy another gadget in a few months.

So, some thoughts, particularly about the iPad/eReader for academics / grad students...

Reading on the Kindle > Reading in the iPad. The lighter weight and the e-ink screen produces a MUCH better reading experience. Had Apple busted out the matte-finish screen like what's on my 15" MacBook Pro, it might have been enough that this would be a non-factor. But when test-driving the iPad I was not happy with the glare. Also, my arm and neck was sore-enough from reading a short paper that I had pretty much made my decision at this point.

Annotating on the iPad: inefficient and possibly bad for your mind. Okay, there will be software improvements in facilitating annotation as PDF apps for the iPad get better, but the same ergonomics that detract from the reading experience are redoubled on manipulating the iPad to scribble, highlight, and produce marginalia. Also, the capacitive display (non-stylus-type touchscreen) makes for poor precision particularly when trying to actually scribble some legible, which is a problem for most academics with good old pen and paper. Finally, I'm of a mind that taking actual notes while reading is a better method than scribbling on the paper or the screen for the sort of deep, critical reading that academics tends to expect. To whatever degree that is the case, (a) it makes handling the heavier iPad more irritating, and (b) it exacerbates the need for precise and efficient annotation features if you were to try to capture your writing on the iPad itself.

The iPad will be made obsolete by... the next iPad. Ask anyone who bought the first-generation iPhone. I didn't buy the first iPhone, but I think so much of my iPhone 3GS that I cannot wait to see what the iPad turns into. That being said, I feel the Kindle DX will not be eclipsed by future technology - not as fast as the iPad, at least - and it is, afterall, a fine eReader beyond my requirements as an academic. I dream, fondly and with much anticipation, of the day when I can read ebooks for fun.

Among eReaders, it is the only (academic) option, and it will be for a while. Reading full-size PDF - OCR'd or not - is a real treat on the massive and clear screen. Also, there is enough power that even when I load up larger PDF, the page turning is no slower than a physical page turn. It is indeed frustrating that there aren't more features for us PDF readers - it would be great to insert notes or at least bookmarks, and advanced navigation of a large PDF can be a hassle. I had been hoping that the "business eReader" offereings from Skiff, Plastic Logic, or iRex would fill in this market space. Those projects are all dead, and personally, I think that there is no market segment here - not in the current economic climate, anyway.

Finally, the "extras" on the Kindle add to its value, but fall way short of the iPad. I love using Instapaper to send lighter reading material to the device in a friendly format from my Google Reader feeds and from Internet foraging. Also, the text-based browser has actually come in handy, and as the Kindle is slowly "opened up" for third party developers, the device should become more extensible. But it's no computing device - not even close.

So, that's that. Thank you, mobileread-ers, for helping me do my own research on what to buy, ereader-wise. I hope these comments are of help to the next poor grad student to stumble upon this site in search of the holy ereader-grail.