MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Good device for non-converted PDF eBooks?

calvarez · 01-06-2008, 06:14 PM

So, I have a rather large collection of computer graphics and 3D game development eBooks on PDF format. These PDF files are rather large (10-20MB), letter page size and complex layouts with pictures and diagrams. I am afraid that converting it to a more portable-device-friendly format will detract too much from the reading (unless I convert to JPG, but meh, I would like to avoid that).

Anyways, I'm looking for some portable device (E-ink eReader, smartphone, PDA, web tablet, low cost UMPC) under $400 that will allow me to read them. Hopefully with a large screen and good resolution, although I won't die if I have to do some horizontal scrolling. The thing is: it has to be rock solid and fast at rendering large, complex PDF and CHM files, and it has to allow zooming/scrolling/panning. I don't care about other functionality, features and/or formats supported.

So far, I've looked at the matrix from the sticky in this forum, and after some asking around, it seems like most E-ink devices don't do what I want (don't handle PDF well), other than the iLiad, which is unfortunately out of budget. I've also considered getting an Asus EeePC, a Blackberry Curve, a T-Mobile Wing or Dash, and I entertained the idea of using an Archos 605 for this purpose.

Any ideas? Would a Nokia N800 do it? Maybe some other device I'm missing? Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi.

01-06-2008, 06:14 PM	#1
calvarez Member Posts: 14 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: None yet!	Good device for non-converted PDF eBooks? So, I have a rather large collection of computer graphics and 3D game development eBooks on PDF format. These PDF files are rather large (10-20MB), letter page size and complex layouts with pictures and diagrams. I am afraid that converting it to a more portable-device-friendly format will detract too much from the reading (unless I convert to JPG, but meh, I would like to avoid that). Anyways, I'm looking for some portable device (E-ink eReader, smartphone, PDA, web tablet, low cost UMPC) under $400 that will allow me to read them. Hopefully with a large screen and good resolution, although I won't die if I have to do some horizontal scrolling. The thing is: it has to be rock solid and fast at rendering large, complex PDF and CHM files, and it has to allow zooming/scrolling/panning. I don't care about other functionality, features and/or formats supported. So far, I've looked at the matrix from the sticky in this forum, and after some asking around, it seems like most E-ink devices don't do what I want (don't handle PDF well), other than the iLiad, which is unfortunately out of budget. I've also considered getting an Asus EeePC, a Blackberry Curve, a T-Mobile Wing or Dash, and I entertained the idea of using an Archos 605 for this purpose. Any ideas? Would a Nokia N800 do it? Maybe some other device I'm missing? Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi.