MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Prospects for Academic/Scientific PDF reading in the coming year

niemba · 04-20-2011, 11:19 PM

Hi guys -

I do not currently own either an eEdge or iPad, but am looking for something to use as I parse the tomes of literature that are relevant to my dissertation project as I attempt to complete my PhD. The Edge and iPad seem to be the best options at this point, and I am hoping to get your help in deciding between the two...

First, my understanding is that annotations can only be exported in pdf format as images - and as a result, the pdf loses its searchability/etc. This would be a serious limitation for me, as I would like to use a tablet of some sort to annotate pdfs, but store and organize them on my desktop (in conjunction with the Personal Brain software), and would therefore want to retain all the original information in the pdf file, in addition to my subsequent annotations... In contrast, my understanding of the pdf annotators on the iPad are that at least some of them are able to export the annotations to the pdf in a format that is readable by Adobe / etc, and so does not result in loss of functionality. Does anyone know whether this is the case?

Second, from the videos I have seen on YouTube of the Edge, it seems that there is a significant delay in annotation between application of the stylus and what appears on the screen... I have not attempted to use an annotator on the iPad yet, but wonder if the delay is comparable between the two?

Third, again from the videos on YouTube, the handwritten annotations on the Edge were all very large - how small can you write using a stylus in the Edge? Is it comparable to how small you can write on an iPad using a higher-end stylus (e.g. the Wacom Bamboo stylus?)

Fourth, for the iPad users, how do you find the process of getting your pdf files back and forth between the iPad and your computer, given the lack of a USB port?

Thank you very much!

04-20-2011, 11:19 PM	#38
niemba Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2011 Device: none	Question about pdf annotation in Edge vs. iPad Hi guys - I do not currently own either an eEdge or iPad, but am looking for something to use as I parse the tomes of literature that are relevant to my dissertation project as I attempt to complete my PhD. The Edge and iPad seem to be the best options at this point, and I am hoping to get your help in deciding between the two... First, my understanding is that annotations can only be exported in pdf format as images - and as a result, the pdf loses its searchability/etc. This would be a serious limitation for me, as I would like to use a tablet of some sort to annotate pdfs, but store and organize them on my desktop (in conjunction with the Personal Brain software), and would therefore want to retain all the original information in the pdf file, in addition to my subsequent annotations... In contrast, my understanding of the pdf annotators on the iPad are that at least some of them are able to export the annotations to the pdf in a format that is readable by Adobe / etc, and so does not result in loss of functionality. Does anyone know whether this is the case? Second, from the videos I have seen on YouTube of the Edge, it seems that there is a significant delay in annotation between application of the stylus and what appears on the screen... I have not attempted to use an annotator on the iPad yet, but wonder if the delay is comparable between the two? Third, again from the videos on YouTube, the handwritten annotations on the Edge were all very large - how small can you write using a stylus in the Edge? Is it comparable to how small you can write on an iPad using a higher-end stylus (e.g. the Wacom Bamboo stylus?) Fourth, for the iPad users, how do you find the process of getting your pdf files back and forth between the iPad and your computer, given the lack of a USB port? Thank you very much!