There are 2 versions of the iLiad with few differences between them and were both sold at the same price. The first generation iLiad has a few hours less of battery life and a different backing to it. The iLiad v2 has a better battery, and the backplane was upgraded for stability. They both have the exact same software and receive the same software updates. If you look, you can probably pick up a used V1 for around $500. But I'd recommend spending a little extra on a new one, so you can get the warranty.
You really have 2 options for viewing word docs. The first, and only officially supported way is to convert your word documents to PDF and then copy to the iLiad. This isn't that difficult. You can use Open Office or any of the PDF printers out there. It should look pretty good with little or no modification depending on the paper size of your document. However, the downside is, that with a PDF, you can only view it, and scribble on the page. You can't make changes to the document itself and then copy it back to your computer and have an updated word doc.
The second solution is to use my AbiWord port on the iLiad to natively view and edit the document. However, this isn't for the faint of heart. If you want to do any serious amount of typing, you'll really want to setup the USB keyboard modules, and edit that way. Also, screen refreshes can be a bit annoying since it's using an unsupported method of initiating them. But, if you have the patience and technical knowledge, it would work pretty well for keeping your document in the .doc format and being able to make changes on your iLiad and then see it on your PC.
|