Quote:
Originally Posted by Sil_liS
Then you have to consider all the things that are required for a device dedicated for academic work:
1. Annotations! Really good annotations, that don't take forever to save and don't turn the page into an image. This is also why I say that we need A4 (14.3"), as just using a 12" screen that would imply cropping means the loss of the really nice margins, and the space for annotation that goes with them.
2. Easy and fast internet connection and a browser capable of downloading files directly to specific folders.
3. Different system for the file organization that accommodates the fact that articles have many co-authors, and books can have different authors for different chapters. Also, the titles of some articles can have the length of a small paragraph, and may contain strange characters.
4. If the references in the article have hyperlinks, those should open the browser to see the referenced article.
5. Easy switch between different articles.
6. A way to quickly browse through an article or book.
7. A quick way to view just the abstracts of the articles.
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Good list. In my view, the key points are #1, 5 and 6. It is interesting to note that a device based on a non-backlit, black-and-white LCD screen fitted with a Wacom-like digitizer would satisfy ALL of the above requirements. And we know such a device to be technically and commercially feasible because of the Asus eeeNote EA800. (Which of course is too small and has limited capabilities. The second issue could be addressed by firmware updates, the first of course not.)