MobileRead Forums - View Single Post

omro · 12-03-2009, 06:57 PM

I could only use my new PP briefly, as I had to rush out to class. Am writing this in my break.

I had a BeBook in 2008, but returned it because it was too slow and the 4 greyscale display was a major disappointment. But I loved the form factor and simplicity, but it's inability to render my PDF textbooks in a readable manner was a dealbreaker. I bought a DR1000S and loved the screen, loathed the form factor and the slow speed. I knocked it off the desk and cracked the screen a few months ago :-(

The PP was never bought to replace the DR as a textbook reader, I bought it for a bit of fun and to read fiction on.

Opened the box, saw the "leather" case. Liked the size of it, loathed the colour. Anaemic tan is not an attractive colour. Charcoal grey would have been slick. Minor quibble.

Took the PP out of its case and plastic and loved the colour and the feel of the "Classic Maroon" exterior. I wanted a non-bland distinctive colour, something fun.

Plugged it in and turned it on.

I agree with all the comments about the less than dark colouring of the times font used for the menu. For some reason it is a dark grey, rather than a black. I have a personal hatred for times fonts, so I'm wondering what will happen if I delete the font from the PP. If it can even be done. The arial font used on the "about" page is a lot clearer and darker than the larger times fonts below it.

I only had time to try two files. I threw in the 16GB SDHC card from my DR and opened up one of the PDFs I'd created from my lecturer's PowerPoint files. The PP displayed the PDF perfectly and readably, I'm very pleased.

Had a bizarre thought, decided to open a 13mb PDF textbook, just to see how it handled it. Normally, on the DR1000S, this would open quite slowly, but the textbook's cover flashed onto screen on the PP almost instantly. To flip between pages was equally swift compared to the DR1000S. In portrait mode, a full screen page of the textbook was pretty much unreadable. The text was way too small. However, rotated and reflowing, the text is small, but surprisingly readable. Shock! I wasn't expecting that. I had tried opening this same textbook on the BeBook last year, but it was slow and the 4 levels of grey, even rotated and reflowing, rendered the text barely legibly. For this considerably smaller PP to open the textbook quickly and readably, albeit with rather tiny text, is a huge unexpected boon.

I have left it charging and I will try it more when I get home.

I'm excited.

12-03-2009, 06:57 PM	#1
omro Addict Posts: 375 Karma: 452000 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Hamilton, On Device: Kobo Aura HD	5 Minute First Impressions... I could only use my new PP briefly, as I had to rush out to class. Am writing this in my break. I had a BeBook in 2008, but returned it because it was too slow and the 4 greyscale display was a major disappointment. But I loved the form factor and simplicity, but it's inability to render my PDF textbooks in a readable manner was a dealbreaker. I bought a DR1000S and loved the screen, loathed the form factor and the slow speed. I knocked it off the desk and cracked the screen a few months ago :-( The PP was never bought to replace the DR as a textbook reader, I bought it for a bit of fun and to read fiction on. Opened the box, saw the "leather" case. Liked the size of it, loathed the colour. Anaemic tan is not an attractive colour. Charcoal grey would have been slick. Minor quibble. Took the PP out of its case and plastic and loved the colour and the feel of the "Classic Maroon" exterior. I wanted a non-bland distinctive colour, something fun. Plugged it in and turned it on. I agree with all the comments about the less than dark colouring of the times font used for the menu. For some reason it is a dark grey, rather than a black. I have a personal hatred for times fonts, so I'm wondering what will happen if I delete the font from the PP. If it can even be done. The arial font used on the "about" page is a lot clearer and darker than the larger times fonts below it. I only had time to try two files. I threw in the 16GB SDHC card from my DR and opened up one of the PDFs I'd created from my lecturer's PowerPoint files. The PP displayed the PDF perfectly and readably, I'm very pleased. Had a bizarre thought, decided to open a 13mb PDF textbook, just to see how it handled it. Normally, on the DR1000S, this would open quite slowly, but the textbook's cover flashed onto screen on the PP almost instantly. To flip between pages was equally swift compared to the DR1000S. In portrait mode, a full screen page of the textbook was pretty much unreadable. The text was way too small. However, rotated and reflowing, the text is small, but surprisingly readable. Shock! I wasn't expecting that. I had tried opening this same textbook on the BeBook last year, but it was slow and the 4 levels of grey, even rotated and reflowing, rendered the text barely legibly. For this considerably smaller PP to open the textbook quickly and readably, albeit with rather tiny text, is a huge unexpected boon. I have left it charging and I will try it more when I get home. I'm excited.