Trying to pick a large sized E-reader

Nick_Djinn · 01-26-2011, 07:47 AM

Hello. I am new to the forums. I came here because it seemed like a good place to get informed before making a purchase. I would like to tell you a little about my needs.

1. I read a lot of PDFs and textbooks. A 6 inch probably isnt going to work for me. I considered getting an Onyx Boox because they have neat ways of working around the size limitation, but it sounds like a pain in the ass.

2. I dont "buy" books. Ever. I have absolutely no interest in Amazon. Besides preferring to obtain all of my reading material for free, I am a major proponent of open source and free formats. I use Linux at home and would prefer a Linux reader, but one that doesnt encourage you to 'buy' books at the exclusion of most free content.

3. I run a small business but I am still in school and have not given up my dreams. I want to be able to take notes. Exporting them is a bonus, but just taking them would be nice.

4. Im a fan of the pearl screans, but I am flexible. A better interface, no glare, text reflow and good handling of PDF are the most important criteria. It MUST be able to make text large and reformat the page accordingly and make it readable, and I would like to be able to hit chapters like links.

5. I dont care about 3g....if I had it I would just try to hack it and see if I could tether it to my laptop. I already pay way too much for a samsung Epic every month with unlimited data.

6. I tried the entourage edge.....I kind of like this thing, especially as a student. Its great in the classroom, but its not so great for casual reading. Its like carrying around a netbook instead of a papperback, and the battery life is better than a notebook but not as good as a reader....I think I will sell my edge for $350, OR keep it for class but get a real dedicated reader....Its a cool device for what it is though, so Im not knocking it. Its just redundant now that I have the android phone. Maybe Ill appreciate it more when they upgrade to Froyo and Ill regret selling it.

Right now I am looking at 3 brands.....The Onyx Boox.....considering the 6 inch reader in the new rugged form factor or waiting for the new 8 and 10 inc readers....after using the edge, even 10 inches seems like skimping......Also I am looking at the Pocketbook 903 which seems to be available now....Is this any good? Glare? Is the company in general reliable? Perl?......finally, I am looking forward to the Asus that is soon to be on the market. I like Asus, at least their motherboards.....they use crappy keyboards sometimes though.

Any suggestions on larger ebooks that fit my needs, or opinions on quality or your best guess on quality between those 3 companies?

GeoffC · 01-26-2011, 07:56 AM

Look into the Pocketbook Forum for details on how the 903 is being received by the users.

ProfCrash · 01-26-2011, 10:06 AM

You can buy a Kindle DXG and never buy a book from Amazon. There are plenty of folks who do that. It has a great 9.7 inch Pearl Screen and is easy to take notes on. It is not the best reader for PDF's. It works well but you cannot manipulate them easily and there is no automatic reflow.

The Sony 950 might work for you. It has a 7 inch screen and is one of the best for reading PDF's. IT ahs the pearl screen but I don't believe that it is linux based. You can take notes on it pretty easily and it has PDF reflow.

I realize that neither of these devices are on your list but they are well known, well tested devices that work for a fair number of people. You don't have to buy books from any store to use any e-reader, the DXG and 950 are no exception. You can sideload free content easily enough.

Kali Yuga · 01-26-2011, 11:43 AM

I'd consider using a tablet, if you are able to read off an LCD.

- Larger screens
- Numerous ebook apps and vendors available
- Better for annotations
- Better PDF support
- Can add a keyboard for faster notes

In your case, these advantages may well be worth the trade-offs.

Otherwise, I'd consider a Kindle DX and a $1.95 note pad. There is absolutely no obligation or requirement to buy Amazon books, the Kindle supports numerous non-DRM file types, plenty of free services offer Kindle-compatible formats, and you can fairly easily convert from ePub to Mobi or other usable file types.

anthony_barker · 01-26-2011, 11:59 AM

Similar kind of user to you.

There is no perfect solution so far for me... maybe the "Tab" but haven't tried that.

Right now using

1) Pocketbook small reader (works great for novels or certain books) $200+
2) Cellphone nokia n900 $400
3) Asus T91 $380
4) Used Thinkpad x200T Tablet with ubuntu $600

#4 actually works the best for large technical documents
#2 and #1 work well on the go - prefer #1 for a long read but #2 works for a quick subway ride or something
#3 gave to my daughter - not bad but not portable enough and not high enough screen resolution (need more than 1024 x 600 for large docs)

Nick_Djinn · 01-26-2011, 04:08 PM

I am pretty much dead set against Amazon, and while am interested in an ANDROID tablet of higher quality and size, I really feel that I need something e-ink or perl. I spend massive amounts of time looking at glossy screens, and I absolutely require something easier on my eyes when i am not in front of the desktop. The majority of what I read is PDF.

If there was software that could transform PDF to EPUB that was decent enough for textbooks I might consider going for a daily edition, but until its close to easily readable I dont think I will go that route. PDF is the primary objective and I like open formats so I can manipulate formats in Linux.

Getting a popular tried and tested device isnt essential. I like supporting the underdogs. Im just curious about which device is best for PDFs, is more durable, has the better interface and refresh rate, screen quality, ect.

I really like the Onyx Boox, but its not available yet in the larger size. Asus looks good, and Pocketbook looks like a contender and is already available in the 903 version.

ProfCrash · 01-27-2011, 10:45 AM

The only larger screen reader with Pearl is the Sony 950. And the Pearl screen is an e-ink screen, its just the latest and greatest e-ink screen.

May I ask why you are dead set against Amazon?

Cpl Punishment · 01-27-2011, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

The only larger screen reader with Pearl is the Sony 950. And the Pearl screen is an e-ink screen, its just the latest and greatest e-ink screen.

May I ask why you are dead set against Amazon?

Its an evil corporation that forces your children to make sneakers and DRM code....

queentess · 01-27-2011, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cpl Punishment

Its an evil corporation that forces your children to make sneakers and DRM code....

Plus, you know, Amazon charges for books and he'd rather get his books free

ProfCrash · 01-27-2011, 12:00 PM

Yeah I guess all those free books that are available for the Kindle are problematic.

Dulin's Books · 01-27-2011, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick_Djinn

Right now I am looking at 3 brands.....The Onyx Boox.....considering the 6 inch reader in the new rugged form factor or waiting for the new 8 and 10 inc readers....?

Ill have the new Boox M90 (9.7") available in May

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...ghlight=%24379

Nick_Djinn · 01-28-2011, 07:55 AM

That and as a linux guy I like to work with free formats that I can easily manipulate with my own programs.

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01-26-2011, 07:47 AM	#1
Nick_Djinn Member Posts: 22 Karma: 50256 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Boox, Pocketbook, Asus	Trying to pick a large sized E-reader Hello. I am new to the forums. I came here because it seemed like a good place to get informed before making a purchase. I would like to tell you a little about my needs. 1. I read a lot of PDFs and textbooks. A 6 inch probably isnt going to work for me. I considered getting an Onyx Boox because they have neat ways of working around the size limitation, but it sounds like a pain in the ass. 2. I dont "buy" books. Ever. I have absolutely no interest in Amazon. Besides preferring to obtain all of my reading material for free, I am a major proponent of open source and free formats. I use Linux at home and would prefer a Linux reader, but one that doesnt encourage you to 'buy' books at the exclusion of most free content. 3. I run a small business but I am still in school and have not given up my dreams. I want to be able to take notes. Exporting them is a bonus, but just taking them would be nice. 4. Im a fan of the pearl screans, but I am flexible. A better interface, no glare, text reflow and good handling of PDF are the most important criteria. It MUST be able to make text large and reformat the page accordingly and make it readable, and I would like to be able to hit chapters like links. 5. I dont care about 3g....if I had it I would just try to hack it and see if I could tether it to my laptop. I already pay way too much for a samsung Epic every month with unlimited data. 6. I tried the entourage edge.....I kind of like this thing, especially as a student. Its great in the classroom, but its not so great for casual reading. Its like carrying around a netbook instead of a papperback, and the battery life is better than a notebook but not as good as a reader....I think I will sell my edge for $350, OR keep it for class but get a real dedicated reader....Its a cool device for what it is though, so Im not knocking it. Its just redundant now that I have the android phone. Maybe Ill appreciate it more when they upgrade to Froyo and Ill regret selling it. Right now I am looking at 3 brands.....The Onyx Boox.....considering the 6 inch reader in the new rugged form factor or waiting for the new 8 and 10 inc readers....after using the edge, even 10 inches seems like skimping......Also I am looking at the Pocketbook 903 which seems to be available now....Is this any good? Glare? Is the company in general reliable? Perl?......finally, I am looking forward to the Asus that is soon to be on the market. I like Asus, at least their motherboards.....they use crappy keyboards sometimes though. Any suggestions on larger ebooks that fit my needs, or opinions on quality or your best guess on quality between those 3 companies?

01-26-2011, 07:56 AM	#2
GeoffC Chocolate Grasshopper ... Posts: 27,599 Karma: 20821184 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Scotland Device: Muse HD , Cybook Gen3 , Pocketbook 302 (Black) , Nexus 10: wife has PW	Look into the Pocketbook Forum for details on how the 903 is being received by the users.

01-26-2011, 10:06 AM	#3
ProfCrash Tea Enthusiast Posts: 8,554 Karma: 75384937 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Somewhere in the USA Device: Kindle1, Kindle DX Graphite, K3 3G, IPad 3, PW2	You can buy a Kindle DXG and never buy a book from Amazon. There are plenty of folks who do that. It has a great 9.7 inch Pearl Screen and is easy to take notes on. It is not the best reader for PDF's. It works well but you cannot manipulate them easily and there is no automatic reflow. The Sony 950 might work for you. It has a 7 inch screen and is one of the best for reading PDF's. IT ahs the pearl screen but I don't believe that it is linux based. You can take notes on it pretty easily and it has PDF reflow. I realize that neither of these devices are on your list but they are well known, well tested devices that work for a fair number of people. You don't have to buy books from any store to use any e-reader, the DXG and 950 are no exception. You can sideload free content easily enough.

01-26-2011, 11:43 AM	#4
Kali Yuga Professional Contrarian Posts: 2,045 Karma: 3289631 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Kindle 4 No Touchie	I'd consider using a tablet, if you are able to read off an LCD. - Larger screens - Numerous ebook apps and vendors available - Better for annotations - Better PDF support - Can add a keyboard for faster notes In your case, these advantages may well be worth the trade-offs. Otherwise, I'd consider a Kindle DX and a $1.95 note pad. There is absolutely no obligation or requirement to buy Amazon books, the Kindle supports numerous non-DRM file types, plenty of free services offer Kindle-compatible formats, and you can fairly easily convert from ePub to Mobi or other usable file types.

01-26-2011, 11:59 AM	#5
anthony_barker Member Posts: 15 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: PB360, nokia n900	Similar kind of user to you. There is no perfect solution so far for me... maybe the "Tab" but haven't tried that. Right now using 1) Pocketbook small reader (works great for novels or certain books) $200+ 2) Cellphone nokia n900 $400 3) Asus T91 $380 4) Used Thinkpad x200T Tablet with ubuntu $600 #4 actually works the best for large technical documents #2 and #1 work well on the go - prefer #1 for a long read but #2 works for a quick subway ride or something #3 gave to my daughter - not bad but not portable enough and not high enough screen resolution (need more than 1024 x 600 for large docs)

01-26-2011, 04:08 PM	#6
Nick_Djinn Member Posts: 22 Karma: 50256 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Boox, Pocketbook, Asus	I am pretty much dead set against Amazon, and while am interested in an ANDROID tablet of higher quality and size, I really feel that I need something e-ink or perl. I spend massive amounts of time looking at glossy screens, and I absolutely require something easier on my eyes when i am not in front of the desktop. The majority of what I read is PDF. If there was software that could transform PDF to EPUB that was decent enough for textbooks I might consider going for a daily edition, but until its close to easily readable I dont think I will go that route. PDF is the primary objective and I like open formats so I can manipulate formats in Linux. Getting a popular tried and tested device isnt essential. I like supporting the underdogs. Im just curious about which device is best for PDFs, is more durable, has the better interface and refresh rate, screen quality, ect. I really like the Onyx Boox, but its not available yet in the larger size. Asus looks good, and Pocketbook looks like a contender and is already available in the 903 version.

01-27-2011, 10:45 AM	#7
ProfCrash Tea Enthusiast Posts: 8,554 Karma: 75384937 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Somewhere in the USA Device: Kindle1, Kindle DX Graphite, K3 3G, IPad 3, PW2	The only larger screen reader with Pearl is the Sony 950. And the Pearl screen is an e-ink screen, its just the latest and greatest e-ink screen. May I ask why you are dead set against Amazon?

01-27-2011, 12:00 PM	#10
ProfCrash Tea Enthusiast Posts: 8,554 Karma: 75384937 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Somewhere in the USA Device: Kindle1, Kindle DX Graphite, K3 3G, IPad 3, PW2	Yeah I guess all those free books that are available for the Kindle are problematic.

01-28-2011, 07:55 AM	#12
Nick_Djinn Member Posts: 22 Karma: 50256 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Boox, Pocketbook, Asus	That and as a linux guy I like to work with free formats that I can easily manipulate with my own programs.

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