Newbie here needs some advice please.

kerafaith · 02-16-2011, 01:43 PM

Ok so I am researching getting my 1st ever e-reader and I need some advice. I'm guessing the whole pdf subject has been beat to death. However after a few searches I haven't found anything really helpfull for me.

So let me just tell you guys some of what I want in an e-reader.

I get that most of the readers handle PDF's but it doesn't specify from where they "have" to come from. I want to be able to download free PDF books from different sites, maybe even ebay. And I live in the sticks & don't have wi-fi & 3g isn't avaible in my area. So I need something that I can download the books to my computer & then put it on the reader.

I really want to be able to add a memory card for more storage. Being able to play mp3's would be a great bonus but not really necessary. And if possible I'd like to keep it below $150.

So would the nook, kindle, or a sony be best for my wants? Or do I need to look in a completely different direction?

In advance I'd like to say

for all of the

HarryT · 02-16-2011, 02:05 PM

No 6" reader is going to be good for PDFs. A PDF is a digital representation of a fixed-sized page, and is generally formatted for a much large page size than that of a 6" reader.

If PDFs are your main priority, you should probably be looking at something like an Android tablet with a larger screen. But your budget of $150 will be challenging, to say the least.

jocampo · 02-16-2011, 02:57 PM

My experience (I do read technical books mainly and some PDFs)

Kindle 3
Too small for PDFs, but you'll have the ability to search inside the document, zoom and landscape. I like it for pure text books or novels, but I don't use it for PDF documents, it is too small for my taste.

Nook Color
A bit bigger than Kindle 3 and heavier. Easier to move around and zoom, but does not remember or save your last page, really annoying. It is faster turning pages thank Kindle 3

Kindle DXG
Perfect size, in my opinion. If you need to enlarge, you can use landscape mode and if still too small, you can zoom. You can do bookmarks but Kindle DXG firmware is not as recent as Kindle 3 so you will notice that is slower than Kindle 3 and lacks of some features. But to read PDFs is a very nice alternative.

iPAD
I just bought one last weekend and still testing. LOVE THE PDF SUPPORT! For 3 bucks you buy a program called Goodreader and that stuff is just amazing. You can make annotations, you will have TOC, highlights, underline, you name it. It also re-flows and extremely fast turning pages.

Kindle 3 is about $140, Kindle DXG is $400 I think, Nook Color $250 and iPad is about $500.

If you're in a budget, you can get the Kindle 3, but be aware of the size limitation. Kindle DXG has the perfect size, but I wish the firmware would be a most recent one in order to support the features we have on Kindle 3

The best of the best for PDF support I think is iPad or Sony, but you will have to spend some serious money on it.

ProfCrash · 02-16-2011, 03:31 PM

All of the e-readers allow for side loading.

The Sony's have the best PDF reputation but are outside of your price range.

jbcohen · 02-16-2011, 03:42 PM

Actually the $150 limit is not that much of a problem if you look in the right place. I would recommend that you order either a Kobo, Jet Book Lite or a Aluratek Libra Pro. the first and last are available from Borders and I have no idea where to get the middle one from. All three of these readers sell for approximatly $100 far less then your $150 limit. Now for which of the three to chose from: Get the Kobo if you want simplicity of operation (it has one button on it), get the Jet Book Lite if you want to be able to read absolutely all formats that you come acrss and get the libra pro want a free case to come with it.

I think that you will need to buy the Jet Book Lite directly from the maker.

ProfCrash · 02-16-2011, 04:10 PM

I wouldn't buy anything from Borders right now, they just declared bankruptcy. If you get a Kobo I would pay the higher price and get it from Wal Mart since I have no idea what would happen if you had a bad unit and the Borders in your area went away.

demingite · 02-16-2011, 04:49 PM

You didn't specify the nature of the PDF books you want to read. Simple text books (like novels, etc.) should work fine on most devices; I'm reading a lengthy novel in PDF form on my Jetbook Lite right now. Books with illustrations and charts could be an issue. I own a Jetbook Lite and have used an Aluratek Libre Pro. Both will read PDF files. Both can be loaded via computer by using either a USB cable or the SD card. The ALP has a basic MP3 player built in, the JBL does not. The JBL has the widest range of native support for ebook formats. The JBL has been selling online for around $89 lately on Newegg. The ALP seems to run around $119, but is more widely available in retail outlets such as KMart. These prices seem tio fluctuate almost daily. The JBL uses 4 AA batteries (rechargables are the way to go), the ALP has an internal rechargeable battery. I don't have a problem with the 5" screen, since font sizes are adjustable, but others might. I enjoy the small size and weight.

kerafaith · 02-16-2011, 08:47 PM

Just plain books. Some have a picture of the cover for the 1st page. But not being able to really see that isn't a big deal to me. There was a Shift 3 powered by Kobo at walmart for right at $100. Does anyone have any info, opinions, advice, etc on that one?

demingite · 02-16-2011, 09:06 PM

This sounds like the same device:
http://www.the-digital-reader.com/20...-cvs-lookbook/

It may be a close relative of the Literati. See if they'll let you play with one.

Zetmolm · 02-17-2011, 09:59 AM

If these free PDFs you want to read are 'just plain books', are you sure the same books are not also available in e.g. epub format? That would give you a lot more flexibility as to the reader you buy.

delphin · 02-18-2011, 03:28 AM

You didn't say if you are looking for an e-ink device?

If so, I agree with the others who have pointed out that the 6 inch e-ink device that comes closest to meeting all your listed requirements, and that has by far the best handling of PDF's, is the Sony PRS-650.

The PRS-650 is in short supply now, so don't be fooled by the outrageous prices the scalpers are asking. I paid $199 for my PRS-650 a short time back, which is still a little over your budget, but probably worth the difference if you want good PDF rendering and an SD card slot.

The PRS-350 has a slightly smaller 5 inch screen, and doesn't have a SD card slot, but it also has good PDF handling, and the price has recently been reduced to $129.

The problem with PDF's is that they are usually formatted for a full sized printed page, and are hard to make look good on a small e-reader screen.

Sony uses official "Adobe Reader Mobil" from Adobe, so it does one of the best jobs on PDFs for a portable device.

Unlike most other readers, the PRS-350/650/950 readers will try to "re-flow" your PDF's so you can read them on a smaller screen. (most other portable e-book readers do not do PDF re-flow)

If your PDF's aren't too complicated, this works fairly well.

Some PDF's with complicated graphics and text don't re-flow well, and then you have the option of keeping the smaller font (which turns off reflow) and then 'zooming in' instead. This keeps everything in the right place, but you have to pan around to see everything on the page.

It's still tough to deal with material formated for a larger screen, but if you find a document that is hard to view on the PRS-350/650/950 readers you can count on the fact that it will be even WORSE on the Kindle, Kobo, etc.

As has been said, the BEST option is to find books already formatted in EPUB format (which the PRS-350/650/950 also handle really well).

chyron8472 · 02-18-2011, 09:58 AM

Truth be told, PDF is a terrible format to use as an ebook. PDF is designed such that a document is formatted very specifically so as to display on a screen exactly how it would if it were printed on paper. The problem this creates is that ebook readers have the ability to change fonts, font sizes, line spacing, margin width and allow text to flow from one page to another without creating discernible breaks in the text.

This is to say that you're much better off reading ebooks in epub or mobi/azw format than in pdf. Even Calibre's user manual talks at length about how difficult it is to convert ebooks from pdf.

EDIT: 100th post!

kerafaith · 02-20-2011, 11:45 AM

Okay. I finally bought a Nook!!!! I got the plain wi-fi version for $99 off ebay. It's refurbished from Barnes & Noble. So now I am just awaiting it's arrival. I figure if I really decide I don't like it just being wifi that I can always send it back & upgrade to the one with 3g or resell it on ebay & upgrade to the one with 3g. But my boss at work got one for Valentines Day so we will be able to swap books on them.

And I am still hoping my current ebooks will go on there okay. If not then I'll get a converting program & convert them to the best format. Anyway. Thanks guys for all of your advice & opinions. I really appraciate it & I hope to learn more from you guys in the future.

I would like to know from those of you who have a nook if you recommend rooting it or leaving it like it is?

jocampo · 02-20-2011, 12:43 PM

I would not buy or upgrade to a Nook 3G, if you're planning to. B&N stopped manufacturing that one.

demingite · 02-20-2011, 01:45 PM

Are you sure about the Nook 3G? It is still for sale on their website.

02-16-2011, 01:43 PM	#1
kerafaith GO CARL EDWARDS!!!!! Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Tennessee Device: none	Newbie here needs some advice please. Ok so I am researching getting my 1st ever e-reader and I need some advice. I'm guessing the whole pdf subject has been beat to death. However after a few searches I haven't found anything really helpfull for me. So let me just tell you guys some of what I want in an e-reader. I get that most of the readers handle PDF's but it doesn't specify from where they "have" to come from. I want to be able to download free PDF books from different sites, maybe even ebay. And I live in the sticks & don't have wi-fi & 3g isn't avaible in my area. So I need something that I can download the books to my computer & then put it on the reader. I really want to be able to add a memory card for more storage. Being able to play mp3's would be a great bonus but not really necessary. And if possible I'd like to keep it below $150. So would the nook, kindle, or a sony be best for my wants? Or do I need to look in a completely different direction? In advance I'd like to say for all of the

02-16-2011, 02:57 PM	#3
jocampo Layback feline Posts: 3,034 Karma: 6980745 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: USA Device: Oasis 2nd gen, Sony DPTS1, iPad Pro 10.5"	My experience (I do read technical books mainly and some PDFs) Kindle 3 Too small for PDFs, but you'll have the ability to search inside the document, zoom and landscape. I like it for pure text books or novels, but I don't use it for PDF documents, it is too small for my taste. Nook Color A bit bigger than Kindle 3 and heavier. Easier to move around and zoom, but does not remember or save your last page, really annoying. It is faster turning pages thank Kindle 3 Kindle DXG Perfect size, in my opinion. If you need to enlarge, you can use landscape mode and if still too small, you can zoom. You can do bookmarks but Kindle DXG firmware is not as recent as Kindle 3 so you will notice that is slower than Kindle 3 and lacks of some features. But to read PDFs is a very nice alternative. iPAD I just bought one last weekend and still testing. LOVE THE PDF SUPPORT! For 3 bucks you buy a program called Goodreader and that stuff is just amazing. You can make annotations, you will have TOC, highlights, underline, you name it. It also re-flows and extremely fast turning pages. Kindle 3 is about $140, Kindle DXG is $400 I think, Nook Color $250 and iPad is about $500. If you're in a budget, you can get the Kindle 3, but be aware of the size limitation. Kindle DXG has the perfect size, but I wish the firmware would be a most recent one in order to support the features we have on Kindle 3 The best of the best for PDF support I think is iPad or Sony, but you will have to spend some serious money on it. Last edited by jocampo; 02-16-2011 at 03:38 PM.

02-16-2011, 04:49 PM	#7
demingite Connoisseur Posts: 70 Karma: 400000 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: New Mexico Device: Aluratek Libre Pro (gifted), Ectaco Jetbook Lite	Consider the Jetbook Lite of the Libre Pro You didn't specify the nature of the PDF books you want to read. Simple text books (like novels, etc.) should work fine on most devices; I'm reading a lengthy novel in PDF form on my Jetbook Lite right now. Books with illustrations and charts could be an issue. I own a Jetbook Lite and have used an Aluratek Libre Pro. Both will read PDF files. Both can be loaded via computer by using either a USB cable or the SD card. The ALP has a basic MP3 player built in, the JBL does not. The JBL has the widest range of native support for ebook formats. The JBL has been selling online for around $89 lately on Newegg. The ALP seems to run around $119, but is more widely available in retail outlets such as KMart. These prices seem tio fluctuate almost daily. The JBL uses 4 AA batteries (rechargables are the way to go), the ALP has an internal rechargeable battery. I don't have a problem with the 5" screen, since font sizes are adjustable, but others might. I enjoy the small size and weight.

02-16-2011, 08:47 PM	#8
kerafaith GO CARL EDWARDS!!!!! Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Tennessee Device: none	Just plain books. Some have a picture of the cover for the 1st page. But not being able to really see that isn't a big deal to me. There was a Shift 3 powered by Kobo at walmart for right at $100. Does anyone have any info, opinions, advice, etc on that one? Last edited by kerafaith; 02-16-2011 at 08:49 PM.

02-18-2011, 03:28 AM	#11
delphin Evangelist Posts: 434 Karma: 346901 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: SONY PRS-650	You didn't say if you are looking for an e-ink device? If so, I agree with the others who have pointed out that the 6 inch e-ink device that comes closest to meeting all your listed requirements, and that has by far the best handling of PDF's, is the Sony PRS-650. The PRS-650 is in short supply now, so don't be fooled by the outrageous prices the scalpers are asking. I paid $199 for my PRS-650 a short time back, which is still a little over your budget, but probably worth the difference if you want good PDF rendering and an SD card slot. The PRS-350 has a slightly smaller 5 inch screen, and doesn't have a SD card slot, but it also has good PDF handling, and the price has recently been reduced to $129. The problem with PDF's is that they are usually formatted for a full sized printed page, and are hard to make look good on a small e-reader screen. Sony uses official "Adobe Reader Mobil" from Adobe, so it does one of the best jobs on PDFs for a portable device. Unlike most other readers, the PRS-350/650/950 readers will try to "re-flow" your PDF's so you can read them on a smaller screen. (most other portable e-book readers do not do PDF re-flow) If your PDF's aren't too complicated, this works fairly well. Some PDF's with complicated graphics and text don't re-flow well, and then you have the option of keeping the smaller font (which turns off reflow) and then 'zooming in' instead. This keeps everything in the right place, but you have to pan around to see everything on the page. It's still tough to deal with material formated for a larger screen, but if you find a document that is hard to view on the PRS-350/650/950 readers you can count on the fact that it will be even WORSE on the Kindle, Kobo, etc. As has been said, the BEST option is to find books already formatted in EPUB format (which the PRS-350/650/950 also handle really well). Last edited by delphin; 02-18-2011 at 06:18 AM.

02-16-2011, 02:05 PM	#2
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	No 6" reader is going to be good for PDFs. A PDF is a digital representation of a fixed-sized page, and is generally formatted for a much large page size than that of a 6" reader. If PDFs are your main priority, you should probably be looking at something like an Android tablet with a larger screen. But your budget of $150 will be challenging, to say the least.

02-16-2011, 03:31 PM	#4
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	All of the e-readers allow for side loading. The Sony's have the best PDF reputation but are outside of your price range.

02-16-2011, 03:42 PM	#5
jbcohen Wizard Posts: 3,032 Karma: 11196738 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Where am I? Device: Kindle Paperwhite Signature edition and a Samsung S24 Ultra	Actually the $150 limit is not that much of a problem if you look in the right place. I would recommend that you order either a Kobo, Jet Book Lite or a Aluratek Libra Pro. the first and last are available from Borders and I have no idea where to get the middle one from. All three of these readers sell for approximatly $100 far less then your $150 limit. Now for which of the three to chose from: Get the Kobo if you want simplicity of operation (it has one button on it), get the Jet Book Lite if you want to be able to read absolutely all formats that you come acrss and get the libra pro want a free case to come with it. I think that you will need to buy the Jet Book Lite directly from the maker.

02-16-2011, 04:10 PM	#6
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	I wouldn't buy anything from Borders right now, they just declared bankruptcy. If you get a Kobo I would pay the higher price and get it from Wal Mart since I have no idea what would happen if you had a bad unit and the Borders in your area went away.

02-16-2011, 09:06 PM	#9
demingite Connoisseur Posts: 70 Karma: 400000 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: New Mexico Device: Aluratek Libre Pro (gifted), Ectaco Jetbook Lite	This sounds like the same device: http://www.the-digital-reader.com/20...-cvs-lookbook/ It may be a close relative of the Literati. See if they'll let you play with one.

02-17-2011, 09:59 AM	#10
Zetmolm Guru Posts: 615 Karma: 2362786 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: PocketBook Verse Pro Colour	If these free PDFs you want to read are 'just plain books', are you sure the same books are not also available in e.g. epub format? That would give you a lot more flexibility as to the reader you buy.

02-18-2011, 09:58 AM	#12
chyron8472 Groupie Posts: 180 Karma: 558490 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Kindle 5, Amazon Fire 5th Gen, Moto Z Play Droid	Truth be told, PDF is a terrible format to use as an ebook. PDF is designed such that a document is formatted very specifically so as to display on a screen exactly how it would if it were printed on paper. The problem this creates is that ebook readers have the ability to change fonts, font sizes, line spacing, margin width and allow text to flow from one page to another without creating discernible breaks in the text. This is to say that you're much better off reading ebooks in epub or mobi/azw format than in pdf. Even Calibre's user manual talks at length about how difficult it is to convert ebooks from pdf. EDIT: 100th post!

02-20-2011, 11:45 AM	#13
kerafaith GO CARL EDWARDS!!!!! Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Tennessee Device: none	Okay. I finally bought a Nook!!!! I got the plain wi-fi version for $99 off ebay. It's refurbished from Barnes & Noble. So now I am just awaiting it's arrival. I figure if I really decide I don't like it just being wifi that I can always send it back & upgrade to the one with 3g or resell it on ebay & upgrade to the one with 3g. But my boss at work got one for Valentines Day so we will be able to swap books on them. And I am still hoping my current ebooks will go on there okay. If not then I'll get a converting program & convert them to the best format. Anyway. Thanks guys for all of your advice & opinions. I really appraciate it & I hope to learn more from you guys in the future. I would like to know from those of you who have a nook if you recommend rooting it or leaving it like it is?

02-20-2011, 12:43 PM	#14
jocampo Layback feline Posts: 3,034 Karma: 6980745 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: USA Device: Oasis 2nd gen, Sony DPTS1, iPad Pro 10.5"	I would not buy or upgrade to a Nook 3G, if you're planning to. B&N stopped manufacturing that one.

02-20-2011, 01:45 PM	#15
demingite Connoisseur Posts: 70 Karma: 400000 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: New Mexico Device: Aluratek Libre Pro (gifted), Ectaco Jetbook Lite	Are you sure about the Nook 3G? It is still for sale on their website.

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