Academic annotation ereader (yes, I know it's been done to death)

[Sika]

Sorry about this guys; I haven't seen any of the academic annotation queries that have the same priorities that I do (and maybe that's because it's not possible)

I am in school and want a way to take notes on pdfs (for readings and for converted powerpoints) through handwriting. I need to be able to search the handwriting later, and to be able to keep the notes with or linked to the appropriate pdf, across devices. I also need to still be able to search the pdf after the annotation.

The Entourage Edge is out because my understanding is that pdfs don't export well across devices, and because it doesn't have enough functionality to replace my laptop but is too heavy to carry with my laptop.

Also, price point should be under $500, or else I should probably look for a used tablet PC.

If I've missed a thread that answers this exact question, I apologize and ask to be directed there: I've been searching the forums for quite a while and haven't seen anything that fits.

Thanks a ton.

[vxf]

Long story short...

iPad+iAnnotate+Dropbox+boxwave stylus

Can export notes embedded in PDFs, hence you can view those on your PC or any PDF reader.

You can find cheap first-gen iPads, now that the iPad2 is out. A 32GB model with wifi (no 3G) should be well below your price point.

If you search, it has been debated at length - and I am busy at work today so can't really get into all the details. But most eink devices don't have large enough screens.

SONY PRS950 is the best eink option I have seen, thanks to the touchscreen and 7" screen. But still, doesn't compare to an iPad. eink is just too clunky, you need a large touchscreen that allows for scrolling, zooming, etc.

Asus EENote is an interesting new option, I am keeping an eye on it but have not seen one live yet.

[Sika]

Originally Posted by vxf

Long story short...

iPad+iAnnotate+Dropbox+boxwave stylus

. . . .

Asus EENote is an interesting new option, I am keeping an eye on it but have not seen one live yet.

Thanks for the advice. Now that you mention it, I had seen the ipad recommendation, but I was worried about the screen being too tiring and I also have an irrational thing against apple I might have to get over. I'll check out the EENote, too.

[Sigyn]

Shoot, I have some where an ongoing document where I'm trying to keep track of my notes on this, I really should have made a spreadsheet from the get-go but didn't because it didn't occur to me until partway through and didn't feel like starting all over.

I've seen reviews on the eee someplace, but at the moment can't lay hand to them. That and the Edge were both mentioned as being good for students who need to make notes. I was looking at boox [i think?] and some of the Sony readers. Also on this list I have some note regarding a iRex, but it's not too clear what I was trying to say.

This is what happens when you have

1. a laptop that is trying to die on you
2. almost no sleep because of a little baby
3. an ongoing double kidney infection that just. won't. die.

Luckily my husband found a fantastic deal on a new laptop and I've gotten everything I could [i think] off the old one onto a pin-drive.

Besides annotation and taking files from here to there devise-wise, are you interested in?

[Sika]

Originally Posted by Sigyn

Besides annotation and taking files from here to there devise-wise, are you interested in?

It's not just being able to take files from here to there, but being able to take files from here to there with the handwritten annotation still attached and searchable (if my handwriting on the tablet is OCR'd, that's fine.)

Being able to take handwritten notes in OneNote or something similar for classes is also important.

It's the first thing that I can't really seem to find. And on an ipad I'm not sure that I'll be able to port files to my PC and have them still be searchable. I've found a couple of things that would work well, but they're way above my price point . . .

[Sika]

Oh yeah, Autoink plug-in for Adobe Acrobat ( http://www.evermap.com/autoink.asp ) Does exactly what I want to be able to do on my e-reader/tablet, if that helps. I'm looking at the eee pad right now, and while I remember there being some reason why I didn't think it would work before, I can't find it now (I, too, should have taken more complete notes )

[Sigyn]

Okay, looking at your link [ooooo, very cool!] it seems it will be happy with windows anything, so in that you're limited if you wanted a different platform, right?

And you'd need a tablet that lets you write on it . . . with a pen? That's the part where I get stuck, the capacitive vs resistive, because I think the special pens need something something.

Or a pen-mouse-pad thing.

Maybe you've said, but what is it you have at home, and/or what is your laptop? It seems like if all those can talk to each other then your investment might only need that software and a writing tool like the bamboo-thingy?

Please excuse my lack of brain, my 8mo doesn't sleep through the night yet. Or rather, doesn't sleep at night. 8 or 9 or 10 am is bedtime. For maybe four or six hours and I am really tired.