Question about Kindle from Academic Researcher

seantmitch · 03-11-2009, 05:38 PM

Hi,
I'm an academic researcher considering buying a Kindle sometime in the next year, but I'm trying to figure out if it would suit my purposes first. I'd be greatly obliged for any info you all can provide.

I do a lot of my reading these days on the computer. I read PDFs (academic articles and scanned books, mostly), highlighting and annotating them with Acrobat. This works great for me and, importantly, it creates a searchable database that I work from.

If I were to use the Kindle, I would want it to be as an extension of this system. So my questions: how well can you highlight and annotate with the Kindle? And, after reading, can you dump the highlighted and annotated material back onto a computer in a form that is readable on the computer and robustly searchable (ideally as a PDF)?

Thanks in advance!

desertgrandma · 03-11-2009, 07:39 PM

Welcome to MobileRead, Sean.

You'll find lots of help and advice here, and even someone who can understand what you just said.

Me?

I just use mine to read books. And library books.

Enjoy the forums.

AnemicOak · 03-11-2009, 08:31 PM

I think you'd be better served by a device from IRex.

daffy4u · 03-12-2009, 12:40 AM

The PDFs may be a problem. If they are mostly text, they can be converted for use on the Kindle and will work well. If they have a lot of charts, graphs or tables, you will not be happy with the results. As AnemicOak mentioned you'd better off with an iRex iLiad.

Check out this help file page for the Kindle 2 which explains how highlighting and saving clippings works.

Quote:

Editing the "My Clippings" File

All of your bookmarks, highlights, notes, and clippings are stored in the "My Clippings" TXT file on your Kindle. You can transfer and copy the file to share and use your clippings.
To transfer the "My Clippings" file and open it on your computer:

1. Connect your Kindle to your computer using the USB cable.
2. Use your computer's file browser to view the Documents folder on Kindle.
3. Transfer the "My Clippings" file from Kindle to your computer.
4. Open the "My Clippings" file on your computer using an application that can read or import a .txt file.

If you wish, you can make changes to the file and transfer it back to your Kindle. Changing your "My Clippings" file does not affect any notes, bookmarks, or highlights you've made in the actual content. The next time you read the content, you can still use them for navigation and reference.
To remove the "My Clippings" file from your Kindle:

1. Press the Home button to display the Home screen.
2. Underline "My Clippings" on the Home screen.
3. Move the 5-way controller to the left.
4. Press the 5-way to select "Delete."

Kindle adds a new "My Clippings" file the next time you add a clipping or annotation to any content.

Since you can copy the "My Clipping" text file to your computer, you can convert it to a PDF if you prefer or just about any other format you like.

kevindorsey · 03-12-2009, 02:59 AM

Hi there,

If you are technically savvy, you can customize the kindle to do almost everything you need. There are after market software upgrades that will turn the Kindle into a mini computer. But for the price there are other more adaptable options. But Kindle is very convenient and user friendly for the basic tasks.

dmaul1114 · 03-12-2009, 04:27 PM

Yeah, it's not good for letter sized PDFs from scholarly journals (I'm a fellow academic).

The iRex readers do them well, and you can write on them as their like a table pc etc--but they're pricey.

Personally I prefer printing them out and marking them up by hand, sticking post it flags in them etc. Just quicker and easier to have around IMO, easier flip to a certain table, put 2 or 3 side by side on your desk to compare finding tables etc. etc.

But the iRex definitely would do the job for people more willing to adapt, I just prefer printouts for that. The highlight and annotating is just quicker and easier (and I have a hard time writing small and legibly on tablet pcs).

As for the kindle, the highlighting and annotatiting kind of sucks (at least on the K1) it's slow to bring up the boxes, typing stuff on it is slow since you type with your thumbs etc. But it's moot since it won't display most scholarly pdfs since they're image files basically with lots of tables and figures typically--but again not really an issue on the iRex readers.

MoboHobo · 03-12-2009, 06:57 PM

I've heard some good things about the iRex. It might better suit your needs.

seantmitch · 03-14-2009, 10:19 AM

Thanks for the suggestions, all. It looks like the kindle won't suit my needs and the Irex remains (for me) prohibitively expensive. I guess I'll wait a few more years for this. Thanks again.

daffy4u · 03-14-2009, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seantmitch

Thanks for the suggestions, all. It looks like the kindle won't suit my needs and the Irex remains (for me) prohibitively expensive. I guess I'll wait a few more years for this. Thanks again.

Maybe you can find one for a good price on eBay. There are a lot of cool readers coming, something will meet your needs.

Hantra · 03-17-2009, 11:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seantmitch

Thanks for the suggestions, all. It looks like the kindle won't suit my needs and the Irex remains (for me) prohibitively expensive. I guess I'll wait a few more years for this. Thanks again.

I dunno. I have to disagree. I have converted a lot of PDF's to Mobi format using the free software, and if it's not image heavy, it works really well! My opinion is, there's no need to wait. In a year, things will advance quite a bit in the e-reader arena. In 5 years, it will be beyond what we can even imagine.

That's why you should take the plunge now. The Kindle doesn't lose a lot of value, and the value it provides while you own it is exceptional IMO.

desertgrandma · 03-17-2009, 11:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seantmitch

Thanks for the suggestions, all. It looks like the kindle won't suit my needs and the Irex remains (for me) prohibitively expensive. I guess I'll wait a few more years for this. Thanks again.

If you wanted to try the Kindle2, you can order it, and have 30 days to return it no questions asked.

Download the docs you need, see how they display.

All you pay is return shipping.....Can't beat that deal!

03-11-2009, 05:38 PM	#1
seantmitch Member Posts: 10 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: kindle	Question about Kindle from Academic Researcher Hi, I'm an academic researcher considering buying a Kindle sometime in the next year, but I'm trying to figure out if it would suit my purposes first. I'd be greatly obliged for any info you all can provide. I do a lot of my reading these days on the computer. I read PDFs (academic articles and scanned books, mostly), highlighting and annotating them with Acrobat. This works great for me and, importantly, it creates a searchable database that I work from. If I were to use the Kindle, I would want it to be as an extension of this system. So my questions: how well can you highlight and annotate with the Kindle? And, after reading, can you dump the highlighted and annotated material back onto a computer in a form that is readable on the computer and robustly searchable (ideally as a PDF)? Thanks in advance!

03-12-2009, 04:27 PM	#6
dmaul1114 Wizard Posts: 2,300 Karma: 1121709 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Amazon Kindle 1	Yeah, it's not good for letter sized PDFs from scholarly journals (I'm a fellow academic). The iRex readers do them well, and you can write on them as their like a table pc etc--but they're pricey. Personally I prefer printing them out and marking them up by hand, sticking post it flags in them etc. Just quicker and easier to have around IMO, easier flip to a certain table, put 2 or 3 side by side on your desk to compare finding tables etc. etc. But the iRex definitely would do the job for people more willing to adapt, I just prefer printouts for that. The highlight and annotating is just quicker and easier (and I have a hard time writing small and legibly on tablet pcs). As for the kindle, the highlighting and annotatiting kind of sucks (at least on the K1) it's slow to bring up the boxes, typing stuff on it is slow since you type with your thumbs etc. But it's moot since it won't display most scholarly pdfs since they're image files basically with lots of tables and figures typically--but again not really an issue on the iRex readers. Last edited by dmaul1114; 03-12-2009 at 04:30 PM.

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03-11-2009, 07:39 PM	#2
desertgrandma Enjoying the show.... Posts: 14,270 Karma: 10462843 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Arizona Device: A K1, Kindle Paperwhite, an Ipod, IPad2, Iphone, an Ipad Mini & macAir	Welcome to MobileRead, Sean. You'll find lots of help and advice here, and even someone who can understand what you just said. Me? I just use mine to read books. And library books. Enjoy the forums.

03-11-2009, 08:31 PM	#3
AnemicOak Bookaholic Posts: 14,391 Karma: 54969924 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Minnesota Device: iPad Mini 4, AuraHD, iPhone XR +	I think you'd be better served by a device from IRex.

03-12-2009, 02:59 AM	#5
kevindorsey Evangelist Posts: 488 Karma: 258 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: kindle	Hi there, If you are technically savvy, you can customize the kindle to do almost everything you need. There are after market software upgrades that will turn the Kindle into a mini computer. But for the price there are other more adaptable options. But Kindle is very convenient and user friendly for the basic tasks.

03-12-2009, 06:57 PM	#7
MoboHobo Banned Posts: 50 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Canada Device: Kindle 1	I've heard some good things about the iRex. It might better suit your needs.

03-14-2009, 10:19 AM	#8
seantmitch Member Posts: 10 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: kindle	Thanks for the suggestions, all. It looks like the kindle won't suit my needs and the Irex remains (for me) prohibitively expensive. I guess I'll wait a few more years for this. Thanks again.

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