How is the NC at PDFs?

carld · 01-02-2011, 10:17 AM

I'm a big Kindle fan, but I'm interested in a nook color as an iPad replacement. I was wondering how well it works with PDFs, both rooted and not.

SCION · 01-02-2011, 10:19 AM

Many are disappointed with the way the stock NC handles PDFs. Those are the folks who are interested in rooting for a better PDF reader (ezPDF Reader) and web browser.

There are some threads/posts where people indicate their dissatisfaction. This is particularly voiced on the B&N site.

waffleman · 01-02-2011, 11:16 AM

It's "ok" right now. It certainly easy to read pdf files and the color diagrams look great on the NC.

There are some disappointments including lack of ability to highlight, take notes, remember last page read. My understanding (hope?) is that this will be addressed in the update coming in (?) February.

SCION · 01-02-2011, 11:18 AM

First time I've seen reference to February.

It's been January or 1st quarter.

I'm not laughing at you.

jswinden · 01-02-2011, 12:00 PM

I would just add that internal hyperlinks don't work with the stock PDF reader on the NC for non-DRMed PDFs. I haven't bought any DRMd PDFs, so I cannot say if hyperlinks work within them, but hyperlinks don't work in the user created PDFs I've read. I tried making my own hyperlinked TOCs, but they are useless.

Bottom line is that the viewer looks good and PDFs are very legible and readable at least in landscape mode, but the viewer app has almost no functionality. I suspect a better one will come around soon after B&N opens up the apps to third-party developers.

debteb · 01-02-2011, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SCION

Many are disappointed with the way the stock NC handles PDFs. Those are the folks who are interested in rooting for a better PDF reader (ezPDF Reader) and web browser.

There are some threads/posts where people indicate their dissatisfaction. This is particularly voiced on the B&N site.

Ditto. The PDF handling is way better with ezPDF than the stock one that comes with NC.

LaurieGator · 01-02-2011, 02:49 PM

I have only had a couple of PDF's (from a commercial craft site) and they have all worked really well. I have been able to zoom in and the color was great.

I am not a hard-core PDF user, I only use it for books I have purchased. I have had really good luck, but my PDF's aren't super long (less than 50 pages) and I am more interested in the charts and/or graphs in the PDF...

carld · 01-02-2011, 03:32 PM

Thanks all, that's about what I figured. I don't have a huge collection of PDFs, but I do have some. The Kindle does okay with them, but I've been wondering about the nook color.

waffleman · 01-02-2011, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SCION

First time I've seen reference to February.

It's been January or 1st quarter.

I'm not laughing at you.

I saw a discussion on the BN support board where a time line was listed and it had February for the update, and March for the ap store. The sooner the better!

=X= · 01-02-2011, 11:16 PM

The experience is horrible, by far the worst experience yet. Even my PRS-505 was better than this.

However on the flip side. Once rooted the device with ezPDF bought and installed (for $1) the experience is completely different.

This app has a pinch to zoom solution that works and great PDF support, thumb nail view, remembers last page, text reflow, hyperlink, copy/paste, navigation. The only thing that is lacking is annotation and bookmarks.

=X=

carld · 01-02-2011, 11:35 PM

ezPDF looks like a winner. If I get a NC I'll definitely be rooting it and using it as an Android tablet. It won't be till summer probably, but it's either that or an iPad, and with the NC half the price it's looking really good.

face · 01-03-2011, 05:42 AM

In my experience it does not handled layered PDFs well at all. Most pictures are not displayed in the one I REALLY wanted to view.

Steven Lyle Jordan · 01-03-2011, 10:10 AM

My opinion: I've viewed a few PDF magazines on the NC's reader (an Adobe app, not 3rd party), enough to be willing to trade my print subscriptions for PDFs wherever I can. NC's ability to zoom in on a page works as well as its ability to do the same with ePub magazines. It can be touchy accepting finger input, but pages look great, and text is very readable even at small sizes.

I don't see a need to root the device just to get a new PDF reader (I'm guessing those who rooted the device did it for more than just that), but when (if) the NC is upgraded to accept android apps, I may look for another reader just to see if there's a real improvement over the stock reader. But as I've had mixed success with 3rd party PDF readers, I'm personally not holding my breath.

SCION · 01-03-2011, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steven Lyle Jordan

My opinion: I've viewed a few PDF magazines on the NC's reader (an Adobe app, not 3rd party), enough to be willing to trade my print subscriptions for PDFs wherever I can. NC's ability to zoom in on a page works as well as its ability to do the same with ePub magazines. It can be touchy accepting finger input, but pages look great, and text is very readable even at small sizes.

I don't see a need to root the device just to get a new PDF reader (I'm guessing those who rooted the device did it for more than just that), but when (if) the NC is upgraded to accept android apps, I may look for another reader just to see if there's a real improvement over the stock reader. But as I've had mixed success with 3rd party PDF readers, I'm personally not holding my breath.

People said they want a PDF reader that handles hyperlinks, has text-reflow, and remembers last page read. To many, that's reason enough to root if they bought the device with PDFs in mind.

=X= · 01-03-2011, 04:23 PM

the nook comes with two Pfd readers one is a third party viewer the other is native. the one with pinch to zoom the third party app called quickoffice.

to use the adobe app you must root the device and install it. BTW the adobe app is also better than the default apps. If you are content with what exist today on the nook you will really like ezpdf and the adobe reader.

01-02-2011, 10:17 AM	#1
carld Wizard Posts: 2,698 Karma: 4748723 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	How is the NC at PDFs? I'm a big Kindle fan, but I'm interested in a nook color as an iPad replacement. I was wondering how well it works with PDFs, both rooted and not.

01-02-2011, 10:19 AM	#2
SCION Séduisant Posts: 4,706 Karma: 2107018 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Texas, USA Device: Boox Note Air2+; Kobo Libra2; Kindle Scribe, Oasis3; iPad Mini6	Many are disappointed with the way the stock NC handles PDFs. Those are the folks who are interested in rooting for a better PDF reader (ezPDF Reader) and web browser. There are some threads/posts where people indicate their dissatisfaction. This is particularly voiced on the B&N site. Last edited by SCION; 01-02-2011 at 12:05 PM. Reason: typo

01-02-2011, 12:00 PM	#5
jswinden Nameless Being	I would just add that internal hyperlinks don't work with the stock PDF reader on the NC for non-DRMed PDFs. I haven't bought any DRMd PDFs, so I cannot say if hyperlinks work within them, but hyperlinks don't work in the user created PDFs I've read. I tried making my own hyperlinked TOCs, but they are useless. Bottom line is that the viewer looks good and PDFs are very legible and readable at least in landscape mode, but the viewer app has almost no functionality. I suspect a better one will come around soon after B&N opens up the apps to third-party developers. Last edited by jswinden; 01-02-2011 at 12:02 PM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Just pdfs...	fragile	Which one should I buy?	16	04-01-2010 04:03 AM
Help with PDFs	charlied2255	Sony Reader	4	01-05-2010 07:45 PM
KDX: Unable to search PDFs from main screen... PDFs not indexed?	unrequited	Amazon Kindle	3	06-22-2009 07:59 PM
Best for PDFs	amiami	Which one should I buy?	13	12-07-2008 05:46 AM
Convert print-protected pdfs into image-based pdfs?	magogo	Sony Reader	3	12-04-2007 01:18 AM

01-02-2011, 11:16 AM	#3
waffleman Enthusiast Posts: 47 Karma: 10000 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: NookColor	It's "ok" right now. It certainly easy to read pdf files and the color diagrams look great on the NC. There are some disappointments including lack of ability to highlight, take notes, remember last page read. My understanding (hope?) is that this will be addressed in the update coming in (?) February.

01-02-2011, 11:18 AM	#4
SCION Séduisant Posts: 4,706 Karma: 2107018 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Texas, USA Device: Boox Note Air2+; Kobo Libra2; Kindle Scribe, Oasis3; iPad Mini6	First time I've seen reference to February. It's been January or 1st quarter. I'm not laughing at you.

01-02-2011, 02:49 PM	#7
LaurieGator Crazy Cat Lady Posts: 96 Karma: 13662 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Arizona Device: Kindle 2i, Nook Color (Rooted)	I have only had a couple of PDF's (from a commercial craft site) and they have all worked really well. I have been able to zoom in and the color was great. I am not a hard-core PDF user, I only use it for books I have purchased. I have had really good luck, but my PDF's aren't super long (less than 50 pages) and I am more interested in the charts and/or graphs in the PDF...

01-02-2011, 03:32 PM	#8
carld Wizard Posts: 2,698 Karma: 4748723 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Thanks all, that's about what I figured. I don't have a huge collection of PDFs, but I do have some. The Kindle does okay with them, but I've been wondering about the nook color.

01-02-2011, 11:16 PM	#10
=X= Wizard Posts: 3,671 Karma: 12205348 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: Galaxy S, Nook w/CM7	The experience is horrible, by far the worst experience yet. Even my PRS-505 was better than this. However on the flip side. Once rooted the device with ezPDF bought and installed (for $1) the experience is completely different. This app has a pinch to zoom solution that works and great PDF support, thumb nail view, remembers last page, text reflow, hyperlink, copy/paste, navigation. The only thing that is lacking is annotation and bookmarks. =X=

01-02-2011, 11:35 PM	#11
carld Wizard Posts: 2,698 Karma: 4748723 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	ezPDF looks like a winner. If I get a NC I'll definitely be rooting it and using it as an Android tablet. It won't be till summer probably, but it's either that or an iPad, and with the NC half the price it's looking really good.

01-03-2011, 05:42 AM	#12
face Member Posts: 14 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: Color Nook	In my experience it does not handled layered PDFs well at all. Most pictures are not displayed in the one I REALLY wanted to view.

01-03-2011, 10:10 AM	#13
Steven Lyle Jordan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,478 Karma: 5171130 Join Date: Jan 2006 Device: none	My opinion: I've viewed a few PDF magazines on the NC's reader (an Adobe app, not 3rd party), enough to be willing to trade my print subscriptions for PDFs wherever I can. NC's ability to zoom in on a page works as well as its ability to do the same with ePub magazines. It can be touchy accepting finger input, but pages look great, and text is very readable even at small sizes. I don't see a need to root the device just to get a new PDF reader (I'm guessing those who rooted the device did it for more than just that), but when (if) the NC is upgraded to accept android apps, I may look for another reader just to see if there's a real improvement over the stock reader. But as I've had mixed success with 3rd party PDF readers, I'm personally not holding my breath.

01-03-2011, 04:23 PM	#15
=X= Wizard Posts: 3,671 Karma: 12205348 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: Galaxy S, Nook w/CM7	the nook comes with two Pfd readers one is a third party viewer the other is native. the one with pinch to zoom the third party app called quickoffice. to use the adobe app you must root the device and install it. BTW the adobe app is also better than the default apps. If you are content with what exist today on the nook you will really like ezpdf and the adobe reader.

Advert

Advert