iPad iBooks: Good enough to buy an iPad?

FatGuy · 02-14-2015, 06:39 AM

Hi all, I was just given an iPad Mini 3 as a gift. Is iBooks good enough to justify me keeping the iPad Mini? My main use is most likely going to be reading ebooks that are in .pdf format.

Is there a way I can highlight quotes in iBooks WITHOUT having the ability to alter them so that I can't accidentally alter the quotes?

Thanks for any help!

thewitt · 02-14-2015, 07:41 AM

Though I don't read PDFs much, there are many more apps on the iPad than iBooks for reading and annotating PDFs. You should take a look at some of the other options before making your final decision.

FatGuy · 02-15-2015, 04:18 AM

Thanks! How does the iPad Mini 3 compare to other tablets as a device to read ebooks?

jswinden · 02-15-2015, 01:58 PM

The iPad Mini 3 ranks among the very best tablets for reading ebooks. PDFs suck on any tablet or device or even when printed. PDFs are the absolute worst common ebook format because they were designed to transfer secure documents, not for reading as such. Nevertheless, the iPad Mini 3 will do a good job of displaying PDFs, and it will really excel when it comes to true ebooks like Kindle and ePub formats, and magazines look fantastic too.

duriel · 02-16-2015, 10:41 PM

The iPad is a great PDF reader (I also use it for my other ebook reading as well these days). The best PDF reading/annotating app I have found is Goodreader. It's $5 and worth every penny.

meeera · 02-17-2015, 07:11 AM

Another vote for Goodreader. If you're very worried about keeping an original file pristine, just make a copy of it and leave that somewhere untouched.

FlorenceArt · 02-17-2015, 03:27 PM

You can't highlight PDFs in iBooks, but as mentioned there are many other apps that will allow you do do that. Also as mentioned, pdf is not a very good format and the screen size of an iPad mini may be a bit small, depending on the original page size of the files you're going to read.

Whatever app you use, you won't be able to change the text. The app will only add the highlights and notes in a layer on top of the existing content. But as meera says, you can always make a copy of the book if you're worried.

Personally I find Goodreader slow and clunky, although it's very rich in functionalities. iBooks is good if you just want to read, but again you won't be able to highlight or annotate.

I use MarginNote for all my non fiction reading. You can highlight and annotate PDF and ePub books and save your notes to Evernote. The app can be slow and frustrating sometimes but I like it.

JTravers · 02-18-2015, 03:47 PM

I love PDF Expert 5.
Here is a comparison of PDF apps.
http://thesweetsetup.com/apps/best-p...r-editor-ipad/

FlorenceArt · 02-20-2015, 05:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JTravers

I love PDF Expert 5.
Here is a comparison of PDF apps.
http://thesweetsetup.com/apps/best-p...r-editor-ipad/

Thanks for the link, I'll save it for later reading!

leebase · 02-20-2015, 11:22 PM

Marvin is a must have ePub reader to look into as well

FatGuy · 02-21-2015, 05:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jswinden

The iPad Mini 3 ranks among the very best tablets for reading ebooks. PDFs suck on any tablet or device or even when printed. PDFs are the absolute worst common ebook format because they were designed to transfer secure documents, not for reading as such. Nevertheless, the iPad Mini 3 will do a good job of displaying PDFs, and it will really excel when it comes to true ebooks like Kindle and ePub formats, and magazines look fantastic too.

Alright, that sounds great. I just want to know how I can store quotes in a way that they can't be altered by me accidentally. Can I use Evernote?

Thanks!

HarryT · 02-21-2015, 07:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlorenceArt

Personally I find Goodreader slow and clunky, although it's very rich in functionalities. iBooks is good if you just want to read, but again you won't be able to highlight or annotate.

I have to read a lot of academic PDFs for my Egyptology degree and find Goodreader on my iPad Retina Mini to be excellent, both for reading and for its organisational capabilities.

FlorenceArt · 02-21-2015, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FatGuy

Alright, that sounds great. I just want to know how I can store quotes in a way that they can't be altered by me accidentally. Can I use Evernote?

Thanks!

MarginNotes will let you save highlights and notes to Evernote.

FatGuy · 02-22-2015, 03:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlorenceArt

MarginNotes will let you save highlights and notes to Evernote.

That sounds pretty good. Is it possible for me upload quotes that aren't alterable so I can't accidentally alter them?

FatGuy · 02-22-2015, 05:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

I have to read a lot of academic PDFs for my Egyptology degree and find Goodreader on my iPad Retina Mini to be excellent, both for reading and for its organisational capabilities.

Ah, ok thanks. How do you mean its "organisational capabilities"?

02-14-2015, 06:39 AM	#1
FatGuy Groupie Posts: 158 Karma: 1804362 Join Date: Nov 2014 Device: iPad Mini 3	iBooks: Good enough to buy an iPad? Hi all, I was just given an iPad Mini 3 as a gift. Is iBooks good enough to justify me keeping the iPad Mini? My main use is most likely going to be reading ebooks that are in .pdf format. Is there a way I can highlight quotes in iBooks WITHOUT having the ability to alter them so that I can't accidentally alter the quotes? Thanks for any help!

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02-14-2015, 07:41 AM	#2
thewitt Zealot Posts: 129 Karma: 1135446 Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: Miami, Florida Device: iBooks	Though I don't read PDFs much, there are many more apps on the iPad than iBooks for reading and annotating PDFs. You should take a look at some of the other options before making your final decision.

02-15-2015, 04:18 AM	#3
FatGuy Groupie Posts: 158 Karma: 1804362 Join Date: Nov 2014 Device: iPad Mini 3	Thanks! How does the iPad Mini 3 compare to other tablets as a device to read ebooks?

02-15-2015, 01:58 PM	#4
jswinden Nameless Being	The iPad Mini 3 ranks among the very best tablets for reading ebooks. PDFs suck on any tablet or device or even when printed. PDFs are the absolute worst common ebook format because they were designed to transfer secure documents, not for reading as such. Nevertheless, the iPad Mini 3 will do a good job of displaying PDFs, and it will really excel when it comes to true ebooks like Kindle and ePub formats, and magazines look fantastic too.

02-16-2015, 10:41 PM	#5
duriel Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2012 Device: Kindle Keyboard 3G	The iPad is a great PDF reader (I also use it for my other ebook reading as well these days). The best PDF reading/annotating app I have found is Goodreader. It's $5 and worth every penny.

02-17-2015, 07:11 AM	#6
meeera Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,862 Karma: 68407974 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Libra 2, iPadMini4, iPad4, MBP; support other Kobo/Kindles	Another vote for Goodreader. If you're very worried about keeping an original file pristine, just make a copy of it and leave that somewhere untouched.

02-17-2015, 03:27 PM	#7
FlorenceArt High Priestess Posts: 5,761 Karma: 5042529 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Montreuil sous bois, France Device: iPad Pro 9.7, iPhone 6 Plus	You can't highlight PDFs in iBooks, but as mentioned there are many other apps that will allow you do do that. Also as mentioned, pdf is not a very good format and the screen size of an iPad mini may be a bit small, depending on the original page size of the files you're going to read. Whatever app you use, you won't be able to change the text. The app will only add the highlights and notes in a layer on top of the existing content. But as meera says, you can always make a copy of the book if you're worried. Personally I find Goodreader slow and clunky, although it's very rich in functionalities. iBooks is good if you just want to read, but again you won't be able to highlight or annotate. I use MarginNote for all my non fiction reading. You can highlight and annotate PDF and ePub books and save your notes to Evernote. The app can be slow and frustrating sometimes but I like it.

02-18-2015, 03:47 PM	#8
JTravers Groupie Posts: 182 Karma: 1078201 Join Date: Sep 2007 Device: iPad Air 2	I love PDF Expert 5. Here is a comparison of PDF apps. http://thesweetsetup.com/apps/best-p...r-editor-ipad/

02-20-2015, 11:22 PM	#10
leebase Karma Kameleon Posts: 2,976 Karma: 26738313 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: iPad Mini, iPhone X, Kindle Fire Tab HD 8, Walmart Onn	Marvin is a must have ePub reader to look into as well