902 Pocket Book 902 : Is it portable?

[Goondu]

I read mainly PDF text. sometimes I do read academic PDF with graphs.

I want to get a 902 but worry about its portability. And also is it an overkill to get a 9.7" screen to read text?

Any comments?


Thanks

[SkyDream]

If you only read text PDF you are better of with PRS-950. PDF reflow is really great at PRS-x50 models.

On the other hand for PDF with pictures, tables and the same a bigger screen is always better. I won't recommend Kindle DX or PB 902 as i'm not comfortable with both but PB 902/903 has by way better and more PDF features as Kindle DX.

Be aware that it seems like Amazon won't improve the Kindle DX firmware to port the PDF features from the K3.

[Goondu]

Originally Posted by SkyDream

If you only read text PDF you are better of with PRS-950. PDF reflow is really great at PRS-x50 models.

Thanks man for your reply!
Appreciate it

But just to clarify some points:-

On the other hand for PDF with pictures, tables and the same a bigger screen is always better. I won't recommend Kindle DX or PB 902 as i'm not comfortable with both but PB 902/903 has by way better and more PDF features as Kindle DX.

You mention that the bigger the screen, the better it is for PDF with picts, tables and graphs. That I agree. PB902 has a huge 9.7" screen but you wouldn't recommend it. May I ask why?

Thanks again

[Roos]

Originally Posted by Goondu

I read mainly PDF text. sometimes I do read academic PDF with graphs.

I want to get a 902 but worry about its portability. And also is it an overkill to get a 9.7" screen to read text?

Any comments?


Thanks

I own a PB 902, and i am very happy with it. I like it a lot that i can use bigger fonts when reading a book, without the page feeling crammed in
I also read Manga, i convert them from .cbz to .pdf with Calibre, and they look spectacular! Even smallish print is very readable.
Portability is less , i intend to buy a firm netbook case to take it with me, until then it stays next to my bed on my night-stand . I have the (fake) leather cover for it, it is huge! The included sleeve is for portability a lot better.
The TTS is great! And the support is also very fast and friendly.
I have tried support for my Sony PRS 600 when that was my main reader, but that is non-existent. Other then bring it in for a check is not on script, and answering questions is a no-no.
Also new firmware is a rare beast for Sony, for improvements you will have to buy the new machine.

PocketBook on the other hand keeps developing, every new version of firmware not only improves, but brings new options, and you can ask them for new functionality.
Ok, maybe you will experience bugs sometime with PB firmware, but they seem to be fast with fixing it.

Just my 2 ct

[marty63]

I agree with Roos. Portability is slightly worse, but reading comfort is excellent.
Here You can buy cover for PB:
http://www.pocketgoods.de/index.php?...02-903&cat=c5&
But the price...

[jpuntd]

I received my Pocketbook 902 pro through MobileRead's Fall contest. I really like the device. It looks very sturdy. The firmware is very stable. I like the large screen. As it is my first ereader, I have to say I can't really compare with the PRS950 or a regular 6" screen. According to me, portablity is not really an issue. I take it with me inside the cover that is included in the box. Only downside: you have to make sure the cover doesn't inadvertently presses the power-button. It would be better if powering on the device would require a longer press of the powerbutton.

[Zarathustra]

Originally Posted by Goondu

I read mainly PDF text. sometimes I do read academic PDF with graphs.

I want to get a 902 but worry about its portability. And also is it an overkill to get a 9.7" screen to read text?

To use a 9.7" screen is just the right size for scientific papers. For everything which is not a scientific pdf it might be overkill - explicitly if you intend to read in a bus (or somewhere else). It is simply too large to disappear in your jacket when you change the train; so you always have to take a bag with you.

[PhunkyBob]

It's exactly like reading on a hard-covered book :
- it's far more comfortable to read
- it's heavier and larger for carry

It really depends on your needs.

[dpayment]

I've had my 902 for about a month now, and I absolutely love it. I've taken it with me to a number of locations to read while I'm in transit or while I'm waiting for something or other, and I don't find it to be a problem at all.

The included slip cover does a great job of protecting the 902, it's well padded and grips the 902 tightly enough to prevent it from slipping out. Despite the metal back cover, which helps to maintain rigidity, I'm very nervous about it getting torqued somehow and cracking the glass under the plastic screen so I did buy a netbook case to add to the protection.

I read almost anything, and reading anything at all on the 902 is a real pleasure. From novels to tech papers to graphic novels and magazines, it all renders beautifully provided you pay attention if/when you have to convert it to the format you prefer.

Way to go, PocketBook! You have created an incredible set of ereaders, and they just keep getting better with each firmware release. Thank You All!!

Originally Posted by PhunkyBob

It's exactly like reading on a hard-covered book :
- it's far more comfortable to read
- it's heavier and larger for carry

It really depends on your needs.

[SkyDream]

Originally Posted by Goondu

You mention that the bigger the screen, the better it is for PDF with picts, tables and graphs. That I agree. PB902 has a huge 9.7" screen but you wouldn't recommend it. May I ask why?

Sure.

While the hardware is good the software/firmware is way behind. It lacks so many basic things and needs a lot of improvement. Many feature are somewhat hidden as they are not described in the basic documentation. Those are described in many threads here at MR. The 903 is mostly the same as the 902 except for the touchscreen (requires stylus not fingers). AdobeViewer is good at PDF pictures but dictionary does not work; it just hangs. pdfviewer has lower quality on pictures but the dictionary works fine.

No annotations at PDFs at all. You can one or more lines and save them as a note. but you can not mark a few words or add your own hand written notes (903).

It seems to be they had some pressure to ship the hardware while the software was not ready.

[dpayment]

Originally Posted by SkyDream

Sure.

While the hardware (deleted)

It seems to be they had some pressure to ship the hardware while the software was not ready.

Good point SkyDream, this could be true, I don't know. When you consider the competitors out there with products that suddenly became vaporware, it's understandable that they'd want to get a product to market. The Copia, Innoversal, Que, Skiff and several others all seem to have died in the dirt, and I'm convinced it was because they were trying too hard to get it right rather than get it to market. I'd rather have an ereader that has a few firmware issues but is usable, rather than no ereader at all, particularly if makers let us know that they're aware of the issues and and that they're working on them.

It was and still is my firm belief that the first company to get a customizable, large format ereader, with a decent level of supported formats to market at a decent price would win the race, and so far, it looks like PocketBook has accomplished this. Given their commitment to support, firmware issues seem to be addressed pretty quickly, and I anticipate that the next firmware release is going to resolve a whole hockey-sock full of issues. When I compare their efforts with those of makers of the ereaders I owned in the past, PocketBook shines above all others.

One other point to make is that PocketBook, unlike a lot of the other ebook hardware makers, is actually encouraging users to improve the device. To me, this is a sensible, responsible response.

Dan