Another newbie looking for purchasing advice

Torwan · 08-01-2011, 11:31 AM

Hello everyone.

After ignoring the "mobile world" for a long time, I have recently started to think about purchasing a mobile device and getting into things. I browsed through Tablet-PCs, smartphones and ebook-readers and found a rather useful use-case for me, however I didn't find anything that was just right (for me).

I think I can do best with a good ebook-reader, since smartphones are too small and expensive and Tablet-PCs too expensive and oversized on functions.

My requirements:
- Should be able to read ebooks of <whatever-proprietary-format-the-device-has> and PDFs
- I'd also like to make notes and write/edit simple texts (a featureless txt-editor will do) & transfer them to my computer later
- Ability to be used offline without permanent online connection
- Ability to get fueled via USB or SD-card (or similar)
- Ability to show picture-files or play music is optional, but not necessary
- Moderate price range (150 Euros) and available in Germany

I was thinking about an amazon Kindle, but I'm unsure about its text writing-abilities since I have found confusing information on that. However, I don't want to purchase a full-sized tablet PC just because I want to edit texts.

Any suggestions? Thank you in advance!

DonalDuck · 08-01-2011, 11:49 AM

First of all, welcome to mobile read! Take a minute and say hello in the Introduce Yourself Forum.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Torwan

I was thinking about an amazon Kindle, but I'm unsure about its text writing-abilities since I have found confusing information on that. However, I don't want to purchase a full-sized tablet PC just because I want to edit texts.

Kindle 3 has a notepad app, by 7 dragons, which in my opinion is very useful , for 0.99 dollars in US only, but here in mobile read, there is a custom notepad (https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...hlight=notepad). I'm sure if it'll work though, because it won't work on Kindle 3 with firmware older then 3.1
But you can buy other notepad apps from amazon.co.uk, for example.

And, I would suggest the kindle. There are rumors of a kindle 4 being announced soon, so maybe the best is to wait... but it's your choice!

Hope it helps and enjoy mobile read,

DD

Torwan · 08-02-2011, 04:08 AM

Thanks, I just made my introduction

Well, all of this speaks for the Kindle. I think I'll definitely consider this thing. I'll check out the Notepad Apps, but as said, all I want is a simple featureless txt-editor for ideas or spontaneous observations etc.

Thanks for the info & help!

maianhvk · 08-02-2011, 05:05 AM

Kindle is not capable of ePubs and many other formats. As for reading PDFs on K3, you really should get yourself a magnifying glass too.

Torwan · 08-02-2011, 05:26 AM

Hm...any alternatives you'd suggest then?

Billi · 08-02-2011, 06:14 AM

Torwan, the Kindle3 fits your needs quite well.

Pdf-files can be a problem on every 6"/15 cm device because they are mostly prepared for displaying an A4-sized page (~ 36cm). I've read many pdf-files in landscape mode on a 6" device, it's possible, but far from perfect.
How important is reading pdf-files for you? Will you mostly read novels or text books?

Alternatives? Sony 650 and Bebook Neo but they both don't fit your price range. Or, if reading pdf-files is very important, a 9,7" device like Pocketbook 902/3 or Onyx 90/91. But they cost a lot more.

HarryT · 08-02-2011, 06:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DonalDuck

But you can buy other notepad apps from amazon.co.uk, for example.

Could you provide a link? I was under the distinct impression that "active content" was currently only available to users in the USA.

Thanks!

Torwan · 08-02-2011, 06:25 AM

Well, I guess PDF-files will make up a fair share in the beginning, but since I haven't owned anything like this before (and still buy all of my books in paper-format), I don't know how important it'll be in the long run.

I wanted to start with a few long texts I had in PDF-format and then browse through "Projekt Gutenberg" for interesting stuff. That's all I have so far.
As long as reading PDF-files is "OK", it'll do. I don't need "perfect" (in case of "perfect" I'll have to use my notebook).

Billi · 08-02-2011, 06:55 AM

Besides browsing through Projekt Gutenberg you can look for free classics here at MobileRead. Many are in English, but we also have quite a lot German books (here: https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/Free_eBooks-de/de). If they are in epub it's no problem to convert them to mobi.

With pdf-files: best is trying in practise, playing around with the devices. And if it is really impossible to read the texts you have, you can still use your "Rückgaberecht".

Torwan · 08-02-2011, 06:59 AM

Thanks for the advice and the second place to look! (English content won't be a problem as I read a lot in English already)

I hope that with conversion software, I can transform all PDFs I have into something that I can read.

thomass · 08-02-2011, 07:07 AM

to display pdf properly, there are some apps: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=184

jbcohen · 08-02-2011, 07:32 AM

I will beg to differ with the crowd on this issue even though I own a Kindle myself. Torwad said that he wanted something to read any proprietary format that he came across and the Pocket Book lite happends to specialize in reading absolutely anything you come across. Trouble is that it does nto do the note taking function.

DonalDuck · 08-02-2011, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Could you provide a link? I was under the distinct impression that "active content" was currently only available to users in the USA.

Thanks!

Have a look at http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_...otepad&x=0&y=0

Hope it helps,
DD

HarryT · 08-02-2011, 09:13 AM

Thanks - that's great!

Torwan · 08-02-2011, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbcohen

I will beg to differ with the crowd on this issue even though I own a Kindle myself. Torwad said that he wanted something to read any proprietary format that he came across and the Pocket Book lite happends to specialize in reading absolutely anything you come across. Trouble is that it does nto do the note taking function.

Actually I meant that I'd be OK with the proprietary format that the device comes with PLUS some others like PDF or TXT.

Pocket Book lite would have been an option if it had the note-taking function, yes. But without it, no.

Still, thanks for the input.

08-01-2011, 11:31 AM	#1
Torwan Zealot Posts: 115 Karma: 1063860 Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Germany Device: Kindle3 (3G)	Another newbie looking for purchasing advice Hello everyone. After ignoring the "mobile world" for a long time, I have recently started to think about purchasing a mobile device and getting into things. I browsed through Tablet-PCs, smartphones and ebook-readers and found a rather useful use-case for me, however I didn't find anything that was just right (for me). I think I can do best with a good ebook-reader, since smartphones are too small and expensive and Tablet-PCs too expensive and oversized on functions. My requirements: - Should be able to read ebooks of <whatever-proprietary-format-the-device-has> and PDFs - I'd also like to make notes and write/edit simple texts (a featureless txt-editor will do) & transfer them to my computer later - Ability to be used offline without permanent online connection - Ability to get fueled via USB or SD-card (or similar) - Ability to show picture-files or play music is optional, but not necessary - Moderate price range (150 Euros) and available in Germany I was thinking about an amazon Kindle, but I'm unsure about its text writing-abilities since I have found confusing information on that. However, I don't want to purchase a full-sized tablet PC just because I want to edit texts. Any suggestions? Thank you in advance!

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08-02-2011, 04:08 AM	#3
Torwan Zealot Posts: 115 Karma: 1063860 Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Germany Device: Kindle3 (3G)	Thanks, I just made my introduction Well, all of this speaks for the Kindle. I think I'll definitely consider this thing. I'll check out the Notepad Apps, but as said, all I want is a simple featureless txt-editor for ideas or spontaneous observations etc. Thanks for the info & help!

08-02-2011, 05:05 AM	#4
maianhvk whimsical Posts: 2,779 Karma: 88193939 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: in darkness Device: current: PPW 4. brick: K3 & Voyage.	Kindle is not capable of ePubs and many other formats. As for reading PDFs on K3, you really should get yourself a magnifying glass too.

08-02-2011, 05:26 AM	#5
Torwan Zealot Posts: 115 Karma: 1063860 Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Germany Device: Kindle3 (3G)	Hm...any alternatives you'd suggest then?

08-02-2011, 06:14 AM	#6
Billi Wizard Posts: 3,388 Karma: 14190103 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Berlin Device: Cybook, iRex, PB, Onyx	Torwan, the Kindle3 fits your needs quite well. Pdf-files can be a problem on every 6"/15 cm device because they are mostly prepared for displaying an A4-sized page (~ 36cm). I've read many pdf-files in landscape mode on a 6" device, it's possible, but far from perfect. How important is reading pdf-files for you? Will you mostly read novels or text books? Alternatives? Sony 650 and Bebook Neo but they both don't fit your price range. Or, if reading pdf-files is very important, a 9,7" device like Pocketbook 902/3 or Onyx 90/91. But they cost a lot more.

08-02-2011, 06:25 AM	#8
Torwan Zealot Posts: 115 Karma: 1063860 Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Germany Device: Kindle3 (3G)	Well, I guess PDF-files will make up a fair share in the beginning, but since I haven't owned anything like this before (and still buy all of my books in paper-format), I don't know how important it'll be in the long run. I wanted to start with a few long texts I had in PDF-format and then browse through "Projekt Gutenberg" for interesting stuff. That's all I have so far. As long as reading PDF-files is "OK", it'll do. I don't need "perfect" (in case of "perfect" I'll have to use my notebook).

08-02-2011, 06:55 AM	#9
Billi Wizard Posts: 3,388 Karma: 14190103 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Berlin Device: Cybook, iRex, PB, Onyx	Besides browsing through Projekt Gutenberg you can look for free classics here at MobileRead. Many are in English, but we also have quite a lot German books (here: https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/Free_eBooks-de/de). If they are in epub it's no problem to convert them to mobi. With pdf-files: best is trying in practise, playing around with the devices. And if it is really impossible to read the texts you have, you can still use your "Rückgaberecht".

08-02-2011, 06:59 AM	#10
Torwan Zealot Posts: 115 Karma: 1063860 Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Germany Device: Kindle3 (3G)	Thanks for the advice and the second place to look! (English content won't be a problem as I read a lot in English already) I hope that with conversion software, I can transform all PDFs I have into something that I can read.

08-02-2011, 07:07 AM	#11
thomass Wizard Posts: 1,669 Karma: 2300001 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Türkiye Device: Kindle 5.3.7	to display pdf properly, there are some apps: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=184

08-02-2011, 07:32 AM	#12
jbcohen Wizard Posts: 3,032 Karma: 11196738 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Where am I? Device: Kindle Paperwhite Signature edition and a Samsung S24 Ultra	I will beg to differ with the crowd on this issue even though I own a Kindle myself. Torwad said that he wanted something to read any proprietary format that he came across and the Pocket Book lite happends to specialize in reading absolutely anything you come across. Trouble is that it does nto do the note taking function.

08-02-2011, 09:13 AM	#14
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Thanks - that's great!