Confused!!! and question about kindles and all e-readers

[twowheels]

Originally Posted by VydorScope

Well, I think Calibre can convert PDF to epub? Never tried it... wonder if that would work to fix the problem? Anyone know?

Poorly (no fault of Calibre). The PDF format was designed for explicit page layout, not for text flow. Some files have reflow hints, but most don't.

[jocampo]

Best formats to convert via Calibre (on that order)

LIT, MOBI, EPUB, FB2, HTML, PRC, RTF, PDB, TXT, PDF

PDF is the worse and last one...

[aktarian]

Originally Posted by twowheels

Poorly (no fault of Calibre). The PDF format was designed for explicit page layout, not for text flow. Some files have reflow hints, but most don't.

That's true. However my reader has troubles with leafing through .pdf files. It takes about a second to turn .pdf page so I prefer to convert them to .epub and accept certain faults to avoid it.

[fjtorres]

Sorry to say, you have two (mostly) incompatible requirements:
- $199 price cap on an eink reader
- *technical* pdf rendering
For the best experience with technical pdfs, you need an 8+ inch eink screen; a Kindle DX or Pocketbook 902, for example. But that starts at $299, barring a used KDX.
For under $199, again barring a used KDX, you won't find anything bigger than 6" and you'll likely need to go with landscape display and view a half page at a time. If you can live with that a K3 would be the cheapest way to go.
Your call.
Just understand that pdf isn't really an ebook format, but rather an electronic paper format; a digital microfiche, if you will.

[thuya1991]

Just curious, if I convert .pdf files to epub files with my converter and read them in my kindle. Does it goes well?

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by thuya1991

Just curious, if I convert .pdf files to epub files with my converter and read them in my kindle. Does it goes well?

Please see my post above.

Chances are won't look good. But Kindle 3 reads PDF documents natively so unless looks really bad, I see no reason to convert and still, the conversion can make it worse. It's a catch 22 ...

[andrys]

Originally Posted by thuya1991

Hi everyone,
I am just new to the e-reading community. I am thinking about buying below $200 e-reader with eink. Considering kindle but by reading all the threads here, I am so confused which one should I buy.

Reason to buy e-reader
- I have all of my books that I want to read in .pdf files (no need to access their stores or whatever)

My other concern is that I could be able to copy my .pdf files to the e-reader and read it without buying them again.

1. ROTATION option
The Kindle has a rotation option so you can read in Landscape mode, which makes most PDFs somewhat readable if they have special layouts, as the Landscape mode has more space and there is room to make the fonts larger and the margins are decreased as a Kindle feature for PDFs.

For layouts in word, academic documents and for PDFs that are manuals or guides, the Landscape rotation mode is the difference between whether you can even read the document on a 6" screen or not.

2. PDF SCREEN CONTRAST ADJUSTMENT
The Kindle 3 allows you to make the text darker, important because many PDFs are originally using color fonts for effect and these, and colors that are translated to B&W, can be almost too light to read -- in any case it can be very hard on the eyes.
The Nook doesn't have this feature

3. OVERALL GRAYER B&W TEXT FONT
In my viewing of a Nook Touch the other night, the fonts are too gray for my eyes, w/o the kind of screen contrast I'm used to with the Kindle 3 and DX. The crispness is missing. (I was surprised as I had not read any reaction like mine in press reviews yet, but today I was told of two (Len Edgerly and Instapaper's Marco Armont) who had noted it.

The Kindle Chronicles: nooktouch-pell
Marco.Org: Nook Touch review

However, anyone who's not used other Pearl screens probably won't notice any problem at all, and basically, the fonts are clear. Just not dark enough for me.

4. ZOOM IN - Yes, with Kindle, No, with Nook Touch
The Nook Touch can't Zoom in on an image. Illustrations cannot be zoomed.

With the Kindle, you can move the cursor to the center of the photograph, which gives you an option to click on it and zoom to full screen. On -higher- resolution images, this can be invaluable, especially for maps or diagrams.

(Edited: I should have added that Kindle PDFs have zoom-in boxes although I often find them awkward.

Please let me know if you've found some options re NookTouch PDFs that I haven't noted. Thanks.)

5. RE PDFS THAT ARE JUST BOOKS IN ONE COLUMN
Portrait mode will do fine with those, with either the Nook or the Kindle.


For my Comparison of Features between Nook Touch and the Kindle 3, you can see Features comparison: Nook Touch and Kindle 3

- Andrys

[geekable]

Hi, If you're looking for an e-reader there's a great review about the kindle 3 at http://ereadersforsale.org/category/kindle-3-review.

I know a few people that purchased the kindle 3 and are very happy with it.

Good luck
geekable

[Latinandgreek]

My suggestion is to pick up a Sony PRS-950 if you can find one. They are currently selling for $200 at Best Buy in the U.S.

[musicman2523]

you can do that. or you can use Calibre to convert them to Epub.
I have a PocketBook iq 701 tablet and love it. However if you're heavy into reading only, then I'd probably get a pocketbook 602 or 360 plus. That way you can read just about everything.

[sonyreaderfan]

Originally Posted by thuya1991

I am a computer programmer so I have all those pdf programming books. What do you guys think about pdf files graph? What's happen to all those graphs??

I bought a Sony Prs 950 Daily Edition to read the programming PDFs also. FWIW, I bought a Kindle 3 first but returned it because the prints were just too small. The 7-in screen makes a big difference. Reading is alright. The best way is that I can read it in landscape mode which preserves the formatting of codes and graphs and such. But you read documents 1/3 or 1/2 at a time. For two or three columns PDF, Sony Readers actually have a 2 or 3 column reading mode. I choose Sony after consulting the PDF features of the ereaders in these link:
https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/E-book_Reader_Matrix

Also video of pdf viewing on PRS 950 in action:
http://www.the-ebook-reader.com/prs-950-pdf-review.html

Right now Best Buy is selling PRS 950 (clearance) for $199 but it may be gone in areas near you.

After using PRS 950, I still think ideally the best way is to read it in a big format, ala iPad or Kindle DX. (But I can't stand iPads lcd screen for long viewing, and Kindle DX renders pdf useless because the links don't work -- it just makes the PDFs static.) If price is a limitation, maybe buy those (including PRS 950) used as many have suggested.

I also bought epubs from OReilly. They are actually really workable on an ereader. Far better than trying to read PDFs.

[sonyreaderfan]

Originally Posted by VydorScope

Umm I suggest you get the new Nook. It fits your requirements.

Actually the new Nook is terrible for PDF. It reflows everything so you lose structure. Also, no landscape mode.

Video of pdf limitation:
http://www.the-ebook-reader.com/nook...vs-kindle.html
Go to 5:40 min mark.

But!
There are talks about rooting the Nook 2 so it's fully Android. NookColor is already rooted. Android PDF apps are very good. If you can wait, maybe a rooted Nook 2 (who knows how it'll be) or NookColor (available now, pretty good) is the solution.

[VydorScope]

Originally Posted by sonyreaderfan

Actually the new Nook is terrible for PDF. It reflows everything so you lose structure. Also, no landscape mode.

Video of pdf limitation:
http://www.the-ebook-reader.com/nook...vs-kindle.html
Go to 5:40 min mark.

But!
There are talks about rooting the Nook 2 so it's fully Android. NookColor is already rooted. Android PDF apps are very good. If you can wait, maybe a rooted Nook 2 (who knows how it'll be) or NookColor (available now, pretty good) is the solution.

NookColor does not fit the OP's requirements, though in my opinion its the best e-reader I have seen.

I am pretty sure I saw a news blurb on twitter yesterday that said Nook Touch had been rooted.

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by sonyreaderfan

Actually the new Nook is terrible for PDF. It reflows everything so you lose structure.

Even if the PDF doesn't support reflow???

[sonyreaderfan]

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

Even if the PDF doesn't support reflow???

Then the PDF will be static. and without zoom feature or landscape, the prints will be too small see.