Best reader for PDF files - DXG vs. PB 902/903 vs. Onyx M90

[Thierry.C]

Originally Posted by kovan

... deal in the best way with technical and academic pdf files.

Hi Kovan,

I have to take the same decision.
I think the first criterion you should now determine is whether or not you need a screen with a digitizer (PB903, M90). I.e., if you are willing to pay the extra cost for having that feature.
Indeed, as I understood, except the cost there are no drawback with those particular touchscreens (e.g., no additional reflexion).

• If you do not need it, then I would suggest the PB902, even if the M91S may enter into consideration, too.
• If you need the digitizer but not for taking notes, then I would suggest the PB903.
• If you need the digitizer also for taking notes, then you are in the same situation as I am: no device seems satisfactory at the moment.

If you are not in a hurry, I would advise you to wait and see, in particular in the last situation. Onyx Boox is going to release the M92, which should solve some hardware-related pitfalls of the M90. PocketBook may finally deliver an adequate note-taking feature for the PB903.
Sony and Amazon are also going to release new e-readers, even if I've little hope that they will propose all the features I wish.

Finally, you may want to consider the Thinkpad Tablet which will have a digitizer (unlike other tablets). Of course, it's a tablet, with its drawbacks (LCD, autonomy, weight), but it may be the best alternative in the world of tablets.
You can see here that tablets seem to be prefered by scientific academicians.

Good luck with your decision,
Thierry

[Thierry.C]

Originally Posted by charmian

I've heard mixed reviews of the notetaking software for PDFs on e-ink readers. On the other hand, I've heard a lot of positive things about iPad's PDF handling.

Be careful with that underlying assumption that touchscreens imply capability of note-taking with a stylus. None of the current 10" tablets offer a digitizer. They have capacitive touchscreens, which do not allow precise note-taking. The Thinkpad Tablet will be the first one (10") that will implement a Wacom digitizer.
Anyway, if you decide a tablet will do the job better than an e-reader, then I'll advise not to choose the (current) iPad. You'll be better served with some of the competitors, in particular regarding the outputs (USB, SDcard, etc.).

Originally Posted by kovan

Onyx have got one huge advantage in this field: most publishers, here in Poland, sell and use drm-protected .pdf files and M90 can open them.
I also heard, that M90 has got option to read files (I mean using voice synthesizer, not just recognizing and opening them ).

As Billi said, PB90x have both of these features (text-to-speech and open DRM-protected PDF). Furthermore, I read a few times that the text-to-speech is (far) more natural on PB903 than on M90 (at least for English and German).

[kovan]

Thank you guys for the answers! Now I'm hesitating between PB 902 and M90. I'd probably have to visit a store and compare the screens (well, if PB had a pearl screen...). Photos and youtube videos are not sufficient for me in this aspect...

Originally Posted by Thierry.C

If you are not in a hurry, I would advise you to wait and see, in particular in the last situation. Onyx Boox is going to release the M92, which should solve some hardware-related pitfalls of the M90. PocketBook may finally deliver an adequate note-taking feature for the PB903.
Sony and Amazon are also going to release new e-readers, even if I've little hope that they will propose all the features I wish.

...but anyway, that's what I'll probably do. Even if M92 wouldn't be better, at least M90 price should become lower

[reprep]

Don't buy M90, they will probably be discontinued. So no more firmware updates or support.

[joenunya]

Be sure to consider the UI and how the reader works in relation to how you study and read. Reading for recreation is so very different than study. I've tried several readers from the DXG to the iPad and none of them really are geared to being a research or learning tool for serious complicated reading and research. Limits on annotations, clips, printing (like any of them let you print a page range or highlight) and a few other things like cross references and last working with multiple pages or documents at the same time.

It's just the software is not mature enough for this. In fact to my experience the software is not that much evolved from the early Kindle and Sony's or even the iRex. A few bells and whistles have been added as well as a couple pretty ribbons but mostly that is all lipstick on a pig...its just plain wrong and it only pisses the pig off.

For me the only thing that works well is to buy an old used tablet PC with an active digitizer for $400-$500 and dedicate it as my research tool. Run whatever OS you want and work away with easy document access, you can use note or research management tools like OneNote or Evernote plus any other programs you prefer including a full version of Adobe Reader. You might need to buy an extra battery and you generally lose outdoor reading but it's a lot less overhead if you work the way I happen to and want to eliminate paper based notes as much as possible.

It might be several years yet before we see and true study tools in the tablet or ereader market. Well, the Win8 tablets might be instantly at the head of the class just because of the existing apps out there. Android will catch up but it's going to take time and a few generations of the hardware. I do not believe dedicated ereaders will make the grade in the long term. Today's world is not geared to black & white for our learning. It's a shame but I don't think any ereaders are ready for study without serious compromises

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by joenunya

Be sure to consider the UI and how the reader works in relation to how you study and read. Reading for recreation is so very different than study. I've tried several readers from the DXG to the iPad and none of them really are geared to being a research or learning tool for serious complicated reading and research. Limits on annotations, clips, printing (like any of them let you print a page range or highlight) and a few other things like cross references and last working with multiple pages or documents at the same time.

The best reader for this that I came across was the now-defunct iRex DR1000. It had a tabbed interface which allowed you to open multiple documents and flip between them with a click of the button or a tap of the stylus - truly excellent for working with multiple documents, as is so often necessary for study or research purposes.

The best "single document" PDF experience on a mobile device is, I think, Goodreader on the iPad. It's a superb PDF reader which has outstanding annotation capabilities.

[Billi]

Originally Posted by HarryT

The best reader for this that I came across was the now-defunct iRex DR1000. It had a tabbed interface which allowed you to open multiple documents and flip between them with a click of the button or a tap of the stylus - truly excellent for working with multiple documents, as is so often necessary for study or research purposes.

Yes, this is a very fine and useful feature. The Pocketbook 902/3 offers something similar. You can change between the last ten books you've opened. It's not that fast and convenient as with the DR1000 but faster than going back and forth between different books via the library (especially when the books don't sit in the same folder).

[joenunya]

Originally Posted by HarryT

The best reader for this that I came across was the now-defunct iRex DR1000. It had a tabbed interface which allowed you to open multiple documents and flip between them with a click of the button or a tap of the stylus - truly excellent for working with multiple documents, as is so often necessary for study or research purposes.

The best "single document" PDF experience on a mobile device is, I think, Goodreader on the iPad. It's a superb PDF reader which has outstanding annotation capabilities.

Good to know Harry. I never used the iRex 1000 but read few if any negative comments about it's PDF handling. In fact I think it's why I expected more out of readers today when i started shopping for a large reader again. A true shame they had problems with their business model and money. Have you read anything about other companies contracting for the iRex software? I believe that part of the company is still in business, right?

I understand about Goodreader and the iPad but for me it's a no-go due to the capacitive touch screen. I really need active or I'll end up using 3-5 reading devices all the time. Thinking about it that wouldn't be awful, ever notice in Star Trek those guys lug around an arm full or are sitting at a table full of PADDs. Man, does than mean we still won't have advanced tablets by the 24th century?

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by joenunya

Good to know Harry. I never used the iRex 1000 but read few if any negative comments about it's PDF handling. In fact I think it's why I expected more out of readers today when i started shopping for a large reader again. A true shame they had problems with their business model and money. Have you read anything about other companies contracting for the iRex software? I believe that part of the company is still in business, right?

I don't know, I'm afraid. I know that they went bust, and a new company was started up with the same staff, but I don't know who now owns the rights to the DR's firmware. Perhaps someone on the iRex forum might be able to answer that.

I understand about Goodreader and the iPad but for me it's a no-go due to the capacitive touch screen. I really need active or I'll end up using 3-5 reading devices all the time.

I'm afraid I don't understand what you mean by "active" - can you elaborate? Do you mean something like the Wacom touch screen that the iRex has?

[ssdb]

Originally Posted by ssdb

I'll try to keep a record of it, starting from when I next charge it up which will probably be tomorrow.

I've been reading roughly 2 hours per night since the 20th (with occasional sudoku and Scribbles) and last night noticed I was down to 1 bar on the battery scale, so I charged it up. Could have possibly held off for another day or 2.

The firmware upgrade seems to have fixed whatever problem was running down the battery, but the scale does seem to jump about. I was watching it last night and I'm sure it went down straight away and then went back up again. Has anyone else noticed, or am I imagining it?

Anyway, I'll keep a track and post when I need to do so again.