Cheap reader for pdfs, epub, googlebooks: PRS-T1?

[CedroRosso]

Hmmmm. Well it seems that most of the pdfs I'm dealing with are untagged. On the up side, if they were created in or after 2010, they usually are tagged. Going to have to think carefully—the question at this point is ereader, or no ereader, because I'm not seeing any alternatives.

[Josieb1]

I read basic text PDFs created by fan fiction writers and they reflow perfectly fine on the Sony PRS 650.

With my Kindle I had to use Calibre to convert them to a mobi file, and while most of the time that was okay sometimes the conversion was bad so thats why I have now moved back to a Sony to read my PDFs

[Josieb1]

Here are some pictures I have taken on an Untagged PDF to show how it looks on the Sony PRS 650 at Large font size. The 'reflow' that the Sony does is making the 2 and a bit lines of the PDF 6 lines on the Sony. The Medium font size is readable but its a bit small for me. At Small font size it shows the entire page of the PDF on the screen.

[Elfwreck]

Originally Posted by Zetmolm

If a PDF is not tagged, you cannot tag it after the fact unless you have the source file(s).

I don't know about academic sources, but PDFs I've seen from other legit sources are often untagged.

Acrobat Pro will add tags to PDFs. (Not that everyone has access to Acrobat Pro.) And its tagging is automatic and doesn't always pick the right order for complicated things like tables or multiple columns on a page. (Two columns tends to be fine; it's "three columns with inset callout text" like magazines that have problems.)

The tagging can be editing, but that's a nightmare; there are few more annoyingly complicated doc formatting tasks. (I say this as someone who likes text zoning in Finereader and enjoys OCR correction work.)

Many academic texts aren't tagged (they're often made in InDesign with intent to print; tagging is irrelevant for that and the editors often don't even know it exists); a lot of indie publisher texts aren't tagged. Adding tags to these might not work well; it depends on the program used to create the PDF. Books released with double-spaced text tend to get tagged as paragraph-per-line by Acrobat.

[CedroRosso]

Ah I don't have Acrobat Personally but maybe I could access it through school, though I think another user said that tags cannot be added unless one has the source file? Almost none of my readings have columns, so that isn't too much of an issue. In any case, those pictures of an untagged PDF on a 650 don't look too shabby... but arent they reflowed? I thought PDFs had to be tagged to reflow? Becoming... confused again.

[gsquared]

You could, of course, avoid the reflow problem by converting the pdf files to epub or whatever using Calibre. Especially if they are mostly text.

[mrmls]

Originally Posted by CedroRosso

but arent they reflowed? I thought PDFs had to be tagged to reflow? Becoming... confused again.

I think it is possible to re-flow most of PDFs, even untagged. It is just that tagged PDFs re-flow better. Only those PDFs that are scanned pictures cannot be re-flowed.

If your PDFs are 1 column then you wouldn't have much trouble reading them. The worst I have encountered that they split words between the lines, it is like it does not know that it is one word..

Sony's readers are the best with PDFs, they are not perfect, because PDFs are not designed to be re-flowed, but they are the best.

[mrmls]

and of course, if you have a chance to get PRS 950 on clearance, get it! With cropped white margins and landscape mode it is perfect device for PDFs.

[gsquared]

Or you could optimize your pdfs for your ereader screen size using this: http://www.willus.com/k2pdfopt/

[CedroRosso]

I somehow doubt I'm going to find a 950 for $150...

Thanks for clearing up the tagged/untagged thing—and yes suppose I could convert to epub but I'd rather as few steps as possible. I think I'm going to simply check out how the T1 works with a representative tagged and untagged pdf before I buy.

[CedroRosso]

Got one, works great, even without reflow the pinch zoom and the ability to seamlessly drag the text around (it only blinks once you have it in your position of choice) makes reading pdfs pretty damn easy, especially since it saves the zooms/centering settings when you turn the page.

[Hubearth]

Most of my readings are pdf files, but I'd like to write comments and underline text. Can you do that with the PRS-T1?

Also, can you transfert them back to you computer with the comments?

[denewf]

Low cost e-reader. I've looked at several, bought one, took it back. Much too small for these old eyes. I do a lot of downloaded reading and have been using an old Toshiba laptop. Yes it is awkward and heavy for this purpose but it has worked. As best as I can determine I require a minimum of a 10" screen and as another poster stated "under a $150.00". I think I'll be waiting quite a while unless someone knows of something that may be in the pipes. Perhaps a laptop with a detachable monitor?

[Rizla]

Seriously, some e-readers are okay for reading pdf that are mainly text. No problem there. But if the pdf format is complex, the experience is on the wrong side of enjoyable. Possible, do-able, but ultimately just a bit too painful.

I use a Sony 650 with the prs+ add-on. It does handle pdf's pretty well. Prs+ makes image type and complicated pdf's more accesible. But it's still difficukt, and as I understand, the Sony is about the best for handling pdf's.

If you're getting a device primarily to read either image pdf's or pdf's with very complex formatting, forget the e-reader. Tablets are getting cheaper. Obviously it's a lot less pleasent to read on LCD screens than e-inks.
Sadly, there is no ideal solution atm.

The T1 is a good move because it is Android (I think), and that means you will probably be able to install 3rd party pdf reading software, so you won't be stuck with Sony's software if it's not up to par. The Nook is also Android, but personally I'd go with Sony.

[CedroRosso]

Well, went with the T1, and pretty happy so far. @Hubearth: yea you can both highlight and underline, write hand written notes, etc. Don't think you can transfer back to computer though, but its a cool idea, I'll look into it.