Is being able to read on a desktop machine important to you? - Page 2

JSWolf · 11-21-2007, 09:31 AM

But without the ability to display the book on your Computer screen, you could not read it enough to get the format.

HarryT · 11-21-2007, 09:35 AM

That's being "picky", Jon

. When I load a Mobi file into the Mobi desktop reader it's just to briefly glance through it to make sure that it looks OK, that all the links are present in the TOC, etc. I don't sit down and read the book. When I read for pleasure, it's always on my iLiad or Gen3.

slayda · 11-21-2007, 09:45 AM

Yes I would prefer to read on my reader but there are times when I can be at a computer but don't have my reader so I do read on a PC. Therefore being able to read on a PC is important to me.

But the main thing here to me is being able to backup & store my books on a PC and/or change the format type as I desire.

AnemicOak · 11-21-2007, 10:18 AM

It's not really important to me, but it's a nice backup option. I drained my Reader the other day to the point of a low battery warning & couldn't continue reading. Since I was at home at the time it was nice to be able to fire up the Connect software & continue reading while the Reader charged via USB.

HarryT · 11-21-2007, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

It's not really important to me, but it's a nice backup option. I drained my Reader the other day to the point of a low battery warning & couldn't continue reading. Since I was at home at the time it was nice to be able to fire up the Connect software & continue reading while the Reader charged via USB.

Go to your local video game store, and buy a wall charger for a PlayStation Portable - it'll probably cost you under $10. Use that to charge your Reader (it works fine - the PSP and the Reader have the same charger spec) and you'll be able to carry on reading while it charges

.

AnemicOak · 11-21-2007, 10:33 AM

Yeah, I know. I actually own a PSP, but couldn't find the charger when I needed it.

astra · 11-22-2007, 06:19 AM

I voted for option 2 - I'm only interested in being able to read on a hand-held device.

Yes, I do need software to see a book on my PC but only because I have to prepare the book myself. If it were a book from connect store, I would not need the software.

As for Kindle issue. the current situation would not bother me. I would not be able to see Amazon's books on my PC which is fine, I don't need to edit them I only want to read them, at the same time I would be able to see any self-made books on Mobipocket PC software.

HarryT · 11-22-2007, 07:16 AM

Same here, AL. That's exactly the same position I'm in.

tompe · 11-22-2007, 10:23 AM

You might not want to edit the book you bought from Amazon but I would definitely want to be able to search the book on my PC and to be able to cut out selected passages and use them for other things.

astra · 11-23-2007, 04:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tompe

You might not want to edit the book you bought from Amazon but I would definitely want to be able to search the book on my PC and to be able to cut out selected passages and use them for other things.

Frankly speaking I never thought about it (the search feature).

Alisa · 11-23-2007, 04:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tompe

You might not want to edit the book you bought from Amazon but I would definitely want to be able to search the book on my PC and to be able to cut out selected passages and use them for other things.

That's one of the big reasons I went for the Kindle. The search function is a huge deal to me. Annotating and excerpting is less a big deal to me now than it was when I was in school but it's a good thing to have.

JerryEF · 11-23-2007, 11:12 AM

I'm only interested in being able to read on a hand-held device.

I have been using a Dell Axim as my eReading device since Gemstar announced their departure from the ebook business. I have logged well over a hundred fictions books and a few dozen non-fictions. I received my Kindle early this week and, generally, love it. The screen size is nice. Readability under decent light conditions is a delight. It appears that battery life will be a major bonus (at least for me. I have to carry spare Axim batteries on long airplane flights.) Location of the paging controls is a bit of a pain, but I can adapt.

Reading under low light conditions is still an issue. I have developed a habit of reading in bed each night. The PDA backlight "light pollution" has never been an issue for my wife. She is not happy with the book light that I must now use with the ePaper. Who will have to adapt has not yet been determined.

Ease of purchasing and installing new titles is a breakthrough in the ebook world. While (being a geek myself) the old methods of downloading and transferring has never been an issue, I can see (looking at my family and friends) that it was not going to fly for the general public.

My dilemma is that I have found myself more tethered to my Axim that I initially realized. I use it on a daily basis for doing sudoku and crosswords puzzles. I play Gransmaster chess and occasionally hearts and spades on it when traveling. When overseas, I find foreign language dictionaries / translator software to be real handy. The latest "hot app" to appear on my PDA is SlingBox. While away from home, (access to wifi needed) I have full access to my home cable TV, local news, CNBC, 24... more of a benefit when overseas. While I have been successful in migrating the Contacts and Calendar syncing to my WM compatible cell phone, all these other apps that have crept onto my Axim life have become 'irreplaceable'. I have no expectations that any of these will appear any time soon on my Kindle.

So now the Kindle comes along and I have not been able to get rid of anything. Fortunatly, all the toys can be charged using the USB port and a single USB based charger. Not as fast as the dedicated chargers, but fewer chargers to carry.

hidari · 11-23-2007, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Same here, AL. That's exactly the same position I'm in.

As for me I prefer a mobile device but occasionally I like to reread bits of a book on my Notebook in the morning with a cup of JOE.

gregr209 · 11-23-2007, 12:44 PM

There should be a third choice for sometimes I wish I could read a book on my desktop. It isn't something I want to do all the time but now and then I wouldn't mind.

Just my 2 cents.

Greg

sirmaru · 11-23-2007, 02:10 PM

It is simply amazing that in a MOBILE READER Forum there are still over 30% of users who still want to use their PC screen for reading books.

I've examined Kindle, Cybook Gen3 and the Irex products. I am convinced that NOTHING beats Microsoft Reader and a 24" HD Monitor for reading books. Zinio Reader beats all others for magazines. Internet Explorer is best for newspapers.

Especially with magazines all the colorful pages with ads and internet links all stand out with Zinio. None of the Eprint readers have color yet.

With books Microsoft Reader beats all. It provides a dictionary and one can do other tasks while reading books in very clear fonts. I usually multitask while reading books. I may read magazines IN COLOR simultaneously and newspapers as well in FULL PAGE spreads in color as well.

At the most I would use an Eprint reader if it was POCKETABLE as a SUPPLEMENTARY reader. None fulfull this requirement yet. It would require touch screens with all controls available within the screen as the Garmin Nuvi 750 GPS does NOW with a full QWERTY keyboard. The reader would have to match the measurements (My Garmin Nuvi 750 is 4 3/4" x 2 7/8" x 5/8") of that GPS. None do at the moment.

It is highly probable that both Microsoft and Apple are now working on Eprint readers as well. I will see if any come out pocketable and with full color.

View Poll Results: How important is being able to read on the desktop?
Reading books on the desktop machine is important for me.	37	27.82%
I'm only interested in being able to read on a hand-held device.	96	72.18%
Voters: 133. You may not vote on this poll

11-23-2007, 02:10 PM	#30
sirmaru Wizard Posts: 2,426 Karma: 6561538 Join Date: Nov 2007 Device: Kindle PW 2013, HDX 2013, Galaxy S5 2014	Amazing results It is simply amazing that in a MOBILE READER Forum there are still over 30% of users who still want to use their PC screen for reading books. I've examined Kindle, Cybook Gen3 and the Irex products. I am convinced that NOTHING beats Microsoft Reader and a 24" HD Monitor for reading books. Zinio Reader beats all others for magazines. Internet Explorer is best for newspapers. Especially with magazines all the colorful pages with ads and internet links all stand out with Zinio. None of the Eprint readers have color yet. With books Microsoft Reader beats all. It provides a dictionary and one can do other tasks while reading books in very clear fonts. I usually multitask while reading books. I may read magazines IN COLOR simultaneously and newspapers as well in FULL PAGE spreads in color as well. At the most I would use an Eprint reader if it was POCKETABLE as a SUPPLEMENTARY reader. None fulfull this requirement yet. It would require touch screens with all controls available within the screen as the Garmin Nuvi 750 GPS does NOW with a full QWERTY keyboard. The reader would have to match the measurements (My Garmin Nuvi 750 is 4 3/4" x 2 7/8" x 5/8") of that GPS. None do at the moment. It is highly probable that both Microsoft and Apple are now working on Eprint readers as well. I will see if any come out pocketable and with full color. Last edited by sirmaru; 11-23-2007 at 02:13 PM.

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11-21-2007, 09:31 AM	#16
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 78,935 Karma: 144284074 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	But without the ability to display the book on your Computer screen, you could not read it enough to get the format.

11-21-2007, 09:35 AM	#17
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	That's being "picky", Jon . When I load a Mobi file into the Mobi desktop reader it's just to briefly glance through it to make sure that it looks OK, that all the links are present in the TOC, etc. I don't sit down and read the book. When I read for pleasure, it's always on my iLiad or Gen3.

11-21-2007, 09:45 AM	#18
slayda Retired & reading more! Posts: 2,764 Karma: 1884247 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: North Alabama, USA Device: Kindle 1, iPad Air 2, iPhone 6S+, Kobo Aura One	Yes I would prefer to read on my reader but there are times when I can be at a computer but don't have my reader so I do read on a PC. Therefore being able to read on a PC is important to me. But the main thing here to me is being able to backup & store my books on a PC and/or change the format type as I desire.

11-21-2007, 10:18 AM	#19
AnemicOak Bookaholic Posts: 14,391 Karma: 54969924 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Minnesota Device: iPad Mini 4, AuraHD, iPhone XR +	It's not really important to me, but it's a nice backup option. I drained my Reader the other day to the point of a low battery warning & couldn't continue reading. Since I was at home at the time it was nice to be able to fire up the Connect software & continue reading while the Reader charged via USB.

11-21-2007, 10:33 AM	#21
AnemicOak Bookaholic Posts: 14,391 Karma: 54969924 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Minnesota Device: iPad Mini 4, AuraHD, iPhone XR +	Yeah, I know. I actually own a PSP, but couldn't find the charger when I needed it.

11-22-2007, 06:19 AM	#22
astra The Introvert Posts: 8,307 Karma: 1000077497 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: United Kingdom Device: Sony Reader PRS-650 & 505 & 500	I voted for option 2 - I'm only interested in being able to read on a hand-held device. Yes, I do need software to see a book on my PC but only because I have to prepare the book myself. If it were a book from connect store, I would not need the software. As for Kindle issue. the current situation would not bother me. I would not be able to see Amazon's books on my PC which is fine, I don't need to edit them I only want to read them, at the same time I would be able to see any self-made books on Mobipocket PC software.

11-22-2007, 07:16 AM	#23
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Same here, AL. That's exactly the same position I'm in.

11-22-2007, 10:23 AM	#24
tompe Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,452 Karma: 7185064 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Linköpng, Sweden Device: Kindle Voyage, Nexus 5, Kindle PW	You might not want to edit the book you bought from Amazon but I would definitely want to be able to search the book on my PC and to be able to cut out selected passages and use them for other things.

11-23-2007, 11:12 AM	#27
JerryEF Senior Member Posts: 10 Karma: 50 Join Date: Nov 2007 Device: DellX51v / Amazon Kindle	I'm only interested in being able to read on a hand-held device. I have been using a Dell Axim as my eReading device since Gemstar announced their departure from the ebook business. I have logged well over a hundred fictions books and a few dozen non-fictions. I received my Kindle early this week and, generally, love it. The screen size is nice. Readability under decent light conditions is a delight. It appears that battery life will be a major bonus (at least for me. I have to carry spare Axim batteries on long airplane flights.) Location of the paging controls is a bit of a pain, but I can adapt. Reading under low light conditions is still an issue. I have developed a habit of reading in bed each night. The PDA backlight "light pollution" has never been an issue for my wife. She is not happy with the book light that I must now use with the ePaper. Who will have to adapt has not yet been determined. Ease of purchasing and installing new titles is a breakthrough in the ebook world. While (being a geek myself) the old methods of downloading and transferring has never been an issue, I can see (looking at my family and friends) that it was not going to fly for the general public. My dilemma is that I have found myself more tethered to my Axim that I initially realized. I use it on a daily basis for doing sudoku and crosswords puzzles. I play Gransmaster chess and occasionally hearts and spades on it when traveling. When overseas, I find foreign language dictionaries / translator software to be real handy. The latest "hot app" to appear on my PDA is SlingBox. While away from home, (access to wifi needed) I have full access to my home cable TV, local news, CNBC, 24... more of a benefit when overseas. While I have been successful in migrating the Contacts and Calendar syncing to my WM compatible cell phone, all these other apps that have crept onto my Axim life have become 'irreplaceable'. I have no expectations that any of these will appear any time soon on my Kindle. So now the Kindle comes along and I have not been able to get rid of anything. Fortunatly, all the toys can be charged using the USB port and a single USB based charger. Not as fast as the dedicated chargers, but fewer chargers to carry.

11-23-2007, 12:44 PM	#29
gregr209 Enthusiast Posts: 49 Karma: 29 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Tracy, CA Device: Sony Reader 505 / Kindle	There should be a third choice for sometimes I wish I could read a book on my desktop. It isn't something I want to do all the time but now and then I wouldn't mind. Just my 2 cents. Greg

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