Annotate Like Paper (With Stylus)

[MartinDu]

My name is Marty Duggan. I'm a Medical Student, who is dating a Psychology Grad Student. I would like to get her an E-Reader for Christmas. This is my first Legit (non-intro) post. I want this device to be as close to paper as possible in every conceivable way. I know that was the ultimate goal at the start... But things have seemingly gone awry. I have not been able to find any similar threads yet. Maybe I'm the only one thinking like this? But I will list my priorities in an E-Reader device in order of importance.

#1) By FAR the most important feature, and the one for which I'd sacrifice on any of the other features.... IS: THE ABILITY TO HIGHLIGHT AND TAKE NOTES WITH A STYLUS OR WHATEVER ON THE ACTUAL SCREEN, SOMETHING SO THAT I CAN HIGHLIGHT/WRITE NOTES ON IT LIKE I CAN ON PAPER. Call me old-school, but using a key pad and scrolling around on the page (ala the kindle), just doesn't get it done. Like I said, think "paper." OBVIUOSLY, THIS FEATURE IS USELESS IF I CANNOT GO BACK AND LOOK AT WHAT I'VE HIGHLIGHTED OR JOT DOWN...
--Okay, I'm a realist, so I acknowledge that paper is paper and an ereader is an ereader, and that the ability to jot notes directly onto the screen with a "pencil-like or highlighter-like device" will probably never be equal between the two mediums... However, I just can't bring myself to buy one of these devices until I can drag a physical, highlighter/pencil-like thing across the screen... Obviously I don't expect this feature to be perfect (slight delay as I write or more expensive or something like this), but it's just gotta be there before this purchase makes sense to a couple of students.


#2) I want to be able to (somehow, someway... legal or illegal--> preferably legal) put PDF files onto my device AND THEN BE ABLE TO ANNOTATE/HIGHLIGHT THEM WITH A STYLUS/HIGHLIGHTER/PENICIL-LIKE thing.

#3) I want it to look like paper! From what I've found, the Amazon devices and devices with that "pearl" display which use that E-Ink technology are the best as far as display goes.

#4) Price. Inexpensive as possible. Granted, this is a Christmas gift for my Gf AND... this isn't jewelry so I have to spend a decent amount to get her attention... However, we're both students... And I'd much rather have a cheap unit for which I can then purchase accessories (buy her the thing and then put her favorite book on it and put some stuff on it that is similar to the stuff she'll want to use it for at school).

#5) Portability. IT HAS TO BE AN E-READER... Please don't tell me to just buy her a "Netbook" or "Tablet" or something... There just not something she and I would use.

#6) Please don't tell me to buy the IPAD... Well... Okay, tell me to buy it if there's really nothing else that can do this... Haha, I don't even know if the IPAD can support a stylus and highlighting/annotating the way I want it to do so.

Does anybody else agree with me? Isn't it insane that the original goal of making it "like using paper" has just passed over the important (maybe #1) pro of reading something in paper---> Namely, YOU CAN WRITE/HIGHLIGHT ON PAPER!!!!

If there aren't any such devices available... Are there any plans to make such an E-reader available?

There's gotta be a lot of people thinking exactly the way I am.

I've noticed that there are some Samsung or Sony models that sort of meet my first criterion. However, I've read that they don't really allow you to have your notes stay on the page, or that the time from as you write to see it on screen is long... etc. I don't know, is there something more obscure out there that does just what I need? Meets my Criteria?

[MartinDu]

After doing some research on converting from PDF to other filetypes I am not so worried about #2. It seems that as long as I can annotate/write on some filetypes, I will be able to convert my PDFs (even the graph, figure heavy ones) into those file types and write on the new converted versions.

[sun surfer]

Welcome MartinDu! I like the clear and precise way you presented your needs!

I would recommend looking into the Sony readers and also the Bebook Neo. They both have "styli" and are both great e-readers for that sort of thing.

The Sonys have the new Pearl screens, but I've heard the Bebook Neo is also very good.

Overall, my first impression would be to recommend you the Sony 950, but for the specifics you ask for, I'm honestly not sure which of Sony or Bebook is better at it. And there may be other readers with styli that are good too.

Good luck!

[Dulin's Books]

see the other thread

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=111480

[sun surfer]

Why are there two duplicate threads in two different places?

Dulin's, regarding your post in the other thread, the Onyx Boox is basically exactly the same as the Bebook Neo, no? Just clarifying it for the original poster.

[Dulin's Books]

yes Neo IS the Onyx Boox branded for Bebook. There are some minor differences in firmware but its interchangeable among the clones for the most part. booxusers.com is a great resource for that.

so the Bebook forum is also a good reference

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=217

[HardBall]

You might also want to look into this:

http://www.entourageedge.com/

The price is pretty high for your purpose, but worth a look.

[montsnmags]

Originally Posted by Dulin's Books

see the other thread

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=111480

Moderator Notice
Thread closed. Please see other thread as per the above.

Cheers,
Marc
Moderator