Will an ebook reader satisfy me ?

sebastienbillard · 10-08-2009, 10:21 AM

Hi,

The announce of the availability of the Kindle in France led me to look at ebook readers. In fact, I may have bought immediately the Kindle if web browsing and blog reading were available in my country, but it is not the case...

Here is my typical day : As I live in Lille and work in Paris, I got 2 hours of train (TGV) every day. Usually I watch videos on an archos device (604 wifi), and sometimes write/read on an EeePC 701 (the first one, with 7' display). I tend not to use the EeePC very often, as it is still too heavy and not very comfortable for reading. When I don't watch videos, I read documents.

My readings can be very graphical pdf catalogues, web pages saved as pdf, academic papers, technical references, long texts such as buddhist scriptures with strange characters du to pali/sanskrit words, or images/schemas. It may be sometimes powerpoint documents. No novels. And only free stuff, I will never buy an e-book (i do buy paper books).

Do you think an e-ink device would satisfy my needs ? Or will it be a disapointment ? Here are my pros/cons so far (don't hesitate to correct, add feedback etc.) :

Pros

- E-ink technology, good for my eyes
- Autonomy
- Light-weight
- The idea of having a ton of documents (but it is already the case with notebooks, usb keys, archos and so on)

Cons or doubts

- Pricey
- May not be suited for reading pdfs with pictures (though I don't care about colors)
- May be another not environnemental friendly electronic gadget
- Many of these device look sluggish to me (am a computer guy)
- The flickering when changing pages looks strange to me (as in computer world flickering means lack of power)
- Perhaps should I wait a kindle like free access to web and blogs ?
- How are ppt documents read ? like a pdf export ? or with animations and so on ?

So far the Bebook Mini looks the best candidate to me considering its price and features. Other candidates ?

neilmarr · 10-09-2009, 04:06 AM

Living here in France, Sebastien, I'd seriously suggest second thoughts on Kindle and that you consider the much more flexible Sony PRS-505. I'm sure the mods wouldn't mind for once if you repeated your question in a new thread -- but in French. Other French MR members may have valuable advice for you based on first-hand experience. Salut. Neil

Sweetpea · 10-09-2009, 04:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sebastienbillard

Hi,

The announce of the availability of the Kindle in France led me to look at ebook readers. In fact, I may have bought immediately the Kindle if web browsing and blog reading were available in my country, but it is not the case...

Here is my typical day : As I live in Lille and work in Paris, I got 2 hours of train (TGV) every day. Usually I watch videos on an archos device (604 wifi), and sometimes write/read on an EeePC 701 (the first one, with 7' display). I tend not to use the EeePC very often, as it is still too heavy and not very comfortable for reading. When I don't watch videos, I read documents.

My readings can be very graphical pdf catalogues, web pages saved as pdf, academic papers, technical references, long texts such as buddhist scriptures with strange characters du to pali/sanskrit words, or images/schemas. It may be sometimes powerpoint documents. No novels. And only free stuff, I will never buy an e-book (i do buy paper books).

Do you think an e-ink device would satisfy my needs ? Or will it be a disapointment ? Here are my pros/cons so far (don't hesitate to correct, add feedback etc.) :

Pros

- E-ink technology, good for my eyes
- Autonomy
- Light-weight
- The idea of having a ton of documents (but it is already the case with notebooks, usb keys, archos and so on)

Cons or doubts

- Pricey
- May not be suited for reading pdfs with pictures (though I don't care about colors)
- May be another not environnemental friendly electronic gadget
- Many of these device look sluggish to me (am a computer guy)
- The flickering when changing pages looks strange to me (as in computer world flickering means lack of power)
- Perhaps should I wait a kindle like free access to web and blogs ?
- How are ppt documents read ? like a pdf export ? or with animations and so on ?

So far the Bebook Mini looks the best candidate to me considering its price and features. Other candidates ?

It would depend a lot about your PDF files. Are they scans of pages? Which means the size of the page is set (most likely to A4 format). No 5" or 6" device would work. If reflow is not on, you don't want a 5" or 6" device. You'll need to zoom and constantly change your viewport on the document...

About the sluggishness, I was afraid it would annoy me horribly after 5 minutes (though I did bite the bullet and bought an e-ink device anyway). But I find it more noticeable when seeing it on a youtube video (for example) than on my own device while I'm reading.

Animations on an e-ink device are not really nice, I imagine, considering the drawbacks of e-ink (the time it takes to refresh the screen). I'm not sure about the availability of Office document readers either.

I don't think an e-reader is for you at this point, until larger models arrive, and even better, that Pixel Qi screen (which is supposedly an excellent cross between a LCD and e-ink screen)

bbusybookworm · 10-09-2009, 04:39 AM

Hi Sebastien and welcome to the forum

Lets look at your requirements in details.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sebastienbillard

Hi,
My readings can be very graphical pdf catalogues, web pages saved as pdf, academic papers, technical references, long texts such as buddhist scriptures with strange characters du to pali/sanskrit words, or images/schemas. It may be sometimes powerpoint documents. No novels. And only free stuff, I will never buy an e-book (i do buy paper books).

Native PDF support on the 6" and 5" devices is a bit limited with some such as the Sony offering reflow while others like the Cybook do a pan and Zoom. Which of this will more imoportant will probably depend upon whether the contents of the PDF's are mainly straight forward text, or if the formating is more complex.

As for the strange characters and foreign langage word, It'l depend upon whether the words are as text within the document with embedded fornts or just images.

If they are text, and you can find the Font (Truetype) then bothe the Cybook's and Bebook allow you to install the fonts on the device to display.

Based on the initial usage, I'm a little doubtful on how useful you'll find one of the smaller readers. A Tablet PC or one of the Latger readers like the iRex devices may offer a better solution.

Quote:

Do you think an e-ink device would satisfy my needs ? Or will it be a disapointment ? Here are my pros/cons so far (don't hesitate to correct, add feedback etc.) :
- Pricey
- May not be suited for reading pdfs with pictures (though I don't care about colors)
- Many of these device look sluggish to me (am a computer guy)
- The flickering when changing pages looks strange to me (as in computer world flickering means lack of power)
- Perhaps should I wait a kindle like free access to web and blogs ?
- How are ppt documents read ? like a pdf export ? or with animations and so on ?

So far the Bebook Mini looks the best candidate to me considering its price and features. Other candidates ?

As you said, reading PDF's is going to be a dit dicy on a smaller device. However if you convert them to Mobi files (Using the Free Mobipocket Creator) they can, and do become much more useful. Mobipocket reader also offer you the option of creating books from web sites / feeds which you can then sync with a supported reader like the Cybook or Bebook..

The flickering and the time taken to change the page does take alittle getting used to, but once you get used to it, you kind of forget about it. If you are doing a lot of back and forth in the book, then Yes, you'll really notice the flicker / speed but for straightforward reading, not really.

Powerpoint will probably have to be converted to PDF, epub or Mobi depending upon which reader you get as while the Bebook does claim to support it natively, I've not really tried it so your milage may vary.

While the wireless may be nice, I've not really neede it as I usually aheva smartphone with me which I can use for web browsing. Plus when I'm on the train here I usually don't have wireless coverage anyway

What I'll suggest you do is put a few of your files on a SD card and head over to store in town which has the reader in stock. While the sony is defiantly available in stores in France, you might have to call around for the others or ask on the "the official "see a device in a café near you" hookup thread" to see your selected device.

Check out the where to buy eBook reader Wiki entry (See my Signature) to find places to buy your chosen reader.

sebastienbillard · 10-09-2009, 05:12 AM

Thanks for this feedback. I will have a look at the Sony model (and perhaps test it "live" at the FNAC store ?)

Concerning my pdf files, catalogs are often A4, but not 100% pictures. It is a mix between pictures and real text (reflowable I presume ?). Anyway these are not my predominant readings.

By order of decreasing importance here is what I would read the most

- Webpages saved as PDF (should be reflowable) or as regular HTML (when text only).
- Academic papers such as http://research.microsoft.com/pubs/65140/www2006.pdf
- Ebooks such as http://www.zolag.co.uk/finalbdl.rtf
- PDF publications such as http://www.bwl.admin.ch/dokumentatio...DZz8mMps2gpKfo
- Scanned books in PDF, but not A4 size, more regular and pocket size
- Catalogs (not a really big concern as it is only when I am looking for products and I am not a serial shopper)

I don't care about DRM as I will never pay for a digital book. More important for me is the number of files supported, the evolutivity of the firmware and the general ergonomy. Hardware design is not important for me too. I don't care if it looks like a brick or like a Mac thing if it is solid and easy to use.

Edit : Thanks BBusyBookworms, I noticed you answer while writing mine

Concerning pan and zoom, when a pdf iz zoomed is there a real scroll (I mean content moving like on a pc) or is like page turning with the associated flickering ?

Considering their prices, big readers (more than 6 inches) are not an option for me. If only these sizes can satisfy me I will delay my purchase. My price limit is around 200-250 euros. I can afford more expensive stuff, but I don't think it is worth the price. At 400 and more notebooks are a more reasonable spending.

bbusybookworm · 10-09-2009, 06:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sebastienbillard

Edit : Thanks BBusyBookworms, I noticed you answer while writing mine

Concerning pan and zoom, when a pdf iz zoomed is there a real scroll (I mean content moving like on a pc) or is like page turning with the associated flickering ?

On the Cybook, When Zoomed in the Pan is like a Page turn, so you will see the flicker. Its not the most comfortable way to read PDF's so I usually don't do it except for Emergency's.

The Pocket Pro (Bebook Mini) has both a Reflow (Adobe) and a Zoom option, though the Zoom levels are much better on the Cybook as the PP only zooms to the width of the page in landscape.

As such If the PDF will reflow correctly the Bebook Mini should work Fine. I just used mine to check out a few PDF's to post a reply, and was presently surprised at how well it handled them.

sebastienbillard · 10-10-2009, 04:32 AM

I tested the 505 in a store. The display is of a great quality and very pleasing to the eye. The building quality seems good. I was surprised that text was not justified though (but may be because of the preinstalled demo books, not device). The responsiveness of the interface appeared me sluggish (I know I should compare it to a paper book, not to a computer...). Is the 505 slower than other models ? Judging from video, others appear somewhat quicker like Bookeen or Bebook.

So am still wondering (read : procrastinating). I really like the idea of reading on e-ink because of its comfort and autonomy (lightweight also). But for that range of price (or a little more) I could also buy a new netbook that would be responsive, multitask (but more heavy, with less autonomy and with no e-ink)

(In particular I started to look at eeePC T91 as it convert to a tablet PC and is tactile)

bbusybookworm · 10-10-2009, 05:10 AM

The speed of the 505 is pretty much in line with 2nd gen displays like the Gen3 and the Beebook. The Mini and Opus are slightly faster having 3rd gen controllers, but the speed depend upon the kind of book you are looking at.

From personal experience of reading on a screen for years, and still spending a lot of time on the computer, the reading experience of an eInk screen is something else. Once I got used to reading on one, when I didn't have access to one, I really missed it, and ended up getting a new one.

I currently read on my laptop, iPhone, N800 and Pocket Pro, but usually prefer to read for longer periods of time on the PP. The readability of the Screen, the size, the battery life and the lack of distractions

all play a role in that preferance.

The T91 is nice, and I'm tempted to get one just to play with one, but as a reading device, I'm a little torn. While it will be an adequate reading device, its still a computer with an LCD screen, so you have to take into account the weight, size, and battery limitations. As you mentioned you find you current EeePC to be a bit bulky.

In the end, the decision is probably going to come down to what is more important. If size, portability, battery life and readability are key the an eInk device is going to be a better option.

If on the other hand Flexibility and multi use is more important, the something like the T91 may be a better option.

sebastienbillard · 10-13-2009, 07:57 AM

Thanks again. I am still investigating. I won't opt for T91 anyway as battery is not removable, making it less "durable". And I am very tempted with e-ink. The only reasonable options for me are 5' or 6' readers, as the price is too high for the bigger ones. I recently noticed the Foxit eSlick reader, which seems responsive (from videos), and is said to handle PDFs better than most readers. The only downside is the the only supported format are PDF and TXT, but not a big concern as I can convert and don't care about DRM formats.

If I decide to buy a reader It would be probably a Bebook mini, or eSlick. Not the best ones for many, but they seem to operate smoothly and their price is decent. Cybook Opus looks interesting too even if I am not fond of the rounded look.

neilmarr · 10-13-2009, 09:03 AM

There's a new Australian member here, Sebastien, called Wazzzaa who has an ESlick. His grouse with it is that it handles so few formats (good with PDFs it seems). I think justification of text on the 505 depends on the layout quality of the original ebook and in-format editing, but you will always lose justification when you increase font size. Part of my job is text design and I was surprised to find how quickly I came to be unconcerned with the layout eccentricities on my 505 when reading for pleasure rather than as work. Good luck. Neil

Jack Tingle · 10-13-2009, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sebastienbillard

...I watch videos on an archos device (604 wifi), and sometimes write/read on an EeePC 701 (the first one, with 7' display). I tend not to use the EeePC very often, as it is still too heavy and not very comfortable for reading. When I don't watch videos, I read documents.

Sebastien,

You might check the "Other Devices" forum. Your Archos might be adaptable to read ebooks on. There are several folks on that forum that have tinkered with various MID and PMP devices to use as ebook readers.

What specifically don't you like about reading using the EeePC? Aside from the weight, of course. Not much that can be done about that. You may find some tips here on how to overcome your other dislikes.

Regards,
Jack Tingle

sebastienbillard · 10-13-2009, 10:36 AM

Well, I am digging through the forum day after day

Concerning the Archos, mine is generation 4. It is not tweakable. It reads PDF files, but it is quite slow, and in fact unusable if you want to read more than 5 pages IMHO.

Concerning reading on the eeePC, one problem is that it is an illuminated device. I already face a LCD screen about 8 to 10 hours a day (working as a SEO consultant). At the end of the day my eyes are sometimes tired, especially when i read a lot (even if I reduce luminosity). So e-ink may be a solution. An other problem is that the eeePC screen (1st generation) is not very clear and is of a low resolution (800*480 - 7inches ). Last is that the machine is sometimes slow when dealing with large PDFs (Using FBreader on Linux Mandriva).

Wozzzaaa · 10-13-2009, 10:44 AM

Hey
Iam the one with the eslick & so far my biggest problem has been the instability. It displays & reflows PDF's really really well, its extremely unstable. It seems to freeeze if you look at it funny. As for other formats, there is a firmware release due in a week or so which will handle epub & various other formats, or so they say!

sebastienbillard · 10-20-2009, 04:06 PM

Thanks Wozzzaaa for feedback (i saw you post on foxit forum too). I am torn, as Foxit readers looks as the best reader (in this budget) for PDF. But it doesn't support many files. Bebook may be a good candidate

After reading a lot of posts on the forum I have narrowed my research to 6 inches readers (slightly bigger would be better but can't afford). Reactivity of the interface is very important to me, and also the possibility to browse through file arborescence. I don't want to have to tag documents. Search in text and dictionnary would be a nice bonus.

Here are some kind of stuff I would appreciate to read on a e-ink device, through zooming or reflowing. (If you want to make screenshots I will gladly look at them

) :

http://www.barkingfrogspermaculture.org/PDC_ALL.pdf
http://ideance.net/publications/WCAG...risWeb2009.pdf
http://research.microsoft.com/pubs/65140/www2006.pdf
http://www.nngroup.com/reports/acces...d_ALT_text.pdf
http://www.razorfish.com/reports/DigConsStudy.pdf
http://www.brooksidepress.org/Produc..._1/fm21761.pdf

(These are the most "extreme" contents I plan to read, I have put no example here of easily read pdf files)

So for now candidates are Bebook, Cybook Gen3, perhaps Sony PRS-600 and Cool-er. I see also many new devices announced, which doesn't help me...

Wozzzaaa · 10-20-2009, 07:06 PM

Hey Sebastian
Ive raised my opinion of the eslick, ive been talking to Foxit customer support, & they have been very helpfull. I sent them the pdf file which kept locking up intermittently & they confirmed that it hanged their test machines. Apparently while it looked simple, it had a lot of complex objects & the reflow initially took more then 7 minutes. Of course, I was nott hat patient & assumed it had hung so i would always restart it. Anyways, the new firmware ETA is about 1 week from now, so if I still experience problems, they will exchange my unit. This is whats new in the firmware 2.0

1)EPUB Support
2)PDB Support
3)Image Support
4)On-screen Virtual Keyboard
5)Working with Folders
6)My Bookmark
7)Rendering Text in Landscape Mode
8)Optimized Text-rendering Engine
9)Bug Fixes

I will download your files & have a quick look at how they reflow.

P.S The Cybook Gen3 is identical hardware to the Eslick, they just have different firmware & reader software.

10-08-2009, 10:21 AM	#1
sebastienbillard Connoisseur Posts: 72 Karma: 60 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: none	Will an ebook reader satisfy me ? Hi, The announce of the availability of the Kindle in France led me to look at ebook readers. In fact, I may have bought immediately the Kindle if web browsing and blog reading were available in my country, but it is not the case... Here is my typical day : As I live in Lille and work in Paris, I got 2 hours of train (TGV) every day. Usually I watch videos on an archos device (604 wifi), and sometimes write/read on an EeePC 701 (the first one, with 7' display). I tend not to use the EeePC very often, as it is still too heavy and not very comfortable for reading. When I don't watch videos, I read documents. My readings can be very graphical pdf catalogues, web pages saved as pdf, academic papers, technical references, long texts such as buddhist scriptures with strange characters du to pali/sanskrit words, or images/schemas. It may be sometimes powerpoint documents. No novels. And only free stuff, I will never buy an e-book (i do buy paper books). Do you think an e-ink device would satisfy my needs ? Or will it be a disapointment ? Here are my pros/cons so far (don't hesitate to correct, add feedback etc.) : Pros - E-ink technology, good for my eyes - Autonomy - Light-weight - The idea of having a ton of documents (but it is already the case with notebooks, usb keys, archos and so on) Cons or doubts - Pricey - May not be suited for reading pdfs with pictures (though I don't care about colors) - May be another not environnemental friendly electronic gadget - Many of these device look sluggish to me (am a computer guy) - The flickering when changing pages looks strange to me (as in computer world flickering means lack of power) - Perhaps should I wait a kindle like free access to web and blogs ? - How are ppt documents read ? like a pdf export ? or with animations and so on ? So far the Bebook Mini looks the best candidate to me considering its price and features. Other candidates ? Last edited by sebastienbillard; 10-08-2009 at 10:31 AM.

10-09-2009, 05:12 AM	#5
sebastienbillard Connoisseur Posts: 72 Karma: 60 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: none	Thanks for this feedback. I will have a look at the Sony model (and perhaps test it "live" at the FNAC store ?) Concerning my pdf files, catalogs are often A4, but not 100% pictures. It is a mix between pictures and real text (reflowable I presume ?). Anyway these are not my predominant readings. By order of decreasing importance here is what I would read the most - Webpages saved as PDF (should be reflowable) or as regular HTML (when text only). - Academic papers such as http://research.microsoft.com/pubs/65140/www2006.pdf - Ebooks such as http://www.zolag.co.uk/finalbdl.rtf - PDF publications such as http://www.bwl.admin.ch/dokumentatio...DZz8mMps2gpKfo - Scanned books in PDF, but not A4 size, more regular and pocket size - Catalogs (not a really big concern as it is only when I am looking for products and I am not a serial shopper) I don't care about DRM as I will never pay for a digital book. More important for me is the number of files supported, the evolutivity of the firmware and the general ergonomy. Hardware design is not important for me too. I don't care if it looks like a brick or like a Mac thing if it is solid and easy to use. Edit : Thanks BBusyBookworms, I noticed you answer while writing mine Concerning pan and zoom, when a pdf iz zoomed is there a real scroll (I mean content moving like on a pc) or is like page turning with the associated flickering ? Considering their prices, big readers (more than 6 inches) are not an option for me. If only these sizes can satisfy me I will delay my purchase. My price limit is around 200-250 euros. I can afford more expensive stuff, but I don't think it is worth the price. At 400 and more notebooks are a more reasonable spending. Last edited by sebastienbillard; 10-09-2009 at 05:20 AM.

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10-09-2009, 04:06 AM	#2
neilmarr neilmarr Posts: 7,216 Karma: 6000059 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Monaco-Menton, France Device: sony	Living here in France, Sebastien, I'd seriously suggest second thoughts on Kindle and that you consider the much more flexible Sony PRS-505. I'm sure the mods wouldn't mind for once if you repeated your question in a new thread -- but in French. Other French MR members may have valuable advice for you based on first-hand experience. Salut. Neil

10-10-2009, 04:32 AM	#7
sebastienbillard Connoisseur Posts: 72 Karma: 60 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: none	I tested the 505 in a store. The display is of a great quality and very pleasing to the eye. The building quality seems good. I was surprised that text was not justified though (but may be because of the preinstalled demo books, not device). The responsiveness of the interface appeared me sluggish (I know I should compare it to a paper book, not to a computer...). Is the 505 slower than other models ? Judging from video, others appear somewhat quicker like Bookeen or Bebook. So am still wondering (read : procrastinating). I really like the idea of reading on e-ink because of its comfort and autonomy (lightweight also). But for that range of price (or a little more) I could also buy a new netbook that would be responsive, multitask (but more heavy, with less autonomy and with no e-ink) (In particular I started to look at eeePC T91 as it convert to a tablet PC and is tactile)

10-10-2009, 05:10 AM	#8
bbusybookworm Tech Junkie Posts: 1,027 Karma: 10080 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Earth Device: iPad, MotoXStyle, OnePlusOne	The speed of the 505 is pretty much in line with 2nd gen displays like the Gen3 and the Beebook. The Mini and Opus are slightly faster having 3rd gen controllers, but the speed depend upon the kind of book you are looking at. From personal experience of reading on a screen for years, and still spending a lot of time on the computer, the reading experience of an eInk screen is something else. Once I got used to reading on one, when I didn't have access to one, I really missed it, and ended up getting a new one. I currently read on my laptop, iPhone, N800 and Pocket Pro, but usually prefer to read for longer periods of time on the PP. The readability of the Screen, the size, the battery life and the lack of distractions all play a role in that preferance. The T91 is nice, and I'm tempted to get one just to play with one, but as a reading device, I'm a little torn. While it will be an adequate reading device, its still a computer with an LCD screen, so you have to take into account the weight, size, and battery limitations. As you mentioned you find you current EeePC to be a bit bulky. In the end, the decision is probably going to come down to what is more important. If size, portability, battery life and readability are key the an eInk device is going to be a better option. If on the other hand Flexibility and multi use is more important, the something like the T91 may be a better option.

10-13-2009, 07:57 AM	#9
sebastienbillard Connoisseur Posts: 72 Karma: 60 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: none	Thanks again. I am still investigating. I won't opt for T91 anyway as battery is not removable, making it less "durable". And I am very tempted with e-ink. The only reasonable options for me are 5' or 6' readers, as the price is too high for the bigger ones. I recently noticed the Foxit eSlick reader, which seems responsive (from videos), and is said to handle PDFs better than most readers. The only downside is the the only supported format are PDF and TXT, but not a big concern as I can convert and don't care about DRM formats. If I decide to buy a reader It would be probably a Bebook mini, or eSlick. Not the best ones for many, but they seem to operate smoothly and their price is decent. Cybook Opus looks interesting too even if I am not fond of the rounded look.

10-13-2009, 09:03 AM	#10
neilmarr neilmarr Posts: 7,216 Karma: 6000059 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Monaco-Menton, France Device: sony	There's a new Australian member here, Sebastien, called Wazzzaa who has an ESlick. His grouse with it is that it handles so few formats (good with PDFs it seems). I think justification of text on the 505 depends on the layout quality of the original ebook and in-format editing, but you will always lose justification when you increase font size. Part of my job is text design and I was surprised to find how quickly I came to be unconcerned with the layout eccentricities on my 505 when reading for pleasure rather than as work. Good luck. Neil

10-13-2009, 10:36 AM	#12
sebastienbillard Connoisseur Posts: 72 Karma: 60 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: none	Well, I am digging through the forum day after day Concerning the Archos, mine is generation 4. It is not tweakable. It reads PDF files, but it is quite slow, and in fact unusable if you want to read more than 5 pages IMHO. Concerning reading on the eeePC, one problem is that it is an illuminated device. I already face a LCD screen about 8 to 10 hours a day (working as a SEO consultant). At the end of the day my eyes are sometimes tired, especially when i read a lot (even if I reduce luminosity). So e-ink may be a solution. An other problem is that the eeePC screen (1st generation) is not very clear and is of a low resolution (800*480 - 7inches ). Last is that the machine is sometimes slow when dealing with large PDFs (Using FBreader on Linux Mandriva).

10-13-2009, 10:44 AM	#13
Wozzzaaa Copyright Liberationist Posts: 18 Karma: 60 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Eslick	Hey Iam the one with the eslick & so far my biggest problem has been the instability. It displays & reflows PDF's really really well, its extremely unstable. It seems to freeeze if you look at it funny. As for other formats, there is a firmware release due in a week or so which will handle epub & various other formats, or so they say!

10-20-2009, 04:06 PM	#14
sebastienbillard Connoisseur Posts: 72 Karma: 60 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: none	Thanks Wozzzaaa for feedback (i saw you post on foxit forum too). I am torn, as Foxit readers looks as the best reader (in this budget) for PDF. But it doesn't support many files. Bebook may be a good candidate After reading a lot of posts on the forum I have narrowed my research to 6 inches readers (slightly bigger would be better but can't afford). Reactivity of the interface is very important to me, and also the possibility to browse through file arborescence. I don't want to have to tag documents. Search in text and dictionnary would be a nice bonus. Here are some kind of stuff I would appreciate to read on a e-ink device, through zooming or reflowing. (If you want to make screenshots I will gladly look at them ) : http://www.barkingfrogspermaculture.org/PDC_ALL.pdf http://ideance.net/publications/WCAG...risWeb2009.pdf http://research.microsoft.com/pubs/65140/www2006.pdf http://www.nngroup.com/reports/acces...d_ALT_text.pdf http://www.razorfish.com/reports/DigConsStudy.pdf http://www.brooksidepress.org/Produc..._1/fm21761.pdf (These are the most "extreme" contents I plan to read, I have put no example here of easily read pdf files) So for now candidates are Bebook, Cybook Gen3, perhaps Sony PRS-600 and Cool-er. I see also many new devices announced, which doesn't help me...

10-20-2009, 07:06 PM	#15
Wozzzaaa Copyright Liberationist Posts: 18 Karma: 60 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Eslick	Hey Sebastian Ive raised my opinion of the eslick, ive been talking to Foxit customer support, & they have been very helpfull. I sent them the pdf file which kept locking up intermittently & they confirmed that it hanged their test machines. Apparently while it looked simple, it had a lot of complex objects & the reflow initially took more then 7 minutes. Of course, I was nott hat patient & assumed it had hung so i would always restart it. Anyways, the new firmware ETA is about 1 week from now, so if I still experience problems, they will exchange my unit. This is whats new in the firmware 2.0 1)EPUB Support 2)PDB Support 3)Image Support 4)On-screen Virtual Keyboard 5)Working with Folders 6)My Bookmark 7)Rendering Text in Landscape Mode 8)Optimized Text-rendering Engine 9)Bug Fixes I will download your files & have a quick look at how they reflow. P.S The Cybook Gen3 is identical hardware to the Eslick, they just have different firmware & reader software.

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