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Old 03-19-2008, 02:37 PM   #1
GozerTC
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Looking for a Dedicated eReader

Hey guys,

I know I know, ANOTHER thread looking for help choosing. Sorry, but I prefer to bow to the experts whenever possible.

So here's the features I need:

1. Be able to read in the dark. eInk is cool, but I'm not spending $200+ on something I can't read in the dark. If I wanted book lights I'd read normal books.

2. Be able to read PDF's. I read everything from RPG manuals to webcomic PDF's and of course regular books.

3. Be Mac friendly. My current "reader" is my Macbook Pro. I can go through the trouble of converting pretty much any format (I can dual boot so I have windows too) so if the reader can just hook up and act as a HD that'd be great. (Or just read SD cards simply or what have you)

That's pretty much it. If there's an eInk reader with a light that'd be cool, but until then I'm perfectly fine with backlit LCD's. Oh, and I'm not really a PDA user. Sure if there's a cheapie PDA that fits the bill I might get it, but I've had a PDA before but I never really used it. Anything a PDA does I do with my phone or Laptop so it'd be superferlous.

Thanks in Advance!
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Old 03-19-2008, 03:52 PM   #2
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Welcome to MobileRead, GozerTC!

Hmm. With that list, I'd say a Tablet PC is your best bet, mostly because of your PDF requirement.

The EbookWise wouldn't be bad, but I'd suggest you check on its PDF support before you go that route, I understand it has some, but it may or may not work for you.

Hope that gets you started.
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Old 03-19-2008, 04:09 PM   #3
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Welcome to MobileRead, GozerTC!

Hmm. With that list, I'd say a Tablet PC is your best bet, mostly because of your PDF requirement.

The EbookWise wouldn't be bad, but I'd suggest you check on its PDF support before you go that route, I understand it has some, but it may or may not work for you.

Hope that gets you started.
*Chuckles*

Well until I can buy a Macbook Air tablet (which I think would rock) I don't see getting a tablet computer. I'm too lazy for Linux and I can't stand windblows.

Hmm... seems I won't be replacing my laptop anytime soon as a reader eh?
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Old 03-19-2008, 04:18 PM   #4
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Whenever I see the commercial for the Macbook Air, the mental image of me taking someone's and breaking it over my knee pops unbidden into my head, with such visceral intensity I have to walk away from my own electronics. I don't know why, I have nothing against Macs. This window into my mental state brought to you by Guinness.
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Old 03-19-2008, 04:34 PM   #5
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Hmm... seems I won't be replacing my laptop anytime soon as a reader eh?
Doesn't look like it, unfortunately. There just isn't anything yet that will do what you want.

I keep hoping for an A4/Letter sized display, support for RTF, DOC, PDF -- all the heavy hitters -- plus annotation support for all of them (where you can port the notes back to a desktop), but so far, I just keep hoping.
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Old 03-19-2008, 04:59 PM   #6
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Doesn't look like it, unfortunately. There just isn't anything yet that will do what you want.

I keep hoping for an A4/Letter sized display, support for RTF, DOC, PDF -- all the heavy hitters -- plus annotation support for all of them (where you can port the notes back to a desktop), but so far, I just keep hoping.
There are devices with large displays but they have never been a commercial success. you can see them on eBay from time to time. It is, it would seem, a too small niche market. The RCA RB1200 is a good one but the battery life is a bit short.

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Old 03-19-2008, 09:13 PM   #7
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An Ultra-Mobile PC fits requirements 1 and 2. But the operating system will be Windows or Linux.

Personally, I don't find a backlit screen to be necessary or desirable for an ebook reader. If you were to drop that requirement then there'd be many devices that might interest you.
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Old 03-19-2008, 09:52 PM   #8
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Nokia tablet appears to be the best option sine you require PDF reading. However, I would say dump that requirement. Most PDFs can be converted easily to other formats.

Otherwise you will have time finding the perfect device. Most ereading devices dont work well with PDF.




Quote:
Originally Posted by GozerTC View Post
Hey guys,

I know I know, ANOTHER thread looking for help choosing. Sorry, but I prefer to bow to the experts whenever possible.

So here's the features I need:

1. Be able to read in the dark. eInk is cool, but I'm not spending $200+ on something I can't read in the dark. If I wanted book lights I'd read normal books.

2. Be able to read PDF's. I read everything from RPG manuals to webcomic PDF's and of course regular books.

3. Be Mac friendly. My current "reader" is my Macbook Pro. I can go through the trouble of converting pretty much any format (I can dual boot so I have windows too) so if the reader can just hook up and act as a HD that'd be great. (Or just read SD cards simply or what have you)

That's pretty much it. If there's an eInk reader with a light that'd be cool, but until then I'm perfectly fine with backlit LCD's. Oh, and I'm not really a PDA user. Sure if there's a cheapie PDA that fits the bill I might get it, but I've had a PDA before but I never really used it. Anything a PDA does I do with my phone or Laptop so it'd be superferlous.

Thanks in Advance!
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Old 03-20-2008, 12:51 AM   #9
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Originally Posted by epiphany View Post
An Ultra-Mobile PC fits requirements 1 and 2. But the operating system will be Windows or Linux.

Personally, I don't find a backlit screen to be necessary or desirable for an ebook reader. If you were to drop that requirement then there'd be many devices that might interest you.
Actually a UMPC might work if you are satisfied with reading PDF a half page at a time and while they themselves might be running windows or Linux they could still be mac friendly since all they need to do is mount the memory as a USB hard drive.

Dropping the idea of a backlit opens up one eBook Reader. The iLiad as it is the only one that will reasonably read PDF files of the type you specified and then it is likely you may have to read the 1/2 page at a time. The others are too small.

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