What features would you expect from an e-book reader for scientific publications?

[HarryT]

Search is certainly extremely important, I agree, but I'd rank it lower than good multi-document handling.

Originally Posted by medard

First of all I'd like to see the ability to remove applications completely (snip)
- Internet browser
- Internet access

Agreed from a time management and protecting proprietary information perspective. On the other hand, it would be nice to load articles onto the device without using a computer as an intermediary. Perhaps a dedicated application would help out there, but I don't know how much cooperation you'd get from the publishers. A web browser would also be handy for reading locally stored documentation and reference materials, much of which isn't appropriate for the linear nature of ePub and PDF.

I'd also like to add loadable dictionaries. Standard dictionaries are just about useless for the jargon found in science and engineering.

Now that my mind has shifted away from articles and towards reference materials, it would also be nice to copy snippets directly to a computer's clipboard (either via Wi-Fi or bluetooth). If you're out of reach of your computer, it would be cued up and sent when you are nearby.

[BoldlyDubious]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Search is certainly extremely important, I agree, but I'd rank it lower than good multi-document handling.

I agree. The ability to quickly jump from one document to another (and from page A to page B of the same paper) is the really essential feature.

[ballfresno]

Originally Posted by teh603

I'd cut out highlighting and underlining (since a properly concise paper would have its entire text underlined),

I wish the PhD theses I have to examine were concise.

Highlighting or some form or another would be critical for me as would annotating in general. The Sony 13" unit really appeals on this basis.

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Any device which doesn't offer this ability is no use whatsoever for the academic/scientific reader.

That is like claiming that something at 5K has no thermal energy whatsoever.

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by Elfwreck

A4/letter-sized ereaders would be *fragile.*

Are you making that statement with or without taking into account the (alleged) reduced fragility of this particular screen technology?

Originally Posted by Elfwreck

Something like the DX is plenty big enough for most academic purposes;

I guess that "most" leaves you some wiggle room, but I think quite a few disagree. Many find panning a window into a page unsatisfactory.

[tomsem]

1. better navigation. This would include ways to create the equivalent of 'playlists' that you can navigate quickly, including from one document to another, windowing and tabbing and 'task switching'
2. better organization of notes (including formal citations), and reading material.

[Geralt]

- 10 inch screen as you said A4 readability
- color e-ink screen
- real stylus pen (wacom)
- connectivity with the printer
- ability to export annotations only pages
- ability to make copy of a original to make the annotations on leaving the original file intact
- palm rejection when annotating


those would be some of the few.

Edit: my field is in humanities so my expectations maybe completely different from somebody who is studying physics for example. Scientific calculator would be of no use to me for example.

[Billi]

Originally Posted by Geralt

- ability to make copy of a original to make the annotations on leaving the original file intact

I would guess you still have a copy of your original file on your pc or from whereever you load the device.

[Geralt]

Originally Posted by Billi

I would guess you still have a copy of your original file on your pc or from whereever you load the device.

I like the option of having both original and copy on the ereader as well as making the copy directly on the device.

ezPDF application lets you do that on android OS on my tablet for example.

[Billi]

I can see the advantages of having both versions on the device - and, for instance, the Onyx reader lets you do this too - what I was meaning was that this is something we can do ourselves with a very small amount of time whereas with most of the other wishes in this thread we need the help of the developers.

[Pismire]

I am surprised colour seems to be an issue for many here. So a black and white display would be a deal-breaker for you?

In my field of work, colour plays a very small role, and during manuscript submission you are encouraged to ensure any colour images would still be understandable when printed on a grey scale. How is it important to you?

[Geralt]

Originally Posted by Pismire

I am surprised colour seems to be an issue for many here. So a black and white display would be a deal-breaker for you?

In my field of work, colour plays a very small role, and during manuscript submission you are encouraged to ensure any colour images would still be understandable when printed on a grey scale. How is it important to you?

For me not necessarily because I am in humanities. But as somebody mentioned who studied biology black and white IS a deal-breaker. I am pretty sure you can understand why.
But even I annotate in at least 2-3 colors on my tablet. I have better overview that way than with just one color. (it's usually 1 color for underline, 1 for written comments)

Well, not all fields of work are the same. You surely understand that?

[Lbooker]

Originally Posted by HarryT

The key feature that any device aimed at use by the academic community has to have is the ability to have multiple documents open at once, and be able to rapidly flip between them. Anyone who's ever done any research knows that it's common to have half a dozen reference sources open at once, and be constantly flipping from one to the other.

The only device I've ever encountered which has provided this capability was the old iRex iLiad, which had a "tabbed" user interface. You could have multiple documents open at once, and flip between them by tapping the appropriate tab.

Any device which doesn't offer this ability is no use whatsoever for the academic/scientific reader.

It looks like the Onyx M92 now lets you do that :
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=211425

[Pismire]

Originally Posted by Geralt

...But as somebody mentioned who studied biology black and white IS a deal-breaker. I am pretty sure you can understand why.
But even I annotate in at least 2-3 colors on my tablet. I have better overview that way than with just one color. (it's usually 1 color for underline, 1 for written comments)

Well, not all fields of work are the same. You surely understand that?

Most journals print in black and white, and (as mentioned before) suggest to authors to include images that will still be recognizable in greyscale. Biological journals as well!

My question is not a rhetorical one - I am honestly interested where colour plays an important role. Marking text for example I would not have thought of...