PDF support in Kindle Paperwhite

Phoenix87103 · 06-04-2013, 03:05 AM

Is it possible to read PDFs landscape mode in Kindle PaperWhite?

I'm thinking of buying a paperwhite and all of my books are in .pdf format. It would be useless for me to buy one if paperwhite doesn't support PDFs in landscape mode. A website (http://www.dummies.com/how-to/conten...paperwhit.html) says "The Kindle paperwhite does not support reading PDFs in landscape mode."

Can someone please confirm if paperwhite indeed does not support PDFs in landscape mode. Also does anyone know if amazon is going to release an ebook reader with better pdf support anytime soon?

disu93 · 06-04-2013, 06:30 AM

huh? I don't know why it says it doesn't. All my PDF's have landscape mode! But the way that the kindle views pdf's is bad, it has big margins. Fortunately, you can jailbreak it and remove the margins so it fills the screen.

Vroo · 06-04-2013, 06:34 AM

Paperwhite supports landscape mode for PDFs though the margins are too big so not the whole space is used. Here how it looks like (the book is not in English but it doesn't matter).

HarryT · 06-04-2013, 09:42 AM

PDF is not an eBook format. No 6" device is at all satisfactory for reading PDFs unless the pages are formatted for that screen size. Almost all PDFs are formatted for A4/Letter paper sizes.

If you want to read PDFs, get a large-screen tablet, or at the very minimum an eInk device with a 9.7" screen. A PW is not a good choice.

Rizla · 06-04-2013, 10:05 AM

Those are pretty nice screenies. I didn't know the PW could landscape pdfs. Does it split the page up into two halves (bottom and top) in landscape mode?

Does it also support text reflow? I suppose zoom is too much to ask for.

My old 650 does that and most pdfs are pretty readable, though it's not ideal. The rooted Nook STR does it too, though I think the 650 does it better.

Bear in mind that ereaders are not ideally suited to reading pdfs, but you can do it, with the right ereader and software, in a pinch. Personally I prefer to convert them. You can do it with mobipocket creator.

Obviously a 10 inch tablet would handle the format better. I do understand amazon has started selling the large screen DX again. You might consider that, but they are not cheap.

HarryT · 06-04-2013, 10:13 AM

Yes, it splits the page horizontally.

The PW (like all Kindles) supports PDF zoom, but not reflow.

Honestly, you'd be wasting your time with a PW if PDF is your primary format. Learn from the experience of those of us who've "been there, done that, got the Tee-shirt"

. If you insist on buying in spite of what we recommend, buy direct from Amazon so you'll be able to return it.

Robmonster · 06-04-2013, 12:45 PM

There is a PDF Converter that will attempt to reformat a PDF to a more suitable screen size, effectively taking a 20 page PDF and making it a 60 page file.

I've had some success with it, but that it dependant on the initial file

http://www.willus.com/k2pdfopt/

hawhill · 06-04-2013, 03:41 PM

And we integrated it into KoReader (see developers' board) - but jailbreaking and running third party software isn't for everyone.

In general, I agree with HarryT. Reading PDFs with (at least 10") tablets is so much more fun.

crich70 · 06-05-2013, 11:42 AM

There is PDF to Epub which can turn them into HTML, Epub or Kindle format books. Calibre can also do it though in both cases it does seem to depend on the initial PDF file.

Notrega · 06-06-2013, 11:58 AM

You can send the pdf file to your kindle email with "convert" in the subject of the email and it will convert it for you. It has a tendency to jack some of the graphics if you are converting a textbook for example. I had several pdfs I had to read for a class and did't want to print and carry a thousand pages. The convert bit worked well on my Fire, no reason it shouldn't work on the PW.

Phoenix87103 · 06-07-2013, 11:59 PM

Thanks for the help guys. Does anyone know if Amazon have any plans to release a new kindle (perhaps with better pdf support)? Also what do you think about Ectaco JetBook Colour 2?

JSWolf · 06-08-2013, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phoenix87103

Thanks for the help guys. Does anyone know if Amazon have any plans to release a new kindle (perhaps with better pdf support)? Also what do you think about Ectaco JetBook Colour 2?

Amazon did release a Kindle with a better PDF support. The Kindle Fire 8.9 HD is much better for PDF then an eInk Kindle. But that said, the iPad with Goodreader is even better then any Kindle (or any Android tablet) for PDF.

Phoenix87103 · 06-09-2013, 03:19 AM

k. Thanks. Guess I'm gonna go for an iPad

Yamada · 06-09-2013, 06:49 AM

Why do people keep insisting trying to read PDFs on these things?

HarryT · 06-09-2013, 06:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yamada

Why do people keep insisting trying to read PDFs on these things?

Because PDF is a very common format, and many people are not experts, and don't understand the fundamental differences between PDF and a "proper" reflowable ebook format.

06-04-2013, 03:05 AM	#1
Phoenix87103 Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2013 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	PDF support in Kindle Paperwhite Is it possible to read PDFs landscape mode in Kindle PaperWhite? I'm thinking of buying a paperwhite and all of my books are in .pdf format. It would be useless for me to buy one if paperwhite doesn't support PDFs in landscape mode. A website (http://www.dummies.com/how-to/conten...paperwhit.html) says "The Kindle paperwhite does not support reading PDFs in landscape mode." Can someone please confirm if paperwhite indeed does not support PDFs in landscape mode. Also does anyone know if amazon is going to release an ebook reader with better pdf support anytime soon?

06-06-2013, 11:58 AM	#10
Notrega Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2013 Device: Kindle Paperwhite / Fire	You can send the pdf file to your kindle email with "convert" in the subject of the email and it will convert it for you. It has a tendency to jack some of the graphics if you are converting a textbook for example. I had several pdfs I had to read for a class and did't want to print and carry a thousand pages. The convert bit worked well on my Fire, no reason it shouldn't work on the PW. Last edited by Notrega; 06-06-2013 at 12:00 PM.

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06-04-2013, 06:30 AM	#2
disu93 Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2013 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	huh? I don't know why it says it doesn't. All my PDF's have landscape mode! But the way that the kindle views pdf's is bad, it has big margins. Fortunately, you can jailbreak it and remove the margins so it fills the screen.

06-04-2013, 06:34 AM	#3
Vroo Zealot Posts: 103 Karma: 1005242 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Warsaw, Poland Device: a lot of Kindles, PocketBook HD3/InkpadX, inkBOOK, Kobo	Paperwhite supports landscape mode for PDFs though the margins are too big so not the whole space is used. Here how it looks like (the book is not in English but it doesn't matter).

06-04-2013, 09:42 AM	#4
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	PDF is not an eBook format. No 6" device is at all satisfactory for reading PDFs unless the pages are formatted for that screen size. Almost all PDFs are formatted for A4/Letter paper sizes. If you want to read PDFs, get a large-screen tablet, or at the very minimum an eInk device with a 9.7" screen. A PW is not a good choice.

06-04-2013, 10:05 AM	#5
Rizla Member Retired Posts: 3,183 Karma: 11721895 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: Nook STR (rooted) & Sony T2	Those are pretty nice screenies. I didn't know the PW could landscape pdfs. Does it split the page up into two halves (bottom and top) in landscape mode? Does it also support text reflow? I suppose zoom is too much to ask for. My old 650 does that and most pdfs are pretty readable, though it's not ideal. The rooted Nook STR does it too, though I think the 650 does it better. Bear in mind that ereaders are not ideally suited to reading pdfs, but you can do it, with the right ereader and software, in a pinch. Personally I prefer to convert them. You can do it with mobipocket creator. Obviously a 10 inch tablet would handle the format better. I do understand amazon has started selling the large screen DX again. You might consider that, but they are not cheap.

06-04-2013, 10:13 AM	#6
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Yes, it splits the page horizontally. The PW (like all Kindles) supports PDF zoom, but not reflow. Honestly, you'd be wasting your time with a PW if PDF is your primary format. Learn from the experience of those of us who've "been there, done that, got the Tee-shirt" . If you insist on buying in spite of what we recommend, buy direct from Amazon so you'll be able to return it.

06-04-2013, 12:45 PM	#7
Robmonster Wizard! Posts: 250 Karma: 548228 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: UK Device: Paperwhite, Voyage + Oasis2	There is a PDF Converter that will attempt to reformat a PDF to a more suitable screen size, effectively taking a 20 page PDF and making it a 60 page file. I've had some success with it, but that it dependant on the initial file http://www.willus.com/k2pdfopt/

06-04-2013, 03:41 PM	#8
hawhill Wizard Posts: 1,379 Karma: 2155307 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Goettingen, Germany Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Kobo Mini	And we integrated it into KoReader (see developers' board) - but jailbreaking and running third party software isn't for everyone. In general, I agree with HarryT. Reading PDFs with (at least 10") tablets is so much more fun.

06-05-2013, 11:42 AM	#9
crich70 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,305 Karma: 43993832 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Monroe Wisconsin Device: K3, Kindle Paperwhite, Calibre, and Mobipocket for Pc (netbook)	There is PDF to Epub which can turn them into HTML, Epub or Kindle format books. Calibre can also do it though in both cases it does seem to depend on the initial PDF file.

06-07-2013, 11:59 PM	#11
Phoenix87103 Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2013 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Thanks for the help guys. Does anyone know if Amazon have any plans to release a new kindle (perhaps with better pdf support)? Also what do you think about Ectaco JetBook Colour 2?

06-09-2013, 03:19 AM	#13
Phoenix87103 Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2013 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	k. Thanks. Guess I'm gonna go for an iPad

06-09-2013, 06:49 AM	#14
Yamada Enthusiast Posts: 36 Karma: 281908 Join Date: May 2013 Device: iPad; K1/2/DX; Some Sony thing I bought at Yodobashi	Why do people keep insisting trying to read PDFs on these things?