10-12-2010, 09:32 AM | #1 |
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Best ereader for PDF books
Hi all,
I have tons of PDF books and I'd like to know which ereader is the best for PDF reading. Some of the PDFs are just images, with no text on it....... I'd like to know if it is easy for zooming the page when I need it.... |
10-12-2010, 10:59 AM | #2 |
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Sadly, there are no readers yet that are "best" for reading PDFs, especially. You will have to settle for some kind of compromise. Ideally, your reader should have a screen the same size as the original pages the PDF so the text will not require a magnifier to read. HYowever, depending on the size of the original book, that could require a large screen that isn't readily or inexpensively available. There are a few larger screened readers, such as the Kindle DX and LCD tablets, like the I-pad, but they are still a bit on the small side to get a full screen display unless the original page size was a paperback. They aren't all that portable, either.
An alternative would be to get a reader that has the same screen length as the width of the text, then read the page with the reader set to landscape. You would have to scroll down each page to finish reading it before moving to the next one. Not all readers do this or do it well. The older Astak Mentors add a margin in addition to the original book margin and will not zoom when viewing an image PDF making it pretty much useless for the purpose. I've had good luck with the JetBook Lite. The zoom increases in large steps which means one could go from too small to too large in a single step. However, it also has a setting that sets the zoom to have the text to fill the width of the screen which usually works for me. I also like that it runs on easily replaced AA batteries. It's tempermental (I have to frequently reset it) but it's been the best I've found so far. I would suggest putting a few PDFs of various sizes on an SD card and trying them out on store displays of various readers. You could also set up some "meet ups" via the first sticky thread in this forum to try out other kinds of readers not available locally. |
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10-12-2010, 11:17 AM | #3 | |
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Well, as Lady Fitzgerald did ask already, what kind of PDF are we talking about? Scans of Letter/Legal-format or A4-format or smaller? Personally I'd go for an ereading device with a bigger screen if you need it for work and not for leisure and use one of the mentioned formats. So what springs to mind are: Kindle DX (don't know from experience how that deals with pdf, but seem to remember that zooming holds its problems there), the upcoming Pocketbooks 902 or 903 or the enTourage eDGe or, last but not least, a used iRex Illiad (dutch company, doesn't sell to consumers any longer and offers no support, so there is quite some risc involved). All of them have their price though. If you are not fixed toward eInk then there is of course the possibility of looking at one of the android tablets coming out everywhere now. Last edited by beachwanderer; 10-12-2010 at 11:20 AM. |
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10-12-2010, 11:47 AM | #4 |
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What do you think about Pocketbook 902/903 vs Pixilar MReader 9"?
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10-12-2010, 12:05 PM | #5 |
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You can buy any ereader and use briss if you want
Secondly sony's PRS 650 features quick zoom on double click on touch screen. That might be good. But for bigger Pdfs, u need Kindle dx 3 which is burning expensive |
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10-12-2010, 02:43 PM | #6 |
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Briss is used primarily to remove margins in PDF's. It is not particularly user friendly and the cropped files it creates will not work on all e-book readers. When displayed on some readers, such as the Astak Mentor, the cropped margins reappear.
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10-12-2010, 03:03 PM | #7 | |
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10-12-2010, 04:05 PM | #8 |
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Regarding PDFs if not especially formatted for 6" the "bigger is better" rule still rules. Therefore i would go for a big reader like PocketBook 902/903. Personally i don't like the KDX; eReader with keyboard ?
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10-13-2010, 08:46 AM | #9 | |
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I really don´t need big screen devices, I prefer something small so I carry it easily.... 6" is serves very well for my purpose! the other think that I would need is a WIFI connection... about the PDFs: some of them are scan from old books with A4 format, so sometimes I would like to have an easy way to zoom the pages, just like the Iphone. |
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10-13-2010, 09:56 AM | #10 | |
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Can someone having a PocketBook 302 testimony how good or bad is the pdf reflow ?
Quote:
Last edited by lalebarde; 10-13-2010 at 09:59 AM. |
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10-13-2010, 10:04 AM | #11 | |
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10-14-2010, 05:40 AM | #12 |
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Thanks for your advices. Considering them and the fact PocketBook is not very demonstrative on their pdf reflow capabilities, plus their huge price, I consider now Kindle DX and Sony PRS 950 (a pitty it is only 7").
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10-14-2010, 09:07 AM | #13 |
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Kindle 3 is unfortunately much worse than the sony (650 here) for handling pdfs (tried it and sent it back). As the 650 doesnt have wifi, I would suggest the sony 950 if you dont want a larger device. I have the 650 and am reading all my technical books on it with no problems as it has excellent zoom, reflow and other functions.
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10-14-2010, 10:58 AM | #14 | |
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Do you think the additional 1" of the 950 worth it (not considering wifi) ? Sony 650 ($170) is far cheaper that the PocketBook 602 (199€ ~ $260) which has no touchscreen. For wifi : Sony 950 ($300), PocketBook 603 (269€ ~ $350) with only 6". Last edited by lalebarde; 10-14-2010 at 11:26 AM. |
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10-14-2010, 11:53 AM | #15 |
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The 650's retail price is $229 not $170 - I think you've confused it with the smaller 350 (@$179)?
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