Kobo Elipsa for PDF?

[Pelicans]

I've read my way through here and elsewhere to find a suitable ereader.

My requirements are as follows:

• 10 inch screen so that I can read the books as faithfully as possible. I haven't had an ereader yet, so I don't know how well the reflow works. For the programming books (it's the Humble Bundle, if anyone says something), 10 inches should be better than 8 inches, despite the same number of pixels. I would also like to set up the reader in front of me so that I can take notes (in a notebook) 🙃.
• PDF suitable. Not all books I have are available as epub or mobi. You need a lot of CPU power for that.
• good quality
• would be nice: navigation buttons, brightness sensor
• any connection to German libraries and bookshops. Is that possible with Kobo? With Boox, 'Bouyo' etc. this should not be possible.
• I have been struggling with severe eye pain for a while. It has to be easy on the eyes, I guess that's all? I don't know how the blue light component plays a role.

Other things like weight, pen input, water resistance, color and how well you can read fiction with it are secondary. It is mainly intended for work. (I would like to continue reading the latter on paper) 😉

As an alternative, I found the Pocketbook Inkpad X, but it is older and has a poorer CPU, but buttons. And runs with Linux, which actually looks good, it's a shame that there is no update. Pocketbook will soon be releasing a light version. It's a shame.

13 inches is the closest thing to A4, but spending so much money and then missing buttons, sensors, warranty, etc., is not so great for me. Then it is better to wait until the technology becomes cheaper and can get by with 10 inches.

Amazon Oasis: small and rounded. Tolino Epos: small and old: 1 GHz and 512 Mb RAM, far too little for PDF.

Otherwise, the Kobo Elipsa has been my favorite so far, albeit a pretty compromise and outrageously expensive for a reader. But with the new Carta 1200 display.
So what do the experts think?

[Quoth]

Size is irrelevant for real ebooks. Real ebooks look like the pages are formated for your screen & resolution even if the font size and line spacing is changed. PDFs are electronic WYSIWG to proof or duplicate paper, so usually don't reflow at all. You can't make the font bigger like ebooks, only Zoom, then it doesn't fit.

The 13" models are mostly for PDF only and far more expensive than the Elipsa and not huge amount more pixels for the size.
The 10" approx models usually do PDF and epub (ebooks), but the best are the same number of pixels as the 300 dpi 7.8" ereaders.

I use a 7.8" 300 dpi eink, a 10" LCD tablet or a 24" 2K monitor depending on the PDF. The PDF software on the Boyue Likebook Mars autocrops PDF margins. However I bought it so as to have my local library Android App and the Elipsa wasn't out then.
I read almost all real ebooks (epub or Kindle converted to epub) on a 7" 300 dpi Kobo Libra. Before that I used a 6.8" Original H2O. My first ereader was an Amazon Kindle PW3.

[Pelicans]

Which size do you think is best? 13 inches seems a bit expensive to me, compared to what you get.
If i get it right, you basically agree on my choice.
What else devices can you recommend?

[salamanderjuice]

For PDF 10" is a good compromise between price and size IMO. 7.8" can work but the font may end up being too small for you to read comfortably. If you're taking notes/marking up the PDF the extra few inches is helpful.

Boox and Boyue run full android and can access the Play store so as long as German libraries have an Android app it should work just fine? Kobo only supports Overdrive libraries built in and only in some countries that doesn't include Germany. If whatever system your library uses supports Adobe DRM it should work on a Kobo though, but it could also be done on Android and thus Boox/Boyue as well.

I really like my Boox Note Air. It's a little more expensive than the Elipsa but it's also faster with more RAM (3GB), has warm lighting option, pen is better and doesn't need a battery. Plus Android opens doors on what it can do. Performance with PDF is very good.

[DNSB]

I don't own an Elipsa but a legal firm for which I do some consulting has purchased 10 of them, partly to replace some of their older Sony DPT's and partly to add new devices. So far they seem very happy with them for reading/marking up corporate PDFs in meeting and courtroom use.

They also evaluated a couple of other 10" units and found the Elipsa for them was the best mix of usability, price and battery life. While recharging your device in a meeting might fly, judges tend to be fussy about electronic devices being used in court.

Very few ereaders reflow PDFs since PDF is a page oriented format. This contrasts to most other ebook formats which are reflowable.

As for connection to German libraries? That I don't know about. For German bookshops, as long as they either have no DRM or use Adobe DRM, you should be able to use them.

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by DNSB

As for connection to German libraries? That I don't know about. For German bookshops, as long as they either have no DRM or use Adobe DRM, you should be able to use them.

The German libraries (Onleihe) are changing their encryption - it is questionable how long they will continue to use Adobe DRM.
And then Kobo cannot handle it via PC either.
Kobo has completely withdrawn from the German market and Kobo-Rakuten has bought into Tolino's technology.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by ottischwenk

Kobo has completely withdrawn from the German market and Kobo-Rakuten has bought into Tolino's technology.

I think it would more correct to say that Kobo-Rakuten has bought Tolino not that they have bought into Tolino's technology. As for having withdrawn from the German market? Last time I looked Kobo was still selling ereaders under the Tolino brand name.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by DNSB

I think it would more correct to say that Kobo-Rakuten has bought Tolino not that they have bought into Tolino's technology.

It may be a loss in translation as ottischwenk probably thinks in German and I think I remember a mention of Google translate.

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by DNSB

I think it would more correct to say that Kobo-Rakuten has bought Tolino not that they have bought into Tolino's technology. As for having withdrawn from the German market? Last time I looked Kobo was still selling ereaders under the Tolino brand name.

No, there are huge differences in firmware: Kobo firmware is based on Linix, Tolinos on Android; Kobo uses other Socs than Tolino.
Furthermore: the Tolino "Shops" are those of the German book trade and there is no connection to Kobo.
The technology area has been bought from Deutsche Telekom.
And there is no Tolino Elipsa and, as I see the Tolino interests, there won't be either

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by ottischwenk

No, there are huge differences in firmware: Kobo firmware is based on Linix, Tolinos on Android; Kobo uses other Socs than Tolino.
Furthermore: the Tolino "Shops" are those of the German book trade and there is no connection to Kobo.
The technology area has been bought from Deutsche Telekom.
And there is no Tolino Elipsa and, as I see the Tolino interests, there won't be either

Are you trying to say that Kobo is not responsible for the Tolino ereaders at this point in time? That Kobo decided to continue using Android for the Tolino branded ereaders is irrelevant.

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by DNSB

Are you trying to say that Kobo is not responsible for the Tolino ereaders at this point in time? That Kobo decided to continue using Android for the Tolino branded ereaders is irrelevant.

It makes a difference whether you are responsible for something and whether you sell your products.
Tolino

[Cocoak]

Originally Posted by Pelicans

I've read my way through here and elsewhere to find a suitable ereader.

My requirements are as follows:

• 10 inch screen so that I can read the books as faithfully as possible. I haven't had an ereader yet, so I don't know how well the reflow works. For the programming books (it's the Humble Bundle, if anyone says something), 10 inches should be better than 8 inches, despite the same number of pixels. I would also like to set up the reader in front of me so that I can take notes (in a notebook) 🙃.
• PDF suitable. Not all books I have are available as epub or mobi. You need a lot of CPU power for that.
• good quality
• would be nice: navigation buttons, brightness sensor
• any connection to German libraries and bookshops. Is that possible with Kobo? With Boox, 'Bouyo' etc. this should not be possible.
• I have been struggling with severe eye pain for a while. It has to be easy on the eyes, I guess that's all? I don't know how the blue light component plays a role.

Other things like weight, pen input, water resistance, color and how well you can read fiction with it are secondary. It is mainly intended for work. (I would like to continue reading the latter on paper) 😉

As an alternative, I found the Pocketbook Inkpad X, but it is older and has a poorer CPU, but buttons. And runs with Linux, which actually looks good, it's a shame that there is no update. Pocketbook will soon be releasing a light version. It's a shame.

13 inches is the closest thing to A4, but spending so much money and then missing buttons, sensors, warranty, etc., is not so great for me. Then it is better to wait until the technology becomes cheaper and can get by with 10 inches.

Amazon Oasis: small and rounded. Tolino Epos: small and old: 1 GHz and 512 Mb RAM, far too little for PDF.

Otherwise, the Kobo Elipsa has been my favorite so far, albeit a pretty compromise and outrageously expensive for a reader. But with the new Carta 1200 display.
So what do the experts think?

I bought the 10.3" Boox Note Air and I'm very happy. The pdf reader is the best and most complete I have ever seen. It barely weighs. You can install Google Play apps, so you can install Kindle. I definitely recommend it.