should I get a netbook?

ahammer · 07-17-2009, 01:23 AM

I need something that can read full page pdf (9.7) for programing/ rpg books.

also like to read on it. im not as big of a reader as some around here can never find the time for more then a hour a night if that to read. was thinking of geting a eink reader but now that im looking ever thing over not sure what I sould do.

wondering if you all would way in.

astek ezreader true
price: 400-450(my guess right now)

pros
eink
flex screen
long battry life.
cons
not out yet
b&w(not a big one)
cant be 100% sure pdf will work yet.

Always Innovating TOUCH BOOK

400
pros

could use for the internet aswell.. so im not stuck at my desk
know pdf will work right
out this month

cons
black lit screen(spend lot of time in doors... this may be good then?)
fearful of low storage space.
low battery life.

questions
is Fbreader any good??? is there a good on for nix.(can think there is not one).
.

anything else I should think about?

HarryT · 07-17-2009, 05:28 AM

Netbooks make lousy bookreaders. The "letterbox" screen format is the wrong shape; they are heavy, have a short battery life, and even if you turn them on their side to read the keyboard gets in the way.

Netbooks are wonderful for e-mail, web-browsing, etc; I use my Dell netbook all the time. I'm afraid, though, that they really don't make good book readers.

KindleKid · 07-17-2009, 08:55 AM

I have an eee pc and it's a great machine, there is way a to display text vertically so it essence it's dimensions are similar to a ereader screen. The downside is the LCD, LCD's are hard on the eyes. I use mine for productivity but I have a computer at work now and don't really need it and could use the cash so I may sell it. If I do, look for it in the Flea Market!

narbeauchamp · 07-17-2009, 09:16 AM

I think,for me at least,LCD is harder on the eyes-so I wouldn't use the netbook I just acquired as an ereader exclusively-plus the battery life just does not compare to my reader,and its not exactly easy to hold like a book,at home-let alone during my commute on the subways where I do most of my reading....

I love my netbook as an adjunct to my other machine-taking it out and about with me on weekends instead of the ultraportable-especially when I don't need to work etc-sitting with it for four hours to read a book...not ideal,for me anyways....

ahammer · 07-17-2009, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Netbooks make lousy bookreaders. The "letterbox" screen format is the wrong shape; they are heavy, have a short battery life, and even if you turn them on their side to read the keyboard gets in the way.

http://www.alwaysinnovating.com/touchbook/

key board getting in the way is not realy a issue. as you can take the screen off the keyboard.

not sure about the shape thou..hmm

and 3.5 hours battery life seems good..

richman · 07-18-2009, 12:17 AM

I have both a 505 and acer 8.9 netbook. They are both good for reading pdf's. If you have tech type pdf's with diagrams, charts, etc. , I use my netbook. The downside as others have stated is 2 to 3 hours battery life, but most of the time , I'm near an outlet if I'm not home.
505 is good for pleasure reading and does have 2 or 3 weeks battery life. I did get the 505 for 150 with sony deal and netbook for 200 dollars. If you can only get one and you do not have laptop, get a netbook. If you have a notebook then get the 505. And if you want both netbook and 505 , get both.
Since I got the 505 , I hardly ever use my netbook. I like the netbook because I can watch a movie, or surf the web, or write or do other stuff. The 505 is great because I have 20-30 books on it and I find turning it on in 1/2 second makes me read more. It takes 2 minutes to start reading on netbook and it is much more awkward to read standing up, or walking, or in many situations. So weigh the pro's and con's.

altabs · 11-12-2009, 02:24 AM

This is what it looks like when I read PDF's or comics on my eee with the screen rotated.

poshm · 11-12-2009, 12:11 PM

I have an eee pc - in fact using it right now to browse the www - and overall a great little machine.

Nice little size for browsing the Internet, checking emails and other basic functions. I keep mine on a tray so I have a small travel mouse by the side and I can quickly pick the whole lot up and move into a different room - essential when keeping an eye on a toddler.

I can't really read from it for too long as it gets uncomfortable on the eyes. And the battery life is not long enough to be very useful for traveling far. But I'm sure many people do use machines like this for reading but how long for I don't know.

phenomshel · 11-12-2009, 03:01 PM

Just bought an Acer Aspire One. LOVE it for reading. That's the main reason I bought it, actually. After I figured out the keyboard wasn't going to get in my way as much as I had thought it would, anyway. I still want a tablet device running Windows (for ebook reading software compatibility), but this is a nice compromise til there's a little more choice in the market (and the prices go down on tablets). The LCD on this is adjustable enough that I don't run into the "normal" problems reading on LCD screens.

However, in this instance it's going to be a case of personal preference. As you saw above, Harry hates reading on his netbook, and LCD causes eyestrain for other people. So it's down to what you prefer. If you can, get your hands on a netbook and try it out for reading. That should let you know if it'll work for you, or whether you need to go for e-ink and a different form factor.

07-17-2009, 01:23 AM	#1
ahammer cybershark Posts: 314 Karma: 2227 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: AZ Device: none	should I get a netbook? I need something that can read full page pdf (9.7) for programing/ rpg books. also like to read on it. im not as big of a reader as some around here can never find the time for more then a hour a night if that to read. was thinking of geting a eink reader but now that im looking ever thing over not sure what I sould do. wondering if you all would way in. astek ezreader true price: 400-450(my guess right now) pros eink flex screen long battry life. cons not out yet b&w(not a big one) cant be 100% sure pdf will work yet. Always Innovating TOUCH BOOK 400 pros could use for the internet aswell.. so im not stuck at my desk know pdf will work right out this month cons black lit screen(spend lot of time in doors... this may be good then?) fearful of low storage space. low battery life. questions is Fbreader any good??? is there a good on for nix.(can think there is not one). . anything else I should think about?

07-18-2009, 12:17 AM	#6
richman Addict Posts: 269 Karma: 58 Join Date: Jul 2009 Device: sony prs-505 BLUE,itouch,netbook	I have both a 505 and acer 8.9 netbook. They are both good for reading pdf's. If you have tech type pdf's with diagrams, charts, etc. , I use my netbook. The downside as others have stated is 2 to 3 hours battery life, but most of the time , I'm near an outlet if I'm not home. 505 is good for pleasure reading and does have 2 or 3 weeks battery life. I did get the 505 for 150 with sony deal and netbook for 200 dollars. If you can only get one and you do not have laptop, get a netbook. If you have a notebook then get the 505. And if you want both netbook and 505 , get both. Since I got the 505 , I hardly ever use my netbook. I like the netbook because I can watch a movie, or surf the web, or write or do other stuff. The 505 is great because I have 20-30 books on it and I find turning it on in 1/2 second makes me read more. It takes 2 minutes to start reading on netbook and it is much more awkward to read standing up, or walking, or in many situations. So weigh the pro's and con's. Last edited by richman; 07-18-2009 at 12:21 AM.

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07-17-2009, 05:28 AM	#2
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Netbooks make lousy bookreaders. The "letterbox" screen format is the wrong shape; they are heavy, have a short battery life, and even if you turn them on their side to read the keyboard gets in the way. Netbooks are wonderful for e-mail, web-browsing, etc; I use my Dell netbook all the time. I'm afraid, though, that they really don't make good book readers.

07-17-2009, 08:55 AM	#3
KindleKid Zealot Posts: 115 Karma: 24 Join Date: Oct 2008 Device: iPad 2	I have an eee pc and it's a great machine, there is way a to display text vertically so it essence it's dimensions are similar to a ereader screen. The downside is the LCD, LCD's are hard on the eyes. I use mine for productivity but I have a computer at work now and don't really need it and could use the cash so I may sell it. If I do, look for it in the Flea Market!

07-17-2009, 09:16 AM	#4
narbeauchamp Groupie Posts: 170 Karma: 98 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: New York,NY Device: PRS700BC/PRS505/TZ350N/MacBook/Aspire One/iPad/iPhone/BB 9630	I think,for me at least,LCD is harder on the eyes-so I wouldn't use the netbook I just acquired as an ereader exclusively-plus the battery life just does not compare to my reader,and its not exactly easy to hold like a book,at home-let alone during my commute on the subways where I do most of my reading.... I love my netbook as an adjunct to my other machine-taking it out and about with me on weekends instead of the ultraportable-especially when I don't need to work etc-sitting with it for four hours to read a book...not ideal,for me anyways....

11-12-2009, 02:24 AM	#7
altabs Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 24 Join Date: Nov 2009 Device: none	This is what it looks like when I read PDF's or comics on my eee with the screen rotated.

11-12-2009, 12:11 PM	#8
poshm Fanatic Posts: 581 Karma: 1003580 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Cambs, UK Device: PocketBook 360, Sony Reader Touch, Ipod touch & Kindle 2	I have an eee pc - in fact using it right now to browse the www - and overall a great little machine. Nice little size for browsing the Internet, checking emails and other basic functions. I keep mine on a tray so I have a small travel mouse by the side and I can quickly pick the whole lot up and move into a different room - essential when keeping an eye on a toddler. I can't really read from it for too long as it gets uncomfortable on the eyes. And the battery life is not long enough to be very useful for traveling far. But I'm sure many people do use machines like this for reading but how long for I don't know.

11-12-2009, 03:01 PM	#9
phenomshel ZCD BombShel Posts: 4,793 Karma: 8293322 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: The Frozen North (aka Illinois, USA) Device: iPad, STB Kindle Oasis	Just bought an Acer Aspire One. LOVE it for reading. That's the main reason I bought it, actually. After I figured out the keyboard wasn't going to get in my way as much as I had thought it would, anyway. I still want a tablet device running Windows (for ebook reading software compatibility), but this is a nice compromise til there's a little more choice in the market (and the prices go down on tablets). The LCD on this is adjustable enough that I don't run into the "normal" problems reading on LCD screens. However, in this instance it's going to be a case of personal preference. As you saw above, Harry hates reading on his netbook, and LCD causes eyestrain for other people. So it's down to what you prefer. If you can, get your hands on a netbook and try it out for reading. That should let you know if it'll work for you, or whether you need to go for e-ink and a different form factor.

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