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Old 01-02-2020, 05:57 AM   #1
Savate
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Inkpad X

I am interested to know more about the PDF reading experience on the Inkpad X before deciding to purchase. I have tried Kobo, Onyx, Kindle (none satisfactory for various reasons - especially the Onyx which was a serious disappointment).

I am familiar with Pocketbook software (own a Touch Lux) but really need a device to read PDFs at something like full size. Not too interested in tech specs just the reader experience. I understand the device is not zippy but not bothered about that. I just want to know if the device does the job for reading.

Is the 10.3 screen adequate for the fixed size of a PDF? Do PDFs fit the screen well enough for reading with minimal zooming/panning? I don't need note taking but text markup is v useful (but I believe the standard Pocketbook tools work as usual). Does the X have any new PDF features I might not have heard about?

I am aware that the device is overpriced (by a long way!) but if it does the job I am happy to pay up.

My use case: I get a lot of PDF documents alongside epubs, mobis etc. (I am a reviewer) and find reading PDFs on on a normal tablet with Acrobat very tedious. Acrobat also has its own workspace which adds extra complexity when it comes to file management.

If anyone has one of these devices and uses it for PDF reading (as well as other formats of course) I would be very grateful to hear about it.

Thanks
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Old 01-03-2020, 12:47 AM   #2
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Originally Posted by Savate View Post
Is the 10.3 screen adequate for the fixed size of a PDF? Do PDFs fit the screen well enough for reading with minimal zooming/panning? I don't need note taking but text markup is v useful (but I believe the standard Pocketbook tools work as usual).
It depends. For A5 typeset scans (most books) it's overkill and 7.8" InkPad 3 suffices. For A4 scans (old newspapers and such), 10" is a necessity, so it's a matter if you really need to read pages that were typeset for A4 format.

The general guiding rule for pdf scans is "read in size of the original material, shrink the scan to 90% at most". Obviously 6" (cellphone, kindle, touch lux...) is far too small for anything scanned, and is only barely acceptable for text that can reflow.
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Old 01-03-2020, 07:07 AM   #3
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Thanks @ezdiy. Points noted.

I deal with quite a few A4 originals (reports and the like) so 10.3 seems like a must. I wonder if you have actually used the new Inkpad?

It's one thing to have a device with the right size screen but does the software manage the reading process well? I did have a 10.3 Onyx Note Pro for a short while but it's handling of A4 PDFs was horrible so I sold it on. (Mind you I can't recall the details - at the time it seemed too fiddly because the default display seemed to need a lot of fiddling about with parameters like line spacing, margins, etc.)

I note that there is a new firmware update for the Onyx device so perhaps I was a little hasty :-( but I did find it over-featured for my purpose ...

Last edited by Savate; 01-03-2020 at 07:12 AM.
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Old 01-03-2020, 11:41 AM   #4
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Originally Posted by Savate View Post
Thanks @ezdiy. Points noted.

I deal with quite a few A4 originals (reports and the like) so 10.3 seems like a must. I wonder if you have actually used the new Inkpad?

It's one thing to have a device with the right size screen but does the software manage the reading process well? I did have a 10.3 Onyx Note Pro for a short while but it's handling of A4 PDFs was horrible so I sold it on. (Mind you I can't recall the details - at the time it seemed too fiddly because the default display seemed to need a lot of fiddling about with parameters like line spacing, margins, etc.)

I note that there is a new firmware update for the Onyx device so perhaps I was a little hasty :-( but I did find it over-featured for my purpose ...
I have InkPad 3 Pro, not X, but from hw descriptions, the X should be really about the same speed as the hardware is the same - just larger display (same resolution, so updates should be about as fast). InkPad 3 itself is slightly faster than Touch HD.

As far as PDF reading software on 5.20.x firmwares (all post-2016 pocketbooks) its pretty decent, so expect the same as you get on Touch 3HD, just larger screen. There are no special features, all pocketbooks have same fw. Sometimes there are font problems, so just opening in koreader (different pdf engine) helps.
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Old 01-04-2020, 06:52 PM   #5
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Thanks again. I am very tempted - I have loads of PDFs I need to plough through and as I've said I don't find reading on my tablet using Acrobat all that manageable (hard to explain why - I've got so used to eink and for me it's the only way to read + my eyesight isn't as durable as it usd to be).

The X is really quite expensive (£385 on Amazon) and that holds me back a bit.

What is KOreader? Is that a native app on the Pocketbook? (It's not on my Touch Lux but it may be on the Pro ...)

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Old 01-04-2020, 06:57 PM   #6
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OK - I just found a source for OKReader and it looks like I can install it on my Touch Lux. That's news to me and a good tip from you! Thanks.

I'll have a go tomorrow to install on my device to see how it works ...

I am veering rapidly now towards buying an X (having checked funds!)

Last edited by Savate; 01-04-2020 at 07:03 PM. Reason: Updated message content
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Old 01-10-2020, 03:44 PM   #7
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New Inkpad X - quick review of user experience

After some time musing about the value of the new Inkpad X as a PDF reader and taking odds and ends of advice from this forum and others I finally took the plunge and bought one! I bought from Amazon because it's so reliable and has a good approach to refunds and replacements.

Glad I did because the first one had a problem with the USB port - it wouldn't connect to the PC without jiggling it. But Amazon replaced it right away, with no quibbles. The replacement works as it should. (I use Calibre to manage my book - X works fine with it).

The build quality doesn't feel terrific (the plastic backing offers a good grip but feels just a little too flexible as if not quite attached to the underlying chassis but it's not a problem for me. The buttons (standard on most Pocketbooks) aren't the tightest in the world, but again these do their job.

On the other hand it is very, very light - hence the 'feel' - which is great since you barely notice it when reading on your lap or holding while riding a bus. But being so light you would not want to accidentally sit on it and you would want to be careful if packing it in a briefcase or shoulder bag to avoid crushing. It definitely needs a protective case of some sort (which is next on the list).

It's a bit pricey but it does what I need it for, to read PDFs mainly.
I am very pleased with it as an ereader (and relieved to be so - it took all of my petty cash savings!). It seems to handle most (not all) of the PDFs in my library pretty well and as I get more familiar with it I think the experience will improve.

I've used a Touch Lux 4 for a while now and though Pocketbook software is not quite as well designed as a Kindle it works well. The X is basically the same with just a few minor differences (e.g. position of settings menu, screen light operations). In some ways it is a lot easier to use than the smaller screen Lux as there is more screen space to poke and stroke!

Mind you, so far I am still using my Lux for reading in bed as the X is rather on the large side for being curled up under the duvet and I haven't quite got the hang of it yet. The larger screen does take a little getting used to!

So, I would recommend it if you need to read larger fixed format documents like PDFs or comics. I haven't tried comics (yet) but I am expecting that to be a good experience as well. The images that are often included in the PDfs I read all look decent (occasionally adequate) and at last I can see them properly (unlike the Lux)!

I don't know yet what the battery life is like.
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Old 01-11-2020, 02:30 PM   #8
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@Savate How is the note typing on the Inkpad X?
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Old 01-17-2020, 06:07 AM   #9
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Haven't really used that yet ... the keyboard is larger of course and it feels bit less cramped (on the Touch Lux the 'a' key for example can difficult to touch it's so close to the recess ...)

I'll check it out over the next day or two and write a post.

Just bought a felt sleeve case from here Emmerson Gray on eBay. It's very nicely made and good protection when travelling.
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Old 01-17-2020, 03:01 PM   #10
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OK - the keyboard layout is identical to that on my Touch Lux (and presumably all Pocketbooks?) but a bonus is that there is more space for it. So it is easier to type although it is just as slow as on the Touch Lux (mind you the Kindle isn't any better really ... generally keyboard responsiveness is one of the very poor features of ereaders in my experience).

As I said in my previous comment, the keyboard on the Touch Lux can be quite fiddly because there is so little room at the edges. On the X there is ample space so although you can't type more quickly you can type more positively.

Notes etc. are filed in the same way as on the Touch Lux.

I have some PDFs to read over the weekend so next week I'll write some feedback about how that goes.

Last edited by Savate; 01-17-2020 at 03:03 PM.
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Old 01-18-2020, 01:22 PM   #11
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Too bad. I really liked to have a genuine reason to get the Inkpad X. The screen sounds great, of course, but the typing is horribly slow.
I am thinking of linking my mobile to the ereader as a alternative input source. Something along these lines: https://profandroid.com/network/blue...-keyboard.html
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Old 01-18-2020, 08:02 PM   #12
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Interesting. On the linux side, BT kbd is just another USB HID, so if USB OTG keyboard works, bt should too with some mild prodding for it to pair up.

Currently I'm running a customized copy of koreader (just ad-hoc molested lua scripts) for various file/bookmark syncing tasks between devices. Long term goal UX wise is something akin to "tandem mode".

That is, keep koreader instance on phone and reader (or even more devices) in sync, from files all the way to UI state. Do all typing/searching/organizing on the phone with fast screen, and it live syncs to the copy running on PB/Kindle, and vice versa - reader paging projects back to phone if I forget to bring with me somewhere I start where I left off. This is a rather long term project though, currently it can barely sync the files and isn't user friendly to set up at all.
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Old 09-18-2020, 09:39 AM   #13
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Originally Posted by ezdiy View Post
It depends. For A5 typeset scans (most books) it's overkill and 7.8" InkPad 3 suffices. For A4 scans (old newspapers and such), 10" is a necessity, so it's a matter if you really need to read pages that were typeset for A4 format.

The general guiding rule for pdf scans is "read in size of the original material, shrink the scan to 90% at most". Obviously 6" (cellphone, kindle, touch lux...) is far too small for anything scanned, and is only barely acceptable for text that can reflow.
In case of a magazine which has a diagonal of 14,7" is a 10" screen size needed?
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Old 10-25-2021, 09:06 AM   #14
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I have Inkpad 3 and Inkpad X and I'm kind of disappointed in X. The main reason for disappointment is that it is remarkably darker than 3, seems that it has the same frontlight (resolution is the same, too), but because of the bigger screen it is a bit weak. Since I'm used to Inkpad 3 it is inconvenient to go to dimmer screen. In order to maximize light I have to adjust it to yellowish (blue frontlight is weaker), so also light temperature is "ugly", not quite paper-like. If it had brighter screen I would recommend it, but now... I think I would recommend iPad Pro for pdf-s, at least to compare before purchase (yes-yes, I see author bought it long time ago- other people then .
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