Best e-ink reader for Research (article-based reading)

[BHastings175]

I have spent $60 on printing in the past 2 months, and managing all that paper is a pain - so I give myself over to your expertise.

What I am trying to accomplish

Maybe after reading this section there will be some idea I never thought of that someone can suggest.

Generally I read about 300 pages a week. These are printed pages. I also make notes on separate pieces of paper as I read. The important thing for me is that once I make a note, I can easily find the passage that spurred that note.

In my current paper-based system to accomplish this I draw a (verticle) line in the margin of the printed reading, and put a page reference in my written notes. That's it.

I am looking to recreate this same experience, but replacing the printed pages with an e-ink reader. It is also relevant that the vast majority of my pdfs are image-, as opposed to text-based.

In Summary

I am looking for an e-ink reader which will allow me to read image-based pdfs and mark a place in those pdfs for future reference.

For example, I would like to be reading a case, find something important on page 23, and then:
1) make a note in the e-reader (doesn't have to be complicated, right now I just draw a line along the margin of my printed pages next to the important passage)
2) which corresponds somehow to my written reading notes reference to M23 (the middle of page 23) and
3) which I will later be able to find quickly on either the PDF or e-reader (meaning that whatever #s I use as reference points have to stay static).

A bonus feature would be to be able to highlight certain sections of text (remember, these are mostly image-based pdfs) and have them exported with some kind of reference so I could find it again in the original document.

[vxf]

Your best option is probably the SONY PRS950, if you want to stick with eink.

Frankly, I find it easier to annotate documents on an iPad.

[BHastings175]

Thank You,

Why do you say the Sony as opposed to the nook/kindle?

I have thought about the iPad - but if I was going to use an LCD screen then I would just use my laptop, and I hate reading on my laptop.

[ring0_event]

Hmm, I have a 950, and I find it slow for complex image PDFs. Some of my image based PDFs bring it to its knees, but perhaps I could use Adobe Reader Pro to covert the PDF to a "mobile" version, which might help. I've seen this on at least two image PDFs (which are Greek on one page, and English on the other). Also, in my very simple annotation tests, I found the annotation to be slow, although I've not used it much, and I'm not sure on which texts (epub, PDF text, etc). Also, I've not done tests with annotation searches.
In summary I find the 950 to be fine simple PDFs and epubs, but anything else just seems to be at least somewhat taxing and slow. Look, even large text based PDFs (like a massive Cambridge history) bring it to its knees (although I could convert the PDF perhaps to a "mobile" format). Maybe others could chime in with some input. I don't consider the Kindle to be better for PDFs, but maybe the Pocketbook 902/3 or Onyx M90 merit your attention, but they're MUCH more expensive.

EDIT: look like the M90 is NOT what you need either, it's too buggy and slow:
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...40#post1716840

[vxf]

Originally Posted by BHastings175

Thank You,

Why do you say the Sony as opposed to the nook/kindle?

I have thought about the iPad - but if I was going to use an LCD screen then I would just use my laptop, and I hate reading on my laptop.

I mentioned the 950, rather than other options, because of the 7" screen. It actually makes a big difference with PDFs.

From a screen-size point of view, the Kindle DX would have been a better option, but it has no touch-screen, which makes annotations cumbersome.

Don't get me wrong - the 950 is far from perfect. If you read PDFs in portrait, you need pretty good eyes, as the font size tends often to be borderline-acceptable. But you can use it in landscape mode, displaying a third of a page at the time and read fairly comfortably. The touch screen is responsive. The annotations can be viewed on SONY's software on your PC, or exported to RTF - but with limitations. Highlighting will export only a small number of characters (can't recall the exact number) from copyrighted material. Handwritten annotations will be exported to an image file including the page you annotated - those images pasted in the same RTF. Both mark date, document and page.

As far as I have seen, it's the best eink can offer for PDFs and annotations. there are some new, larger eink devices, such as the ONYX and Pocketbook 903, but they are still plagued with software glitches, poor PDF handling and not always easily available in the US, but you might want to consider those nonetheless

But it's eink. No fast scrolling through the document or peeking at tables in the back of the document.

In contrast, an iPad offers those features. You can easily and fluidly scroll through documents, the screen is obviously larger and the zooming less cumbersome and you have applications that will allow for storing annotations embedded in a PDF. But short battery life, weight and the discomfort of reading on LCD are there.

Frankly, I tried various options, extensively, and settled for an iPad, with a stylus and iAnnotate. But I can understand why someone would not want to read on LCD. I find eink more comfortable, but with brightness set to low levels, I can stand an LCD more than I can stand the slowness of eink.

Of course, some of it depends on WHAT you read. If seeing a page in full matters to you, an iPad would be best. If you read PDFs that are mostly text (as opposed to tables and figures) and tend to read linearly (without flipping pages a lot) then eink might do.

[thebestjeter]

Originally Posted by vxf

From a screen-size point of view, the Kindle DX would have been a better option, but it has no touch-screen, which makes annotations cumbersome.

I don't get this. Why do you think that a touch screen is quicker and easier, in order to make annotations, than a physical keyboard? Do you write faster on your Ipad than on your laptop or desktop machine?

I have a Kindle DX and taking notes could not be easier and faster. I's simple matter of starting to write. I don't have to do anything than start to write and, obviously, I am able to type really fast with a physical keyboard.

The problem with the DX is the lack of PDF support. It doesn't allow to do anything else besides bookmarks and search when it comes to PDF.

In my case, I'd rather buy a Kindle DX Graphite (which certainly has the best screen out there when it comes to size and contrast) instead of a Vizplez and older screen (POCKETBOOK), or a smaller one (SONY-PRS-950) or a software and hardware buggy device (M90).

7 inches is not enough space generally. I don't going to pay $300 for a ereader in order to read only in landscape mode. It's awkward and inefficient if you are reading something with footnotes, because you only are going to be able to read those notes when you get to the bottom of the page (that means 3 page turn in a PRS-950); and I have a Kindle 3 with enough PDF support, which can do that and costs only $139 (with faster annotation support and no character highlight limitation).

So, what I did was installed the software of my Kindle 3 on my Kindle DX, so I have enough PDF support in both. I can make notes, highlights, look up in the dictionary, adjust the contrast, search the document.

I refrain from advising BHastings175 to do the same, but I would like him to know that probably is the best option. If you want to, you can ask for an image in this thread or send me a private message. Installing the Kindle 3 firmware on the Kindle DX have some little problems, such as poor audio and slow wake up, but all the other options and features work perfectly.

[ring0_event]

Out of curiosity, does anyone here know how well the Pocketbook 902/3 handle PDFs? Is the firmware buggy or slow?

[thebestjeter]

One major problem of the Pocketbook 902/3 is that they don't have a pearl screen and don't allow you to adjust the contrast. Take a look at this So, in many cases the contrast is really poor when it comes to PDF. For further information, you had better ask in the POCKETBOOK forum.

[ring0_event]

Thanks, I guess there is no ideal choice for 9" e-ink device for PDFs. I'll read more in that subforum.

[fishface]

AFAIK two vital things need to happen before e-ink research paper readers can be feasible:

1. Large form factor (10' or bigger). PDFs generally break when reflowed, and a lot of papers and textbooks rely on specific placements of figures and equations. e-ink is slow to refresh and PDFs are slow to render all contributing to a no-go for scrolling.

2. Pen-based PDF Annotation support. You need to be able to use a pen to ink onto the PDF like using PDF Revu or PDF Annotator or Acrobat. Circle a symbol, highlight, etc. My favourite thing is to underline specific terms in equations and link back to their previous forms in prior lines of the derivation, and to annotate graphs to highlight the regions I should pay attention to. Can't do any of this with text notes.

3. Decent processing power to render equations, graphs and such.

Currently nothing exists that supports this, not because the tech is unavailable, but because the combined cost of all these things is a lot (over $1k for sure) and apparently the bean counters have determined that it does not look like the market will support it (even though, you, me, and every academic I know will not even hesitate at a $1k to $2k price point because it's just that useful to us... but unfortunately we are a small fraction of the population). So it's an LCD tabletPC for now, for me.

PS I had high hopes for the Boox M90 but it's been having technical problems and I've looked at the inking experience and not been impressed.

[Eskarina]

Originally Posted by fishface

Currently nothing exists that supports this, not because the tech is unavailable, but because the combined cost of all these things is a lot (over $1k for sure) and apparently the bean counters have determined that it does not look like the market will support it (even though, you, me, and every academic I know will not even hesitate at a $1k to $2k price point because it's just that useful to us... but unfortunately we are a small fraction of the population). So it's an LCD tabletPC for now, for me.

I think you're absolute correct about this fishface and that a tablet PC might be the best way forward for annotating pdfs. I remember using my cousin's ibm thinkpad 5 years ago and making a mental note to check out tablet pcs again once I could afford one. Then the iPad came out and turned everything on its ear by looking more like an iPhone than a Mac and now, tech companies are following the same suit. You're also right about the need for a stylus 'cause I find that no matter how great the app, fantastic and responsive the screen, I just cannot "write" with my finger.

Regardless, this is all moot anyway since I currently have zero disposable income and my laptop, nook color with ezpdf and printer are currently meeting all my pdf needs. Once I get my money situation resolved, I think I'll take another look into the tablet pc market.

[charmian]

This isn't on the market yet, and it's solely for enterprise, but maybe in the future something building off of the technology of Ricoh's e-ink tablet?

http://allthingsd.com/20110601/ricoh...our-work-life/

Look at the video in this link. It seems to render diagrams well, and is quite fast.

[BHastings175]

Originally Posted by fishface

Currently nothing exists that supports this... So it's an LCD tabletPC for now, for me.

PS I had high hopes for the Boox M90 but it's been having technical problems and I've looked at the inking experience and not been impressed.

Any idea how well the Galaxy Tab stacks up against the iPad for this function?

[fishface]

Originally Posted by BHastings175

Any idea how well the Galaxy Tab stacks up against the iPad for this function?

No pen = no way.

Ever found yourself at a doctor's office, or a bus stop, with a paper you need to review or read in-depth for research, and you search all your pockets and there's NO PEN?

Yeah, it's kinda like that except ALL THE TIME.

I'd check out the Samsung Series 7 Tablet or the Asus EP121 if you're looking for a backlit LCD academic reader. They're full-featured Windows PCs too.