Pocketbook 301+ First Impressions

Spiritwnd · 01-21-2010, 07:31 PM

As a computer programmer, I have many many reference books sitting around and my wife would like some real estate back in the living room or fewer book cases.

I needed an eReader that was able to handle PDFs (not flawlessly) in an acceptable manner. Also CHM files would be nice to include and carry.

After reading many forums here and finally asking. I cancelled the order for the Nook, ordered the Pocketbook 301+ and my first impression was WOW.

I had pre-staged folders on a SD card while I was waiting for the arrival of my new device. When it showed up I opened it. Powered it on, did a firm ware check (it was already updated) and tossed the SD card in.

I gave me an hour glass and then displayed all my folders. I enter into one marked Programming that I knew had the most difficult PDF I owned. A book from O'Reilly in the Head Start series. Well, it displayed it. I could barely read it as it was trying to do full size in the 6" window. I knew it wouldn't reflow so I just adjusted it to landscape and started to browse the book. It wasn't difficult to read, it was also not the easiest thing to read. There were ways to view this file.
I opened a CHM and it was perfect for a 6" screen.
I opened a different PDF and it was perfect for a 6" screen.

For what I need to do, this is perfect. I can fiddle to pull up a file and get it reformat since I am not pleasure reading.

I do agree with others that a larger screen would be perfect. That is not what I desired in my first eReader.

Between all the PDFs, DOCs, CHMs and such that I have they now exist on a single SD card and I can view them just fine with my PocketBook 301+ when I need to research them.

Thank you all for the help.

-Spirit

Dulin's Books · 01-21-2010, 07:38 PM

Glad you found that it works well for you.

The first one you tried- did you try different zoom methods and reflow? I know you said it won't I just wonder what all you tried. Also did you open it with the Adobe Viewer of the other "pdfviewer". I bet you'll find the pdfviewer more to your liking than the adobe version.

Yar-PocketBooker · 01-21-2010, 07:40 PM

Did you try to re-flow? It may be tricky with extremely large volumes, but with regular PDFs it does work!

Spiritwnd · 01-21-2010, 09:55 PM

The Head Start series by o'Reilly is very graphical intense. They combine lots of images on every page and they look and read in a similar fashion to text books found in primary grades. With an average of 3 - 4 graphics per page, changing fonts often, etc, etc, it was honestly a test of the upper boundary.

I tried the reflow thinking it might fail, it didn't fully succeed. I tried both PDF readers and one did a better job then the other.
But, again, this was a test of upper boundary of the device. Now, a 9" screen and it would have been UBER!

(When are those going to be available?)

The remainder of my PDFs are more of the technical in nature with a figure on a page if that.

Spiritwnd · 01-21-2010, 09:58 PM

To give a sample of how intense the PDF version of the book would be:

Head First Programming Learners Language

Spiritwnd · 01-28-2010, 09:41 PM

Been using my PocketBook for a week now. I have it set in a landscape with the D-Pad at my right thumb. My PDF's display very well this way, generally speaking the PDF's are split in half so I would have a top half of the page and a bottom half.
This hasn't caused any issues with my general use of the device and has greatly endeared me to it. There are those at work who are watching me use the PocketBook as it leans against one of my monitors. I look things up in my reference manuals and have spent a few minutes reading here or there and they have voiced an interest in locating e-readers themselves.

For PDFs, I am having an excellent time using the device.
For CHMs, I have noticed a few things. I have some CHMs that are compiled by Microsoft. These don't render their diagrams at all. CHMs compiled by another company renders its images and diagrams. Aside from coming across that little problem.
I greatly enjoy my new reader.

01-21-2010, 07:31 PM	#1
Spiritwnd Member Posts: 22 Karma: 66 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: G1, Pocketbook 301+	Pocketbook 301+ First Impressions As a computer programmer, I have many many reference books sitting around and my wife would like some real estate back in the living room or fewer book cases. I needed an eReader that was able to handle PDFs (not flawlessly) in an acceptable manner. Also CHM files would be nice to include and carry. After reading many forums here and finally asking. I cancelled the order for the Nook, ordered the Pocketbook 301+ and my first impression was WOW. I had pre-staged folders on a SD card while I was waiting for the arrival of my new device. When it showed up I opened it. Powered it on, did a firm ware check (it was already updated) and tossed the SD card in. I gave me an hour glass and then displayed all my folders. I enter into one marked Programming that I knew had the most difficult PDF I owned. A book from O'Reilly in the Head Start series. Well, it displayed it. I could barely read it as it was trying to do full size in the 6" window. I knew it wouldn't reflow so I just adjusted it to landscape and started to browse the book. It wasn't difficult to read, it was also not the easiest thing to read. There were ways to view this file. I opened a CHM and it was perfect for a 6" screen. I opened a different PDF and it was perfect for a 6" screen. For what I need to do, this is perfect. I can fiddle to pull up a file and get it reformat since I am not pleasure reading. I do agree with others that a larger screen would be perfect. That is not what I desired in my first eReader. Between all the PDFs, DOCs, CHMs and such that I have they now exist on a single SD card and I can view them just fine with my PocketBook 301+ when I need to research them. Thank you all for the help. -Spirit

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01-21-2010, 07:38 PM	#2
Dulin's Books Wizard Posts: 2,806 Karma: 13500000 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Portland, OR Device: Boox PB360 etc etc etc	Glad you found that it works well for you. The first one you tried- did you try different zoom methods and reflow? I know you said it won't I just wonder what all you tried. Also did you open it with the Adobe Viewer of the other "pdfviewer". I bet you'll find the pdfviewer more to your liking than the adobe version.

01-21-2010, 07:40 PM	#3
Yar-PocketBooker Fanatic Posts: 589 Karma: 6976 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: New York Device: PocketBooks and Onyxes and anything E-Ink...	Did you try to re-flow? It may be tricky with extremely large volumes, but with regular PDFs it does work!

01-21-2010, 09:55 PM	#4
Spiritwnd Member Posts: 22 Karma: 66 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: G1, Pocketbook 301+	The Head Start series by o'Reilly is very graphical intense. They combine lots of images on every page and they look and read in a similar fashion to text books found in primary grades. With an average of 3 - 4 graphics per page, changing fonts often, etc, etc, it was honestly a test of the upper boundary. I tried the reflow thinking it might fail, it didn't fully succeed. I tried both PDF readers and one did a better job then the other. But, again, this was a test of upper boundary of the device. Now, a 9" screen and it would have been UBER! (When are those going to be available?) The remainder of my PDFs are more of the technical in nature with a figure on a page if that.

01-21-2010, 09:58 PM	#5
Spiritwnd Member Posts: 22 Karma: 66 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: G1, Pocketbook 301+	To give a sample of how intense the PDF version of the book would be: Head First Programming Learners Language

01-28-2010, 09:41 PM	#6
Spiritwnd Member Posts: 22 Karma: 66 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: G1, Pocketbook 301+	Been using my PocketBook for a week now. I have it set in a landscape with the D-Pad at my right thumb. My PDF's display very well this way, generally speaking the PDF's are split in half so I would have a top half of the page and a bottom half. This hasn't caused any issues with my general use of the device and has greatly endeared me to it. There are those at work who are watching me use the PocketBook as it leans against one of my monitors. I look things up in my reference manuals and have spent a few minutes reading here or there and they have voiced an interest in locating e-readers themselves. For PDFs, I am having an excellent time using the device. For CHMs, I have noticed a few things. I have some CHMs that are compiled by Microsoft. These don't render their diagrams at all. CHMs compiled by another company renders its images and diagrams. Aside from coming across that little problem. I greatly enjoy my new reader.