KEYBOARDS FOR EBOOK READERS

judahis · 01-28-2010, 08:13 PM

I have been looking for years for the PERFECT E-BOOK READER. One of my criterion is a keyboard (or even a virtual keyboard) so I can make comments on what I am reading. I understand that some e-book readers have techniques for making "annotations" but are these actually saved with the book so they are retainable? I would appreciate advice on this. Also needing bolding or underlining capability to mark certain passages. I am lost in the morass of much information but not what I need. HELP!!

admford · 01-28-2010, 08:37 PM

I've been looking into ebook readers for a while. As a student I've got a number of textbooks and the ability to take notes or record lectures is a plus. Some currently shipping ebook readers have a small incorporated keyboard (Kindle DX I believe), or support an onscreen keyboard. So far, the ebook reader that I'm planning to order (hopefully soon) is the Entourage eDGe. It supports pretty much any keyboard that's connected to it via USB or bluetooth.

The annotations that are done on PDFs or other formats are usually saved as separate text files on your reader of choice. So that means you can export them without any problems. Though this feature usually depends on how a certain reader handles various file formats.

Dulin's Books · 01-28-2010, 08:45 PM

I prefer a touch screen with good stylus input for note taking. the keyboards found on most of the devices are too small for me to use well( my typing is horrible). On screen keyboard for short notes and stylus for handwritten notes is all i need.

Being able to connect a bluetooth keyboard would be good for when you really need to write something longish.

judahis · 01-29-2010, 04:17 AM

Dulin's Books: Can you tell me WHICH PARTICULAR devices have little keyboards or even virtual keyboards? I plan only to make annotations, so will not be doing any speed typing with the keyboards. I see the new Jinke has a keyboard. Have bought the Jornada 690 for this purpose but not tested it yet. Will it be able to take Mobi format etc.?

GlenBarrington · 01-29-2010, 08:44 AM

Keyboards are fine for multipurpose devices, but I don't see why a dedicated ereader device would need one. I never even had a keyboard for any of my Palm devices. Grafitti worked just fine once you learned how to use it.

Well after thinking about it, maybe students and people who might otherwise do research would want some sort of annotation capability. But I can't believe that the majority of recreational readers would need that sort of capability.

WT Sharpe · 01-29-2010, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GlenBarrington

Keyboards are fine for multipurpose devices, but I don't see why a dedicated ereader device would need one. I never even had a keyboard for any of my Palm devices. Grafitti worked just fine once you learned how to use it.

Well after thinking about it, maybe students and people who might otherwise do research would want some sort of annotation capability. But I can't believe that the majority of recreational readers would need that sort of capability.

Even in my paperbacks and hardcover books I'm always underlining and making notes in the margins. I can't read a paper book without a pen and a highlighter in my hand.

For that reason, I find the keyboard buttons on my Kindle to be one of it's most useful features.

HarryT · 01-29-2010, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

Even in my paperbacks and hardcover books I'm always underlining and making notes in the margins. I can't read a paper book without a pen and a highlighter in my hand.

For that reason, I find the keyboard buttons on my Kindle to be one of it's most useful features.

Wouldn't you find making notes "freehand" with a stylus even more natural? It would be a lot closer to the way that you do it with paper books.

theducks · 01-29-2010, 01:48 PM

I read for pleasure, so I am not taking notes

, so I don't need a keyboard.

I only read/understand English, so my vocabulary is sufficient without the aid of a dictionary, which could use a keyboard for convenient input.

The perception seems that a single e-book reader configuration needs to fill all market niches.
Over at the Astak group, I keep seeing people trying to make the model into totally different beast.
There is room in the Market for all the model feature variations, If the publishers of content do not deliberately lock the content to a particular model(s).

Spoiler:

Ea · 01-31-2010, 06:42 AM

I like to take notes, too - at least when I'm reading something 'serious', something worth giving extra thought - and taking notes helps me remember and think.

Making notes directly in the book has never worked for me though. There's never enough room, I can't write tidyly enough, and the paper is often not that nice to to write on (wrong texture) - and I just don't like to mess up my books with writing

So I've always made notes on separate paper.

Because of this, the Kindle is close to perfect when it comes to note taking - and not having the large hands that a man might have, the keyboard is really great, and I definitely prefer it over a virtual keyboard + stylus.

Perhaps if I'm proof-reading it might be nicer to make freehand notes with a stylus, but highlighting works well, too.

View Poll Results: IS A KEYBOARD OR SOME SUCH IMPORTANT FOR AN EBOOK READER FOR YOU?
Essential	2	5.56%
Useful	6	16.67%
Somewhat useful	9	25.00%
Unimportant	19	52.78%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 36. You may not vote on this poll

01-28-2010, 08:13 PM	#1
judahis Enthusiast Posts: 31 Karma: 68 Join Date: Dec 2005	KEYBOARDS FOR EBOOK READERS I have been looking for years for the PERFECT E-BOOK READER. One of my criterion is a keyboard (or even a virtual keyboard) so I can make comments on what I am reading. I understand that some e-book readers have techniques for making "annotations" but are these actually saved with the book so they are retainable? I would appreciate advice on this. Also needing bolding or underlining capability to mark certain passages. I am lost in the morass of much information but not what I need. HELP!!

01-29-2010, 08:44 AM	#5
GlenBarrington Cheese Whiz Posts: 1,986 Karma: 11677147 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Springfield, Illinois Device: Kindle PW, Samsung Tab A 10.1(2019), Pixel 6a.	Keyboards are fine for multipurpose devices, but I don't see why a dedicated ereader device would need one. I never even had a keyboard for any of my Palm devices. Grafitti worked just fine once you learned how to use it. Well after thinking about it, maybe students and people who might otherwise do research would want some sort of annotation capability. But I can't believe that the majority of recreational readers would need that sort of capability. Last edited by GlenBarrington; 01-29-2010 at 08:47 AM. Reason: MOre to add

01-29-2010, 01:48 PM	#8
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 30,447 Karma: 58055868 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	I read for pleasure, so I am not taking notes , so I don't need a keyboard. I only read/understand English, so my vocabulary is sufficient without the aid of a dictionary, which could use a keyboard for convenient input. The perception seems that a single e-book reader configuration needs to fill all market niches. Over at the Astak group, I keep seeing people trying to make the model into totally different beast. There is room in the Market for all the model feature variations, If the publishers of content do not deliberately lock the content to a particular model(s). Spoiler: Amazon does not wish to sell e-books to non-Kindle owners. What is B & N going to do? These brutes are trying to lock up content (exclusive distribution) rights and remove the ability to choose a single model for basic reading.

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01-28-2010, 08:37 PM	#2
admford Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Entourage eDGe	I've been looking into ebook readers for a while. As a student I've got a number of textbooks and the ability to take notes or record lectures is a plus. Some currently shipping ebook readers have a small incorporated keyboard (Kindle DX I believe), or support an onscreen keyboard. So far, the ebook reader that I'm planning to order (hopefully soon) is the Entourage eDGe. It supports pretty much any keyboard that's connected to it via USB or bluetooth. The annotations that are done on PDFs or other formats are usually saved as separate text files on your reader of choice. So that means you can export them without any problems. Though this feature usually depends on how a certain reader handles various file formats.

01-28-2010, 08:45 PM	#3
Dulin's Books Wizard Posts: 2,806 Karma: 13500000 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Portland, OR Device: Boox PB360 etc etc etc	I prefer a touch screen with good stylus input for note taking. the keyboards found on most of the devices are too small for me to use well( my typing is horrible). On screen keyboard for short notes and stylus for handwritten notes is all i need. Being able to connect a bluetooth keyboard would be good for when you really need to write something longish.

01-29-2010, 04:17 AM	#4
judahis Enthusiast Posts: 31 Karma: 68 Join Date: Dec 2005	Dulin's Books: Can you tell me WHICH PARTICULAR devices have little keyboards or even virtual keyboards? I plan only to make annotations, so will not be doing any speed typing with the keyboards. I see the new Jinke has a keyboard. Have bought the Jornada 690 for this purpose but not tested it yet. Will it be able to take Mobi format etc.?

01-31-2010, 06:42 AM	#9
Ea Wizard Posts: 3,490 Karma: 5239563 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Denmark Device: Kindle 3\|iPad air\|iPhone 4S	I like to take notes, too - at least when I'm reading something 'serious', something worth giving extra thought - and taking notes helps me remember and think. Making notes directly in the book has never worked for me though. There's never enough room, I can't write tidyly enough, and the paper is often not that nice to to write on (wrong texture) - and I just don't like to mess up my books with writing So I've always made notes on separate paper. Because of this, the Kindle is close to perfect when it comes to note taking - and not having the large hands that a man might have, the keyboard is really great, and I definitely prefer it over a virtual keyboard + stylus. Perhaps if I'm proof-reading it might be nicer to make freehand notes with a stylus, but highlighting works well, too.

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