Linux Format forums

Re: E-Book readers/tablet computers?

DanteA — Sat Jul 31, 2010 1:01 am

Author: DanteA

Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2010 1:01 am

Hmmm, well, if e-ink does not work with backlights (kind of obvious, actually, considering what it is ) this does sound like my kind of device!

I'm hoping that image only PDFs (scanned books; really just an image a page) will be fine (though I'd appreciate it if you could confirm that)

So, what model is it and where can I get one? All the ones I've seen seem to be around the �230 mark

Thanks.

Re: E-Book readers/tablet computers?

nelz — Fri Jul 30, 2010 11:32 pm

Author: nelz

Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 11:32 pm

It doesn't have a backlight. If you look at how e-ink works, you'll understand that that isn't currently possible.

Plain text and a few images is fine, but multi-column layouts with images spanning columns is a no-no. It was about �150 and O'Reilly keep coming up with two for one offers on ebooks, which now means I have four times as many books as I have time to read instead of double

Re: E-Book readers/tablet computers?

DanteA — Fri Jul 30, 2010 9:47 pm

Author: DanteA

Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 9:47 pm

I take it it dosent have a backlight? How much did it cost and, lastly, you say it's incapable of dealing with a complex PDF, and you refer to the LXF mag, but is it capable of dealing with say, a scanned book? (basically just an image) or a pdf thats mostly text and a few images?

Re: E-Book readers/tablet computers?

nelz — Fri Jul 30, 2010 9:00 pm

Author: nelz

Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 9:00 pm

I have a Sony e-reader and it handles most formats via Calibre. It can't cope with complex PDFs, like the LXF magazine pages, but plain text works fine. The e-ink display of e-readers is much easier on the eye than the LCD display of a tablet/netbook, and far easier on the battery too. However, it is like real paper in more than one respect, it works best in decent light. Sony do a "de luxe" case for their e-readers that has reading lights either side of the screen.

Re: E-Book readers/tablet computers?

Rhakios — Fri Jul 30, 2010 6:25 pm

Author: Rhakios

Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 6:25 pm

Wait until October-ish?
No clue on prices there though. Given the price of Android phones, I'd expect it to be in the �350-�450 range.

E-Book readers/tablet computers?

DanteA — Fri Jul 30, 2010 5:49 pm

Author: DanteA

Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 5:49 pm

Hey all.

As some of you might be aware, I decided to digitize my book library, but I've run into a bit of a problem;

A desktop, laptop and netbook aren't exactly the best choices if you like to read in bed/whilst travelling. So I've looked towards a dedicated ebook reader, or better, a tablet computer for such a task;

Now I've looked, but I've found little that were suitable, here are my requirements;

Be able to accept either or both pdf/epub

Have a backlight so I can read in the dark.

Accept books outside a 'store' (preferably able to work with Calibre)

Preferablly be under �250 (or �350 if it's a tablet and can deal with video)

I've looked at the Kindle range, but I'm not too impressed by the lack of a backlight nor the remote removal feature.

The Sony line looks ok, but they are either too expensive or do odd things, like require PDF's to be put into Google Docs. :S

Whilst I'd love to get my hands on a Ubuntu tablet, it seems like it's barely out of the rumor stage. :/