Which eBook Reader is best for viewing .pdf game manuals?

[LongBlade]

When you register Kindle, you get a Whispernet address.  Anything you mail to that is converted and set to download to your Kindle.  We never tried it.

I suppose I should RTFM then...

[Nefaro]

When you register Kindle, you get a Whispernet address.  Anything you mail to that is converted and set to download to your Kindle.  We never tried it.

I don't think those convert PDFs, though.  There is a size limit, too IIRC.

You can find free eBook converters on the net but as with Amazon's own converter you'll still get large spaces between words, or even between letters of words sometimes, and other such done to the text.  I've still not found any that will convert the text perfectly most times.  :-[

[MIGMaster]

I use my Playbook to read .pdf docs and it doesn't work too bad. I'd really like to see a color version of the Kindle DX. E-ink is so much better for reading than a standard display. I almost bought one, but the 300+ price tag put me off!

[MarkShot]

Well, if for just text reading.  E-ink is easier on the eyes than the tablets.  It can also be used in bright sunlight; has less glare.  Also, without using WiFi, you can probably get 40 hours out of a Kindle.  You cannot do that with the iPad.

[Nefaro]

Well, if for just text reading.  E-ink is easier on the eyes than the tablets.  It can also be used in bright sunlight; has less glare.  Also, without using WiFi, you can probably get 40 hours out of a Kindle.  You cannot do that with the iPad.

Yes, indeed. 

I turn the wireless off on my Kindle, and it lasts quite a long time on a single charge.

I don't read constantly in my past-time (I'm obviously babbling in these forums & playing some games too) so I don't have to charge it but once every two weeks if I'm using it a couple hours a day.  I was quite impressed with the charge span, and how little power the E-ink readers use.

[MarkShot]

The thing is that an e-ink page is stable without continuous input of power.  Thus, it is very different model than a tablet with a backlit display, a graphics subsystem, and a CPU.

A Kindle can be brought out of sleep mode with an interrupt on a page turn event.  Once the page is turned, it is back to sleep.  After 10 minutes, it hibernates.  It's an efficient design.  A tablet doesn't beat it, but all the other things which an iPad does is just so incredibly seductive.

The following quote from Wikipedia:

Many of the technologies can hold static text and images indefinitely without using electricity, while allowing images to be changed later.

[Nefaro]

A Kindle can be brought out of sleep mode with an interrupt on a page turn event.  Once the page is turned, it is back to sleep.  After 10 minutes, it hibernates.  It's an efficient design.  A tablet doesn't beat it, but all the other things which an iPad does is just so incredibly seductive.

Sure, you can do more with a tablet.  The question is whether he needs anything that does so.  From my understanding he just wanted an E-reader that does PDFs and DOCs at a decent price.  *shrug*

[MarkShot]

But wasn't that the brilliance of Steve Jobs and Apple - creating a product that people didn't know they needed until they bought one?  So, perhaps Greybriar will end up like that (and this thread may even subconsciously make him realize that he craves holding a cool light tablet in his hands) ... it's a slippery slope when you finally let go of hard copy materials.

[Bison]

I certainly agree with Mark on this one.  Household 6 didn't like the iPad at first.  Now I cannot get it away from her.

[Greybriar]

A Kindle can be brought out of sleep mode with an interrupt on a page turn event.  Once the page is turned, it is back to sleep.  After 10 minutes, it hibernates.  It's an efficient design.  A tablet doesn't beat it, but all the other things which an iPad does is just so incredibly seductive.

Sure, you can do more with a tablet.  The question is whether he needs anything that does so.  From my understanding he just wanted an E-reader that does PDFs and DOCs at a decent price.  *shrug*

I want the same characteristics in an eBook Reader as I do in a printed paper manual--immediate access, legible print, and sharp color images. No bells, no whistles, no fluff. Just the basics to permit me to peruse a document's contents.

Thank you very much.

[Bison]

Color means a tablet.  There are a bunch on the market and newegg has like 200 of them that they sell.  Ranging from a little over a $100 to $1000+.  They will all read a pdf so its a matter of picking your price point and thes size of screen.  The bells and whistles with be there for all of them, but of course they don't need to be used.  I'd recommend a larger than 7" screen for the simple fact that pdf is scaled to the screen, so the print tends to be smaller than ebook formatted titles.  Franking I wish that publishers would make them ebook formatted too.

For example: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16858616009  about as basic as it comes.

[Greybriar]

I don't see anything that's as good as a simple paper manual. Screw 'em.

[Bison]

I don't see anything that's as good as a simple paper manual. Screw 'em.

Well I guess you found your answer.  Kinkos! 

[W8taminute]

I don't see anything that's as good as a simple paper manual. Screw 'em.

I admire your reasoning and logic Greybriar.  You knew what you want and were unwilling to fall for the unnecessary bells and whistles.

[MarkShot]

I cannot say I agree.  Tablets do a better job than paper:  search, weight reduction, mark ups, portability, ...  For example, Dangerous Waters' or COTA/BFTB's weight in at over 500+ pages for a single game.  Of course, a lot of games only have 10 page flyers.  So, paper's only advantages are:  no charge cycle issues, more abuse tolerant, not a single point of failure, less likely to be stolen, ...

I think the real issue is cost especially if one already has their library on paper.  The near term cost benefit favors continued use of paper.  I did have mine until the last two weeks mainly on paper and had invested in a nice color laser printer a couple of years ago.  However, I could not ship 2,000+ pages and a color laser 13,000 miles and call it cost effective.  Also, already owning the iPad (for other reasons), tips the scale towards and electronic solution.

I am still shipping some game materials, but I would say perhaps only 10% the volume of what I could have shipped.  (surface shipping goes by volume and not by weight)