I have kindle, but it's so hard for me to read programming books that I have in PDF (because it's too small). I end up having to read them on the laptop / PC. I'm even thinking to get an iPad because of the amount of programming books I have in pdf and want to read. Anyone is having the same issue?
As others have said: the problem is the device's display size.
If you compare the size of an e-reader to actual published books, you'll find that the smallest devices are roughly the size of a 4x6 index card. Most trade books measure about 9" diagonally, and in my experience, you'd want a 9" -- 10" device for most reading, possibly a 6" -- 8" minimum. Given that an actual device loses some area to bezels and controls, the translation isn't direct, and you're suffering either larger physical device dimensions or smaller screen size.
I purchased a 13.3" device specifically for use with textbooks and scans of small-font, multi-column articles. It's a bit on the large size for standard text (though can be read landscape-mode in 2-up format), but the ability to read almost anything without requiring in-page zoom and navigation (which is well-supported) is a major benefit.
The device has also convinced me that virtually all the supposed disadvantages of PDF or similar fixed-dimension document formats (e.g., DJVU) is not the document format but the display properties.
I'd recommend:
- Typical fiction or nonfiction text: 6" minimmum, 8" preferred.
- Textbooks, technical articles, old scans: 10" minimum, 13" preferred.
Comic and manga fans will also probably prefer 10" devices.
Then there's colour, though AFAIU size formats are more limited (8" and/or 10"). The fidelity is low --- more a low-saturation 1950's-era palette, though with much better resolution. Colour cuts resolution by a factor of three, so 220--300 dpi (typical of current devices) falls to about 75--100 dpi. I've not experienced this directly, so can't say what the net appearance is.
I wouldn't mind colour for some articles, mostly for graphics and visuals where colour differentiates values being presented. Though I'm rather enjoying my desaturated B&W world.
Since nobody has mentioned it yet, KOReader is an open source reader application for ereaders, kindles & others, and has the ability to reflow PDF's. While not perfect, it can work good enough to read well formatted PDF's.
The technical detail about latest WatchThis hasn't been published yet, but the previous KindleBrake seems to be using malicious JXR image payload via built-in browser. That sounds like pretty serious security flaw to me.
Small e-ink screens (e.g. 6 inch) are only suitable for paperback-sized, text-only books (fiction or non-fiction). Small e-ink screens are simply not suitable for reading PDFs as you have discovered. Even ePub or Kindle programming books are often poorly converted from the print edition of a book.
A general rule of thumb when deciding whether to purchase an e-book: If the physical book is larger than a small paperback size, then it is unlikely to be suitable for an e-ink screen (unless the book is text-only).
Small e-ink readers are not suitable for any books with complex layouts, layouts designed for larger books, or books with colour graphics: charts, diagrams, photos, etc. Amazon, in particular, encourage publishers to convert as many books as possible to Kindle format regardless of whether those books are suitable for e-ink screens.
The kindle format, really any kind of text-based format, is not great for programming books in general. Code snippets end up having all kinds of hard to read wrapping, and also images and other things don’t really have a nice user experience on a Kindle. It’s really best when you’re just reading straight text, prose.
Have one too. Love the feel of writing on it. I came from a graphics tablet and surface go 2. I like it for drawing wire prototypes of apps/mechanical designs just for conceptualizing.
honestly, I am a bit perplexed by your wording. there are no issues, you are simply using a very very very small screen. just buy a big e-ink reader like the Kobo Elipsa
As a former Kindle DX owner, a larger screen is not a solution for the problem of PDF readability. The issue is with how the eink display is not fundamentally not suitable for a format that relies on scrolling more than reflowing.
> The issue is with how the eink display is not fundamentally not suitable for a format that relies on scrolling more than reflowing.
I'm trying to understand your meaning of "format that relies on scrolling". How can this be the case since pdf was designed for printers?
"A PDF file is actually a PostScript file which has already been interpreted by a RIP and made into clearly defined objects.
Postscript is a file format supported by almost all high-end printers and many business-class laser printers. With these printers, you can simply send a postscript file to them over USB—no drivers required—and they’ll print it perfectly.
I will try to explain. Files meant for printing are typically created with a resolution target of 300dpi or above. There could be some fine details that are harder to see at normal reading distance, and this is easily solved by bringing the pages closer to the eye.
Files meant for screen display used to be standardized around a 72dpi resolution. Any detail not visible at the normal viewing distance is lost unless you are able to re-render the file at a higher resolution a.k.a. zooming in. And once you start doing it, scrolling becomes necessary in order to read through the document since the formatting is fixed or as you say "made into clearly defined objects". And this often works very poorly due to the inherent limitations of eink display when it comes to frequent screen refreshes.
Nowadays most displays, big or small, can do better than 72dpi but they still have a long way to go before they could match printed material.
Small screen e-readers get around the problem by aggressively reflowing the text of books with larger, sharper font and more line spacing to improve readability . Yet non of these techniques really work for PDF. Kindle DX failed rather miserably in the textbook and technical document market because of its limited resolution. I do not own the Kobo Elipsa, however I have spent some time with a couple of Dasung eink displays of a similar pixel density. And my current personal verdict is these panels are still not good enough for reading pdf files.
I don't know dude, I bought a Kobo Elipsa and finally I can study from my maths and physics textbooks that only come in PDF. I agree with you that it's terrible for reading in random access mode stuff like documentation. But for linear reading like literature or study material it's just wonderful.
I had the same problem (Kindle 4). So I switched to an E-Ink notebook/reader (Onyx NoteAir) and I never looked back. Admittedly, it's a 10" screen,so that may be a problem for some. PDF is not only consumable now but I can annotate everything.
One of my main use cases for my large iPad Pro is reading PDFs of tech articles with lots of math, code, and figures. That said, I bought a Lenovo Duet Chromebook tablet with keyboard and pen included (for 10% of the total iPad Pro package) and the slightly smaller Chromebook does almost as well for reading tech papers (and has useable Linux containers).
Shop around. You should be able to load up a test PDF from the web on demo units at stores like Best Buy, etc.
I have the Fujitsu Quaderno A4 (13,3" screen). Great for reading scientific publications it whatever pdf. Also had a great Wacom stylus to take notes. I am great fan of these devices. Before the Quaderno I had the Sony DPT-RP1, which is very similar except the stylus is not so great.
Is it a custom operating system? Some of their competitors use Android which is the last thing I want.
Is the screen on the Fujitsu lit?
Does the note taking application index your text so you can search? Is it easy to get the notes off? Can you highlight and annotate books and then easily export your annotations and highlights?
