Post: #1

I want to get an e-reader. Ability to handle pdfs is the most important thing to me.

I remember asking about pdf support a couple years ago when e-readers came out. I was told that e-readers couldn't handle pdfs well. I wonder how it is now... ?

Post: #2

The fundamental issue with PDFs and e-readers is that the file format, almost by its very nature, is ill-suited for small screens.

If you want to view a whole page of a PDF, you're going to want a e-reader with a large screen. But most traditional e-readers like the Kindle and Nook have six inch screens - not good enough.

Amazon will convert PDFs into text, but you'll lose the images and formatting.

The Kindle DX is the one large e-reader. It's decent for viewing PDFs, but Amazon has never made a new version. It's still available but it's version of e-ink is primitive compared to recent e-readers.

So that basically means that if you want to read PDFs you should stick with tablets instead of e-readers. If you want to read books, on the other hand, e-readers are better.

Post: #3

Post: #4

On my basic Kindle I was able to flip the text so that it reads horizontally, which made PDFs "okay". It still caused every third page flip to be a useless blank page, but otherwise it was easily readable.

Post: #5

For kindle you really need to read it horizontally, or else it will probably be too small.

One solution is to use the Briss program to chop off the edges.

http://sourceforge.net/projects/briss/

Post: #6

Isn't Kindle DX for sale anymore? I have an old one; works great. You don't even need to read it horizontaly.

Post: #7

So far, I find the iPad works best for .pdf, but that can get pricey. Other tablets should work.

I recently got a Kindle Fire HD ($159 at Best Buy), but haven't bothered much with putting pdf's on it.

For the purposes of this reply, I uploaded "Dead Bat" in pdf to it, and it seems to work all right. I can't appear to highlight or take notes though, so I'd still recommend a tablet if that's within your reach. Adobe Reader on the iPad works pretty good.

Also, a good eBook management/conversion program I came across recently is Calibre. I'm still playing with it and feeling it out, but it works really well and has a lot of power.

Post: #8

My samsung galaxy tablet handles pdf quiet well, especially when I hold it horizontally.