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  • gadget for reading pdf files?

    howzit. i'm on the hunt for a gadget that'll let me read pdf files. sure, i could buy an ipad but it'd be ridiculous to pay $600+ just to have a portable pdf reader. i'd be willing to pay maybe $130 but not more. i just wanna have something with a big screen (7 inches is, i think, too small; 9 or 10 is nice).

    i don't need wifi capabilities, it doesn't have to play music, play videos, or make me a cup of coffee!

    in fact, i was hoping that i could buy a "broken" ipad that could only display pdf files but no luck; the refurbished ones are like $600 and up.

    so while i think it's unlikely, you guys have info about a whole bunch of stuff so if you can think of a possible product, please let me know.

    thanks!
    525,600 minutes, 525,000 moments so dear. 525,600 minutes - how do you measure, measure a year?

  • #2
    Re: gadget for reading pdf files?

    New netbooks are around the $300 range, maybe a used one might be in the price range you are looking for.

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    • #3
      Re: gadget for reading pdf files?

      thanks for the suggestion but i thought about that but i don't think it'd work so well. i've actually got a netbook but it feels like a brick compared to an ipad and that's what i'd love to find: something thin, light, big and simple.

      maybe i'm hoping for something that doesn't exist... yet!

      i've got lots of pdf files (books, magazines, manuals, etc.) but i'm loath to read it at my desktop! would love to have it available while i'm forced to wait for my wife while she's shopping!!!!




      Originally posted by helen View Post
      New netbooks are around the $300 range, maybe a used one might be in the price range you are looking for.
      525,600 minutes, 525,000 moments so dear. 525,600 minutes - how do you measure, measure a year?

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      • #4
        Re: gadget for reading pdf files?

        There are computers available in public libraries.
        Burl Burlingame
        "Art is never finished, only abandoned." -- Leonardo Da Vinci
        honoluluagonizer.com

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        • #5
          Re: gadget for reading pdf files?

          Amazon's Kindle can be used to read PDF files. The screen sizes are 6-inches and 9.7-inches. The base model is $139.00. I saw somewhere that Amazon is also selling older versions of their Kindle for $89.00 but I have not verified this.

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          • #6
            Re: gadget for reading pdf files?

            Lihingmui is correct. Kindle does have the ability to download pdf files (and Word files) from your computer to your Kindle. But navigation is a problem, at least it is with my 6" screen. Maybe the larger 9.7" screen would be better. I think it also depends on how your pdf file is formatted.

            It would be nice if you could test drive it to find out if it works for you. I believe Best Buy sells Kindles (as well as the Nook). You might take a look there.

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            • #7
              Re: gadget for reading pdf files?

              Looking back on my last post, I think I need to clarify. The pdf file that I was looking at on my Kindle was an Apple manual. This was formatted as an 8.5 x 11" document, with lots of white space surrounding the text, and very small font size. All this was reduced to a 6" screen, which was readable, but just barely. Think 4 or 5 pt. font. When I enlarged it (150% was the next size), it showed 80% of a sentence, which I then had to toggle to see the other 20%, then toggle back to see the beginning of the next line, and so on. When I switched to a landscaped view, the problem still remained, because of all the white space.

              I also have a Kindle pdf manual which I downloaded. That is also an 8.5 x 11" document, but this one had very little margins around the text, and had large fonts with generous line spacing. There was no problem reading it when it was reduced to a 6" screen. So it really amounts to what kind of pdf files you're going to be reading.

              By the way, I love my Kindle.

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              • #8
                Re: gadget for reading pdf files?

                buzz, i can only assume you're joking! i don't get it; public libraries? i'm asking about portable readers.

                honoruru, thanks for your suggestion. off hand, i think 6 inches would be too small but i'll see if i can find one to test the idea. i really wish i could find an ipad that is almost "broken" (no wifi capabilities, no ability to play video, music, display pictures) so that an owner would sell it to me for cheap!
                525,600 minutes, 525,000 moments so dear. 525,600 minutes - how do you measure, measure a year?

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                • #9
                  Re: gadget for reading pdf files?

                  Did you consider the Nook from Barnes & Noble? The cheapest version is around $149. I don't know about reading PDF but you can ask the people at Barnes & Noble. The unit can accept a microSD card so if you want to test some of your PDF it might be possible.

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                  • #10
                    Re: gadget for reading pdf files?

                    like other devices, the lowest price nook is only 6 inches; i doubt the screen will be large enough but i like your idea; will check it out

                    oh, an interesting article regarding a number of readers...
                    http://news.cnet.com/kindle-vs-nook-...should-you-buy
                    525,600 minutes, 525,000 moments so dear. 525,600 minutes - how do you measure, measure a year?

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                    • #11
                      Re: gadget for reading pdf files?

                      Originally posted by shaveice View Post
                      [...]
                      oh, an interesting article regarding a number of readers...
                      http://news.cnet.com/kindle-vs-nook-...should-you-buy
                      Big mahalos for this link. It's exactly what I've been looking for.

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                      • #12
                        Re: gadget for reading pdf files?

                        TS - I've had a Kindle for a couple of months. I totally love it! The portability is great and if you have a smart phone, you can synch it with your reader so you can keep reading your book even without carrying the reader with you. I pretty much use Consumer Reports to get my reviews/ratings and Kindle is top-rated. It also has subs available for newspapers, magazines. and it will soon be enabled to actually read my books to me and also allow me share my books with another Kindle owner.
                        "Democracy is the only system that persists in asking the powers that be whether they are the powers that ought to be."
                        – Sydney J. Harris

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                        • #13
                          Re: gadget for reading pdf files?

                          I don't have one, but the Nook is appealing because it can work with the Overdrive system that the State library system uses. You can download printed books via your library account. The option to get free material is nice. I don't think that the Kindle can do this. http://www.overdrive.com/resources/d...okdevices.aspx

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                          • #14
                            Re: gadget for reading pdf files?

                            Correct. However, I have access to thousands of books that are "out of copyright" to download - and they are all free. So, its basically like the library. The only advantage I can see is that the Nook does have color screen, which would be nice but not necessary.
                            "Democracy is the only system that persists in asking the powers that be whether they are the powers that ought to be."
                            – Sydney J. Harris

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                            • #15
                              Re: gadget for reading pdf files?

                              Actually the cheaper Nook ($149) is not a color unit. Off hand I can't remember the cost of the Nook Color but it is al least over $200 for the unit.

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