Korean Job Discussion Forums

i · Joined: 10 Apr 2008 Location: Seoul

I download classic texts off Google books and wonder what my affordable options are for reading them in PDF format on public transport. I've read that a cheap laptop is the way to go. Is this true? Isn't there a PDF reader like a small DVD player available at a reasonable price? Hate to lug around another 5 lbs on the subway.

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

Can you wait a year and a half?

http://www.labnol.org/gadgets/computers/oplc-xoxo-tablet-alternative-to-kindle-sony-book-reader/3362/

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

Look at this :
http://www.thetechherald.com/article.php/200837/1981/Plastic-Logic-e-reader-looks-to-snuff-out-Kindle

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

Look at this :
http://www.thetechherald.com/article.php/200837/1981/Plastic-Logic-e-reader-looks-to-snuff-out-Kindle

lohengrin · Joined: 16 Mar 2008 Location: Loompaland

I use a PDA to read ebooks on the subway. I t works great and is small and light, I wouldn't want to carry a laptop around all the time. I can also use it to listen to music and of course do all the normal PDA stuff...

hanguker · Joined: 16 Mar 2005 Location: Korea

I use a small "media player" that plays music and video (ipod video and the like). Mine has a 2 inch screen and I can read novels in .txt format. Really small and portable. No pdf but adobe has an "save to .txt" option which makes everything good. I'm sure many cell phones even have this feature.

It works for me until an affordable, proper ebook reader comes out.

oots · Joined: 10 Apr 2007 Location: Taebaek, Gangwon-Do

I got 3 things that I've used for ebooks on trains and planes.

1. iPod Touch (or iphone). Just load up the "stanza" application and off you go.

2. STAReBOOK eink ebook reader. Similar to the sony reader or the NUUTbook. Huge storage, awsome battery life, slightly more fragile.

3. Nintendo DS. Get a flash cart for it and go from there. My R4 has a built in ebook reader that does a decent job, but I've also used DSOrganise for the same role. Bonus of having loads of great games too.

All work differently, but can take the same text files. Shame they can't trade bookmark files thou,

Rusty Shackleford · Joined: 08 May 2008

I used a PSP for a time. Quite a lot of faffing about to get it set up as you need a modded one for the homebrew reader app. Well worth it though. Not prohibitively expensive either.

samd · Joined: 03 Jan 2007

rubric · Joined: 28 Oct 2006 Location: Pongdongfongyong

Rusty Shackleford · Joined: 08 May 2008

RE: The PSP. I used an app called Bookr. It ran PDFs really well. TXT files were flawless though, just no zoom. PDFs for college text books really is the way of the future. I had a Macro economics text book on it. Jst needed hyperlinks for navigation

samd · Joined: 03 Jan 2007

oots · Joined: 10 Apr 2007 Location: Taebaek, Gangwon-Do

Really for most people, the first step is look around see what gadgets you already have.

I've seen people using phones, PDAs, dictionaries etc as ebook reader.

when you figure out that ebook are for you, then you can investigate spending a bit more and getting a dedicated device. When you get to that point, it is very difficult to go past any of the e-ink readers. Its just so sharp and clear, with bigger screens and huge battery life.

But firstly, use what you have.

OneWayTraffic · Joined: 14 Mar 2005

I'd at least consider getting a Netbook. You get a ebook reader plus a small second computer as well.

If it's just ebooks you want to do, then e-Ink is the way to go. I first read about this tech in 1999 or so. I've been following it intermittently since, and always expected it to take off. I would have bought shares were it possible to do so.