Electronic book questions
 

Hi all. I'm thinking of getting a e-book type thingy and I thought I'd ask for your thoughts on the matter.
it needs to be have:
-built in wi-fi
-be able to read pdf files
-reasonably small
-web browsing
-doesn't need to have a keyboard but some sort of input method is needed.
-connectable to my PC
I don't know if I should be looking at a palm pilot type thingy, or the new microsoft thingy or just a very small lappy...........all ideas/suggestions appreciated :)

---------- Post added at 11:42 ---------- Previous post was at 11:30 ----------

Forgot to mention.....I need to be able to make notes on it as well......i.e. annotate the stuff I am reading on it......

Re: Electronic book questions
 

Is the screen on an iPaq too small?

The latest iPaq's tick all your boxes - I use mine to read both MS Reader e-books and pdf files. Used to use it when reading Narnia to the kids as I have them as e-books.

Re: Electronic book questions
 

I'll have a look at that...........any thoughts on a pocket pc or a xda type thingy?


edit....I see that the ipaq is a pocket pc! :D

Re: Electronic book questions
 

Why not go the whole hog and get a text to speech prog in case you can't be bothered to read yourself or are on the move, nice set of headphones...Bob's ya uncle :shrug:

Re: Electronic book questions
 

It's a nice idea but I first need to wade through this jungle of technology.....:disturbd:

Re: Electronic book questions
 

Ok, to help you more, tell us what sort of inviroment your gonna be using this piece of kit in, home / work / travel, is it for you or for the benifit of others, i.e. kids stories :shrug:
And do you want to be able to multi-task or just read books........soooo many questions. ;)

---------- Post added at 11:59 ---------- Previous post was at 11:57 ----------

Just re-read your first post, you want to be able to edit the books :confused:

Re: Electronic book questions
 

You might want to look at a xda mins s. It can do pdf, has a good screen and a small keyboard. I would have thought that it would work with a bluetooth keyboard for something a bit more substantial to type on.

Also another product to look at would be a fly book, they are around £1300 and even Terry Wogan has one ;)

Re: Electronic book questions
 

Annotate pdf's and books............it's for my research. I need to be able to pull stuff off the web (via my wireless router) or at a pinch load stuff onto it from my pc and then read and make notes on it. I'm getting tired of having to sit at my pc for hours reading research papers when I could be relaxing in bed reading research papers.....
It would be handy if it had a USB socket on it as well....for my USB pen drive.

---------- Post added at 13:39 ---------- Previous post was at 13:38 ----------

A 'fly book' sounds interesting but I'd have a problem convincing my financial controller to let me buy one :D

Re: Electronic book questions
 

Sounds like a tablet PC would be ideal - big screen, USB & Wireless, pen - but probably out of budget, which brings you back to a pocket PC (doesn't have USB, but most have SD slots and will dock with your desktop).

---------- Post added at 13:51 ---------- Previous post was at 13:48 ----------

HP tablets start at £950 + vat!

Re: Electronic book questions
 

I think you might have answered your own question in the first post :D might be the more practicable option :shrug:

Re: Electronic book questions
 

For that price I may as well get a flybook!....and I know my financial controller would want one of those!:disturbd: :D

---------- Post added at 13:56 ---------- Previous post was at 13:55 ----------

.....and expensive!

Re: Electronic book questions
 

You could get a low end lappy cheap enough and it would still be better than a ppc or the likes....I think, and cheaper :shrug:

Re: Electronic book questions
 

Novatech sell some laptops in the 400 - 500 price range (£490 + del). Might find a refurbed brand even cheaper.

Re: Electronic book questions
 

Hmmm............some sort of pda/xda sixed thing would be best for size and ease of use.....making notes on etc....lappy/flybook/tablet all need rather lengthy bootup times. I need this to be as functional as possible whilst being nearly as easy to use as a book.

---------- Post added at 14:05 ---------- Previous post was at 14:04 ----------

I'm going to bluewater tomorrow so I'll have a mooch in Dixons etc...

Re: Electronic book questions
 

What about that new thing that Microsoft released the other week - that origami project thing.

http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/24/m...igami-project/
http://www.origamiproject.com/

Isnt this kind off what you looking for?

No idea about the price though bud!

Also have a look here:-

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/umpc/default.mspx

Re: Electronic book questions
 

A pocket PC isnt gonna be that easy to use, unless you get a blue tooth wireless laser keyboard to go with it ;)... as you will have a keyboard the size of the screen to use your stylus on...... so quick notes wouldnt be possible in all fairness..... Id recommend an iPaq... i have a 5550 and a 6550... both extremely good... both have wi-fi and the 5550 has a biometric scanner instead of pin for activating it :D

Re: Electronic book questions
 

Do those have touchscreen/handwriting recognition and a USB port?

---------- Post added at 18:53 ---------- Previous post was at 18:15 ----------

Does anyone have any comments about the offerings from Palm?

Re: Electronic book questions
 

Have a look at some of the stuff here... http://www.paperbackpc.com/

---------- Post added at 21:59 ---------- Previous post was at 21:00 ----------

If the ones above are funky but not functional, how about this...

http://gp2x.co.uk/aboutgp2x.html

Re: Electronic book questions
 

Interesting, but the first has terrible reviews and the second, while very nice, doesn't have wi-fi but seems fine otherwise....I like the 2.0 usb.....but it doesn't appear to have any input method like keyboard or stylus....but otherwise it's great! I love it.....shame it's missing some stuff....

---------- Post added at 00:32 ---------- Previous post was at 00:26 ----------

Does anyone have any comments on the Palm Lifedrive?

Re: Electronic book questions
 

Well I got a palm life drive yesterday. Lovely piece of kit! 4gig of memory, built in wifi and bluetooth......connected to my wireless router effortlessly..........easy to use........and it wouldn't bluddy well install on my XP64 PC :mad:
So back it went to John Lewis.....:rolleyes:
lifedrive=early adopter/gadget freak
64bit os=early adopter/gadget freak
........so why don't palm have 64bit drivers....or a workaround ffs?

Next?!:dozey:

Re: Electronic book questions
 

I love my X30 from Dell. Not their newest Pocket PC (so their newer ones may have a better spec) but does everything you want except it doesn't have a USB port for your pen drive but it does take an SD card for storing your research on.

I have the fold-able keyboard with it that plus into the bottom for when I need to sit and do some serious typing but I find the stylus o.k. for short notes or emails.

It has Wifi and Bluetooth, runs Adobe Acrobat very well and handles even large PDF files (600+ pages) with relative ease.

My only gripe is that Windows Mobile 2003 sometimes crashes it but that's a software issue rather than one with the hardware.

I really like the landscape mode too which allows you to read files and web pages easier.

It comes with pocket Word, Excel, and Outlook so you can use it to update your appointments and emails while out of the office.

Seems to tick most of the boxes that you have - my only reservations on recommending it is Dells ****ty customer service. :(

Re: Electronic book questions
 

Tnx for the input m8. I have been looking at the DELLs and I wonder if they are 64bit compatable? My only gripe with all the handhelds is the lack of memory......the lifedrive has 4gig! It makes the rest of them look lame by comparison!
The Fujitsu Siemens POCKET LOOX 520 MN5UK 256MB looks nice and has has 802.11g wifi but not 4gig of memory........:(

Re: Electronic book questions
 

Let me just look at Dells support site for a 64bit driver.....as for the storage, just pick up a couple of 1GB SD cards, that's what I have. :)

Edit - cant actually see any info on them having a 64bit driver but this site may be your best bet for info:

http://www.aximsite.com/x30review/

There's a good review in the link too. :)

Re: Electronic book questions
 

OK.......I've found exactly what I need.....the slimbook a120 :disturbd:
........just one slight snagoops:

Re: Electronic book questions
 

1.7k ? Ouch...

Re: Electronic book questions
 

Yep.....that'll never get past my financial controller:dozey: :D
..........nice bit of kit though.....

Re: Electronic book questions
 

Correct, absolutely lovely... When i win the lottery... haha...

Re: Electronic book questions
 

Interesting that the Apple Newton

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Newton

which would seem similar to what Ramrod wants, never took off.

Mrs Gaz tried one out, once, it was pretty neat, but a while ago, so a bit heavy ;)

Re: Electronic book questions
 

I remember that! Especially the logo!:tu: :)
btw......If anyone here is in the market for a PDA I urge you to get the lifedrive from palm....the only downside is that it uses 802.11b rather than g wifi........otherwise it's brilliant!
........and it isn't very 64bit compatable :(

Re: Electronic book questions
 

What about one of these .

Simply use 2 gig sd cards with it. It has wireless and probably better chance of xp64bit drivers.

Or you could ditch xp 64bit then most things will work.

Re: Electronic book questions
 

I was thinking that, but then the twin core cpu, sata raid type stuff would be slower - can he cope? ;)

Re: Electronic book questions
 

But you need one for buisness use, don't you :rolleyes: :D and of course at that price it would be crazy not to make use of it for pleasure as well :dozey: :erm: :D

Buy and be damned, argue with the tax man at year end :tu:

Re: Electronic book questions
 

The tax man wouldn't have a problem with it......it's Mandy who has a problem with it!:D

---------- Post added at 08:46 ---------- Previous post was at 08:43 ----------

Thats a nice bit of kit but my requirements have been upgraded.....I'd like it to have 802.11g wi-fi :D
.........and I really can't be ars*d to reformat my PC back to 32bit now :disturbd:

Re: Electronic book questions
 

Thats what I mean, surely if it was bought for :erm: buisness ;) it wouldn't be a problem :D

Re: Electronic book questions
 

pocket pcs use microsoft active sync to connect not a driver per say ,however my smart phone does sync but I cant browse. But im happy dual booting anyway :)

Re: Electronic book questions
 

Will 'active sync' run on 64bit?

Re: Electronic book questions
 

well it does for the most part but not fully

Re: Electronic book questions
 

What will/won't it do?

Re: Electronic book questions
 

Activesync 4.1 seems to work ok on my smartphone and PDA's on 64 bit (havent booted into it for a while mind)

Its also listed as a supported OS on the activesync download site...

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...DisplayLang=en

Re: Electronic book questions
 

Kewl....:tu: :) ......thats also what Dells indian tech support said :erm: :D
I'm considering the Dell axim X51v as it's got a good processor and a big screen. Shame it's only got 802.11b wifi but I suppose you can't have everything in one package.....what do you think?

---------- Post added at 14:22 ---------- Previous post was at 14:19 ----------

.....btw.........anyone got any suggestions for good, quick 2gig flash cards for this thing.........or any ideas for storage options?

Re: Electronic book questions
 

Scratch that.....crucial do 4gig compact flash cards that look like they fit the bill.....