I've been thinking of getting an Ebook reader for my PDF RPG's.  Just wondering if anyone has experience with them and if they work.   I've only ever been able to test e-readers before with regular print books so no fancy graphics just plane text.   I have no idea how well they'll hold up to say a pdf version of a multi-layered full color version of a PDF'd RPG.

Quote from: kryyst;355305I've been thinking of getting an Ebook reader for my PDF RPG's.  Just wondering if anyone has experience with them and if they work.   I've only ever been able to test e-readers before with regular print books so no fancy graphics just plane text.   I have no idea how well they'll hold up to say a pdf version of a multi-layered full color version of a PDF'd RPG.

The latest Kindle software does a lovely job of interpreting pdfs, given the limitations of the pdf medium.

-clash

Quote from: kryyst;355305I've been thinking of getting an Ebook reader for my PDF RPG's.  Just wondering if anyone has experience with them and if they work.   I've only ever been able to test e-readers before with regular print books so no fancy graphics just plane text.   I have no idea how well they'll hold up to say a pdf version of a multi-layered full color version of a PDF'd RPG.

Wait 12 days.

Quote from: Thanlis;355313Wait 12 days.

I'm assuming that you're refferring to a launch of one of the larger readers?  There are ones coming out that display 8.5"x11" so there is no need to translate redo the layout.  Even pdfs storing things as images (which some scans of old stuff do) shouldn't have a problem.

My experience so far is that the eInk technology (whether Kindle or Sony or whatever) is far too slow on per-page and animation refresh to be useful for reference books period, full stop. This is because it is nearly impossible to browse, and browsing is how we tend to find things in reference books.

Now, a PDF is still better than a reflowable text (epub, ebook, moby, whatever) in a lot of cases because at least it retains landmarks at a browsing scale (page thumbnails) but most readers don't support this anyway. And if you go searching for keywords all you discover is that there's more to a good index than knowing every page on which a given word occurs.

So I would go with a fast, large, and very high dpi device -- because PDF is the best of a bad lot of reference and because PDF is essentially an automated print preview and because PRINT implies between 300 and 1200 dpi, and so it will use fonts and other elements that will often be shit on a lesser resolution -- like a tablet or laptop. Even there most device resolution is too low, but at least it's big. I understand that there are some newer 200+ dpi displays and if the next generation tablet does that, I'd be all over it.

Quote from: Halfjack;355321My experience so far is that the eInk technology (whether Kindle or Sony or whatever) is far too slow on per-page and animation refresh to be useful for reference books period, full stop. This is because it is nearly impossible to browse, and browsing is how we tend to find things in reference books.

The search and bookmark system plus internal document links adequately work in place of browsing from my experience using the Kindle. In some limited cases are superior to browsing a printed book.

However people don't grok that right away when using an ebook. I had to explain to several friends with a kindle how to do what they want instead of browsing. In most cases they were happy with the alternative method.

Quote from: Halfjack;355321Now, a PDF is still better than a reflowable text (epub, ebook, moby, whatever)

I am finding that references formatted specifically for ebooks work pretty damn good, references that are PDF translated from their print counterpart are so-so.

Quote from: Nicephorus;355320I'm assuming that you're refferring to a launch of one of the larger readers?  There are ones coming out that display 8.5"x11" so there is no need to translate redo the layout.  Even pdfs storing things as images (which some scans of old stuff do) shouldn't have a problem.

This is what I recommend waiting for.  It will be of far greater use.

Quote from: Nicephorus;355320I'm assuming that you're refferring to a launch of one of the larger readers?  There are ones coming out that display 8.5"x11" so there is no need to translate redo the layout.  Even pdfs storing things as images (which some scans of old stuff do) shouldn't have a problem.

Apple Tablet. I have absolutely no idea what it'll be designed to do, but it'll be really good at whatever that is (and fairly limited in other ways). One of the possibilities is certainly an ebook reader.

An interesting discussion on ebook readers and gaming pdfs at RPGnet.
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Quote from: Thanlis;355338Apple Tablet. I have absolutely no idea what it'll be designed to do, but it'll be really good at whatever that is (and fairly limited in other ways). One of the possibilities is certainly an ebook reader.

And it'll cost about $2000 and the software will require iTunes, and it'll block third party stuff arbitrarily by requiring all apps to go through a ludicrously capricious and random approval process.

Seems a bit much to deal with if all you want is a reader.

Good info - thanks.

So still looks like for pure versatility a netbook is the way to go or a tablet.  The e-reader's though do have the advantage of being much more readable in general.   However since typically I'd only being using this for reference and not as a primary reading source I'm likely better served with versatility.

Either way though I'll keep holding off as long as I can.

Quote from: kryyst;355381Good info - thanks.

So still looks like for pure versatility a netbook is the way to go or a tablet.  The e-reader's though do have the advantage of being much more readable in general.   However since typically I'd only being using this for reference and not as a primary reading source I'm likely better served with versatility.

Either way though I'll keep holding off as long as I can.

Yeah. I have a Kindle, I have also owned Sony e-readers, and I like 'em both, but... not totally what I want for gaming reference. I can use a well-formatted PDF on my desktop easily, but any PDF not formatted for a netbook is hard to use on that form factor. Somewhat surprisingly, the best portable reference platform for PDFs I have is my iPhone -- GoodReads is really good, handles PDF bookmarks well, is fast. But it's not great.

I'm hoping... heh. I want an authoring program that's as easy to use as Hypercard for some upcoming portable device. That'd rock.

I actually read .pdfs on my cell phone now.  Not the greatest for reading/browsing (but I do it anyway). However, if I need to look up the rules for a specific power in a book, it works awesomely as I can search and bookmark.

Quote from: J Arcane;355371And it'll cost about $2000 and the software will require iTunes, and it'll block third party stuff arbitrarily by requiring all apps to go through a ludicrously capricious and random approval process.

$2,000 -- nope, the base model costs $500.

iTunes -- sorta nope, since you can run the App Store right from the device.

Capricious and random approval process -- yep.

I am flattened by the price. I would have guessed $1K. In fact, I did. At $500, this is an excellent choice for an ebook reader unless you strongly prefer open source, in which case there are ebook readers which will be superior. Ten hours of battery life is enough for a gaming table; it also supports ePub, which is a solid open format. Plus you get a bunch of stuff that you don't get with an ebook reader.

Yeah the $500 entry price is tempting for what I want.  Though now it's a mix between the functionality it offers and a lot of functionality that it doesn't when compared to say a netbook.

No multi-tasking is a bit brutal for using it as an electronic GM'ing device.  My ideal world is keep the pdf(s) open and keep a spreadsheet open and easily flip back and forth.  I mean I have a full laptop for that I was just hoping for something in a 10' form factor.