PDA for PDFs?

[uriel222]

I'm looking to buy a PDA (as cheaply as possible) primarily to read PDF docs. I'll use it for other things as well, such as organization, gaming, music, etc., but I primarily want something that can display PDFs clearly, and at a size that I don't have to side-scroll much.

My last PDA was a Palm IIIc, which just couldn't display PDFs properly at all.

Any suggestions? Or do I have to go to a laptop for this?

[JesterMania]

Whichever Pocket PC solution you go with, I think it's best to spend a little money and invest in the RepliGO PDF Mobilizer (the RepliGO viewer is free). What it basically does is reformat the PDF file into RepliGO's own file format making it flow much better on screens with limited resolution (such as the PDA's). Otherwise, you'll have a hard time reading PDFs natively, in my opinion.

Getting back to a PDA solution, you'll probably want any of the VGA Pocket PCs out there. Check out Dell's Axim x51v or Fujitsu's Pocket LOOX series if you're in Europe.

[mscdex]

I'm looking to buy a PDA (as cheaply as possible) primarily to read PDF docs. I'll use it for other things as well, such as organization, gaming, music, etc., but I primarily want something that can display PDFs clearly, and at a size that I don't have to side-scroll much.

My last PDA was a Palm IIIc, which just couldn't display PDFs properly at all.

Any suggestions? Or do I have to go to a laptop for this?

Well, as far as PDF readers go, there's Adobe's PDF reader for PPC and there is Westtek's Clearvue PDF viewer. Both are good products. But be forewarned, when printing PDFs from your PPC, it can take a good amount of RAM to do so, so keep that in mind when you buy a PPC (and plan to be printing PDFs out of course).

[Menneisyys]

I'm looking to buy a PDA (as cheaply as possible) primarily to read PDF docs. I'll use it for other things as well, such as organization, gaming, music, etc., but I primarily want something that can display PDFs clearly, and at a size that I don't have to side-scroll much.

My last PDA was a Palm IIIc, which just couldn't display PDFs properly at all.

Any suggestions? Or do I have to go to a laptop for this?

It all depends on whether you want to read PDF files in their original form, w/o converting to, say, the RepliGo format. With, for example, tech e-books, you will wnat to prefer the original format. This, however, requires a VGA device with as big a screen as possible used in landscape mode. Then, your best bet is the iPAQ hx4700, even second-hand. It's unbeatable for this purpose.

There are several other models (the HTC Universal and ll F-S models) that have the same quality VGA screens, but they're 3.5-3.6" and are, therefore, much less suited for reding docs in their original format.

I wouldn't recommend any Dell VGA device because of the polarization problems in landscape.

Also see my articles on VGA issues; I've cross-posted them all to either the Software or the Chatting forum in here.

If converting (RepliGo) stuff is OK, then, even a QVGA device will suffice.

[Brad Adrian]

Another point to consider is how many graphics will be in the documents and whether the text is the primary component. If it's important to view in-line graphics in as original state as possible, then I'd stick with Adobe's Reader. But, give Repligo a try, too, because I really like how it can shrink the file sizes and maintain nearly 100% of the formatting.

[Nurhisham Hussein]

If a pure pdf reader is what you want, try PocketXPDF (http://pocketxpdf.sourceforge.net/) as an alternative to Adobe's reader - it has a smaller memory footprint.

[riow]

Another good and free evaluation version without expiration pdf reader is Foxit PDF reader (http://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf/mobile/winmobile.htm) which I'm using.

[pootp]

I'm looking to buy a PDA (as cheaply as possible) primarily to read PDF docs. I'll use it for other things as well, such as organization, gaming, music, etc., but I primarily want something that can display PDFs clearly, and at a size that I don't have to side-scroll much.

My last PDA was a Palm IIIc, which just couldn't display PDFs properly at all.

Any suggestions? Or do I have to go to a laptop for this?

It all depends on whether you want to read PDF files in their original form, w/o converting to, say, the RepliGo format. With, for example, tech e-books, you will wnat to prefer the original format. This, however, requires a VGA device with as big a screen as possible used in landscape mode. Then, your best bet is the iPAQ hx4700, even second-hand. It's unbeatable for this purpose.

There are several other models (the HTC Universal and ll F-S models) that have the same quality VGA screens, but they're 3.5-3.6" and are, therefore, much less suited for reding docs in their original format.

I wouldn't recommend any Dell VGA device because of the polarization problems in landscape.

Also see my articles on VGA issues; I've cross-posted them all to either the Software or the Chatting forum in here.

If converting (RepliGo) stuff is OK, then, even a QVGA device will suffice.

Hey guys,

I'm looking for a used hx4700 for reading ebooks (and only for reading ebooks). Will there be a successor to this model that has a screen as big or bigger?

Thanks!

[Menneisyys]

I'm looking to buy a PDA (as cheaply as possible) primarily to read PDF docs. I'll use it for other things as well, such as organization, gaming, music, etc., but I primarily want something that can display PDFs clearly, and at a size that I don't have to side-scroll much.

My last PDA was a Palm IIIc, which just couldn't display PDFs properly at all.

Any suggestions? Or do I have to go to a laptop for this?

It all depends on whether you want to read PDF files in their original form, w/o converting to, say, the RepliGo format. With, for example, tech e-books, you will wnat to prefer the original format. This, however, requires a VGA device with as big a screen as possible used in landscape mode. Then, your best bet is the iPAQ hx4700, even second-hand. It's unbeatable for this purpose.

There are several other models (the HTC Universal and ll F-S models) that have the same quality VGA screens, but they're 3.5-3.6" and are, therefore, much less suited for reding docs in their original format.

I wouldn't recommend any Dell VGA device because of the polarization problems in landscape.

Also see my articles on VGA issues; I've cross-posted them all to either the Software or the Chatting forum in here.

If converting (RepliGo) stuff is OK, then, even a QVGA device will suffice.

Hey guys,

I'm looking for a used hx4700 for reading ebooks (and only for reading ebooks). Will there be a successor to this model that has a screen as big or bigger?

Thanks!

nope, it seems. new VGA models are all under 3.7"

[Nurhisham Hussein]

There are those rumours of a new HTC device that will have a 5" screen - but whether it will be a 'traditional' PDA is another matter.

[pootp]

thanks folks

[jlp]

There are those rumours of a new HTC device that will have a 5" screen - but whether it will be a 'traditional' PDA is another matter.

Isn't that one supposed to be a UMPC?! Is that what you imply by putting the word traditional between quotes?!

[Nurhisham Hussein]

I was referring more to the fact that they seem to be going in a different direction for this one, in that the envisaged usage will not be along PDA lines - maybe something ala the Nokia Internet Tablet? I'm not sure that a 5" model would be at all pocketable, hence my reference to it as non-traditional.

But in any case, it seems pretty firm that the HTC UMPC is a product distinct from the one I'm talking about i.e. they're doing both this 5" model and a UMPC.