Large (longer&wider than ipad), hi-res e-ink ereader which supports pdf?

[nauru]

I have been waiting for the Skiff reader to enter wide release for over a year, and still nothing seems to be happening with it. News corp now owns the software platform but the reader was not part of the purchase and there are no plans to put the reader in mass production.

http://mediamemo.allthingsd.com/20100614/news-corp-buys-hearsts-skiff-platform-leaves-the-reader/

It was the only reader I ever heard about which has all of the following:

- e-ink (or any comparable technology which is not a backlit screen)
- about as large a viewable screen as a standard page (A4 or 8.5x11)
- pdf support
- resolution good enough to read scanned articles and graphics

Is there anything else which has these features?

There are only two reasons I want an e-reader.

1. to read academic journal articles (pdf) in the park when it is hot and sunny. These are often scanned and thus not the best quality pdf files (easily readable on a half-decent screen though). So obviously backlit screens like the ipad will not do.
2. to read sheet music on it when playing the piano. Currently I have hundreds of sheets of music and I have difficulty turning/rearranging pages when practicing stuff that I've not memorized. So obviously the screen has to be as big as a page or I won't be able to read the notes (the music is public domain and scanned from original sources into pdf -- so again image quality is less than perfect).

If anyone has any suggestions please let me know!

I am willing to order from the US, Europe, Japan, wherever the product I need is being sold. I was thinking perhaps Japan has this product because there is a strong mainstream interest there in graphic novels. Whereas in North America the bulk of consumers are content to have text-only capability, perhaps the Japanese demand better graphic support on their e-ink devices? Or perhaps they are already 5 years ahead in e-reader technology and have something far better than I can imagine?

If you have any info on e-readers from Japan that might be suitable, please post!

Thanks folks.

 

[EarthwormJim]

Right now the Kindle DX is just about the largest e-ink reader available. There's an iRex reader that's a little bigger, but nothing really A4 sized. A4 is around 13.9" diagonal, the Kindle DX is 9.7.

Not sure why you're assuming the Japanese are ahead in e-reader technology. There's really only one manufacturer (or designer, not sure if they actually build the displays or sell licenses) of electronic paper displays used in e-readers, E-Ink Corp (originally a US company too).

Current E-ink readers are pretty much up to par with newspapers and black and white comic books. I can't even see the pixel elements on my Kindle 3 with my naked eye.


This might be handy for you: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_e-book_readers

 

[nauru]

Thanks for the link.

I guess I was thinking Japan because they sometimes start using new technology years before most people in North America have even heard of it.

I'm sure the screen sizes of the Kindle and other readers are fine for docs which are originally created digitally, for the pdf format. My concern is legibility for scanned documents, especially when the scans are imperfect, a bit grainy, or uneven. A computer monitor handles them fine. But I've tested the Sony ereaders with scanned pdfs and the results were horrid. Totally unusable.

Now, the Kindle has slightly higher resolution than the Sony PRS 900, but not by a lot. So I'm a bit wary. Would be nice to test one, and know for sure before I buy. But is the Kindle only available online?

 

[EarthwormJim]

Thanks for the link.

I guess I was thinking Japan because they sometimes start using new technology years before most people in North America have even heard of it.

I'm sure the screen sizes of the Kindle and other readers are fine for docs which are originally created digitally, for the pdf format. My concern is legibility for scanned documents, especially when the scans are imperfect, a bit grainy, or uneven. A computer monitor handles them fine. But I've tested the Sony ereaders with scanned pdfs and the results were horrid. Totally unusable.

Now, the Kindle has slightly higher resolution than the Sony PRS 900, but not by a lot. So I'm a bit wary. Would be nice to test one, and know for sure before I buy. But is the Kindle only available online?

I think Best Buy will be carrying them soon.

 

[gorcorps]

I think Best Buy will be carrying them soon.

Bestbuy had displays of the Nook, Sony reader, and Kindle on display the other day. Not the kindle DX, but it might give the OP an idea.

 

[artemicion]

Wow. I think reading this thread has convinced me to buy an e-reader. I hadn't thought of the sheet music usage--that sounds awesome. Let me know what e-reader you settle on and how it works out for you.

Also, where do you get your PDF sheet music? Interested in finding a good site that has sheet music for my skill level (beginner to intermediate).

 

[preslove]

The Kindle DX is going to be as close as you're going to get to what you want. Apparently, Amazon supports sheet music: http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&keyw...20music&page=1

 

[EarthwormJim]

Wow. I think reading this thread has convinced me to buy an e-reader. I hadn't thought of the sheet music usage--that sounds awesome. Let me know what e-reader you settle on and how it works out for you.

Also, where do you get your PDF sheet music? Interested in finding a good site that has sheet music for my skill level (beginner to intermediate).

I would imagine publishing companies have pdf versions available for purchase.

 

[gorcorps]

Wow. I think reading this thread has convinced me to buy an e-reader. I hadn't thought of the sheet music usage--that sounds awesome. Let me know what e-reader you settle on and how it works out for you.

Also, where do you get your PDF sheet music? Interested in finding a good site that has sheet music for my skill level (beginner to intermediate).

Not sure what kind of sheet music you're looking for, but if you can find it in power tab or guitar pro format, you can use Tux Guitar (free program) and then export to PDF.

 

[artemicion]

I was thinking of piano sheet music. Free public domain stuff like classical pieces.

 

[nauru]

I would be using the device primarily for the piano.

Best source for classical piano sheet music is the Petrucci Music Library. 100% public domain, 100% free of charge.

http://imslp.org/wiki/Main_Page

I they have some non-classical stuff in there as well, but the classical collection is the most comprehensive. I've yet to come across a classical work which I have a desire learn and cannot find in the Petrucci Music Library.

Took me a while to find out about it though, as there are many companies and websites trying to scam people into paying for the work of Rachmaninov, Chopin, Tchaikovsky, etc even these composers' work is free for all to use, copy and share. Even the Royal Conservatory of Music has taken part in this scheme in the past, as it was (still is?) a big money-maker for them.

 

[nauru]

The Kindle DX is going to be as close as you're going to get to what you want. Apparently, Amazon supports sheet music: http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&keyw...20music&page=1

Classical music is free, and comes in imperfectly scanned pdfs. Proprietary format for-sale versions are not really useful or viable, since the originals are the public domain and in pdf format. The key is to have a large-format ereader which can handle pdfs properly. This ensures access to centuries of sheet music, of literature, of research and of a plethora of other material-- all of which is commonly available as a pdf, and free of charge for the user.

 

[nauru]

Still looking for an e-ink reader with larger display than the ipad if anyone knows of one...

 

[Madwand1]

The Notion Ink Adam is 7.5" x 10.5" overall, but the screen size is a bit smaller than that.

 

[nauru]

Yeah I need a viewable screen the size of a page. Nothing smaller will do.

 

[lady.bird]

Nauru, thank you for posting this question. I'm also searching for e-ink reader that has

.... all of the following:

- e-ink (or any comparable technology which is not a backlit screen)
- about as large a viewable screen as a standard page (A4 or 8.5x11)
- pdf support
- resolution good enough to read scanned articles and graphics

Is there anything (...) which has these features?

There are only two reasons I want an e-reader.

1. to read academic journal articles (pdf) in the park when it is hot and sunny. These are often scanned and thus not the best quality pdf files (easily readable on a half-decent screen though). So obviously backlit screens like the ipad will not do.
2. to read sheet music on it when playing the piano. Currently I have hundreds of sheets of music and I have difficulty turning/rearranging pages when practicing stuff that I've not memorized. So obviously the screen has to be as big as a page or I won't be able to read the notes (the music is public domain and scanned from original sources into pdf -- so again image quality is less than perfect).

If anyone has any suggestions please let me know!

I am willing to order from the US, Europe, Japan, wherever the product I need is being sold.

I need exactly the same thing.
Only difference is that I need it for organ sheet music, too (landscape page orientation). For piano sheet music (portrait) - in theory A5 size could do for watching only half of page (not very practical, though, turning the page after 2 or so lines).
Reader shoud be no less than A4 since sheet music is already larger than that and A4 is the smallest size I could use.

I can't believe there is not such a thing already.

Foot press page turning option could be usefull, too, and also posibility to edit document to add fingering.

 

[Dulanic]

I think in the US outside of the DX there isn't any options.