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Best PDA To Read e-Texts On?

Posted by simoniker on from the was-it-gutenberg-for-you-too? dept.

GabrielStrange writes "I've been thinking for a while now that I'd like to own some sort of portable device on which I could read e-Texts. This device should be able to read both simple text files (i.e. Project Gutenberg e-Texts) and more complex formats, like Plucker, Acrobat or Microsoft Reader. It should have a fairly high-res display with a backlight that would be easy on the eyes... but doesn't particularly need to be a color display. I'd like it to work with at least one (if not both) of the machines on my desktop, which run Linux 2.6 and MacOS X Panther... And to use a USB port. And I'd like it to have a built in, rechargeable battery, because I already have enough devices to worry about batteries for. And, of course, I don't want to pay very much for it. Anyone got any recommendations for such a device? It's proving to be almost impossible to even obtain an actual list of devices that have these features."

3 of 390 comments (clear)

  1. Toshiba e800/e805 by Kenja · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I use a Toshiba e805 (same as the e800 but with some image software thrown in). It has 128MB of built in memory and both a SDIO and CF expansion slot (along with built in 802.11b) so you can load it up on storage or (as I did) add bluetooth to access the web via a cell phone. Its got a very nice 480x640 screen that is perfect for reading text on (its larger then most PDAs) with a 2MB ATI graphics accelerator. Granted you need to install some third party software to get the default mode to be anything other then 200x320, but once setup right its very slick. If you poke around you can also find 480x640 skins for many apps such as PocketPlayer, MS Media Player, PocketDV and others.

    --

    "Have you ever thought about just turning off the TV, sitting down with your kids, and hitting them?"
  2. Tungsten T3! by jameslore · · Score: 5, Interesting

    While I'm sure I'll be mocked (since Palm OS isn't Linux), my T3 is great for ebooks.

    + Palm Reader is all good, and plenty of other choices.
    + Large library available (http://www.palmdigitalmedia.com/)
    + Small device, great resolution (320 x 480, potrait or landscape).
    + Lots of other software :-)

    - Anti-aliasing is mediocre at best. Resoltion does make up for it somewhat...
    - T3 battery life is very mediocre. Perhaps a Clie instead, if this is a concern.
    - Not cheap.

    Cheers - James

  3. it doesn't take much... by schwaang · · Score: 5, Interesting
    Indeed, I dug my gf's old PalmV up from its grave a couple months ago. Have been happily reading e-books and NY Times using Plucker (& JPluckX) since.

    I don't prefer it to a book but do like it better than my desktop's 17" LCD for lengthly reading. Having it in hand makes the experience more book-like. (Every try taking a 17" monitor to bed? Don't answer that.)