ebook, pdf, ebook-readerI know this answer is pretty alike http://gadgets.stackexchange.com/questions/672/portable-device-for-reading-academic-paper-pdfs, but I can't get enough information/comparisons in that post.
Basically I have these requirements:
1. Large Screen
Those who have ever read Mathematics/Computer Science textbooks or papers definitely will under stand what a big enough screen means.
For example, I will not consider Kindle because it only got 6''.
2. PDFs Support
I have plenty of pdfs on my PC and I don't want to sit in front of my computer everytime I read them.
There are searchable, optimized PDFs, as well as scanned, ocr'ed ones.
3. (Ideal Requirement) Epub Support
In case I got time to read non-academic books.
Quetion
After some research, it seems everybody is recommending: Nook, Kindle DX, and Ipad.
I am wondering if these three perfectly meet my (and your) requirements, and if there are other choices.
Actually I find the Kindle DX quite useable for Computer Science textbooks. Only gripe, page turning takes to long to really encourage you to flip through. So if I didn't already have a Kindle DX, I guess I would get an iPad, that way I could flip through faster, when I'm searching for a specific paragraph or something.
While searching for specific key words is easier in pdfs, I really like plain old paper for the first time through a paper, because writing down remarks and comments etc with a pen is much easier and faster than via a comment function in any e-reader.
Are you looking for opinions? I suggest reading reviews on Engadget, CNET, or even Wikipedia
My recommendation would be an iPad using Stanza. Stanza supports epub and pdf, and hasn't had performance issues with any of my books (even this book which is 25MB, and causes iBooks to be very slow). iBooks will improve, it's only 1.1 right now. Stanza also supports night-mode for reduced eye strain in dark conditions.
One caveat: if you plan on reading your iPad in bed, it's nowhere near as comfortable as a paperback or hardback... there's a reason the Kindle is 6", and that's because of weight limitations (it's competing with paperback books). If this is your main use case, I'd strongly recommend looking at one of these large-screen e-readers (keep a note of the weight; iPad at 1.5lbs is not light).
I use my ipad for reading PDFs - it actually renders PDFs really well adn zooming on on the figures/text etc is quick and smooth. You can flick easily and there is little load time. It's seriously almost as quick as using a pc. You have some great apps now for the ipad for academic-type use. I use dropbox to cloud-store my 500meg of pdfs - then view them within the app. You can search the text too of course. There is also goodreader, easy pdf and while not quite as nice - documents 2 go reads virtually any file. I have stanza installed but am yet to really play with many ebooks, just journal articles unfortunately.
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