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Portable reading of MRH Journals/Blogs
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Regular poster 463 posts jbaakko Regular poster 463 posts
jbaakko
So, last night I got to thinking. I have a TON of down time at my job. When I buy a copy of one of the major publications, I usually carry it with me to work for a week or so, and read it on my down time. Question here in lies, how will I carry my PDF copy of MRH to work!? Its too much to lug my laptop (considering the power cord is buried). I looked in to digital books, doesn't look like it'll work. Sony's Digital reader can handle the PDF files, but is only an 8 level gray scale screen, for $290. Amazon's Kindle has a larger screen, but on 4 level gray scale, and does not state if it can handle PDF. Sony's mylo personal computer might be viable, or a PDA from various manufacturers, but I cannot seem to find one that supports PDF files. I've checked out a few smart phones, Blackberry does not really tell you if PDF files are supported. Sony Ericsson's W950I or W960i may handle it, and the P1i phone looks like it should, as it runs on Symbian. Anyone have any input? I'd like something small that I can carry w/ me to work. I'm in need of a new phone so a smart phone would be nice. However, if I go smart phone, I want at least a 2mp camera, MP3 & video support (my current one has the same).

Josh

http://rr.blockchoice.com
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jbaakko Regular poster 463 posts
jbaakko

Forgot!

I completely forgot about Palm devices. Adobe makes a reader designed for the Palm OS. They have a cheap, $99 MSRP hand held. It might just be the ticket. I've also considered an iPhone, but being locked to AT&T scares me away.

Josh

http://rr.blockchoice.com
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bear creek MRH Editor emeritus 2,335 posts
bear creek

Ink?

Well, you could always print the bugger... It's going to be about 60 pages. Or just print the article you want to mess with today. Probably be easier than trying to read text on a dinky screen.

Charlie Comstock

Superintendent of nearly everything  ayco_hdr.jpg 
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jbaakko Regular poster 463 posts
jbaakko

Tempting, but that darned ink

Tempting, but that darned ink is expensive!

Josh

http://rr.blockchoice.com
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joef MRH Founder 17,434 posts
joef

Don't think it's here yet

I don't think the device you're looking for is here yet.

IMO, the perfect device would be close to 8 x 11 in size and display PDFs in color. It would also be inexpensive, maybe selling for $300 or so.

If the iTouch or iPhone had good native PDF support, it might work. You would navigate by flicking pages left or right, and double tap to zoom to readable size on a page area. But Apple and Adobe have had something of a falling out, so that's not likely to happen any time soon.

In the meantime, the most "portable" in a sense is to burn the magazine to CD and read it on a laptop or some other computer.

Joe Fugate​
Publisher, Model Railroad Hobbyist magazine

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jbaakko Regular poster 463 posts
jbaakko

Testing...

I'm going to try to get a Palm Tungsten E2. Palm products have PDF support, and color screens, and should have zoom capabilities (to read a column at a time). I'm not planning to go overboard on it, not planning to pay more then $50 for a used one. If it works, I'll draft up an article for the magazine, possibly. I do agree with Joe though, I'm not sure it will be as good as carrying a laptop, but we'll see. Maybe I'll just have to carry my laptop.

Josh

http://rr.blockchoice.com
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jeffshultz MRH Staff 7,978 posts
jeffshultz

I have a Palm T/X

I have a Palm T/X (maybe 2 months old now). It does have the Adobe Software on it... but what happens is that you feed the PDF to the Adobe upload program on your desktop, where it gets downconverted for use on the Palm device.

It totally choked on a book I tried to feed it... haven't tried MRH yet. Hmm...

... okay, I'm back. Looks like it's approximately Acrobat 6 (website claims there is a 7 out). Either way.. it converted with errors and is pretty unreadable.

 Unless you have any other plans for that Tungsten - I use my TX to read e-book on Mobipocket - I'd save the money.

 

 

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Jeff Shultz - MRH Technical Assistant
DCC Features Matrix/My blog index
Modeling a fictional GWI shortline combining three separate areas into one freelance-ish railroad.
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jbaakko Regular poster 463 posts
jbaakko

Thanks

Thanks for the trial Jeff! I guess I'll start surfing for a a small, light weight laptop, with around 12" of screen, to make it easier to carry.

Josh

http://rr.blockchoice.com
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jbaakko Regular poster 463 posts
jbaakko

Humm...

I think Joe was on to something... Check out the Fujitsu Stylistic: http://store.shopfujitsu.com/fpc/Ecommerce/buildseriesbean.do?series=ST5100&ptype=TB Better? There's a number of older ones available on eBay too, still surfing through the listings. Then we have the Samsung Q1: http://www.samsung.com/us/consumer/type/type.do?group=computersperipherals&type=ultramobilepc

Josh

http://rr.blockchoice.com
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joef MRH Founder 17,434 posts
joef

Imagine what will happen

Imagine what would happen to the publishing business if these things reached $300 - $600 in price. I think it's only a matter of time ...

Joe Fugate​
Publisher, Model Railroad Hobbyist magazine

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jbaakko Regular poster 463 posts
jbaakko

No Kidding!

I have this software installed (no subscriptions yet) called Zinio Reader, it delivers magazines, digitally... Only problem is there's nothing good, free, lol. http://www.zinio.com/(warning, might not be safe for children's eyes, there's adult subs there!)

Josh

http://rr.blockchoice.com
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jeffshultz MRH Staff 7,978 posts
jeffshultz

Asus Eee PC

Josh,

Check out the Asus Eee PC - solid state hard drive, the newest version runs WindowsXP... rather tempting, actually.

http://www.newegg.com/Store/BrandSubCategory.aspx?Brand=1315&SubCategory=32&name=ASUS-Laptops-Notebooks

orange70.jpg
Jeff Shultz - MRH Technical Assistant
DCC Features Matrix/My blog index
Modeling a fictional GWI shortline combining three separate areas into one freelance-ish railroad.
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jbaakko Regular poster 463 posts
jbaakko

Not bad!

Not bad, might be able to pick one up for under $200. I'll look at that too. So far I'm edging towards a tablet, I might try to get a Toshiba, with the swivel screen. I have to buy something to replace my wife's POS Compaq anyways, so I's like to be able to get two laptop/tablets at the same time.

Josh

http://rr.blockchoice.com
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jbaakko Regular poster 463 posts
jbaakko

Update...

I just won a Fujitsu Stylistic 4110. Its a P3, with a 20gb HDD, but it should be enough to handle a few movies and MRH from time to time. It does have XP installed however. We'll see once it gets here, how it handles the PDF's and my movies (for more lazy time at work), and possible portable internet use in my house. If it fails to be up to par, I'll try my hands at getting a slightly new, 5xxx series.

Josh

http://rr.blockchoice.com
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joef MRH Founder 17,434 posts
joef

Congratulations!

Congratulations, Josh, on the new machine - and do keep us posted on how well it handles MRH.

Joe Fugate​
Publisher, Model Railroad Hobbyist magazine

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Read my blog
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jbaakko Regular poster 463 posts
jbaakko

It works!

I just got my Fujitsu Stylistic in today. It works perfectly for a way to read the magazine outside of you home. Much easier to transport then the laptop too, weighing only 3.5 pounds, and having no screen to open/close. I do have to admit though, the seller was kind of dishonest. both tablets have been repainted, to cover up some of the damage to the front of the case... But that has nothing do do with what I was discussing here, lol.

Josh

http://rr.blockchoice.com
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joef MRH Founder 17,434 posts
joef

Interesting, Josh - and congrats!

Josh:

Congrats on the new super-portable tablet PC aquisition. And thanks much for the assessment of its value around reading MRH.

I'm expecting this whole market to heat up in the next few years - to the point that a very nice portable media device with rich media PDF playback capability drops below the $600 mark. Think of it as the iPod for print media.

When that happens, look out!

Joe Fugate​
Publisher, Model Railroad Hobbyist magazine

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jbaakko Regular poster 463 posts
jbaakko

No kidding

Yeah, the new ones (currently on the market) at in the $2000 range, but they come with 12.1" screens 2gb of ram, core duo processors and 100+gb HDD's. If they did an entry version, with say, a 40gb HDD, a 10.4" screen and 1GB of ram, they could chop the price. Mine is old... Stylistic ST4110: PIII-M 800 processor 258mb ram Stock (mine has 512mb (2x 256mb), can handle 768mb (1x 256mb original non-removable, and 1x 512mb. 20GB HDD 10.4" screen Windows XP Tablet (now XP SP3) Cost me a whopping $279 each (bought 2, one for my wife too). I like it, going to see if I can find an ST5xxx sometime down the road.

Josh

http://rr.blockchoice.com
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jeffshultz MRH Staff 7,978 posts
jeffshultz

This is making me nostalgic...

To think of when my Palm T/X was my primary PDA... that was a lot of devices and phones ago. 

orange70.jpg
Jeff Shultz - MRH Technical Assistant
DCC Features Matrix/My blog index
Modeling a fictional GWI shortline combining three separate areas into one freelance-ish railroad.
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joef MRH Founder 17,434 posts
joef

I'm scaring myself ...

Quote:

I don't think the device you're looking for [to read MRH on] is here yet.

IMO, the perfect device would be close to 8 x 11 in size and display PDFs in color. It would also be inexpensive, maybe selling for $300 or so.

I posted this in July of 2008. The first tablet (the iPad) was invented in 2010. You can now find tablets starting at $100, and most 8x11 tablets today start around $300.

I'm scaring myself reading this now and seeing how accurate it was. MRH really was ahead of its time ... talk about being at the right place at the right time.

Joe Fugate​
Publisher, Model Railroad Hobbyist magazine

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Read my blog
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cruizer219 Active Member 32 posts
cruizer219

android tablets

$150 can get u a great wireless tablet. save files at home and read on go even if no wifi at work or wherever. i never had tablet before and surprised by how light they are and how capable with great picture. really diminishes need for a computer except for windows only type software. can get word processing, spreadsheet, communication software on them so handles most of what cmputer can. much better than just a reader. need to find size best for u tho, not too small or big.
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danraitz Active Member 82 posts
danraitz

I download MRH to a USB flash

I download MRH to a USB flash drive, that way all I have to do is plug it into my computer at work and read it during my lunch break.

If you're not having fun, you're not doing it right! 
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