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PDF on PDA: a pain in the...?

After trying all sorts of pdf readers, I come close to the conclusion that reading pdf documents on a PDA is not practical at all and even irrealistic.
Due mainly to the fact that one cannot view an entire page with a readable font size without having to scroll sideways.
I end up converting pdf to lit.
Please, give opinion and eventually solutions.
Thanks all, and take care

Come on folks, just a few words about your experience with pdf...

donno i read a book as pdf once
on my pda
only had to scroll down not sideways
depend on the doc in question really i suppose
pref lit though because of bookmarks and cleartype
and not being as much a res hog as acrobat reader which i used at the time

VGA a requirement
I use an older version of Adobe reader on a VGA screen. My eyes are still good enough that I can zoom out, get a full page on the screen, and still read it. I have read an entire book this way. I am sure there are better ways to do it on a PDA. But my goal is to be able to grab a document off of the web and read it as I travel. If there is going to be conversion between formats, it would have to take place on the PDA.
That being said, it is still easier to read a word or text document than a PDF. But if you have the screen resolution and size to work with, PDF's are not impossible.

Thanks folks, that was my impression.

Answers
There are ways to improve PDF experiance. Using reflow when creating PDFs (available as an option when saving PDFs from OpenOffice, for example) greatly improves things.
Anothr good option is Repligo - you can print / convert PDFs to that format. It uses less space, documents open faster and look better (less jagged fonts).

Believe me, PDFs are annoying even in actual, desktop environments. >_>
That said, I'm using Foxit for the PPC. It loads 15MB++ files faster than Adobe, follows the original PDF format faithfully (doesn't try to rearrange like idiotic Clearvue), yet it is a standalone program that requires no installation.
That said, PDF reading is only for devices with a big screen. Definitely bigger than a Mini, let alone an Atom. Otherwise, at a big enough text to be legible, scrolling to the side is necessary - and that tends to lag a bit with bigger PDFs for devices with only 64MB of RAM or less.

I have train skeds and the Tokyo Metro Map plus a crap load more pdf files
that I use on my X01HT and yes you do have to scroll both ways but I mean
have you seen the detail of the Tokyo Metro Map?!?
It works for me. I actually like it.
Plus I get 'really cool' nods from Japanese when they see me looking
through the Tokyo Metro map on my X01HT because most of them
use the low tech pocket paper fold out.
Yes, I am a gaijin otaku and proud of it!!!

imexp then big pictures makes pdf useless on pda's as they can move the text to scale but in there is a picture in the middle they cant really handle scaling the picture down to match the width of the pda screen

I think converting to repligo is the most elegant solution since images are conserved...but it is not free
Otherwise, if pics are not important, converting to text then to lit and using microsoft reader is an acceptable free solution.
To "AquiEsta!": why don't you use the excellent "metro" freeware?

You can use the free xpdf (pocketpdf). It at least has better zoom functions then adobe and it has the option to read pdf as text files with associated functions. You lose pictures but pure textfiles are a breaze to read...

elio said:
I think converting to repligo is the most elegant solution since images are conserved...but it is not free
Otherwise, if pics are not important, converting to text then to lit and using microsoft reader is an acceptable free solution.
To "AquiEsta!": why don't you use the excellent "metro" freeware?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didn't know such a thing existed. Where would I find that? In English
would be great too!
Thanks

AquiEsta! said:
I didn't know such a thing existed. Where would I find that? In English
would be great too!
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://nanika.net/Metro/
You will love it

elio said:
http://nanika.net/Metro/
You will love it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
"more than 350 cities covered now"... I'm already in love with it because
I travel a lot and this hopefully will save me time and advils.
THANK YOU!!!
off I go to set it up...

Adobe Reader for PPC 2 works with my HTC Athena/Advantage VGA screen without legibility problems using its reflow function which wraps the text to your screen - no sideways scrolling needed.
Even if your documents were not prepared specifically for this Active Sync will do the necessary conversion when you transfer the docs from your PC (turn it on in file settings). If you bypass ActiveSync your reflow button gets greyed out.
For documents like maps you can switch to sideways scrolling whenever you want.
My only gripe is that the characters are a little fuzzy, so I'm looking for a fix for this.
UPDATE: fuzzy characters fixed:
Switch resolution to 95 dpi using RealVGA before opening Adobe Reader. Now works as it was meant to. Only downside is the the resolution switch involves a reset.

For reading articles and such offline I use ScrapBook (a Firefox extension) to capture the page/selection and delete ads/sidebars and then 'Save Page as...' and copy the html and corresponding images folder to my SD card. It's a pain but it's the best solution that I could find.

I use Mobipocket Reader to do the conversion and reading, it's free and works well for me www.mobipocket.com

For PDFs Picel Browser, and Foxit Reader for Windows Mobile are pretty good.

I second the picsel reader. http://www.picselpowered.com
Don't let the number of Cons over Pros put you off.
Even with these problems I still use it on a daily basis, and preferred to buy it over using free alternatives like Adobe.
Proof that mobile apps don't have to look like clunky old windows apps.
Pro
Excellent rendering of PDF files
Fine control over zoom, can use a gesture (tap & drag)
Cons
Out of memory errors with just a few other apps running
Remembers last document opened, but not page
No Search
No way of jumping to a page

pdemoore said:
I second the picsel reader. http://www.picselpowered.com
Don't let the number of Cons over Pros put you off.
Even with these problems I still use it on a daily basis, and preferred to buy it over using free alternatives like Adobe.
Proof that mobile apps don't have to look like clunky old windows apps.
Pro
Excellent rendering of PDF files
Fine control over zoom, can use a gesture (tap & drag)
Cons
Out of memory errors with just a few other apps running
Remembers last document opened, but not page
No Search
No way of jumping to a page
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I back this as well, it is bar far, THEE most impressive on a PDA.
It has no rendering lag, making it the fastest PDF reader on WM.
I would only recommend that VGA users view PDFs, QVGA isn't practical.

Spb New Pocket Plus 4.0 - is worth a look

<< Plug Alert >> (I am not affiliated with Spb in any way.) (But if they give me free products, I wouldn't mind. )
I didn't see a thread about this announcement, so I thought I mention that Spb Software House has a new version of Pocket Plus. It is smaller, faster and has some really cool new features. I personally like the IE7-like tabs in PIE and the 'touch-like scrolling of Contacts and PIE. (Interestingly, if you use Spb Contacts, I can't seem to get it to scroll.)
http://www.spbsoftwarehouse.com/products/pocketplus/?en
I have been a big fan of Spb. I know now that I've been on the XDA forum for a while that some of the features of the Spb products are available for free, but I think they do a great job of putting it all together.
I loaded this yesterday and I've been busy with work, so it is a little early to review. Has anyone else looked that this. Post your comments here.

I love the new "Smart Scrolling" feature... You can scroll your contacts and web sites like on TouchFLO.. Great stuff..

I have been using SPB Plus for the past two years. Downloaded this new version and in just one hour I was convinced to purchase the licence key.
I am specially impressed by the reduction in memory usage over the previous version and also the large tabs fit for finger operation and finally the way it handles third party today screen plug-ins.

Tried the trial version:
good point - doesn't take too much memory to run.
Bad point - occupies 2.9 meg of device memory.
good point - runs other plugins within tabs.
bad point - no need for Ilauncher anymore.
good point - tabs in IE.
bad point - smart scrolling doesn't work very well ( I do have touchflo rom so maybe this is interfering with it).
bad point - only lets you put 6 tabs on today screen.
good point - you could run Ilauncher in a tab and have more tabs to launch things.
good point - skinable.
overall I like it, i'm going to run the trial version for as long as possible but on first impression I may switch to this it is fast and flexible enough and integrates well with other programs.
I would recommend you try it. (I;m not affiliated in any way either).

Tabs in Pocket IE

This program has been developed to give Windows Mobile users the facility to have a very useful and functional tabbed web browser. Other tabbed mobile web browsers are either bulky, slow, or not free. This program is entirely free to use and uses Pocket Internet Explorer to display the web pages.
http://www.anbsoftware.co.uk/viewproduct.php?id=11

This looks excellent and lite for pie tabs instead of the bulky 3rd party browsers. Will it work with WM6?

I hear this app is buggy. Is it?

Has anybody taken a look at SPB Pocket Plus 4?
http://www.spbsoftwarehouse.com/products/pocketplus/?en
I installed this just (mainly) for the IE Tabs feature. It also adds finger scrolling (although only to some applications), and enhances the built-in explorer. So, all-in-all, instead of installing many (some heavy) apps to get features which were missing in existing apps, SPB have managed to get those features from installing one (not too heavy) app and adding those missing features to existing apps. I think this concept is really good.

Yup, SPP4 is pretty good. Make sure you read my related, full review.

killer WM App

Hi all!
I'm senior C# programmer and I want to develop a Windows Mobile Application with Compact Framework, but I want develop an useful application or tool that does not already exist. I have no limitations in programming or technology (gps, bluetooth, web services, ecc.).
Any idea/suggestion for this new app? Is there any application that is missing?

hey how about a touch guitar for the ppc..the one like we have in nokia 5800..there is a touch piano(known as omniano) for ppc but no touch guitar..!

What about a proper barcode reader/interpreter using the built-in camera? There are some tentative software but no trully good one out there. Could be good for personal databases like book collection.

wovens said:
What about a proper barcode reader/interpreter using the built-in camera? There are some tentative software but no trully good one out there. Could be good for personal databases like book collection.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is I-Nigma a barcode reader...
http://www.freewarepocketpc.net/ppc-download-i-nigma-barcode-reader-v1-4.html

hardikrajgor123 said:
hey how about a touch guitar for the ppc..the one like we have in nokia 5800..there is a touch piano(known as omniano) for ppc but no touch guitar..!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the idea, but already exists Guitar Hero for PPC...
http://www.handster.com/news-pda.php?id=1250&for=WM Guitar Hero

giugua said:
There is I-Nigma a barcode reader...
http://www.freewarepocketpc.net/ppc-download-i-nigma-barcode-reader-v1-4.html
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea! I know! But it is no good! If what you are after is an idea that nobody had before, than I think it will be very difficult.

Here's an idea that might be something handy you could knock out fairly quickly: a battery drain indicator. An app that polls your battery life and generates a report telling the current rate of decrease (and maybe indicates what other applications are running and how often the backlight was on).
It'd be darn useful for trying to gauge the effect different ROMs and apps have on battery life.

There is no DLNA app for windows mobile as far as i know.
Would be good just to have one that can get pics, videos, music from over dlna machines.
Or as above a app that moniters battery drain to see the worse apps and roms for battery

typo said:
Here's an idea that might be something handy you could knock out fairly quickly: a battery drain indicator. An app that polls your battery life and generates a report telling the current rate of decrease (and maybe indicates what other applications are running and how often the backlight was on).
It'd be darn useful for trying to gauge the effect different ROMs and apps have on battery life.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I second this. I've started one, but it's pretty ugly, slow and buggy as I'm in no way a C# developer and I have no time to complete it. There are several battery monitors out there, but neither of them are really usefull.
If you are interested, PM me, I can share some further ideas.

A finger friendly message app instead of wm ugly tiny inbox, outbox etc

giugua said:
Hi all!
I'm senior C# programmer and I want to develop a Windows Mobile Application with Compact Framework, but I want develop an useful application or tool that does not already exist. I have no limitations in programming or technology (gps, bluetooth, web services, ecc.).
Any idea/suggestion for this new app? Is there any application that is missing?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm, a killer WM app? Well, I would imagine that it has to be something unique, and fairly difficult to create on other platforms or, hell, just the Windows Mobile platform.
Meh, the best idea I can come up with are these:
1) A GPS software that displays street level navigation (sort of like what was shown in Sony's new NV-U3DV).
2) A Hulu player
3) A program that scales programs/games not designed to work on a particular resolution
My, this was surprisingly difficult to think of.

stu-k said:
A finger friendly message app instead of wm ugly tiny inbox, outbox etc
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Quote it!!! A real finger friendly msg app (a simple mail/sms client) will be the top!!
D'rath

how about a directory assistance program like they had on palm.
when someone calls u it automatically tells u who is calling giving the persons address and info

Killer App, how about something that ties Windows mobile together...not some much a launcher or something like but something that smooths everything out.
Maybe a simple program that transitions the screen of current gen devices to make landscape to portrait smoother.
Maybe a cool task manager is smooth and dynamic...(opengl) that flows through the open programs similar to Coverflo (this would be amazing) mix that with functionality.
How about when you open a new program, there is an onscreen popup that shows whats opening while the app is loading up. Similar to Opera or Winterface.
Maybe a unique Locksystem different from S2u2 and G1 Locker...Something graphical and beautiful. I love the growing panel and the fish panel for xperia, having something like that for a locker would be amazing....
I have dozens of ideas. but I'd say..
Music player=covered by S2P, Kinoma, Nitrogen
Pictureviewer=covered by imageviewer, s2v
Shells= too many to name
Iphoney= ad nauseum
I think we should be focus on making PPC more functional...That SMS app is really worth the time an effort as well.

style1 said:
Maybe a cool task manager is smooth and dynamic...(opengl) that flows through the open programs similar to Coverflo (this would be amazing) mix that with functionality.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This would be cool, although being a Windows user, I'd rather it be like Aero Flip than like Coverflow.
If you haven't seen it, check out TaskFacade -- it's more like Expose than Coverflow, but it's still a great app switcher with decent eye candy.

I've tried TaskFacade...love it..but it would be awesome to have a full blown beautiful app. I don't know if you've ever played around with Pocket Cm ImageViewer its amazingly beautiful. The way it displays pictures and how fingerfriendly it is it would be awesome to have taskmanager that flowed that smooth. Flick up on the application to end it, click on it to go to it. Would be amazing

8525Smart said:
Hmm, a killer WM app? Well, I would imagine that it has to be something unique, and fairly difficult to create on other platforms or, hell, just the Windows Mobile platform.
Meh, the best idea I can come up with are these:
1) A GPS software that displays street level navigation (sort of like what was shown in Sony's new NV-U3DV).
2) A Hulu player
3) A program that scales programs/games not designed to work on a particular resolution
My, this was surprisingly difficult to think of.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Id love to have a Hulu Player but also would kill for a free Xbx Live app but i guess tht alrdy exist but the Hulu player is very orginal...Nice idea 8525Smart and i also like option 2

how about an onscreen semi-transparent dpad that can be toggled via a button on all apps? That way for phones without dpads or with dpads hat are not functional (touch pro) you can still use a dpad. This would help in gaming but also basic navigation.

You might consider putting your talents towards the finger friendly SMS application in the Development and Hacking section. They have nonfunctional, graphics only alpha versions, but they need developers to actually get the application functional. There's even a $275 bounty.
Dave

Diagrax said:
Id love to have a Hulu Player but also would kill for a free Xbx Live app but i guess tht alrdy exist but the Hulu player is very orginal...Nice idea 8525Smart and i also like option 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you. Yes, with a Hulu player, the multimedia experience on Windows Mobile would pretty much be complete (at least for me).
Regarding the Xbox Live app, I did find one if you want it: http://ts.zumobi.net/partner_pages/partner/xbox

Decent Working Contact / SMS Apps w/ M2D?

Hi, I'm wondering if anyone can tell me from experience of any decent looking, finger-friendly apps that completely integrate with the M2D interface (working with the messages tab & people tab)?
I've tried a few, and done a fair amount of hacking, but nothing so far is a very smooth or seamless setup. There's always SOME sort of bug or thing that doesn't quite work how you would hope.
I just want to be have it work 'pretty much' like the built-in Microsoft apps (as far as launching from the tabs properly, opening a SMS message from a contact, etc) but just be MUCH nicer looking and working than the typical Microsoft interface (does MS not have enough money to even hire 1 decent interface designer???).
- I have iDialer/iContact working as the default contact app currently, and like this pretty well. But it just launches the default Microsoft SMS app when you want to text someone.
- I have Vito SMS-Chat as my default SMS app (as much as possible), but even when I was able to get it to open from the Messages tab, it only opens to the main screen, not right to a specific message or person.
- I'm trying Vito Fun Contact as the contact app (as it 'should' interface well with SMS-Chat), but it crashes Touch-Flo upon closing every time.
There has to be SOME sort of decent setup for this! Even if the default apps were re-skinned nicely it might be acceptable.
THANKS!!!

Hmm, I dont think you'll get that kind of integration anywhere.

Really??? In the world of Windows there's really nothing that works & looks well? I try to find reasons not to pick up an iPhone, but it gets harder the more time I spend searching for decent solutions.
How about new HTC phones with WM 6.5? Does this offer any better apps or solutions? Or is it still the same old 'junk' underneath the hood? I'm considering getting a Touch Pro 2 once Win 6.5 is running well on it if it's any better than what I got.