Another option to moving PDFs and other documents to the Scribe is to use Calibre. It'll automatically connect to the Scribe without any additional software when you connect via USB-C. Then use "Send to Main Memory" to move the converted KFX files to the Kindle. Then you'll get writable sticky note capability for PDFs and eBooks. (I'm not affiliated with Calibre in any way.) The new format is KFX. For purchased eBooks you'll also need to enter your Scribe serial number using a DRM plugin. (I use an M1 Mac.) (Side loading PDFs currently do not support "write-on" capability.)
Can you export the annotated PDFs from the Scribe by USB/Calibre or is it bizarrely only through Amazon’s cloud? Planning to get a e-reader that can do some notes, but don’t want to share my note contents to Amazon - thus inbetween this and a Kobo Elipsa.
@@moskari26 I haven't tried moving the PDF from the Scribe to my M1 Mac using Calibre. However, it you use the send feature going through Amazon's servers you'll get a searchable PDF, that is, you can search for your handwritten notes inside the PDF. If you want to convert your handwriting to text, just lasso the text, paste into a Scribe notebook, and send from there. The result is a downloadable OCR editable text file from my handwriting.
Wow! Don't really know what to say...except thank you so much for the comment! I'm glad you enjoyed it and it's great if this video can leave people a bit more informed about this device.
Thank you! Always great to hear that people found the review useful, and especially great to hear that it was "jam packed" with useful info! Awesome to hear!
I agree, it's funny how the less famous reviewers do a better job covering all the important bits (for an user) of a product. It seems like famous reviewers only recite the "specs sheet" and that's it.
Thanks! It did seem a little odd to me that more people didn't seem to highlight the potential issues I've tried to cover here. E-reader manufacturers still seem to, oddly, look at PDF functionality as just a "nice to have" secondary feature, but I'm not sure that's how most consumers feel these days.
I've scoured the ruins of Google Search trying to find people talking about privacy concerns regarding the Kindle Scribe, and it blows my mind how much people don't care. Appreciate your video - nice to know others share my thoughts. Did you keep the Scribe or just use one for the video? I love it for reading but Idk.
Thanks for the comment! I’m also surprised that so many people don’t seem to have thought about the possible data privacy issues on the Kindle Scribe. It makes me wonder why. I’d say it is a nice device to read e-books on, and I’d probably keep it for that reason. Amazon’s ecosystem of e-books is probably the largest out there. However, I’m not sure how much confidential note-taking or PDF reading I’d recommend for the long term.
Glad this video was helpful! Regarding potentially better "data security" on the Kindle Scribe, see the top comment by another viewer. This may help...however, I don't have experience using the software he mentioned and cannot speak to the experience of using it myself.
That sounds like it would be an interesting assignment. It's something I would definitely consider if Supernote were to contact me. Hope you enjoyed this review of the Scribe!
Thank you @theinktelligent It helped me to not to choose Kindle Scribe for reading my technical PDF books. I contacted Amazon's customer support and asked if there is any plan to change users' experience, unify feature set and adjust whistle-sync policy. I asked about the quality of notes if that's another PDF layer and if notes are saved as raster or vector images, but they didn't give me any answer. They promised me to forward those questions to their Product team. Anyway what would you recommend for reading and taking notes for PDFs (with some diagrams, source code, etc.). I'm rather interested in a color screen A4 size, maybe based on Gallery 3 or Kaleido 3 screen. Is there any vendor that offers a device with a good software that can properly crop pages, display PDF in two page layout? I'm not looking for a tablet, just a decent e-reader with ability to make notes. I'm looking for a good quality for a price.
Firstly, thank you for your comment! Nice to hear that you were able to get in touch with Amazon, and it would be interesting to know what their road map is going forward. It would be great if I could just give you a quick answer to your question but, right now, there aren’t many devices in the e-ink market that satisfy all of those requirements. There really should be, but it doesn’t seem to be a focus for most manufacturers. However, I can give you the following information and maybe one of these brands will be of interest in your search. Please see below. Kindle Scribe: I know you said you’ve decided against a Kindle Scribe, and it is hard for me to recommend it because of the aspects I cover in this video, but please see the top pinned comment by another viewer. Apparently using software called Calibre MIGHT improve the experience somewhat….however, I don’t have experience using this software and can’t personally vouch for it. Kobo Elipsa 2E: Here is my full review of the device: ruclips.net/video/L-gI32uDDGc/видео.html and here is my most recent follow up review: ruclips.net/video/i2fz89q8AKM/видео.html Onyx Boox Note Air 3 C: The Air 3C is a 10.3 inch, android OS based, Kaleido 3 screen color e-reader that could probably satisfy most if not all of your requirements. Onyx Boox devices today are some of the most powerful and capable e-readers available. They also offer, in my opinion, probably the most advanced PDF cropping and enhancement options…but unfortunately there is a growing chorus of data privacy concerns around those devices. Specifically, concerns have been raised over the tendency of the devices to “phone home” to the company’s servers in China. I don’t have the technical experience necessary to validate these concerns or dismiss them, but it may be something to be concerned about. Some of the larger e-ink reviewers have essentially just hand waved this issue away, but I would suggest looking into this and making your own decision and if this is something that concerns you. A few videos have been posted to youtube on this topic. One possible workaround I’ve heard people discuss is just using the device completely offline once set up, but that might nullify a large feature set that some are hoping to use. Remarkable 2: The Remarkable 2 is, so far, the best note-taking experience I have had on an e-ink device and has been the most natural to write on. It’s not the newest out there and may have a successor/new additional model coming soon (possibly 2025). You can annotate PDFs on the device with several pen types, use some of the best pen tilt shading in the industry, and even use different layers to write on in your document (including on PDFs). However, at least in past software versions, the one PDF cropping tool available was pretty terrible and didn’t work well. Lately, Remarkable has been tweaking their software, mainly in the area of user experience, and this has produced a very mixed reaction from users. I haven’t been updating my Remarkable 2 unit much as a result. I feel the worst part of the Remarkable 2 has always been it’s companion app and cloud synching system. You can largely avoid this by using the slightly more complicated USB method to import and export PDFs onto the device (support.remarkable.com/s/article/Exporting-files), but you then have less options (ex. fewer file type options on export of the document). But, to my knowledge, the core note-taking excellence and ability to mark up PDFs on the device remains a great experience. A few things have changed since I posted this, but here’s a link to my most recent Remarkable 2 mini review to give you a quick idea of the device’s capabilities: ruclips.net/video/qTBgLlTYJpY/видео.html Unfortunately, the Remarkable 2 does not feature a color e-ink screen. Fujitsu Quaderno A4 and A5: These devices are the spiritual successor to the Sony DPT-RP1 and DPT-CP1 and come in a 13.3 inch and 10.3 inch screen size respectively. They are both greyscale devices and are not color e-ink e-readers. However, for sheer reliability and simplicity it doesn’t get much better. These can ONLY read and mark up PDFs, but are very lightweight, have decent software, and are said to have a great writing experience. My direct experience is using the (discontinued) Sony DPT-RP1 which, despite some issues, was a truly excellent device which was held back by a badly designed stylus. These units appear to have fixed that issue and really look excellent for simple note-taking and PDF annotation and export. Importantly, these devices allow a split screen mode where you can read and annotate a PDF on one side, and have either the next page of that same PDF, another PDF entirely, or a note pad on the other side of the screen. Very cool abilities if you’ll only be working with notes and PDFs. The main problems with these devices is that they are a) somewhat expensive, and b) are hard to purchase from a retailer that I would consider truly reputable (if you live outside of Japan, that is). Some reviewers have also critiqued the battery life on these devices. However, their methodology in determining this may be questionable. There are indications that certain reviewers may have left the wi-fi connection on the device on at all times when testing the device. Considering the device has NO internet browsing capability and only uses this to transfer files and fetch software updates, it seems spectacularly unlikely to me that most users would use the device this way in real world usage. Other devices that you may want to consider are: -Pocketbook Inkpad X Pro -A 10.3 Black and White e-ink note-taking capable e-reader that is quite lightweight (350 ish grams) -Pocketbook Inkpad EO -A 10.3 Color e-ink device using Kaleido 3 screen technology. -Note: Thought to actually be made by Bigme in collaboration with Pocketbook. -Definitely on the heavier side of most e-readers at roughly 1 pound in weight! -The Mobiscribe Wave Color Kaleido 3 -A 7.8 inch color e-ink note-taking focused e-reader which can also read and annotate PDF documents. Hopefully, this information can give you a better idea of some other e-ink options out there.
What about if my main interest isn't heavy annotation but mainly reading the pdf documents, perhaps just adding bookmarks and highlights? Also, how good Is this device for reading merely "scanned" (i.e. image-based) pdfs? I was looking into an Onyx or Kobo but found a good deal on a 64 gig Scribe and decided to go for that instead. Maybe I'll end up re-selling it after watching this 😅
Hello, For mainly reading-focused PDF use there are other e-reader options out there. Here's a very quick overview of some options: Kindle Scribe: Watch this video again for all the features, but highlighting and bookmarking of PDF documents is allowed on both USB-C and Send to Kindle Modes. The Scribe also does feature contrast adjustment (although only a limited range of contrast options) in both USB-C and Send to Kindle modes of using PDFs on the device. Contrast adjustment is actually pretty important for scanned PDFs in my experience, so this is one nice advantage that the Kindle Scribe enjoys over the Kobo Elipsa 2E at the moment. Kobo E-readers: Kobo e-readers allow page bookmarking on PDF documents and highlighting ability on them as well. (However, ONLY the stylus enabled Kobo devices like the Kobo Libra Colour, Kobo Sage, and Kobo Elipsa 2E currently allow highlighting of text on PDF documents) However, Kobo stubbornly refuses to add any PDF specific cropping tools or even basic contrast modes. Onyx Boox E-readers: Very capable android based e-readers that would probably allow everything you are looking for and more. In my experience with Boox e-readers they had excellent contrast adjustment options and PDF cropping modes...but there are clouds of privacy concerns hovering over them in the e-reader community in recent years. Please see my reply to another comment on this video. Pocketbook E-readers: Pocketbook e-readers usually offer some PDF enhancement options and some of the recent colour enabled models also offer contrast adjustment to some degree. The models I have used also allow bookmarking of PDF documents. Pocketbook only makes a few e-readers which use a stylus, so most don't offer extensive note-taking abilities. Recently, however, they seem to be co-producing e-readers with the Big Me company in China so their software now seems inconsistent across their product line up.
Hello, Yes ,the Kindle Scribe does have a web browser…but it certainly isn’t like a modern browsing experience that you might get on a modern phone or a tablet. The web browser can be blocked by parental controls on the device.
Excellent informative video. Does this apply to older versions of the Kindle Scribe? I bought a refurbished first release, so wondering if I’m ‘disadvantaged’ in any way. Looking forward to your next episode !
Thanks for your comment and support! Glad you enjoyed the review. As far as I’m aware, the PDF experience is the same on all Kindle Scribe units…however, those running older software may have different options.
How about the "convert" opition of sending an email to your kindle device email address with attached a pdf file by typing "convert" on the subject of the email? Is it still working in the Kindle Scribe?
Excellent review, all points are relevant ... what can we do about the 'magnificent' Cloud-based business model? Cloud, unfair snooping and DRM: Calibre was and remains one of the best steps against this and DRM in general; what else can we code to open up these Linux-based walled gardens ? PDF (besides WWW articles Send to Kindle) is my main reason to buy 10-13" readers; i need to review 100s of 2-column science papers... tough call on the current crop e.g., just zoom and crop the margins of a PDF page, then scroll to the next... redo for 50 pages... ouch 🙂
Thank you! Completely agree Re: PDF reading on e-readers...why hasn't a manufacturer (aside from Onyx Boox devices...and there may be some data privacy concerns there) made PDF reading modes a priority? In my experience, only some Pocketbook devices come close. If you're stuck in a search for a good 10 or 13 inch PDF e-reader, you may want to give the Fujitsu Quaderno (2nd Gen) devices a look. If only Fujitsu sold these devices via Amazon or even through their own online store outside of Japan....sigh.
Was great! Can I ask… will the kindle scribe work well for a note taking device and also to store academic PDFs on that I can annotate and organise in folders? I don’t think there’s another tablet that does it better for the price?
This is a fairly long answer, but I wanted to include some context to help both you and other viewers who may have the same question. The note-taking feel on the Kindle Scribe probably is good enough for use in an academic setting…but because of all the potential data privacy issues I’ve mentioned here (starting around 16:03 in this video) it is hard for me to recommend it for that purpose. However, as you say, Amazon keeps the Kindle Scribe at a competitive price (and sometimes much lower during limited time sales). For other e-ink writing capable e-readers that are competitively priced, the only one that really comes to mind is the MobiScribe Wave Color 3. I don’t have direct experience with that device, but other reviewers have highlighted the following Positives and Negatives: MobiScribe Wave Color 3 Positives: -Can access Kobo and Kindle apps on the device. (Can be quite laggy, but can optimize speed modes to some extent to handle this). -Quite good implementation of the Kaleido 3 colour screen technology. -Decent PDF viewing (but can be laggy). -Writing experience is said to be fast with a good writing feel. Negatives: -Often laggy -Only a 7.8 inch screen So you may want to consider it in your search. You may want to also look at the devices from Remarkable (Remarkable 2, Remarkable Paper Pro), or the Kobo Elipsa 2E. These devices can be more expensive, but may have potential data privacy advantages while still offering OK (Elipsa 2E) to excellent (Remarkable devices) notetaking capabilities and allowing for pretty good PDF reading experiences. My most recent Remarkable 2 bite-sized review (*Note: software on the device has changed since this time): ruclips.net/video/qTBgLlTYJpY/видео.html My review on the Kobo Elipsa 2E: ruclips.net/video/L-gI32uDDGc/видео.html And Follow Up: ruclips.net/video/i2fz89q8AKM/видео.html Now…about folders on the Kindle Scribe The Kindle Scribe does have a folder system for PDFs and e-books of a kind. They call these “collections”. To access these: Go to the Library tab > tap the sort icon in the upper right corner (looks like 3 lines of different lengths) > in the menu that pops up, under “View Options” tap “collections” (NOTE: this filters the view so that ONLY any collections (essentially, folders) you’ve made show up on screen but nothing else does) > Exit the menu by tapping anywhere outside it on the screen, and then tap the “+” icon in the top right hand corner….this will allow you to create a new collection (folder) on the device and add PDFs or other books to it. *2 things to know: 1.When I tried this on the Scribe, it seemed to want to “synch” the new collection, and it told me that the new collection “will not be updated until you connect to the internet”. That suggests it automatically synchs all collections to one’s Amazon account, so I would not advise putting a PDF with sensitive or secret information in a collection you create on the device. 2. Aside from tapping that 3 lines icon I mention above and filtering the library view to be ONLY collections you’ve made, I don’t see any other way to even view your collections on the device. Like many other choices Amazon made with the Kindle Scribe, this is pretty weird.
@@theinktelligent Very early on, 1min 40 secs onwards for a little bit, then it got better. Personally background music over speech doesn't make a video better for me.
I have the newest Kindle Scribe. Reading PDF's on the Scribe is as awful as it has always been. I'm not quite understanding why one even needs such an expensive reader when it doesn't handle PDFs any different than the first Kindle released. If you have an iPad, it handles PDFs quite well. The fact that the Scribe now allows markups with a pen adds NOTHING to the experience. The whole process is clunky and unmanageable. I feel like I have a device from the late 1980s.
I think you summed things up pretty well here. There are one or two things the Scribe actually seems to offer with just USB-C loaded PDFs over Kobo's Elipsa 2E...but, that's about the best compliment I can pay the overall experience RE: PDFs on the device. Wondering why Amazon even bothered with the...um...let's say 'refreshed' Scribe? The one thing I'd add is that I almost think I'd like a device from the 1980's better because I wouldn't be concerned that it might be constantly mining me for data. :)
I purchased the kindle Scribe n I don’t really see anything great. It’s way overpriced n I feel if you’re going to do lots of reading just get a lower priced kindle.
I'd say the Kindle Scribe does seem overpriced for what you get. If the PDF experience was less locked to the Send-to-Kindle system the overall price might seem more fair.
Are you honing your delivery style to be as boring as possible? If so, it's working. I think this video would better to be named pdf drawbacks. The duration could also be halfed by saying that you need to use the send to Kindle option to be able to do anything with pdfs.
Regarding your first comment, at least 231 people (and counting) seem to disagree. As for your second comment, I couldn’t have just said what you suggest, as it is manifestly not true. If you had seen even the first half of the video, then you would know that you do have some options for limited annotation on the Kindle Scribe without using the Send-to-Kindle option. Just think, if I had said what you suggested, some 9,300 people (and counting) would have left this video as you currently are on this topic: less informed. My advice is to watch the whole video above to better inform yourself.
Another option to moving PDFs and other documents to the Scribe is to use Calibre. It'll automatically connect to the Scribe without any additional software when you connect via USB-C. Then use "Send to Main Memory" to move the converted KFX files to the Kindle. Then you'll get writable sticky note capability for PDFs and eBooks. (I'm not affiliated with Calibre in any way.) The new format is KFX. For purchased eBooks you'll also need to enter your Scribe serial number using a DRM plugin. (I use an M1 Mac.) (Side loading PDFs currently do not support "write-on" capability.)
Thank you for this! I have pinned this comment to the top of the thread in case this info can be of help to others.
Can you export the annotated PDFs from the Scribe by USB/Calibre or is it bizarrely only through Amazon’s cloud? Planning to get a e-reader that can do some notes, but don’t want to share my note contents to Amazon - thus inbetween this and a Kobo Elipsa.
@@moskari26 I haven't tried moving the PDF from the Scribe to my M1 Mac using Calibre. However, it you use the send feature going through Amazon's servers you'll get a searchable PDF, that is, you can search for your handwritten notes inside the PDF. If you want to convert your handwriting to text, just lasso the text, paste into a Scribe notebook, and send from there. The result is a downloadable OCR editable text file from my handwriting.
This is brilliant, thanks for info.
Calibre does absolutely nothing that makes PDFs easier to read on Scribe. I use it all the time, but not with PDFs.
this is one of those videos that needed to be made, and you made it and added so much polish to it. awesome stuff!
Wow! Don't really know what to say...except thank you so much for the comment! I'm glad you enjoyed it and it's great if this video can leave people a bit more informed about this device.
Amazing information in this concise video. Also loved the halftime coffee segment!
Thanks for the great comment! Glad you enjoyed the review! I thought people would enjoy the coffee break and really nice to hear that you did!
Thank you, you made one of the best review on K. Scribe I found on RUclips 🎉❤
Thank you! Really good to hear that you enjoyed the review and I'm glad people have been finding it helpful!
Thanks, I found this video to be jam packed with important information on the Scribe's handling of PDF's!
Thank you! Always great to hear that people found the review useful, and especially great to hear that it was "jam packed" with useful info! Awesome to hear!
Excellent, thorough, and clear review. Thanks a lot
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed the review!
Very best review I have seen. Thanks!
Thank you! That’s so great to hear and I’m glad you enjoyed the review!
I agree, it's funny how the less famous reviewers do a better job covering all the important bits (for an user) of a product. It seems like famous reviewers only recite the "specs sheet" and that's it.
Thanks! It did seem a little odd to me that more people didn't seem to highlight the potential issues I've tried to cover here. E-reader manufacturers still seem to, oddly, look at PDF functionality as just a "nice to have" secondary feature, but I'm not sure that's how most consumers feel these days.
I've scoured the ruins of Google Search trying to find people talking about privacy concerns regarding the Kindle Scribe, and it blows my mind how much people don't care. Appreciate your video - nice to know others share my thoughts.
Did you keep the Scribe or just use one for the video? I love it for reading but Idk.
Thanks for the comment! I’m also surprised that so many people don’t seem to have thought about the possible data privacy issues on the Kindle Scribe. It makes me wonder why.
I’d say it is a nice device to read e-books on, and I’d probably keep it for that reason. Amazon’s ecosystem of e-books is probably the largest out there. However, I’m not sure how much confidential note-taking or PDF reading I’d recommend for the long term.
Many thanks for this very informative video.
I do care about privacy, but I need to buy a Kindle. Is there a way to do both?!
Glad this video was helpful! Regarding potentially better "data security" on the Kindle Scribe, see the top comment by another viewer. This may help...however, I don't have experience using the software he mentioned and cannot speak to the experience of using it myself.
Could you please do a similar PDF focused video for Supernote
That sounds like it would be an interesting assignment. It's something I would definitely consider if Supernote were to contact me. Hope you enjoyed this review of the Scribe!
Thank you @theinktelligent It helped me to not to choose Kindle Scribe for reading my technical PDF books. I contacted Amazon's customer support and asked if there is any plan to change users' experience, unify feature set and adjust whistle-sync policy. I asked about the quality of notes if that's another PDF layer and if notes are saved as raster or vector images, but they didn't give me any answer. They promised me to forward those questions to their Product team.
Anyway what would you recommend for reading and taking notes for PDFs (with some diagrams, source code, etc.). I'm rather interested in a color screen A4 size, maybe based on Gallery 3 or Kaleido 3 screen. Is there any vendor that offers a device with a good software that can properly crop pages, display PDF in two page layout? I'm not looking for a tablet, just a decent e-reader with ability to make notes. I'm looking for a good quality for a price.
Firstly, thank you for your comment! Nice to hear that you were able to get in touch with Amazon, and it would be interesting to know what their road map is going forward.
It would be great if I could just give you a quick answer to your question but, right now, there aren’t many devices in the e-ink market that satisfy all of those requirements. There really should be, but it doesn’t seem to be a focus for most manufacturers. However, I can give you the following information and maybe one of these brands will be of interest in your search. Please see below.
Kindle Scribe:
I know you said you’ve decided against a Kindle Scribe, and it is hard for me to recommend it because of the aspects I cover in this video, but please see the top pinned comment by another viewer. Apparently using software called Calibre MIGHT improve the experience somewhat….however, I don’t have experience using this software and can’t personally vouch for it.
Kobo Elipsa 2E:
Here is my full review of the device:
ruclips.net/video/L-gI32uDDGc/видео.html
and here is my most recent follow up review:
ruclips.net/video/i2fz89q8AKM/видео.html
Onyx Boox Note Air 3 C:
The Air 3C is a 10.3 inch, android OS based, Kaleido 3 screen color e-reader that could probably satisfy most if not all of your requirements. Onyx Boox devices today are some of the most powerful and capable e-readers available. They also offer, in my opinion, probably the most advanced PDF cropping and enhancement options…but unfortunately there is a growing chorus of data privacy concerns around those devices. Specifically, concerns have been raised over the tendency of the devices to “phone home” to the company’s servers in China. I don’t have the technical experience necessary to validate these concerns or dismiss them, but it may be something to be concerned about. Some of the larger e-ink reviewers have essentially just hand waved this issue away, but I would suggest looking into this and making your own decision and if this is something that concerns you. A few videos have been posted to youtube on this topic. One possible workaround I’ve heard people discuss is just using the device completely offline once set up, but that might nullify a large feature set that some are hoping to use.
Remarkable 2:
The Remarkable 2 is, so far, the best note-taking experience I have had on an e-ink device and has been the most natural to write on. It’s not the newest out there and may have a successor/new additional model coming soon (possibly 2025). You can annotate PDFs on the device with several pen types, use some of the best pen tilt shading in the industry, and even use different layers to write on in your document (including on PDFs). However, at least in past software versions, the one PDF cropping tool available was pretty terrible and didn’t work well.
Lately, Remarkable has been tweaking their software, mainly in the area of user experience, and this has produced a very mixed reaction from users. I haven’t been updating my Remarkable 2 unit much as a result. I feel the worst part of the Remarkable 2 has always been it’s companion app and cloud synching system. You can largely avoid this by using the slightly more complicated USB method to import and export PDFs onto the device (support.remarkable.com/s/article/Exporting-files), but you then have less options (ex. fewer file type options on export of the document). But, to my knowledge, the core note-taking excellence and ability to mark up PDFs on the device remains a great experience.
A few things have changed since I posted this, but here’s a link to my most recent Remarkable 2 mini review to give you a quick idea of the device’s capabilities:
ruclips.net/video/qTBgLlTYJpY/видео.html
Unfortunately, the Remarkable 2 does not feature a color e-ink screen.
Fujitsu Quaderno A4 and A5:
These devices are the spiritual successor to the Sony DPT-RP1 and DPT-CP1 and come in a 13.3 inch and 10.3 inch screen size respectively. They are both greyscale devices and are not color e-ink e-readers. However, for sheer reliability and simplicity it doesn’t get much better. These can ONLY read and mark up PDFs, but are very lightweight, have decent software, and are said to have a great writing experience. My direct experience is using the (discontinued) Sony DPT-RP1 which, despite some issues, was a truly excellent device which was held back by a badly designed stylus. These units appear to have fixed that issue and really look excellent for simple note-taking and PDF annotation and export.
Importantly, these devices allow a split screen mode where you can read and annotate a PDF on one side, and have either the next page of that same PDF, another PDF entirely, or a note pad on the other side of the screen. Very cool abilities if you’ll only be working with notes and PDFs.
The main problems with these devices is that they are a) somewhat expensive, and b) are hard to purchase from a retailer that I would consider truly reputable (if you live outside of Japan, that is).
Some reviewers have also critiqued the battery life on these devices. However, their methodology in determining this may be questionable. There are indications that certain reviewers may have left the wi-fi connection on the device on at all times when testing the device. Considering the device has NO internet browsing capability and only uses this to transfer files and fetch software updates, it seems spectacularly unlikely to me that most users would use the device this way in real world usage.
Other devices that you may want to consider are:
-Pocketbook Inkpad X Pro
-A 10.3 Black and White e-ink note-taking capable e-reader that is quite lightweight (350 ish grams)
-Pocketbook Inkpad EO
-A 10.3 Color e-ink device using Kaleido 3 screen technology.
-Note: Thought to actually be made by Bigme in collaboration with Pocketbook.
-Definitely on the heavier side of most e-readers at roughly 1 pound in weight!
-The Mobiscribe Wave Color Kaleido 3
-A 7.8 inch color e-ink note-taking focused e-reader which can also read and annotate PDF documents.
Hopefully, this information can give you a better idea of some other e-ink options out there.
What about if my main interest isn't heavy annotation but mainly reading the pdf documents, perhaps just adding bookmarks and highlights? Also, how good Is this device for reading merely "scanned" (i.e. image-based) pdfs? I was looking into an Onyx or Kobo but found a good deal on a 64 gig Scribe and decided to go for that instead. Maybe I'll end up re-selling it after watching this 😅
Hello,
For mainly reading-focused PDF use there are other e-reader options out there. Here's a very quick overview of some options:
Kindle Scribe:
Watch this video again for all the features, but highlighting and bookmarking of PDF documents is allowed on both
USB-C and Send to Kindle Modes. The Scribe also does feature contrast adjustment (although only a limited range of contrast options) in both USB-C and Send to Kindle modes of using PDFs on the device. Contrast adjustment is actually pretty important for scanned PDFs in my experience, so this is one nice advantage that the Kindle Scribe enjoys over the Kobo Elipsa 2E at the moment.
Kobo E-readers:
Kobo e-readers allow page bookmarking on PDF documents and highlighting ability on them as well.
(However, ONLY the stylus enabled Kobo devices like the Kobo Libra Colour, Kobo Sage, and Kobo Elipsa 2E currently allow highlighting of text on PDF documents)
However, Kobo stubbornly refuses to add any PDF specific cropping tools or even basic contrast modes.
Onyx Boox E-readers:
Very capable android based e-readers that would probably allow everything you are looking for and more. In my experience with Boox e-readers they had excellent contrast adjustment options and PDF cropping modes...but there are clouds of privacy concerns hovering over them in the e-reader community in recent years. Please see my reply to another comment on this video.
Pocketbook E-readers:
Pocketbook e-readers usually offer some PDF enhancement options and some of the recent colour enabled models also offer contrast adjustment to some degree. The models I have used also allow bookmarking of PDF documents. Pocketbook only makes a few e-readers which use a stylus, so most don't offer extensive note-taking abilities. Recently, however, they seem to be co-producing e-readers with the Big Me company in China so their software now seems inconsistent across their product line up.
so sad i already bought the scribe, this did help me knw how to use it better tho and why some of the stuff acts the way it does, thank you!
Thank you! I'm glad you found this video helpful!
I am going to purchase a new kindlscribe only had a question
Does Kindle Scribe have a praental control ?
and can we block access to web browers
Hello,
Yes ,the Kindle Scribe does have a web browser…but it certainly isn’t like a modern browsing experience that you might get on a modern phone or a tablet. The web browser can be blocked by parental controls on the device.
@@theinktelligent Thanks
Excellent informative video. Does this apply to older versions of the Kindle Scribe? I bought a refurbished first release, so wondering if I’m ‘disadvantaged’ in any way. Looking forward to your next episode !
Thanks for your comment and support! Glad you enjoyed the review. As far as I’m aware, the PDF experience is the same on all Kindle Scribe units…however, those running older software may have different options.
How about the "convert" opition of sending an email to your kindle device email address with attached a pdf file by typing "convert" on the subject of the email? Is it still working in the Kindle Scribe?
Excellent review, all points are relevant ... what can we do about the 'magnificent' Cloud-based business model?
Cloud, unfair snooping and DRM: Calibre was and remains one of the best steps against this and DRM in general; what else can we code to open up these Linux-based walled gardens ?
PDF (besides WWW articles Send to Kindle) is my main reason to buy 10-13" readers; i need to review 100s of 2-column science papers... tough call on the current crop
e.g., just zoom and crop the margins of a PDF page, then scroll to the next... redo for 50 pages... ouch 🙂
Thank you! Completely agree Re: PDF reading on e-readers...why hasn't a manufacturer (aside from Onyx Boox devices...and there may be some data privacy concerns there) made PDF reading modes a priority? In my experience, only some Pocketbook devices come close. If you're stuck in a search for a good 10 or 13 inch PDF
e-reader, you may want to give the Fujitsu Quaderno (2nd Gen) devices a look. If only Fujitsu sold these devices via Amazon or even through their own online store outside of Japan....sigh.
what is annoying for me is that even if I have the amazon kindle app locally, I could not see the annotation that I put in PDF. that is soo annoying
Great video!
Thank you!
I loved the coffee break haha
Thanks! :) Glad you liked it!
Was great! Can I ask… will the kindle scribe work well for a note taking device and also to store academic PDFs on that I can annotate and organise in folders? I don’t think there’s another tablet that does it better for the price?
This is a fairly long answer, but I wanted to include some context to help both you and other viewers who may have the same question.
The note-taking feel on the Kindle Scribe probably is good enough for use in an academic setting…but because of all the potential data privacy issues I’ve mentioned here (starting around 16:03 in this video) it is hard for me to recommend it for that purpose.
However, as you say, Amazon keeps the Kindle Scribe at a competitive price (and sometimes much lower during limited time sales). For other e-ink writing capable e-readers that are competitively priced, the only one that really comes to mind is the MobiScribe Wave Color 3. I don’t have direct experience with that device, but other reviewers have highlighted the following Positives and Negatives:
MobiScribe Wave Color 3
Positives:
-Can access Kobo and Kindle apps on the device. (Can be quite laggy, but can optimize speed modes to some extent to handle this).
-Quite good implementation of the Kaleido 3 colour screen technology.
-Decent PDF viewing (but can be laggy).
-Writing experience is said to be fast with a good writing feel.
Negatives:
-Often laggy
-Only a 7.8 inch screen
So you may want to consider it in your search.
You may want to also look at the devices from Remarkable (Remarkable 2, Remarkable Paper Pro), or the Kobo Elipsa 2E. These devices can be more expensive, but may have potential data privacy advantages while still offering OK (Elipsa 2E) to excellent (Remarkable devices) notetaking capabilities and allowing for pretty good PDF reading experiences.
My most recent Remarkable 2 bite-sized review (*Note: software on the device has changed since this time):
ruclips.net/video/qTBgLlTYJpY/видео.html
My review on the Kobo Elipsa 2E:
ruclips.net/video/L-gI32uDDGc/видео.html
And Follow Up:
ruclips.net/video/i2fz89q8AKM/видео.html
Now…about folders on the Kindle Scribe
The Kindle Scribe does have a folder system for PDFs and e-books of a kind. They call these “collections”. To access these:
Go to the Library tab > tap the sort icon in the upper right corner (looks like 3 lines of different lengths) > in the menu that pops up, under “View Options” tap “collections” (NOTE: this filters the view so that ONLY any collections (essentially, folders) you’ve made show up on screen but nothing else does) > Exit the menu by tapping anywhere outside it on the screen, and then tap the “+” icon in the top right hand corner….this will allow you to create a new collection (folder) on the device and add PDFs or other books to it.
*2 things to know:
1.When I tried this on the Scribe, it seemed to want to “synch” the new collection, and it told me that the new collection “will not be updated until you connect to the internet”. That suggests it automatically synchs all collections to one’s Amazon account, so I would not advise putting a PDF with sensitive or secret information in a collection you create on the device.
2. Aside from tapping that 3 lines icon I mention above and filtering the library view to be ONLY collections you’ve made, I don’t see any other way to even view your collections on the device. Like many other choices Amazon made with the Kindle Scribe, this is pretty weird.
Fabulous video, thank you. Wish the background music was lower as difficult to understand what you're saying at times.
Thank you for the great comment! Do you remember which section of the video most produced this effect when you were watching it?
@@theinktelligent Very early on, 1min 40 secs onwards for a little bit, then it got better. Personally background music over speech doesn't make a video better for me.
Thanks for the feedback👍
I have the newest Kindle Scribe. Reading PDF's on the Scribe is as awful as it has always been. I'm not quite understanding why one even needs such an expensive reader when it doesn't handle PDFs any different than the first Kindle released. If you have an iPad, it handles PDFs quite well. The fact that the Scribe now allows markups with a pen adds NOTHING to the experience. The whole process is clunky and unmanageable. I feel like I have a device from the late 1980s.
I think you summed things up pretty well here. There are one or two things the Scribe actually seems to offer with just USB-C loaded PDFs over Kobo's Elipsa 2E...but, that's about the best compliment I can pay the overall experience RE: PDFs on the device. Wondering why Amazon even bothered with the...um...let's say 'refreshed' Scribe? The one thing I'd add is that I almost think I'd like a device from the 1980's better because I wouldn't be concerned that it might be constantly mining me for data. :)
I purchased the kindle Scribe n I don’t really see anything great. It’s way overpriced n I feel if you’re going to do lots of reading just get a lower priced kindle.
I'd say the Kindle Scribe does seem overpriced for what you get. If the PDF experience was less locked to the Send-to-Kindle system the overall price might seem more fair.
Are you honing your delivery style to be as boring as possible? If so, it's working.
I think this video would better to be named pdf drawbacks. The duration could also be halfed by saying that you need to use the send to Kindle option to be able to do anything with pdfs.
Regarding your first comment, at least 231 people (and counting) seem to disagree.
As for your second comment, I couldn’t have just said what you suggest, as it is manifestly not true. If you had seen even the first half of the video, then you would know that you do have some options for limited annotation on the Kindle Scribe without using the Send-to-Kindle option.
Just think, if I had said what you suggested, some 9,300 people (and counting) would have left this video as you currently are on this topic: less informed. My advice is to watch the whole video above to better inform yourself.