Tablet for reading/commenting on PDFs?

underdonk

Well-known member
Oct 17, 2011
136
1
0
Hi All,

I need some help. I'm in a position where I'm consuming a massive amount of content in PDF form. These PDFs are dense, often color, and full of tables, pictures, and diagrams. I would like to purchase a tablet to use to read these PDFs as I've found that my netbook isn't conducive to a "pleasant reading experience" while lounging on the couch or hanging out at $coffeeshop. Oh the problems we face today!

Here are my requirements:

1. I must be able to make comments within the PDF. I know this is app specific and not tablet specific, but from my understanding, some of the purpose-built tablets have certain restrictions for app installation. I just want to make sure there is a PDF reader available on the platform that allows this functionality.

2. I must be able to view the content on screen with minimal futzing. The zooming, un-zooming, moving around on a page just to be able to view a single page of content drives me crazy. I have no good reason for this to be a requirement. It just drives me nuts - it's like trying to view a non-mobile site on a phone.

3. I must be able to encrypt the storage on the device and "password protect" it (pattern, PIN, password, etc.). Some of the information I work with is sensitive and requirements (set by someone other than me) state that when the documents are stored on a portable device they must be encrypted.

4. It must be able to last on battery long enough for a coast-to-coast flight (five hours).

5. It must have Wi-Fi.

I'd rather not pay for things I don't need like cameras, a cell radio, etc. I'm sure if I get a full-feature tablet I will end up using it for other things, but that certainly isn't the point of getting the tablet nor would it be its primary purpose, so I don't care if it does those things well. I played around with a bunch of tablets last night at Best Buy, so I think I know what direction I need to go, but I just wanted to get some unbiased (ha!) opinions here before I buy anything.

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide!

EDIT: I'll consider all price ranges, but I'd like to keep it around $400 if I can.
 
Last edited:
iPad, Playbook, the new Galaxy Tabs all read PDF's and offer encryption of some sort. Battery life is more then enough. The cheapest of the Three would be the playbook $300 for all size models.
 

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