# Is there any way to read PDFs that doesn't suck?



## s0nicfreak (Jun 10, 2010)

Normally they're too small to read, and the new zoom still sucks, because I have to go over to read the last 3 words on every line and then back, and I can't read that way. Converting them with Calibre doesn't work because if the pdf has words on the sides, I end up with one line of the normal text, one line of the side text, one line of the normal text, like this:

Mary had a 
Twinkle twinkle little
lamb who's fleece was 
star how I wonder what

and random line spacing, making it unreadable. Am I doing something wrong with Calibre? Is there a better way of reading PDFs (other than turing the Kindle sideways)?


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

I don't know if there will ever be a truly good solution when it comes to converting PDFs to other formats. The sad fact is that while PDF is excellent at formatting print output for a specific paper page size, it is lousy as a means of exchanging data between disparate display devices. In the web development world there are many programs out there that try to convert PDF documents to HTML, and without fail they work OK up to some level of layout complexity where they become essentially useless.

Other than trying to read it in landscape mode on your Kindle (if you haven't tried it already), I really don't have a good suggestion, other than that we all try to convince document publishers to eschew PDF, or at least produce alternative versions in [X]HTML or other more portable formats (MOBI?).


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

FWIW, I've had reasonable success converting PDF's that were basically just text pretty well using MobiPocket Creator.  The conversion via Amazon isn't too bad either, though you have to remember to put 'convert' in the subject so they actually do the conversion.

But, as Nog said, PDF is basically designed to preserve layout. . . where as eReaders are designed to reflow text.  The two goals are really incompatible. . . . . . .

That said, PDF's don't look too bad on the DX. . .but that's a much bigger screen. . . .


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## VictoriaP (Mar 1, 2009)

I finally gave up trying to make text-based PDFs work WELL with a K2 when I saw how much better they worked natively on a friend's Nook.  BN got this one right, Amazon didn't, unfortunately. 

And this isn't a Kindle 2 solution either...but for iPhone/iPad users, there are a number of PDF readers available.  One, GoodReader, even will convert PDF text to reflowable, and you can increase the text size after that to ensure legibility.  Using that, I've been able to read PDF's on my tiny iPhone screen more clearly than I ever could on my Kindle.


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

Up until this update, I usually just sent mine to Amazon for Free conversion. They normally came back in minutes, and were stress free for me. After seeing the Zoom stuff, I think I will stick with the Free conversions from Amazon.


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## Tuttle (Jun 10, 2010)

I found that if you're reading two column pdfs, panning right works better than panning left. It's completely counterintuitive, but the way it wraps works better than it going off the screen like it does just panning to the right.

Otherwise what I do is read in landscape mode. You have to go to the next page more, but it is a larger font that way.


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## luvshihtzu (Dec 19, 2008)

I take all my PDFs and use Calibre to convert them to Mobi format and then transfer them onto my Kindle.  No need to have Amazon do that for you.


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

no, no need to Luvshihtzu, but it's one less step for me, and I don't have to worry about it. I'd rather spend my time reading or making screensavers. Preference thing.


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## Khale (Feb 17, 2010)

I didn't know that Amazon would still convert the pdf's.  Do I just put the word "conversion" in the subject when sending the email?


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Put the word "convert" in the subject and they will convert it to Kindle format.


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## johnny2029 (Jun 19, 2010)

Google "mobipocket creator" http://www.mobipocket.com/en/downloadsoft/productdetailscreator.asp

Download the creator and install the publisher's edition. It's free.

Use it to convert your PDF's into Kindle books for all functions including text size and search.

I use it for my own eBooks and it works very well.


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## Martel47 (Jun 14, 2010)

I've used Calibre to convert from PDF to mobi, but I can't get it to figure out how to do footnotes.  Amazon can't do that either with their conversion.  Any way to get them to recognize footnotes?  Does mobipocket creator do any better?


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