# reading PDF



## girello71 (Dec 15, 2009)

Hello from Italy!

I'm new user of Kindle 2; I have firmware 2.3 and I can read PDF without conversion. However, as you know, several PDF are in A4 format, and Kindle display every page at 100% zoom, so you cannot read font.
Reading PDF you cannot use the "Aa" key, so I cannot change font size and/or zoom.

Is there any tricks to zoom-in reading PDF?

thank you.


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## chilady1 (Jun 9, 2009)

That's the same thing I experienced - the page was so small I couldn't read the text.  The font did not re-size the document so I would be open to someone answering this question or providing guidance on how the pdf can be re-formatted (if possible).


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## pidgeon92 (Oct 27, 2008)

You can try converting the file to another format that the Kindle can read....

Otherwise, your other option is to view the PDF in landscape mode.... You can find this option by clicking the Aa button.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

When you load a PDF on the Kindle the size you see is what you get.  You can get some level of "zooming" by resetting the orientation to landscape.

If the original is primarily text, there are a number of utilities (MobiPocket Creator, Calibre) that you can use to convert it to something other than PDF.  When you do that the font will be scalable.  Also, if you send it to Amazon with "convert" in the subject, they'll convert it for you.  Be sure to use the @free.kindle.com address so that they send it back to you and not directly to your Kindle which would incur additional charges.


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## chilady1 (Jun 9, 2009)

pidgeon92 said:


> You can try converting the file to another format that the Kindle can read....


That's what I ended up doing, using Calibre I was able to covert the doc to mobi and place it on my Kindle. However, with the 2.3 firmware upgrade would have liked the pdf to be readable without conversion. Oh well - in the end got the book onto my Kindle, that is what matters. Thanks for the info.


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

This is why I'm not a fan of PDF: it's mainly designed with a view toward _printed_ documents, and can become very problematic in any other usage. It's fine for its purpose, but sucks for sharing documents among different platforms and applications. But we're stuck with it, so have to cope as best as we can.


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## Alle Meine Entchen (Dec 6, 2009)

what about pdfs that are columned?  I'm having trouble w/ them, even if I send them to amazon to convert.  Any way to get them in an ebook format?


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Alle Meine Entchen said:


> what about pdfs that are columned? I'm having trouble w/ them, even if I send them to amazon to convert. Any way to get them in an ebook format?


If you have the 2.3 update on a Kindle2, they'll display just as they are on the page. Problem is, on a six inch diagonal screen, that's not going to be very big. You can get some level of 'zoom' by using the AA key to change to landscape orientation, but that still might not be enough to read clearly.

I have had decent success converting them with Mobipocket Creator -- be sure you get the professional level one that says it'll convert PDF's. Others have used Calibre. Not sure if either of these are available internationally. . . .

Full size PDF's do display with decent resolution on the DX. . . currently backordered for the next few weeks. Speculation is when it's available again it'll be in the "international" version.


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## PhillipA82 (Dec 20, 2009)

Ann in Arlington said:


> If you have the 2.3 update on a Kindle2, they'll display just as they are on the page. Problem is, on a six inch diagonal screen, that's not going to be very big. You can get some level of 'zoom' by using the AA key to change to landscape orientation, but that still might not be enough to read clearly.
> 
> I have had decent success converting them with Mobipocket Creator -- be sure you get the professional level one that says it'll convert PDF's. Others have used Calibre. Not sure if either of these are available internationally. . . .
> 
> Full size PDF's do display with decent resolution on the DX. . . currently backordered for the next few weeks. Speculation is when it's available again it'll be in the "international" version.


I got the same exact problem. I tried Mobipocket but it didn't worked. I will check out Calibre now, thanks


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