E-readers for PDFs,etc.

[Liquidambar]

I think the reMarkable is the ereader I saw in the vendor area at a conference when it first came out.  They were giving one away as a door prize.  I have never so badly wanted to win a door prize!  It looked really nice.

[Charlotte]

I use a reMarkable 2, which is an extremely thin eink based ebook reader with hand annotation capabilities, and a stylus with a paperlike feel when writing.

https://remarkable.com/

I was sorely tempted when the first version came out, but it was advertised to me via FB (ugh) and it was still in development, so I thought I'd let them iron out the kinks.

What are the remaining kinks?

Same here. I've had my eye on it since but haven't heard any talk of how well it works.

[paddington_bear]

Having looked at reMarkable's website, the device looks interesting. I think that I would like something that allows for colored highlighting, which reMarkable doesn't do. Also, and I could have missed that on the site, you can only write - which is the point, I'm sure - and not type on or with it. I haven't quite figured out if I want something that I could produce my notes for class on, if I wanted, so I would need/want keyboard capabilities.   Or if I just want something that I would be reading notes (that I created on a computer) from.  But I totally see how the reMarkable is good for taking on-the-spot notes during a meeting, for example.

[mamselle]

It's sometimes--for some items--possible to get small, fold-up keyboards that fold in half to the size of a large wallet, that plug into your device with a USB connector or other type of port (C, maybe).

A friend had one from Logitech awhile back, used it with a small, Blackberry-like purse device, and it think started using it with her tablet after that: her hands didn't like the tiny screen keyboards, but the  portable keyboard was very close to full-sized, and worked fine, especially on buses, etc., where she didn't want to haul the laptop out of its bag for a short trip across town.

Not sure what you can get now, but it might do some of what you want.

Also, aren't there separate stylii that do color as accessories?   Thought I saw those somewhere...

M.

[paddington_bear]

I don't know, but I assumed that the typing aspect was a product of reMarkable's device? I don't know. Also, I assumed that reMarkable only allows you to use their stylus? And/or that the ability to highlight in color doesn't have anything to do with the stylus or doesn't just have to do with the stylus, but with the device. In the videos I watched, I don't see any highlighting in color function.

[paddington_bear]

I've printed out 100 pages of notes for one class this semester. I definitely need to get an iPad or something for next semester.

[mleok]

I don't know, but I assumed that the typing aspect was a product of reMarkable's device? I don't know. Also, I assumed that reMarkable only allows you to use their stylus? And/or that the ability to highlight in color doesn't have anything to do with the stylus or doesn't just have to do with the stylus, but with the device. In the videos I watched, I don't see any highlighting in color function.

The reMarkable is a greyscale eink device, and the highlighting feature is just a software feature. You will have to use their stylus though, I'm not sure it's compatible with anything else. While there are color eink displays available, the colors appear a bit washed out, and they are substantially more expensive.

[paddington_bear]

Paddington U is starting some sort of new printing "initiative" this spring - I think it's a shared printer per department - so it makes my desire for an ipad so that I can read my notes instead of printing them out even more of a good idea. I'm not even sure how a shared printer in a department would work.

[Parasaurolophus]

Paddington U is starting some sort of new printing "initiative" this spring - I think it's a shared printer per department - so it makes my desire for an ipad so that I can read my notes instead of printing them out even more of a good idea. I'm not even sure how a shared printer in a department would work.

Wait, you guys still have individual printers? 0_o

[paddington_bear]

Paddington U is starting some sort of new printing "initiative" this spring - I think it's a shared printer per department - so it makes my desire for an ipad so that I can read my notes instead of printing them out even more of a good idea. I'm not even sure how a shared printer in a department would work.

Wait, you guys still have individual printers? 0_o

Yes. But maybe not for much longer! So how do department or networked printers work?

[Parasaurolophus]

Paddington U is starting some sort of new printing "initiative" this spring - I think it's a shared printer per department - so it makes my desire for an ipad so that I can read my notes instead of printing them out even more of a good idea. I'm not even sure how a shared printer in a department would work.

Wait, you guys still have individual printers? 0_o

Yes. But maybe not for much longer! So how do department or networked printers work?

Wow!

There's just a big office printer/scanner in a room and you send your jobs to it and then go pick them up. Depending on the arrangement you might have to swipe your ID, put in a code, etc to unlock the job.

It works fine, but there can be logjams at certain points in the day/year, so try to do your printing at unusual times.

[mamselle]

Aaannnnddd the same people who are always "in a hurry to get to class" leave the thing without any paper, or put the paper in funny and don't change it back or leave the thing jammed so it doesn't start when you push "print" and go away to do something else and then come back and it's not even started printing because it's jammed...and....

Think toilet paper, toothpaste tubes, and dishes in the sink.

All the inconsiderate things that can happen will happen, at the worst possible times.

Like when you've got ten minutes before the final to print out the exam because the thing was down the whole day before for maintenance.

Because, like, why wouldn't IT schedule regular printer maintenance without looking at the academic calendar when they could set it up for 10 days later and no-one would care.

Most folks I knew had their own private printer, and kept several reams of their own printer paper, each, in their own offices for just those reasons.

M.

Oh, P.S., they run best when the room is slightly colder, the metal parts don't jam as often. (That from a printer repair person of long and reputable duration).

[paddington_bear]

Exactly. I feel like a communal printer is going to work as well as our communal copier. I can't imagine that a shared copier is better than everyone having their own, all things considered.

[aside]

Yes, communal printers create many problems, such as having to dash to the printer after printing sensitive stuff like tenure reviews, etc., so a cheap personal printer for such things and emergencies is a good idea.

I love my iPad and Apple Pencil, yet they are pricey.

[mleok]

Exactly. I feel like a communal printer is going to work as well as our communal copier. I can't imagine that a shared copier is better than everyone having their own, all things considered.

A cheap duplexing laser printer can be had for under $100. I use it for the sensitive documents, and use the departmental printer for high-volume things like research papers.