ipad for reading (not just golden-age) comics

[Yoc]

with some it might be just a matter of renaming it from cbz to cbr or vice versa.
Let us know.

[hunterguy]

as soon as someone makes a "pad" with a USB port - I will get one - does anyone ?

[Yoc]

I believe there are some now yes.
I use this site to get tablet and technology reviews.
http://www.engadget.com/

[johndesmarais]

I finally did break down and buy an ipad...and have been reading comics thru an app called cloudreaders--which works great--I tried some other free readers, but I settled on Cloudreaders for its ease of use, I guess....and you can load comics into the app easily when hooked up to my desktop machine.

But I'm wondering if anyone else has this problem--I looked around here a little, but see it mentioned--that is, some files just won't read on the iPad....maybe 5%.

I read CBZ, CBR, PDF, etc...so it's not the file format that's the problem.

For instance: Captain Marvel jr. #6--a CBZ file--which I probably got here [but I can't swear to it]--won't open on the ipad.  And if I locate the file on my desktop machine and open it up fine---and unzip it there's nothing obvious about the problem, far as I can tell.

If I knew what was the problem I may be able to fix it and reload to my ipad.

I'm seeing a lot of "FIXED" files that have been uploaded lately--trying to fix a preview error problem, but I don't know what that's trying to fix --or on what platform/application/reader.  I'm on a mac and my comics may open in an app called "Preview"---but I don't know if that's the preview in mind....since I don't have any problems with it.

Anyone heard of this [minor, but annoying] problem on the ipad?

Anyone know the solution?

The most common problems I have reading cbr/cbz files with the app I use on my iPad are:

1.  Non-standard zip or rar tool used to create file. 
Solution: De-archive the file, then re-archive using a rar or zip utility that you know works well, then rename (zip to cbz or rar to cbr).


2.  Files other than images in the archive.  A lot of the tablet cbr/cbz reader apps don't cope well with "other" files in the archive (text files and thumb files are the most common ones). 
Solution: De-archvie the file, remove anything that isn't a image file, then re-archive and rename as appropriate.


3.  Misnamed files.  Name extension implies rar (cbr) or zip (cbz), but file is actually the other.
Solution: Rename file (from cbr to cbz or vice-versa).

[Yoc]

Thanks for the list of trouble JD.  Exactly the kind of info I was looking for.
Which app are you using and have you found the same problems in any other viewers?
I love that txt files work in CDisplay on my PCs.  It's a real shame they don't on the iPad.

[johndesmarais]

Thanks for the list of trouble JD.  Exactly the kind of info I was looking for.
Which app are you using and have you found the same problems in any other viewers?
I love that txt files work in CDisplay on my PCs.  It's a real shame they don't on the iPad.

I use (primarily) ComicFlow, but have also tried Cloudreader, Comic Zeal, Stanza, and PDF/Comic Reader Bookman.  All of them had some of the issues I've noticed. (I never found the one true app).

I settled on ComicFlow because I liked the way it organized titles.

[Poztron]

I just spent a good half hour again reading through this discussion thread and catching up. A very interesting progression over a year's+ time.

The push to cloud computing, in the meantime, has been given a significant boost by Apple with its iCloud. I own the last Mac Mini with a superdrive capable of reading CDs and DVDs. The newest ones have no such disk reading capacity. Everything will have to transferred through the cloud or by a USB or other connection. Apple's assumption seems to be that computing is now ubiquitous in several devices we may own - a smartphone, a tablet, a laptop, a desktop - and things will get way too complex and confusing if John Q. Public has to be constantly synching and copying over files from device to device. Some say Apple is building its own closely integrated universe which more or less traps you once you are sucked in. I've used Macs since 1984, so I'm probably sucked in by definition, but I am not thrilled with the prospect of having backups of most of my files in the cloud (i.e. at external server farms).

Some say we are rapidly entering a "post-PC" era where we'll need to rethink our assumptions about personal computing in the same way that cell phones forced a rethinking of having to only make calls on a landline, either at home or in a pay phone booth. So, whatever our druthers, the confluence of technological advances and the integration of new features ('pay at checkout by flashing your smartphone at this UPC or whatever') produces a kind of evolutionary march. Ten years from now will anyone be able to make a retail purchase purely by cash or without a smartphone? But enough on that OT stuff...

I have a question for those of you with iPads: have your found that some files read better at full page size than others? What I mean by that is: can we identify a scanning resolution and/or dpi that works best for viewing comics on an iPad? I've noticed on my desk computer's monitor that image clarity varies strongly from 25% to 50% to 75%, etc. Moire patterns set in at certain viewing sizes, but not at others.  Does this prove the case on iPads as well?

[narfstar]

I have noticed some pretty big differences. I have not looked into what came out best. I will have to look at the dpi of the better ones.

[Eddie73]

Has anyone tested the new ipad yet for comic book reading?

It's getting rave reviews for crispness and clarity, but I'm afraid it may actually be too good for viewing 4-colour newsprint.

[Yoc]

and do you need ovenmits to read them?
;0

[NightRelic]

I'm currently looking into buying an iPad. I'm trying to figure out whether I need the 3G or 4G or if just the wifi is sufficient. I have a feeling I would never really need the 3G/4G for this. Does it operate as a phone? And can you do that through Wifi? Probably I'd need the 3G/4G if I want to do that, but I'm not trying to replace my cell phone anyway. The Wifi will probably do it.

Still trying to figure out whether to get 16 gb, 32 gb or 64 gb. I'd really like to stay on the cheap, but if the space is necessary, I'll have to consider spending more. It looks like reading my golden Age downloads will work at least.

How do you get them on the iPad from your Macbook? Does it just go across the wireless network, I assume?

As for the iCloud discussion. I've never liked this idea. Yes, I have issues of keeping back up of all my iTunes, but iCloud still makes me uncomfortable. I finally ended up building my whole iTunes library on an external drive and copying it onto another one. When I pull up iTunes on my computers, it says there's no library and asks me to choose one. I connect the external and it goes directly to that, so there's no transferring of tunes any more. Of course I can't just get to them through the cloud with other devices. I'm pretty much married to the iomega drive for content. That said, it's small, extremely portable and I can hook it to my retro clamshell iBook that's over 10 years (won't be connecting to iCloud with that! LOL) old or any other computer with USB, firewire 400 or 800. It travels with me everywhere.

I also wonder when we'll start hearing about people losing data using the cloud.

[builderboy]

You could always do without the 3G/4G, get a WiFi and pick up your own wireless hard drive.  Western Digital has been marketing their "My Cloud" external hard drive, available up to 4Tb capacity, that can make its contents available thru a home network wirelessly.

That's my plan (as soon as I score an iPad).  I will pick up this drive, and use it as back up to my regular external drive that stores all my digital comics.

Then, I can browse the collection from anywhere in the house, spelled my favorite arm chair.

[Yoc]

Sounds like a nice idea BBoy.
I thought I saw on the 16gig wifi cheapest model iPAD that it had an SD card slot on it but when I checked the other models they had none.  So I'm thinking one might load some stuff on an SD card and read them no?

[NightRelic]

This does sound like a great idea. I was just looking at the Western Digital My Cloud at Amazon.com and they are surprisingly inexpensive for what you're getting. The 1 TB drive is only $129 and the 3 TB only $199. But then I looked farther down. This drive has A LOT of negative feedback on Amazon. It seems mostly with access speed with wireless, user interface and set up, and WD tech support. I think even if I get an iPad, I'll stick with my current set up.

[NightRelic]

It looks like the SD card interface with iPad is an accessory you have to purchase separately-- a camera connection kit. It costs $29 at Apple. It's great that the option is there, but sucky that after you just paid a premium price for a tablet you have to spend more just to make it hold more.  The camera connector is USB. I imagine you could connect an external drive with this too. I'm thinking my little 500 GB iomega drive might work perfectly with this. Thumb drives also might work. Not sure if this will work though. I'm reading feedback that says some ios versions limit this and devices that draw power through the usb draw too much power and are blocked. I'm also seeing stories about using a jailbroken iPhone as a wireless modem for iPad.