Lukas Gregor Reading PDF files on the iPad is much more convenient than all kinds of desktop programs. GoodReader is undoubtedly the uncrowned king of PDF readers for iPhone and iPad. And even though this tool can do a lot of things, there are limits beyond which it simply cannot reach.
When reading a PDF, we don't only have to passively consume the content, but also work with it - make notes, mark, highlight, create bookmarks. There are professions that have to complete these and other similar activities with PDF files every day. Why can't they do what advanced desktop software (make no mistake, such Acrobat Reader can "breathe") allows them to do on the iPad? They can. Thanks to the app iAnnotate.
The great advantage of the product from Ajidev.com is that the creators made an effort to make iAnnotate also serve as a comfortable reader. Although it does not offer as many different touch zones as GoodReader, the movement around the surface is quite similar. It also communicates with the Dropbox service and can download PDF files directly from the Internet. Connectivity with Google Docs, for example, would be useful, but anyone who has an iPad knows that there are many programs that can be used to access all kinds of online storage. Well, all you have to do is open the given file in iAnnotate PDF in the application.
If you mentioned downloading from the Internet, know that you don't always have to browse purposefully in the special browser of the iAnnotate application. It may happen that you are surfing with Safari and come across a document that you would like to download. In this case, it is enough to add a before the well-known abbreviation http://, i.e.: ahttp://... How simple!
Well, now to the main thing. When editing texts, reviewing seminars, but also, of course, when reading various study materials, iAnnotate PDF will serve you well. It does take some getting used to though – it seemed to me that sometimes the app reacted too sensitively to finger swipes. Also, don't be put off by the help pop-ups, which are rather confusing and distracting. They go off. Likewise, you may, like me, welcome the ability to customize your desktop. You can add or remove a toolbar very easily and you don't have to worry that you won't be able to work with functions not displayed on the desktop. In short, the journey to them will be a little longer. I set only the basic toolbars on the desktop, the ones you see when you start the application for the first time - I'm fine with them.
The functions have already been pre-marked – you can enter your notes in the text (and leave them either displayed or just hidden under the mark), underline words/sentences, cross out. Draw lines either according to a ruler, straight or geometrically aligned, or let your imagination run wild and make "cuts" as you like. You can highlight the text and, this applies to all the listed functions, change the color of the highlight.
It is not within the scope of this article to list all the functions, just briefly to the user's impressions. In addition to sensitivity, I had to get used to pinning notes and editing and deleting them. I also messed up my Dropbox setup and had the app download the entire contents of my storage. Only a certain directory or file can be downloaded.
Files can be shared in several ways, send by mail, send to Dropbox, or use iTunes in the Applications tab. I like the options to browse the application - search (also by labels), view recently downloaded, viewed, only edited or unread ones. There are also plenty of options for customizing the program - while I acknowledge the ability to make your notes transparent or adjust the brightness.
iAnnotate already requires a bit more investment – compared to the popular GoodReader. But if you have enough text materials in PDF, the purchase is worth it. For example, when preparing for exams, when correcting seminars or books, iAnnotate PDF is a better solution than its desktop colleagues.
The application can be as good as it wants, but I won't pay 200 kc for it :-)
The amount is not the smallest, but there are groups of people who will definitely appreciate it. For example, I am not able to read PDF on a computer/laptop, it's a different matter on an iPad. And if you need to work with PDF just by marking it, taking notes, it is a very functional tool.
There are also ways to have it and not pay 200 CZK :)
Thanks for the tip :-) I'm looking for exactly such an application. I still have a question about the note-taking app on the iPad. Since I write notes on the keyboard, evernote suits me, but there are times when I need to draw a (chemical) diagram and evernote doesn't allow that - or does it? Could you advise me which application to choose so that I can write well on the keyboard and draw at the same time? I still have the free version of Moka, but it doesn't suit me for writing text. Thanks!