The problem is that pdf is not reformat able by nature. Yes, there is reflow mode in Acrobat Reader, but at first Acrobat Reader is not available for most e-book readers (especially for e-ink devices),
and second even with reflow function reading of complex content (technical books, magazines etc.) is not comfortable. Bad formatted pdf’s and wide white spaces make the situation even worse.

The only way how this problem can be solved (at least based on my experience) to cut original pages into smaller pages with removing white spaces.
This is exactly what program do. But comparing with similar software PDFCropper is much more flexible, that allows to prepare books with much better quality in a very short time.

PDFCropper can produce text and image pdf’s.

PDFCropper web-site currently is under construction. But it is already available for downloading:

PDFCropper v1.1 RC1 links:

http://rapidshare.com/files/87491638/PDFCropper1_1RC1Setup.exe.html
or
http://www.filefactory.com/file/a07bc5/
or
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=JI7CM0N4

Trial version of PDFCropper is fully functional, the only thing – output pages include watermark (which by the way displays registration code that you need for obtaining license).

And you can download and value an example of prepared (cropped) pdf:

This is original one – http://java.sun.com/docs/books/jls/download/langspec-3.0.pdf

These are links to cropped one:

http://rapidshare.com/files/87301097/The_Java_Language_Specification.pdf.html
or
http://www.filefactory.com/file/252400/
or
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=8KW32DJT

And these are links to the one cropped as image pages (only some pages are there, due large file size):

http://rapidshare.com/files/87486857/The_Java_Language_Specification__images__partly_.pdf.html
or
http://www.filefactory.com/file/d02ead/
or
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=MJCYT8KH

Also, anyone interesting in software, can send me example pdf, and I will send back resulted pdf prepared via application.

License price per one computer is 20 euro. Payment can be made via PayPal or directly to bank account.

You can ask any questions about using or installing software and details about purchasing the license via e-mail:

vstefanyuk@gmail.com

P.S. Application is implemented by using Java. You have to have installed Java environment version 1.5 or higher.
Also Ghostscript has to be installed. In case if it is not, application will propose you to download.

Change log:
v1.1 RC1 – fixed the bug with adding table of contents (now appropriate menu item in Sony PRS 500/505 display table of contents correctly).
added separate option for adding clickable table of contents pages.
added displaying of table of contents in the left pane.
improved auto-framing functionality – added possiblty to create frames with size proportional to device size (paper size setting in Crop Settings dialog).
improved cropping funcionality – added possibility to remove empty frames in resulting pdf (”Skip empty frames” option in Crop dialog).
improved dialogs input errors displaying, errorness fields are highlighted by red.
fixed bug with deleting last unaccessible project reference from recent projects list.
added pdf restrictions checking during opening pdf. in case if there are no enough rights for pdf manipulating – program will ask pdf user password.
example pdf’s are updated.
simplified trial mode – removed pages shuffling!

The problem is that pdf is not reformat able by nature. Yes, there is reflow mode in Acrobat Reader, but at first Acrobat Reader is not available for most e-book readers (especially for e-ink devices),
and second even with reflow function reading of complex content (technical books, magazines etc.) is not comfortable. Bad formatted pdf’s and wide white spaces make the situation even worse.

The only way how this problem can be solved (at least based on my experience) to cut original pages into smaller pages with removing white spaces.
This is exactly what program do. But comparing with similar software PDFCropper is much more flexible, that allows to prepare books with much better quality in a very short time.

Currently PDFCropper can produce text and image pdf’s. Later additional output formats (lrf, lrs, wolf etc.) will be added.

PDFCropper web-site currently is under construction. But it is already available for downloading:

PDFCropper v1.0 RC2 – http://rapidshare.com/files/79718571/Setup.exe.html

Trial version of PDFCropper is fully functional, but output pages are shuffled and include watermark (which by the way displays registration code that you need for obtaining license).

There are no yet tutorial or help available. But I prepared “How To” demo-video:

http://rapidshare.com/files/79717770/PDFCropper_-_How_To.swf.html

Also, anyone interesting in software, can send me example pdf, and I will send back resulted pdf prepared via application.

You can ask any questions about using or installing software (and details about purchasing the license) via e-mail:
vstefanyuk@gmail.com

P.S. Application is implemented by using Java. You have to have installed Java environment version 1.5 or higher.
Also Ghostscript has to be installed. In case if it is not, application will propose you to download.

Yes, it’s not perfect. But it is a Sony product so people expect proprietary formats from them. It’s what we’ve always gotten from Sony. Yes, it sucks, but that’s just the way it is.

I look forward to seeing what other companies will put out and I’m sure that eventually there will be something for everyone. No one should expect perfection the first time out.

Quite frankly, I haven’t grabbed my ppc (what I used to read my ebooks on) since I got the Reader. I really like the Reader that much.

This may not be the ultimate e book, but, for travelers it is another “MUST HAVE CAUSE I FLY SO MUCH IN FIRST CLASS” tool. I have logged 65,000 airline miles in 3 months. Between my I Pod, my Bose Noise canceling headset, and my E book, I can travel with sanity. I have read 8 or 9 books since Jan on my E reader and love it. I love how light and small it is, but I really love how it feels like a book. I use I connect and buy from Sony. SUre I would like better selections and better software, but the device is the BEST.

Every seatmate I have had has been impressed. And a Ex-Pat friend in China loves that they can get books from anywhere.

No, it is not Ipod Gen 1. But the killer Ipod was really Gen 4 (click wheel). Give this a couple more generations. It will be killer.

However, let me respectfully point out that it does some other reading functions very well, including PDF files where the page size is formatted to the 6″ screen.

I’m very sorry that you weren’t able to find enough info to learn better what you ought to expect from the Reader before you bought it. It doubtless would have saved you a good deal of disappointment and hassle. :(

If anyone else wants a good look at what the Reader does and doesn’t do well, hop on over to the MobileRead.com Sony Reader forum, since MobileRead is a site aimed at discussing reading on mobile platforms, you can find a lot of info there — probably more than you want. :)