Another newbie with app questions

[donnchadha]

I recently purchased a NC and am looking to root it and start adding apps -- and from perusing the forums, I'm starting to wonder what I can't do with it -- but I have a few questions for people who have a bit more experience:

1) I mainly purchased it to read pdfs instead of killing rainforests to print them all out, and the stock pdf reader is workable, but not great. The page to page load time is the worst part for me, so far, but the pdfs I read tend to have a fair bit of graphics so that may be unavoidable. So, what's the favorite pdf reader app?

2) I'd really like to have a free from note taking app used with a stylus. The minimal posts I've found about the capacitive styluses with the NC are not really glowing recommendations, and there are even fewer about relevant apps. A lot of my note taking involves sketching figures which cannot be done on a keyboard at all.

3) This is a moonshot, but could I get a VPN working on it? I admit I've not researched this one nearly as much as the last point though.

All in all, I'm very happy with it so far and most of these are things beyond what I had initially had in mind for it when I purchased it.

 

[RaVenJ]

1) I mainly purchased it to read pdfs instead of killing rainforests to print them all out, and the stock pdf reader is workable, but not great. The page to page load time is the worst part for me, so far, but the pdfs I read tend to have a fair bit of graphics so that may be unavoidable. So, what's the favorite pdf reader app?

Until you root it, you only have the one option. Once you root it, you'll have a bunch. Personally, I use the official Adobe Acrobat reader. It loads fast and seems to be compatible with everything I've tried.

2) I'd really like to have a free from note taking app used with a stylus. The minimal posts I've found about the capacitive styluses with the NC are not really glowing recommendations, and there are even fewer about relevant apps. A lot of my note taking involves sketching figures which cannot be done on a keyboard at all.

Everything I've seen on the web says they're about useless. Either they don't work, or they scratch the screen, or they're so fat you have little fine control over them. However, the sketching need can be addressed with Autodesk Sketchbook. It's a very robust sketching program from the maker of AutoCAD. $1 on the market.


3) This is a moonshot, but could I get a VPN working on it? I admit I've not researched this one nearly as much as the last point though.

Haven't tried, nor have I seen anyone else do it. I'm sure it's possible, cuz everything else is.

 

[revenge8]

welcome! theres endless things you can do with your NC, and so much more to come! great devs in this community

root it! its easy and painless with the step by step instructions on this site and www.nookdevs.com. Once you root it youll have access to the market and endless possibilities. Everyone is here to help if you get stuck.

1) Adliko is a popular reader, or ezpdfreader
2) im not sure.. i heard Sketchbook Mobile is a good app for sketching.. but i have heard mixed reviews about using a stylus with the NC. You can only try it out and hope for the best! Maybe someone else has a better suggestion here.
3) maybe this thread will help you [HOWTO] Use OPENVPN on Nook Color - xda-developers

 

[caulktel]

I'm with RaVenJ, Acrobat reader looks great and loads quick and displays color pdf's very well. As far as your other questions, I can't help much as I'm a newb myself.

 

[rico2001]

They make stylus for capacitive screen. They are getting more and more popular and I can see them being useful: HTC Flyer interface walkthrough - Pocket-lint

Also I good place to start reading here on the Nook Color is a faq thread:
http://www.androidtablets.net/forum...ks-frequently-asked-questions-read-first.html

 

[Tigagreen]

I too wanted to view PDF's with heavy color graphics (catalogs)

1) Loaded both Adobe Reader and Documents to Go. Adobe Reader seems to load the heavy graphics files one page at a time, each page is about 3-5 seconds to load. Doc2Go wants to load about 5-10 pages at a time, but it takes a while to get them loaded, again about 3-5 sec a page. If I paged forward 10+ pages, it would have to continue to load graphics. If I paged back 10+ pages, I would get a 'out of memory' error, but it would continue to load. Basic b/w documents load perfectly fine with both. I usually go to Adobe Reader first. I wanted something that would let me 'insert' bookmarks, but neither seem to allow that. Docs2go can find bookmarks. Adobe Reader allows you to email the file. I wanted to view 100+ heavy graphic pdf's but it is not quick enough for that, at least not right now.

2) I was hoping that Graffiti for Android would work on the NC, but I can't get it to be recognized. If you ever used a old Palm device you'll understand Graffiti. Anybody ever get it to work?
3) No help here.

Good Luck with your NC, I love what it can do for me

 

[RaVenJ]

Let me go on record saying that the HTC Flyer looks AMAZING! The higlighting and note taking alone have me ready to buy one. Sorry, had to say that.

 

[Stelv]

Yea the Flyer does look cool, but it is going to be like $700 when it comes out. Too much for me.

 

[RaVenJ]

While I'm all for cheap, there is something to be said for not having to DIY everything. I'm seriously considering it, unless it comes with a data plan or some other nonsense.. Now, if someone finds a way to do what the Flyer does with the NC.................. We'd all be in business

 

[rico2001]

While I'm all for cheap, there is something to be said for not having to DIY everything. I'm seriously considering it, unless it comes with a data plan or some other nonsense.. Now, if someone finds a way to do what the Flyer does with the NC.................. We'd all be in business

It's all software so everything is possible but HTC is a master at android modifications. The flyer is the only other tablet other than our NC, that I'm keep my eye on. I'm a huge Sense fan.

 

[RaVenJ]

Since I got my NC, I've watched a ton of videos on various Android based gadgets, and I have to say that Sense is about the smoothest, most intuitive and natural feeling launcher/overlay that I've seen. When I bought my Desire, I played with a Samsung Mesmerize, an LG Optimus, a Samsung Acclaim and an LG Apex.. None of them came even close to Sense's ease of use or cool factor. Why, oh why, isn't there a Sense-based ROM for the NC?!??

 

[Stelv]

Sense is the best! I can't wait to get my next phone in a month or so. Prolly going to be an HTC. A sense based rom would be awesome for nook. Maybe when the htc flyer comes out someone will try to port that to nook.

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk

 

[darmeen]

I have wanted an HTC phone since before they were available in the US (but remember I am a cheapass) but that is how long I have been following android. HTC understands Android it seems, and if we could get a port of an HTC UI for the NC, that would be cool.

 

[rico2001]

HTC for life.

 

[RaVenJ]

I have wanted an HTC phone since before they were available in the US (but remember I am a cheapass) but that is how long I have been following android. HTC understands Android it seems, and if we could get a port of an HTC UI for the NC, that would be cool.

I'm on U.S. Cellular and I got my HTC Desire for $70 after the rebate shows up. Not a bad deal at all.

btw, it's nice to see that I'm not the only one that really digs what HTC has done with Android.