I have just recently got an ipad and I was trying to work out the best ipad pdf reader, plus how to transfer my existing pdf ebooks to my ipad (as my little UBS converter has not yet arrived). One common suggestion seemed to be to email them to yourself, but really I wanted a way to organise the pdfs once they were on my ipad too. I found a solution which seems to work quite well.
1. Go to your Google Docs Account (or open up a free google account if you haven’t already got one). Google docs now lets you upload pdfs so you can read them online which is pretty neat. You can upload all your pdf ebooks and organise them into folders. Slight problem though, this is great if you have an internet connection, but what about if you don’t. This is where the Good reader App comes in.
2. The Good Reader App lets you link up to your Google docs account and download any PDFs from there to your Ipad. You can then organise them into folders and read them whenever you want without an internet connection. The Good Reader App has a nicer interface than google docs for reading your PDFs too. Of course you can easily delete PDFs from your IPad when you have read them too (while still keeping a copy in Google docs)
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21 Comments
This is perfect. I have been looking for a good solution for converting pdfs. Thanks
Ahhhhhh you are my hero! I have been trying to work this out, and all the online tutorials make my head explode. Thankyou for the laymans terms and the generosity!
How are you finding the ipad Tara? I was dead against the idea of getting one originally but I can feel myself starting to thing “hmmm, they’re nice”.
Reading PDFs on it is definitely very appealing. I think I’m starting to go blind from reading them on my iphone. What are your main uses for it?
Hi Jennifer, I have only had it just over a week so am just getting used to it – I just bought a wifi one so can’t help with your twitter question
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So far I am using it to read my ebooks – I have loads on Internet marketing, blogging and SEO and my cupboards were getting a bit full with all the ones I had printed out and put in files. One thing I noticed as an Ereader is it is not good outside in the sun (when we get any!) as it is really reflective. I have also been using it to surf the net which is great apart from the lack of flash support.
The interface is great, one of the few things where you don’t need an instruction manual to work it out.
There are some great apps (especially if you have 3G), I bought a magazine which is just about apps – looked like a few which could tell you offers where you are – for example say you went to London for the day it could tell you restaurants near you that had special offers on that day which sounded pretty cool.
What are you intending using it for?
I was thinking about it for photography slide shows and maybe illustration slide shows. I’m not looking for work in those areas at the moment but maybe at some time in the future. So kind of like (an expensive
) portfolio. And for books too.
I already pay for a mobile dongle and my iphone, so I’m not sure if I want to pay for yet another internet device, but they do look really cool.
I get you – its a toy
(same for me really). I know a company I worked for in the past bought one for for showing their graphics portfolio and images would look great on it. Go for it – you could always go for the wifi one – I am a bit of a hermit so its fine for me 
PS just sent you a mail through your blog about your illustrations.
Thank you I have been trying to do this for the past month. Its funny how new tech can stump you.
Hi Tara
Thanks alot.
Ive been looking around for something like this, and so far i have been through a bunch disappointing apps.
But this app really does the job – THANK YOU ALL THE WAY FROM DENMARK
Perfect. Exactly what I want. Thank you so much.
Hi Hilary and Autostol, I am glad it helped
Thanks
Tara
Hi Kervin
if you mean the thing where you can see my twitter its a plugin called “add to any”
The Good Reader App sounds most useful. Thanks for sharing this Tara as I was wondering how to transfer similar stuff to an iPad so have been a little hesitant to get one but think it is time to pay the Apple shop a visit!
Hi LogoDesignMonster
I have to admit it is nice to use – only annoying thing is the lack of flash support
Can you not just use the free iBooks app and drop the pdf files you need into Books in iTunes? That’s what I do with my iPhone. Can anyone with an iPad confirm? (I haven’t got my iPad yet.. waiting to come back to UK as I can’t get them here in Malta).
HI Mark I haven’t tried that will have to give it a go but you would still need to get the pdf on to the ipad in some way via emailing yourself or google docs I guess.
With the iPhone all you do is drop the required pdfs onto Books in the side bar of iTunes and on your next sync they are in your Bookshelf in iBooks. I’m really curious now to know if if also works on the iPad!
HI Mark – just tried it and yes it works – thanks
This is the best, straight forward how to transfer Pdf Files to an ipad searching google =) thanks for sharing
I suppose m new to it
Will get to know about it in details before trying it
Regards
Smita
Does anyone know why URL links in PDF files don’t get activated in Ipad? The link is a .jsp which, on its own, works well in Ipad. The links work in mac, for example. Thanks.
Hi Kp
Sorry not sure on that one, I thought I had managed to click links before but I am not sure