If you’re like me:
Maybe you’ve tried some kind of tablet and maybe like me you’ve reached for the e-ink. But how to keep those pesky files in sync between tablet and computer and at the same time part of some kind of reference management/citation system?
I want:
Is that really so much to ask? Why is this so hard?
I think it might be easier on Apple devices, but I’m not sure if there are solutions with native PDF annotations, and in any case I don’t want to be reading an ipad in the evening, too distracting.
A few years ago I bought an Onyx Boox Note 2 which is great for reading and writing on, and I also use for notes etc. But how to keep stuff in sync?
https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/onyx-boox-note2
Even if I get my PDFs in say Google Drive, how can I keep them in sync between the tablet and my main computer? If you use the native PDF-reading app on this gadget, if you make annotations it doesn’t save them back to the same PDF but creates a new one in /Downloads (duh). Even if you use a PDF app like xodo which does save in the same folder, it’s a pain to keep them all in sync. I did use AutoSync by MetaCtrl but that didn’t always work either.
I finally found a setup (we’re talking half a lifetime of searching) which seems to work so here it is for reference:
So now I can relax with a nice PDF in the evening. It’s amazing how different it is to read stuff like this, it’s fun, doesn’t seem like work. I can re-read PDFs from decades ago and see my original scribbles. I can make notes on new stuff and know the same notes will be there when I open the PDF on my computer at some later stage.
You wouldn’t believe how many different variants I tried until I found this solution.