Reading scientific pages on Kindle

When reading science (math) pages, the large screen (2K or 4K) is the best,
but I would like to have the whole library of papers in my pocket on Kindle.

I can send via email a PDF of any page to Kindle, but the PDF reading on a small Kindle device is awful. 

The same on Kindle Scribe might be a bit better, but in the end, I want font-scalable ePub.

Let's take an example from the following Wikipedia page as it has nice mathematics:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spherical_coordinate_system


Pretty much every tool I have tried does convert HTML but fails to convert the math,

in-line LaTEX math seems to work fine, 



but the vector-graphic .svg does not:




I do have to consider that MAYBE it is the viewer that does not display Vector Graphics (.svg)!

Here is a list of tools I have tried:

WebToEpub Chrome extension

  • Shows tables nicely
  • shows images nicely
  • converts LaTEX math YES
  • SVG NO, shows them as "?", it might be the viewer's problem, I tried a few
    • Calibre E-book viewer
    • Kindle 7-inch 2022
    • Apple Books
    • Apple Preview - does not open ePub

EpubPress

  • Creates a table of Contents with each Web page included, useless if converting a single page
  • fails to convert table borders
  • converts LaTEX fine
  • drops (does not display) the Vector Graphics (.svg) 

dotEpub

  • in the non-immerse mode, you can view the first few images only
  • results in an error on Apple books
  • fails to convert table borders
  • converts LaTEX math YES
  • on Kindle: SPELLS OUT the SVG formula, not good.
  • in Calibre E-book viewer shows SVG nicely!


Summary 

  1. Use print-to-PDF and view it in MacOS Preview on a big screen
  2. If you read a long MATH and NO-image page, use dotEpub and read in the Calibre E-book viewer
  3. If you want images, but you do not care for SVG math, WebTOEpub is best.
Sorry, no winning here.


View Kindle Scribe on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4db51Q7


As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

My favorite quotations..


“A man should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.”  by Robert A. Heinlein

"We are but habits and memories we chose to carry along." ~ Uki D. Lucas


Popular Recent Articles