Best screen size for various mobile?

[btod27906334]

Hi guys,

Which do you think is the Best screen size for various mobile or iPad? Should i design in pixels or cm?

I am doing a Guide of Plants' book, basically a very short text and 2 pages of pictures. Something like that.

The client asked me for an interactive PDF (no epub). I mean by interactive to click on a list of images which take me to go to the plant's specific page.

I've read i could work in A4 page size with InDesign liquid layout but i have not tried and concern it could have not the expected results or a steep learning curve to make it right. Time to the project is also short.

I think that maybe a vertical format like an iPhone will be more user friendly for most people and having to scroll or swipe horizontal or vertical to see the second page. An horizontal format like an iPad will be better for tv presentations or even for printing latter on since i have the two pages spread ready. Unfortunately in an horizontal format you will have to rotate your phone and also smaller in size which is a bit inconvenient. Each one has its pros and cons.

Which are your suggestions in format (vertical or horizontal) and if that so with size (pixels or centimeters)?

Thanks for any tips and suggestions!

Cheers,

[BobLevine]

PDFs are NOT responsive. IOW, it doesn't matter what size you design it for and additionally, interactive PDF on mobile devices, beyond very basic navigation is nothing but a crapshoot.

[btod27906334]

Thanks for the fast reply Bob.

I forgot to add that the client is fine with users having to zoom in an out. I know PDF are not responsive and is far from and ideal solution. The idea is to do a basic pdf now and show the book around and maybe to do an App in the future will full responsiveness.

I was wondering which format or size should be more desirable considering the pros and cons of vertical vs. horizontal format and if i should directly work in centimeters or pixels. What do you think?

[rob day]

I mean by interactive to click on a list of images which take me to go to the plant's specific page.

I think Bob is suggesting the list of image buttons wont work as you expect them to on a mobile device.

PDFs (interactive or print) load to the available device width (at least on iOS), so I don't think the dimensions matter much. The relative size of the content might matter if you want to minimize the amount of pinch zooming  required on small devices.

Here are two radically different page sizes exported to interactive pdf—the browser is just going to fit them to the screen width. 768x1024 pixels and 100x140 inches:

[btod27906334]

Thanks for the upgrade on Bob's answer.

So pdf navigation is very bad for what i am hearing. I will try to make some buttons and links and how it works now. Too bad. I thought i was more fluent with modern pdf and faster mobiles.

[BobLevine · Accepted solution]

If anything it’s gotten worse.

http://boblevine.us/its-okay-to-say-no-to-interactive-pdf/

[btod27906334]

Thanks for the info on an interesting article Bob. I will take a good look.

By interactive i just meant click and links...not videos or animations hehe.

[BobLevine]

Still might not work. No way to control the reader application and even Adobe’s Reader for mobile devices is not all that good.