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Kindle vs iPad

lionking

In the Peanut Gallery
lionking
Joined
Jan 23, 2007
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Location
Melbourne
Sorry if this has been covered before - I couldn't find a thread like it.

Because my wife will simply not allow any more bookshelves, and I am unable to part with any of my books, I've been looking at a Kindle. I already have a notebook, a Blackberry and a desktop. My kids have unanimously concluded that I'm an idiot (yeah, what's new...) and that it's a no-contest - iPad it must be.

So the main question. Does anyone have an iPad they use mainly to read ebooks? Is it something you can use for hours on end (like, you know, a book)? Is it's weight a problem - can you hold it in one hand like a book?

What's the verdict?
 
I sold my Kindle - if I could afford an iPad, I would get one. I liked the Kindle well enough, but I was just wasn't using it enough. Plus, I needed the money I got from selling it. Right now, I just read my Kindle books on my Mac.

I ran out of room for books too. I need a bigger house. :p
 
Lisa Simpson said:
I ran out of room for books too. I need a bigger house. :p
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The house is big enough - we have six bedrooms, all used at the moment. If I had my way I would convert a bedroom to a library when one of the kids moves out. I got nothing but a steely stare when I mentioned it. Some fights are not worth having. ;)
 
Should I have posted this in Social Issues? I'm really interested in forumite's opinions.
 
I think I've only seen one or two people post here who actually own one. I think it somewhat depends on how you want to use it. Obviously the Kindle is books first and pretty much only. It's light, the screen causes no eye strain, has an extremely long batter life, and it does its main objective very well. The iPad is a multimedia device. It's got a bright, colorful screen with many more things you can do (apps, internet, music, videos, pics). That might be a distraction to some people I imagine. Also it is more expensive than a Kindle. I don't imagine you will be comfortable holding an iPad for hours on end with one hand (but again that's from observation...I don't have one so I can't be certain).
 
Policenaut said:
I think I've only seen one or two people post here who actually own one. I think it somewhat depends on how you want to use it. Obviously the Kindle is books first and pretty much only. It's light, the screen causes no eye strain, has an extremely long batter life, and it does its main objective very well. The iPad is a multimedia device. It's got a bright, colorful screen with many more things you can do (apps, internet, music, videos, pics). That might be a distraction to some people I imagine. Also it is more expensive than a Kindle. I don't imagine you will be comfortable holding an iPad for hours on end with one hand (but again that's from observation...I don't have one so I can't be certain).
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Thanks policenaut. I think I can put up with my kid's derision.......
 
I'm pretty sure there were some convincing reasons why the Kindle is better, if you just use it for books, somewhere deep in the iPad thread.

Maybe try searching each page of that thread for the word kindle.
 
I bought my wife a Kindle and she uses it every day. She subscribes to the NY Times and it automatically downloads every day and is ready for her daily subway ride. The battery life is fantastic. One charge easily lasts the entire week. And it really is like reading regular paper.

Then a friend of mine owns both and has abandoned the Kindle in favor of the iPad because the iPad can justdo so much more. Two main differences are weight and display. The iPad weighs twice as much but still weighs less than many hardcover books. And the display is backlit. So if you find your eyes feel strained after staring at your computer monitor for extended periods you should consider the Kindle. Also I've played around with the iPad and the screen is glossy and terrible in sunlight.

But remember with the iPad you could also post here!
 
disclaimer: I am an iPhone developer.

My wife owns a Sony Reader. I would avoid it only because of the Adobe copyright management systems it uses.

But as an actual reader, it is excellent. I own an iPad, and here's the big difference.

The E-paper that the kindle and the reader uses, really is easier on the eyes. the iPad has a glossy screen which is not as easy on the eyes.

The book reader on the iPad is much more like the analog experience of reading a book, as you actually turn pages and such.

So basically Reader/Kindle: easier to read. iPad:experience is more like reading a book.

But the iPad does SOOOOO much more that the price being nearly the same, I think it is the better buy. You can even read your Kindle books on the iPad with the Amazon.com kindle App for the iPad.

So if you only want a reader, Kindle. but if you want what will basically become your right hand? iPad.
 
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I have a kindle, and love it. Stores all my books, is light, portable and easy to use. (And has internet too!)

The iPad can do everything the Kindle can, without a doubt, but the Kindle does one thing, and one thing VERY well. It does eBooks. The 7" version is excellent, if all you do is want to read books. The larger 10" version, (the DX) is better if you also want to look through PDF's and the like. The DX is also very close in price to the low-end iPad.

Now, due to the e-paper, you do need a light to use the device.. just like a real book. The ipad is backlit, and glossy, and hard to use in direct light. After checking out an iPad, I would want to use it for an extended period of time using it. Its big, and heavy, and I'd almost want to prop it up on something to use it.

If ALL you want to do is read, get the Kindle, if you also want to run apps, play games, and never use it because the kids are using it, get an iPad.

For me, the iPad doesn't do what I need it to do, so its fairly pointless for me. But I use the Kindle, and I have an iPhone for my digital gadget needs.
 
Shalamar said:
I have a kindle, and love it. Stores all my books, is light, portable and easy to use. (And has internet too!)

The iPad can do everything the Kindle can, without a doubt, but the Kindle does one thing, and one thing VERY well. It does eBooks. The 7" version is excellent, if all you do is want to read books. The larger 10" version, (the DX) is better if you also want to look through PDF's and the like. The DX is also very close in price to the low-end iPad.

Now, due to the e-paper, you do need a light to use the device.. just like a real book. The ipad is backlit, and glossy, and hard to use in direct light. After checking out an iPad, I would want to use it for an extended period of time using it. Its big, and heavy, and I'd almost want to prop it up on something to use it.

If ALL you want to do is read, get the Kindle, if you also want to run apps, play games, and never use it because the kids are using it, get an iPad.

For me, the iPad doesn't do what I need it to do, so its fairly pointless for me. But I use the Kindle, and I have an iPhone for my digital gadget needs.
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++

I just recently had the opportunity to actually use both the iPad and the Nook (Same screen as the Kindle) to compare. Hands down for extended reading periods (5+ hours single sitting) the e-ink screen rocks.

The reader app on the iPad is pretty cool, and as one poster noted above, gives a better illusion of reading a book, but for just reading words on a page for extended periods, the Nook (and equally so the Kindle) rocked.

After about 3 hours or so of using the iPad as a reader I had to stop. My eyes were done. With the Nook, it was more a matter of being just tired. I had one almost 8 hours straight reading session where I only put the device down to make something to eat.

I don't have the money at the moment, but when I finally do, I will be buying a dedicated reader. While the iPad is interesting technology, it really isn't for me, so I would rather have a Kindle or a Nook.

PhreePhly
 
Policenaut said:
I think I've only seen one or two people post here who actually own one. I think it somewhat depends on how you want to use it. Obviously the Kindle is books first and pretty much only. It's light, the screen causes no eye strain, has an extremely long batter life, and it does its main objective very well. The iPad is a multimedia device. It's got a bright, colorful screen with many more things you can do (apps, internet, music, videos, pics). That might be a distraction to some people I imagine. Also it is more expensive than a Kindle. I don't imagine you will be comfortable holding an iPad for hours on end with one hand (but again that's from observation...I don't have one so I can't be certain).
Click to expand...

The only thing I think the Ipad has going for it as a reader is that you can get buy books from multiple sources.

I find that my nook is great for text, but if he reads books that have lots of pictures or diagrams in them, like the gaming book PDF's I buy they will not work on the Kindle/nook. Maybe the DX.

The hardware is there for dedicated readers, but distribution is a bit iffy, as not all books are available for sale on various devices. I also wish they would make multiplatform ereaders so I could buy from amazon or barns and noble or who ever and just read my books on it.
 
Jammerml said:
But the iPad does SOOOOO much more that the price being nearly the same, I think it is the better buy. You can even read your Kindle books on the iPad with the Amazon.com kindle App for the iPad.
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Twice as much is nearly the same? I need to see if I can convince my boss of that.
 
ponderingturtle said:
The only thing I think the Ipad has going for it as a reader is that you can get buy books from multiple sources.
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I would also add it has the bonus of having a color screen. Obviously, a non-factor in the vast majority of books but for children's books, magazines, newspapers, etc. it's nice to have.
 
ponderingturtle said:
Twice as much is nearly the same? I need to see if I can convince my boss of that.
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The iPad has a 9.7" screen. The DX Kindle has the same size, and costs $489. Comparable to the cheapest iPad.

Only the 6" Kindle is nearly half the price (and has other specs lower beside the screen size, like memory). But Apple does not make a 6" device -- the next thing lower are the iPhone and iPod touch, which have a 3.5" screen.

Difficult to compare when key specs are different.
 
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ponderingturtle said:
I find that my nook is great for text, but if he reads books that have lots of pictures or diagrams in them, like the gaming book PDF's I buy they will not work on the Kindle/nook.
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My GF has the Sony e-book and she loves it. Reads PDFs fine and there's a few bits of software that'll convert most book formats to straight HTML (which it handles fine). Weighs less, superior battery life, easier on the eyes for long periods and fits better into small bags :)
 
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