The world has been expecting the demise of the Amazon Kindle and similar ebook readers ever since the iPad was announced. The iPad had a really cool iBooks App for reading books, and a lot was made of the fact that Apple's agreement with various book publishers would break Amazon's $9.99 price point on ebooks. So is the Kindle dead? I doubt it.
The iPad's iBooks App is very elegant. The App looks like a bookshelf and includes a link to a hidden Bookstore where you can purchase your books. Books get loaded into a bookshelf and you can choose which books you want to read from there. Nearly all books allow you to download a sample portion so you can review the book before you purchase. You can keep your entire library on the iPad which makes it very convenient.
The iBooks App has some very nice font sizing and brightness controls that you can use to customize your experience. You can also read books in portrait or landscape mode so you have a good choice of views for your reader. Probably the best part of the iBooks App is turning pages. Apple really makes it feel like you're turning a physical page of a book.
So, why won't the iPad kill the Kindle? Quite simply, reading books on the Kindle is better. The Kindle's matted black and white display is much easier to read. It feels like you're reading real paper and it's just easier on the eyes. The iPad's Books App is okay, but there are glare issues with the screen.
The iPad is also very heavy for its size so reading in bed is a pain. (I recommend placing your iPad in a case if you want to try to read while laying down. The case makes the iPad a lot easier to hold in your hand.) Even if you're not laying down the weight of the iPad at 1.5 pounds really gets to you after awhile. It doesn't sound like much, but with the very thin feel of the iPad you notice the weight immediately.
If you're a Kindle user and want to also try the iPad you're in luck. Amazon has developed a Kindle App for the iPad so you can load your books on the iPad for your reading pleasure. I have a feeling that most Kindle users will miss the Kindle's display though.
So that's it. The iPad is not bad as a book reader, but not great either. I think it all comes down to preference and a lot of people will still use their Kindles.
The iPad's iBooks App is very elegant. The App looks like a bookshelf and includes a link to a hidden Bookstore where you can purchase your books. Books get loaded into a bookshelf and you can choose which books you want to read from there. Nearly all books allow you to download a sample portion so you can review the book before you purchase. You can keep your entire library on the iPad which makes it very convenient.
The iBooks App has some very nice font sizing and brightness controls that you can use to customize your experience. You can also read books in portrait or landscape mode so you have a good choice of views for your reader. Probably the best part of the iBooks App is turning pages. Apple really makes it feel like you're turning a physical page of a book.
So, why won't the iPad kill the Kindle? Quite simply, reading books on the Kindle is better. The Kindle's matted black and white display is much easier to read. It feels like you're reading real paper and it's just easier on the eyes. The iPad's Books App is okay, but there are glare issues with the screen.
The iPad is also very heavy for its size so reading in bed is a pain. (I recommend placing your iPad in a case if you want to try to read while laying down. The case makes the iPad a lot easier to hold in your hand.) Even if you're not laying down the weight of the iPad at 1.5 pounds really gets to you after awhile. It doesn't sound like much, but with the very thin feel of the iPad you notice the weight immediately.
If you're a Kindle user and want to also try the iPad you're in luck. Amazon has developed a Kindle App for the iPad so you can load your books on the iPad for your reading pleasure. I have a feeling that most Kindle users will miss the Kindle's display though.
So that's it. The iPad is not bad as a book reader, but not great either. I think it all comes down to preference and a lot of people will still use their Kindles.
