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If only the Kindle wifi worked where we live, I might be tempted to give it a try after this. Mind you, audiobooks are an even better experience in the bright sun than a kindle, and you keep both hands free!
Why iPad owners need a Kindle, too
#30
plazamac 
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Posted 18 May 2010 - 05:31 AM
1. Reading in the sun.
Many more of us prefer reading in a place devoid of distractions. Sitting by the pool or on the beach is the LAST place I’d go for some true relaxing, reading time. Well, maybe the second-to-last place -- see #10-Peace.
2. Overheating.
My iPad has never gotten warm, let alone over heated. And maybe it gets hotter while you are sitting in the baking sun in that hot car (and for that alone you would be an idiot) because the iPad is black (which absorbs heat) and the Kindle is white.
3. Security.
What fool takes ANY expensive electronics to the beach? I take my cheapest digital camera and that’s it. If there is someone there looking to steal stuff, they are just going to steal - not do an appraisal first. And even if my iPad was stolen, I can set it for password protection, track it through my MobileMe account, and even wipe the data remotely. How about the Kindle?
4. Reading before sleep.
Go read the article you point to. Hardly a decisive clinical study there. And that article even points to another article that backlit screens are not harder on the eyes than e-ink.
5. Battery life.
I’m never away from power for 10 hours. If I am, it’s camping or some other “wilderness” activity where I’m not going to be bringing ANYTHING electronic. And lord knows I won't read for 10 hours straight. And because I use my iPad for much more than reading, it gets docked once a day to sync and backup - and gets charged in the process anyway. I already have to plug in my cell phone before bed each night anyway. How much harder is it to make one more connection? I think I can spare that 5 seconds.
6. Book availability.
No - if you are a serious reader you are going to stick with real books. And the iBook Store has been around for what? A month? Give it some time to “stock up”. I don’t know about you, but there’s PLENTY I can find there that I’ve been wanting to read as the store develops.
7. Magazine availability.
See #6 above for growing stock. And how many print magazines do you buy that are in just black and white like you have to live with on the Kindle? That’s what I thought.
8. Weight.
Might be heavy for weak wristed weenies like you. Fine for me. I rest my iPad on my knee. And when I read a “real” book, I do that as well as most of my books are hard cover. So the weight difference is minor.
9. Multiple users.
“Just say no”. And again, if I’m wanting to seriously read, I’m not in the family room with all the kids, the TV and the XBox trying to do it.
10. Peace.
If you are using an iPad in a Starbucks you are WANTING to bee seen. If you really want to read, don’t go to a busy, noisy, high traffic coffee shop and pretend to be a “hip reading intellectual” when all you really want to do is show off your new toy.
11. Multitasking.
Wait - first the iPad was too heavy for you to hold? But now you are saying it’s better to hold both? And how, pray tell are you doing that? Your lap must be way bigger than mine.
12. Auto-reader.
Some of us who enjoy reading have ABSOLUTELY NO DESIRE to be read to. Let alone by a mechanical voice. But in terms of disability support, the iPad wins hands down.
13. Free mobile broadband.
Free is nice, but some of us plan ahead and load what we need onto the iPad before leaving for a trip. What is that “traveling executive” doing downloading books when he/she should be working? And they can’t wait until they get to their hotel with free WiFi? As for me - I’ll stick with a full blown email client and web browser, as well as a full word processor (Pages), spreadsheet (Numbers), and presentation program (Keynote) on my iPad (which are what "Executives" really need for than the latest Stephen King tome) and plan my WiFi usage if that’s what’s needed. Sure would think an “executive” would be able to do some advance planning as well.
This was a STUPID article with the most LAME conclusions being drawn that I have ever read.
Many more of us prefer reading in a place devoid of distractions. Sitting by the pool or on the beach is the LAST place I’d go for some true relaxing, reading time. Well, maybe the second-to-last place -- see #10-Peace.
2. Overheating.
My iPad has never gotten warm, let alone over heated. And maybe it gets hotter while you are sitting in the baking sun in that hot car (and for that alone you would be an idiot) because the iPad is black (which absorbs heat) and the Kindle is white.
3. Security.
What fool takes ANY expensive electronics to the beach? I take my cheapest digital camera and that’s it. If there is someone there looking to steal stuff, they are just going to steal - not do an appraisal first. And even if my iPad was stolen, I can set it for password protection, track it through my MobileMe account, and even wipe the data remotely. How about the Kindle?
4. Reading before sleep.
Go read the article you point to. Hardly a decisive clinical study there. And that article even points to another article that backlit screens are not harder on the eyes than e-ink.
5. Battery life.
I’m never away from power for 10 hours. If I am, it’s camping or some other “wilderness” activity where I’m not going to be bringing ANYTHING electronic. And lord knows I won't read for 10 hours straight. And because I use my iPad for much more than reading, it gets docked once a day to sync and backup - and gets charged in the process anyway. I already have to plug in my cell phone before bed each night anyway. How much harder is it to make one more connection? I think I can spare that 5 seconds.
6. Book availability.
No - if you are a serious reader you are going to stick with real books. And the iBook Store has been around for what? A month? Give it some time to “stock up”. I don’t know about you, but there’s PLENTY I can find there that I’ve been wanting to read as the store develops.
7. Magazine availability.
See #6 above for growing stock. And how many print magazines do you buy that are in just black and white like you have to live with on the Kindle? That’s what I thought.
8. Weight.
Might be heavy for weak wristed weenies like you. Fine for me. I rest my iPad on my knee. And when I read a “real” book, I do that as well as most of my books are hard cover. So the weight difference is minor.
9. Multiple users.
“Just say no”. And again, if I’m wanting to seriously read, I’m not in the family room with all the kids, the TV and the XBox trying to do it.
10. Peace.
If you are using an iPad in a Starbucks you are WANTING to bee seen. If you really want to read, don’t go to a busy, noisy, high traffic coffee shop and pretend to be a “hip reading intellectual” when all you really want to do is show off your new toy.
11. Multitasking.
Wait - first the iPad was too heavy for you to hold? But now you are saying it’s better to hold both? And how, pray tell are you doing that? Your lap must be way bigger than mine.
12. Auto-reader.
Some of us who enjoy reading have ABSOLUTELY NO DESIRE to be read to. Let alone by a mechanical voice. But in terms of disability support, the iPad wins hands down.
13. Free mobile broadband.
Free is nice, but some of us plan ahead and load what we need onto the iPad before leaving for a trip. What is that “traveling executive” doing downloading books when he/she should be working? And they can’t wait until they get to their hotel with free WiFi? As for me - I’ll stick with a full blown email client and web browser, as well as a full word processor (Pages), spreadsheet (Numbers), and presentation program (Keynote) on my iPad (which are what "Executives" really need for than the latest Stephen King tome) and plan my WiFi usage if that’s what’s needed. Sure would think an “executive” would be able to do some advance planning as well.
This was a STUPID article with the most LAME conclusions being drawn that I have ever read.
This post has been edited by plazamac: 18 May 2010 - 05:38 AM
#31
gregspeck
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Posted 18 May 2010 - 06:13 AM
I have been using Kindle for IPad and see no reason to pick up something else. I enjoy reading it in bed and the backlight adjust keeps brightness down. I would not be reading in bright sunlight, so IPad it is.
#32
bpeacock22
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Posted 18 May 2010 - 07:39 AM
For me, it came down to one thing: don't want to read on a computer monitor. E-ink is the choice for me.
#33
sterlingz
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Posted 18 May 2010 - 07:44 AM
Ridiculous article. There are some valid reasons for liking Kindle better (reduced eye strain, lighter and thus easier to hold with one hand) but most of these reasons are just stupid.
I owned a Kindle for a year and the eInk screen which is supposedly the Kindle's greatest feature I found to be its biggest drawback. Its dark grey on light grey text I found very difficult to read in anything but optimum bright conditions. So reading outside, yes, I'll grant you it's good, but reading in bed? No, not unless you have a very strong light source next to you. Anything less than bright light, and you're going to be straining. The other thing is the page refresh speed of the Kindle is awful, and distracting. iPad blows it away on that front in all of its eReading apps.
Magazines are better on Kindle??? Give me a break. They're horrible. I subscribed to the Economist, and the graphics and cartoons were just pathetic rendered in greyscale. Navigating the table of contents in newspapers and magazines is horribly clumsy. Apps like Zinio, while not perfect, have come a long way to letting the user see the layout of the magazine in addition to reading a text only version.
Bottom line - technology of Kindle feels horribly dated. Who gives a crap about free wireless service when the browser is a POS? There is no good way to organize your content, which is a real problem once you have over 100 books. iBooks is far superior in this regard.
Kindle format - closed, proprietary. iBooks supports any non-DRMed ePub file you can throw at it. I've already loaded a bunch of technical books from a publisher who is now releasing everything in open ePub format. They work wonderfully.
PDF support - PDFs with graphics again are a joke on the Kindle screen, especially the v2 6 inch screen. This is another boon of the iPad. Apps like Good Reader render PDFs wonderfully, which is great for bringing things like manuals, documents and other files.
I agree with the previous poster who suggested that real physical books are the best alternative to iPad books. Some books are just nice to have as objects. The Kindle is a one-trick pony, and the iPad does its job just as well.
I owned a Kindle for a year and the eInk screen which is supposedly the Kindle's greatest feature I found to be its biggest drawback. Its dark grey on light grey text I found very difficult to read in anything but optimum bright conditions. So reading outside, yes, I'll grant you it's good, but reading in bed? No, not unless you have a very strong light source next to you. Anything less than bright light, and you're going to be straining. The other thing is the page refresh speed of the Kindle is awful, and distracting. iPad blows it away on that front in all of its eReading apps.
Magazines are better on Kindle??? Give me a break. They're horrible. I subscribed to the Economist, and the graphics and cartoons were just pathetic rendered in greyscale. Navigating the table of contents in newspapers and magazines is horribly clumsy. Apps like Zinio, while not perfect, have come a long way to letting the user see the layout of the magazine in addition to reading a text only version.
Bottom line - technology of Kindle feels horribly dated. Who gives a crap about free wireless service when the browser is a POS? There is no good way to organize your content, which is a real problem once you have over 100 books. iBooks is far superior in this regard.
Kindle format - closed, proprietary. iBooks supports any non-DRMed ePub file you can throw at it. I've already loaded a bunch of technical books from a publisher who is now releasing everything in open ePub format. They work wonderfully.
PDF support - PDFs with graphics again are a joke on the Kindle screen, especially the v2 6 inch screen. This is another boon of the iPad. Apps like Good Reader render PDFs wonderfully, which is great for bringing things like manuals, documents and other files.
I agree with the previous poster who suggested that real physical books are the best alternative to iPad books. Some books are just nice to have as objects. The Kindle is a one-trick pony, and the iPad does its job just as well.
#34
flybynight
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Posted 18 May 2010 - 09:33 AM
I'm amused that "less likely to be stolen" is an argument for something being a better device.
#35
SprayPass
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Posted 18 May 2010 - 10:02 AM
wallygva, on 18 May 2010 - 02:51 AM, said:
Got an iPad a month or so ago and used it for e-book reading (with the Kindle app) heavily during the first 3 weeks. Then I got a Kindle for my birthday (sent by someone unaware that I had an iPad). I activated it and moved my ipad-kindle books over. I've now been a kindle reader for two weeks and I can honestly say it's a far better reading experience. Ipad wasn't bad but Kindle's better. Way less eyestrain after 20-30 minutes of reading. Enjoying the always-on (and free) 3G and spend a lot of time grabbing books off google books and reformatting them via Calibre...which I can then drag & drop on the Kindle via a USB connection to my macbook. That's something I wish the IPad supported...
You can drag books from calibre to iTunes, as long as they are in or have been converted to epub format. They will then sync to iPad via USB.
I like reading on the iPad and on my Sony reader. I like the lightness of the reader and the ease and quickness of page turning on the iPad. For me, eye strain has not been a problem on either system. YMMV.
#38
Lady756
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Posted 18 May 2010 - 11:25 AM
oldbrand, on 17 May 2010 - 10:37 PM, said:
I couldn't agree more completely with this article. I guess it is hard for those who didn't have a Kindle first to understand why it simply is superior for its one function. I love my iPad too, but when it comes to reading any book or article that is simply text, it is much more comfortable to read it on the Kindle. And the way I use my Kindle I go for weeks between recharges. The rest of the time it sits on my nightstand without the pain of having to plug it in. It is slowly replacing the literally tons of books on my shelves.
On the other hand, when I read, say, the books on OS X Server and Filemaker Pro that I am reading right now for work or the books from my favorite financial guru, the iPad is the only way to read them (though I bought them with the Kindle). They contain a lot of graphics in color and would be completely useless to try to read on the Kindle.
Maybe that is why there is such a split of opinion here. Those who read books for the text content and those who look at them for the pretty pictures. :-) Please note that is said completely sarcastically.
On the other hand, when I read, say, the books on OS X Server and Filemaker Pro that I am reading right now for work or the books from my favorite financial guru, the iPad is the only way to read them (though I bought them with the Kindle). They contain a lot of graphics in color and would be completely useless to try to read on the Kindle.
Maybe that is why there is such a split of opinion here. Those who read books for the text content and those who look at them for the pretty pictures. :-) Please note that is said completely sarcastically.
I owned a Kindle before I bought my iPad and I ended up selling the Kindle. I haven't had any problems reading books on my iPad and having to plug it in every couple of days hasn't been a painful experience either. The Kindle is a really good device, but I couldn't justify having both when the iPad was just as good an ebook reader (for me) and does so much more.
And no, I don't read any books with pretty pictures..lol
#39
CharlesBrown
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Posted 18 May 2010 - 11:55 AM
Nah.
#40
MKleinpaste
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Posted 18 May 2010 - 12:13 PM
1. Reading in the sun.
Besides cancer, over exposure to direct sunlight significantly damages the eyes. Even the government is warning against it. http://www.epa.gov/s...c/eyedamage.pdf
2. Overheating.
Sure. Because everybody loves reading a book in a blistering hot car. I do it all the time!
3. Security.
The iPad can be set with a screen lock and autowipe after x# of failed attempts. Better yet you can use the iPhone Config to even require a password (not just a 4-digit code). Even the Kindle, if left unattended by a moron, can get stolen. Thieves need no excuse, they steal even the most mundane things. And at $260.00-$490.00 (pre-tax), losing a Kindle wouldn't be an "Oh, well." situation.
That "additional" $260.00-$490.00 is another reason NOT to get a Kindle. My iPad does all I need.
4. Reading before sleep.
Funny that you forget to mention that the same article also mentions reading on the Kindle causes the same amount of eye strain as any screen. Also, why not turn the screen light down? You don't need it at 100% for it to look good. I actually turn it all the way down and turn the overhead light off. Hasn't kept me awake either.
5. Battery life.
Who the hell reads for 12 hours straight? Seriously, are you just fishing for this stuff? As for the travel, car outlets, airplane outlets (these are on those flights to India), airport outlets (at every major airport), battery packs for those that REALLY want to. Oh, and no extra $260.00-$490.00.
6. Book availability.
Granted the iBook Store selection is pretty limited for commercial books. It'll get better as more publishers adopt the epub standard. Besides the fact that the iPad has a Kindle app (as you mentioned) if you REALLY want it in epub format you can always download Calibre (Free, http://calibre-ebook.com/) and convert that there Kindle document to an epub lickedy split.
7. Magazine availability.
One word. Zinio. Besides the website, it's got an App. Look it up. Tons of mainstream magazines from all over the world.
"You must use a Kindle." - Please see the Calibre reference in #6.
8. Weight.
Wuss. While it is heavier the iPad isn't too cumbersom for some light or heavy reading. Considering everything else it can do, which is just about EVERYTHING, 1.5 lbs is a lot better than the 5.6 lbs 15" laptop I used to carry around. Highly worth the 13.8 ounces difference. oooooooooo!
9. Multiple users.
So, how's about a little, "I'm using it now, maybe later." Plus, I'm not going to spend an additional $260.00-$490.00 so I can only read an e-book while other "people" are fingering my iPad.
10. Peace.
Right. Because the Kindle is unimpressive. I just took a cross country flight with my iPad. Only once did anybody "bother" me about it. Oh sure plenty of people oggled on in covetous interest, but only one asked me about it and really just wanted my opinion because they were thinking of getting one. 5 minute conversation and I'm back to reading "The Hobbit" again.
11. Multitasking.
That's kind of the antithesis of the iPad though, isn't it. To focus on the moment with the app you currently are using. I'm not even fond of the OS 4.0 getting "multi-tasking" coming this summer/fall.
12. Auto-reader.
Lame. Simply Lame. If I wanted a book read to me, I'd have downloaded an audiobook read by a professional that'll make it interesting from iTunes. On my iPad. And I didn't even have to spend an additional $260.00-$490.00 to do it.
13. Free mobile broadband.
Um. Odds are that if you're using an iPad you probably already have an iPhone (the numbers already confirm it, 1,000,000 in 28 days) and you can use your AT&T account to get onto the Internet at any of their wi-fi locations. Right through Safari. Personally, I prefer the built in 3G model.
Oh, and that "Kindle" connection. Doesn't do any good on anything but the kindle. So good luck surfing the net, checking your email, etc. on the kindle. So, I'm certainly not going to spend an extra $260.00-$490.00 for that.
Did I mention $260.00-$490.00 extra?
Besides cancer, over exposure to direct sunlight significantly damages the eyes. Even the government is warning against it. http://www.epa.gov/s...c/eyedamage.pdf
2. Overheating.
Sure. Because everybody loves reading a book in a blistering hot car. I do it all the time!
3. Security.
The iPad can be set with a screen lock and autowipe after x# of failed attempts. Better yet you can use the iPhone Config to even require a password (not just a 4-digit code). Even the Kindle, if left unattended by a moron, can get stolen. Thieves need no excuse, they steal even the most mundane things. And at $260.00-$490.00 (pre-tax), losing a Kindle wouldn't be an "Oh, well." situation.
That "additional" $260.00-$490.00 is another reason NOT to get a Kindle. My iPad does all I need.
4. Reading before sleep.
Funny that you forget to mention that the same article also mentions reading on the Kindle causes the same amount of eye strain as any screen. Also, why not turn the screen light down? You don't need it at 100% for it to look good. I actually turn it all the way down and turn the overhead light off. Hasn't kept me awake either.
5. Battery life.
Who the hell reads for 12 hours straight? Seriously, are you just fishing for this stuff? As for the travel, car outlets, airplane outlets (these are on those flights to India), airport outlets (at every major airport), battery packs for those that REALLY want to. Oh, and no extra $260.00-$490.00.
6. Book availability.
Granted the iBook Store selection is pretty limited for commercial books. It'll get better as more publishers adopt the epub standard. Besides the fact that the iPad has a Kindle app (as you mentioned) if you REALLY want it in epub format you can always download Calibre (Free, http://calibre-ebook.com/) and convert that there Kindle document to an epub lickedy split.
7. Magazine availability.
One word. Zinio. Besides the website, it's got an App. Look it up. Tons of mainstream magazines from all over the world.
"You must use a Kindle." - Please see the Calibre reference in #6.
8. Weight.
Wuss. While it is heavier the iPad isn't too cumbersom for some light or heavy reading. Considering everything else it can do, which is just about EVERYTHING, 1.5 lbs is a lot better than the 5.6 lbs 15" laptop I used to carry around. Highly worth the 13.8 ounces difference. oooooooooo!
9. Multiple users.
So, how's about a little, "I'm using it now, maybe later." Plus, I'm not going to spend an additional $260.00-$490.00 so I can only read an e-book while other "people" are fingering my iPad.
10. Peace.
Right. Because the Kindle is unimpressive. I just took a cross country flight with my iPad. Only once did anybody "bother" me about it. Oh sure plenty of people oggled on in covetous interest, but only one asked me about it and really just wanted my opinion because they were thinking of getting one. 5 minute conversation and I'm back to reading "The Hobbit" again.
11. Multitasking.
That's kind of the antithesis of the iPad though, isn't it. To focus on the moment with the app you currently are using. I'm not even fond of the OS 4.0 getting "multi-tasking" coming this summer/fall.
12. Auto-reader.
Lame. Simply Lame. If I wanted a book read to me, I'd have downloaded an audiobook read by a professional that'll make it interesting from iTunes. On my iPad. And I didn't even have to spend an additional $260.00-$490.00 to do it.
13. Free mobile broadband.
Um. Odds are that if you're using an iPad you probably already have an iPhone (the numbers already confirm it, 1,000,000 in 28 days) and you can use your AT&T account to get onto the Internet at any of their wi-fi locations. Right through Safari. Personally, I prefer the built in 3G model.
Oh, and that "Kindle" connection. Doesn't do any good on anything but the kindle. So good luck surfing the net, checking your email, etc. on the kindle. So, I'm certainly not going to spend an extra $260.00-$490.00 for that.Did I mention $260.00-$490.00 extra?
This post has been edited by MKleinpaste: 18 May 2010 - 12:19 PM
#41
doglesby
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Posted 18 May 2010 - 12:58 PM
So no one wants to steal it or ask questions about it. Sounds like reasons the Kindle isn't long for this world.
What a bizarre statement. "Executives" read. The proletariat watch TV.
Quote
Traveling executives, for example, don’t need to download TV shows while on business trips, but they do need to grab reading material in the taxi on the way to the airport.
What a bizarre statement. "Executives" read. The proletariat watch TV.
#42
CDurnal
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Posted 18 May 2010 - 01:38 PM
Your comments about the light emanating from the ipad does not consider the eye problems of some senior citizens. With a mild case of glaucoma, I need bright light to read, in bed or any where. The iPad does not strain my eyes and I sleep very well after reading. Other senior citizen friends report the same thing with their iPads. In fact, a friend just bought an iPad because of the bright light for reading. I cannot see the text in a Kindle.
