Can The Kindle Survive In a Tablet World?

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.wired.com/magazine/2010/09/pr_levy_kindle/' target='_blank'>http://www.wired.com/magazine/2010/...pr_levy_kindle/</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"We can read books on our phones, laptops, and tablets. So why would we throw in a dedicated e-reader like the Kindle when packing our already cramped carry-on bags? As you might expect, Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos is happy to supply an answer: angry birds."</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/dht/auto/1286321452.usr1.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></p><p>An interesting perspective, and one that I ultimately agree with. Although the Kindle and the iPad look similar on the surface, when one weighs 1.6 pounds and the other 8.7 ounces, one lasts hours on a charge while the other lasts weeks, and one is $139 and the other is $499, you start to realize they're very different sort of devices. I'm planning on getting a Kindle this holiday season - the cheap Wi-Fi one - and am hoping I'll like it quite a bit. I love reading, but devices have never reached the price point where I was willing to take the risk of purchasing digital, DRM-protected content. I think that point has finally come...and, yeah, I'm still thinking about buying an iPad. I think I'll wait for v2 there as well...</p>

[djdj]

The author of the article got it pretty much right. I have both an iPad and Kindle. Reading anything longer than a magazine article is much easier to do on the Kindle. But for reading magazines (with color pictures) and other short pieces, the iPad works fine, but is ultimately not the perfect device. It fills in pretty well for a while, but when a lightweight e-reader is introduced with a great color screen, that will become the de facto device for nearly all reading tasks.

[tregnier]

I got the WiFi version the first day they were available. They finally reached my price point. I had used ereader software on my PDA, but the Kindle is wonderful. I especially like the sync feature that allows me to pull out my android phone in the Dr. waiting room and read a bit. I ALWAYS have books with me now.

Sure, there are objections, and the article states the weak points of the Kindle (B&W, DRM, no pics, etc.); but if you want to read books, the Kindle is the way to go.

[leslietroyer]

E-Books are still way to expensive - priced between hard cover & paper back and much higher than mass market. This price is what focused my choice of reading pad to the Nook. With the Nook and Sony you can get e-books from the library. 21 day checkout is more than enough for reading most books, and I can have several out at the same time..... Too bad the Kindle doesn't support the DRM used by the libraries around here...

Between a ipad and dedicated reader - for me the reader is more functional on public transit where a few ounces bouncing around in you had makes a difference.

Les

[Jon Childs]

E-Books are still way to expensive - priced between hard cover & paper back and much higher than mass market. This price is what focused my choice of reading pad to the Nook. With the Nook and Sony you can get e-books from the library. 21 day checkout is more than enough for reading most books, and I can have several out at the same time..... Too bad the Kindle doesn't support the DRM used by the libraries around here...

Between a ipad and dedicated reader - for me the reader is more functional on public transit where a few ounces bouncing around in you had makes a difference.

Les

I went with the Nook as well, just because if its ability to read books checked out from the library. Given that the Kindle and Nook have the same screen and once you are actually reading the hard button vs LCD screen doesn't really matter I figured I would go with the one that supported more formats. I have been very happy so far. Even my luddite wife really liked it and now wants her own for christmas. I was thinking about an iPad originally (since I do most of my reading at night the sunlight thing wouldn't be an issue) but it just seemed too expensive (the $499 one is not the one you really want). Under $150 was low enough that I figured it was worth a go.

[AndyMulhearn]

... but its the iPad for me. It's a far more general purpose device and unlike the eReaders I've used so far I can read PDFs on it and its fine for general reading to the extent that I do at the moment. I think the eReader screen is possibly better but I can't see that as enough of an advantage to either carry both or leave the iPad at home.

[Sven Johannsen]

I was thinking about an iPad originally (since I do most of my reading at night the sunlight thing wouldn't be an issue) but it just seemed too expensive (the $499 one is not the one you really want).Not to change the subject but why? I was unsure about the concept so I opted for the least expensive buy-in. Haven't been disappointed. I have 24 hours of audio, 4.2 hrs of video (two full length movies +), photos, books and a good number of apps and 7.5G free. I find that the movies and books can come off once enjoyed, making room for more. I can keep enough on for entertainment on a business trip, and at home it is trivial to swap stuff out. Anywhere I have WiFi I can access Netflix, YouTube, Pandora, for no memory cost at all. Not having the 3G only saves me money. So if an iPad interests you, and you can conjour up a little discipline, the 16G, WiFi only model works just fine.

P.S. For pleasure reading, I will tend to my Sony Reader or Kindle. The iPad is actually a bit big for my taste. The paperback size seems about right. Reading a digital magazine via Zinio on the iPad is pretty good though.

[Jason Dunn]

Not to change the subject but why? I was unsure about the concept so I opted for the least expensive buy-in...So if an iPad interests you, and you can conjour up a little discipline, the 16G, WiFi only model works just fine.

Yeah, I'm thinking along the same lines as well. Plus, for me at least, it's just insulting to have to pay for Internet access for a THIRD time. I'm already paying $50 or so for Internet at home, then another $75/month for Internet + voice on my smartphone...and the thought of paying another monthly fee for Internet access on another device is just irritating.

The carriers are losing out on profit by not offering me a $5 or $10/month option on my cell phone to add another SIM/device and share the data plan. That's something I'd be willing to do.

[tregnier]

Yeah, I'm thinking along the same lines as well. Plus, for me at least, it's just insulting to have to pay for Internet access for a THIRD time. I'm already paying $50 or so for Internet at home, then another $75/month for Internet + voice on my smartphone...and the thought of paying another monthly fee for Internet access on another device is just irritating.

The carriers are losing out on profit by not offering me a $5 or $10/month option on my cell phone to add another SIM/device and share the data plan. That's something I'd be willing to do.

You've already shown yourself to be willing to spend $125/month for Internet connections. Why would a provider want to reduce their rates to you? :-)

[bleeman]

Like Sven said, I went with the 16GB WiFi only iPad for similar reasons. However, I don't necessarily have to look for a WiFi hot spot as I also have the Verizon MiFi for work so I can get on the net with the iPad via it when necessary. I also have the Nook and hands down, when I want to read a book the Nook comes out not the iPad. The Nook is much lighter, a lot easier to read for long periods of time than the iPad is. I only wish the WiFi only model was out when I bought mine in February. However, when my wife is ready to go the WiFi only model will be perfect for her.

I went with the Nook over the Kindle for the same reasons several others mentioned. I like the fact that it uses Adobe's ePub format giving me access to books from my local library as well as the Sony Library. In addition, Barnes and Noble has had several promo's since I bought mine. Over the summer they were offerring a free book every week for 5 weeks as long as you went into your local store and asked for the coupon. In addition, they have a "Free Friday" promo going where every Friday a new book is made available for free. Finally, the Nook supports PDF's without any conversion. I just copied my various PDF's directly over to it from my PC without issue.

With access to my local library and the B&N promo's I have yet to buy my first book for the Nook and yet I've been reading at least 1 book every 7 to 10 days since February.

I also like the cleaner lines of the Nook without the keyboard across the bottom.

So in my case, while the iPad is nice and it has its pluses I still pack my Nook in my bag everyday for my reading needs

[Jason Dunn]

You've already shown yourself to be willing to spend $125/month for Internet connections. Why would a provider want to reduce their rates to you? :-)

Precisely because of what I said - that I'm willing to pay for Internet at home, Internet mobile, but not a third account. They need to be smart if they want to get a few more dollars from me a month. :D