Kindle Content on the iPhone? Bad Idea.

[Vincent Ferrari]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://jkontherun.com/2009/02/06/why-amazon-must-bring-kindle-content-to-phones/' target='_blank'>http://jkontherun.com/2009/02/06/wh...tent-to-phones/</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"Although Amazon's Kindle is great device that helps sell content and add revenue for Amazon, the move to offer content on other devices makes sense. Not everyone is going to plunk down $400 for a dedicated eBook reader. Most of those same folks do however, already own a capable mobile phone handset. Why not add those devices to the potential revenue stream?"</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/at/auto/1234185069.usr18053.jpg" /></p><p>Just because a device <strong>can</strong> do something, doesn't mean it should.&nbsp; I have a Kindle.&nbsp; It's one of my favorite tech devices ever and has made numerous plane trips much better for me.&nbsp; I can't even imagine reading a full length book on something the size of the iPhone.&nbsp; The idea just makes me cringe. Secondly, the e-ink screen makes reading infinitely easier to begin with.&nbsp; It's much easier on the eyes, and works great in sunlight.&nbsp; Just try and do that with any LCD display device.</p><p>The Kindle's greatness isn't based in the fact that it's an ebook reader, it's in the way it does it.&nbsp; The big e-ink screen, wireless connectivity, and insane battery life make it a fantastic device for reading books on a flight or anywhere else for that matter.&nbsp; I just don't see the iPhone being a great book reader.&nbsp; It may work as a substitute for some people, but I have a feeling those people are just rationlizing not spending on a keyboard, but not having a really good experience.</p>

[tut00]

I have to disagree with you. I honestly think the iPhone makes a great ereader. Granted, I have been reading books on a PDA since the early days of Palm, and have gone from Palm, to Win Mobile, to iPhone. I think the iPhone is the best reader of the bunch. I can't see why anyone would want to have to carry a second device. You always have your iPhone with you.

Just my .02

[doogald]

I generally dislike e-books of all sorts - I remain very unimpressed with the Sony Readers I keep playing with at Borders. But I disagree with your conclusion. I do most of my reading out of sunlight, and I'm thinking that having a backlit device is a pretty good idea for most people, and especially being able to use the flexibility if a single device. I don't argue that the iPhone is the best e-book platform, but I think that it would be better than adequate. And I do think that Amazon would sell a lot of books that way, too.

That said, I don't see Amazon doing this. I think that they'd rather sell Kindles at this point than sell the books.

[Jeff Campbell]

Personally, I have to agree with Vincent on this one. I wouldn't use the iPhone for a book reader unless I didn't have my Kindle with me. I've used the Google reader as a test, and if it was all I had, I'd use my iPhone in a pinch. It certainly doesn't compare to the experience I get with my Kindle.

I might get this app just to try it out but I doubt it would convince me to change from my Kindle.

[Janak Parekh]

I can't even imagine reading a full length book on something the size of the iPhone. Not only can I envision it, I have read many full-length books on Pocket PCs with worse displays than the iPhone. I'm currently reading a ebook on the iPhone, and the experience is stellar.

It's much easier on the eyes, and works great in sunlight.&nbsp; Just try and do that with any LCD display device. I don't know about you, but the iPhone's screen is great in the sunlight. I've never had a problem with it. Re easiness on the eyes: I'm working in front of a LCD all day long, and I rarely have trouble with it. Moreover, it's great for being "on-the-go" when you have 20 minutes to read, and over that time possible eye fatigue is further reduced.

I understand that you may prefer the Kindle, and I don't doubt it has an excellent, large screen that is superior to the iPhone for ebook reading. That doesn't make the iPhone a bad choice, and there are many people using it for that very task as we speak. My big problem with the Kindle (and I have to say, I'm tempted to pick one up) is that it's large. I don't carry a bag with me everyday, and having the iPhone with ebooks in my pocket is great.

--janak

[Phronetix]

I thought I'd add my thoughts to this as I just finished East of Eden on my iPhone.

To me, the best eBook reader is the one you always have with you. I do not want another device. I do not like toting things around, so if it can't fit in my pocket, then I am not interested. I have yet to look at a Kindle because of the reasons I cite above.

To me, if I have ebooks on a device like a Kindle as well as the iPhone, the Kindle will be with me about 10% of the time I want to read. I might as well have the actual book. Therefore, the Kindle is a meaningless device in my world. The iPhone wins, without even trying.

Besides, it also takes calls, surfs the internet, plays my movies and..... :-)


D

[Dyvim]

Gotta disagree with you. I've read probably 40+ full-length novels on my iPhone. I love it. And I find its HVGA screen better than the 4" VGA screen running Microsoft Reader on my old Toshiba e830 (but that's mostly Reader's fault rather than Toshiba's or any inherent greatness in iPhone's screen).

Also, I'm so over the whole page turning thing. Now all my books are just 1 page long (1 really long page)- and I just finger scroll down it. I find the flow much better than turning electronic pages (such an anachronism as there is no page to turn). (Of course bookmarks and remembering your place are essential as well as a scrubber bar to quickly jump through your book.)

Also think the Kindle is way over priced for a device that does nothing else. I just don't need it. I'd much rather spend that $359 on eBooks or something else. And it's too big to be pocketable and frankly I'd hardly ever have it with me when I wanted to read. Also think it's too big and heavy to use one-handed while lying on your back in bed (where I do a lot of eBook reading). I find the iPhone's battery to last really well as a reader (esp. on a plane when you have all the radios turned off)- heck it lasts really well anyway. I've gotten 2 full-length films + music listening + eBook reading in on long flights on a single charge and still arrived with enough juice to make some calls and check email on arrival. (It's when I'm not on a plane and it's using 3G for voice and push notifications that I find the battery life to be lacking.)

[crimsonsky]

I'm 100% with Janak on this one. I've been reading eBooks on mobile devices since my Palm Pilot Pro days and when I had a Touch I LOVED reading my eReader books on it. Right now I read them on my Wing, although I definitely preferred the Touch for reading.

The new Kindle looks a treat for sure, but I still don't want a device that size to slep around. I carry my Blackberry and my Wing on my belt and they are as unobtrusive as it gets in tears of transport. While I could definitely appreciate the Kindle, it's just too large to carry around comfortably around. (One of the disadvantages of being male is that we can't carry purses without getting weird looks!)

It's just a matter of time before I get another Touch and that will be my e-book reader of choice.

[WyattEarp]

I have to disagree with you on this one Vincent. I use eReader for the iPhone has been nothing but a good experience just like it has been on my previous WM and Palm devices whose screens weren't even half as nice. The iPhone has a more than adequate display and a good font for reading but it's the eReader app that has made it even better giving users good flexability to read in any light level.
I couldn't imagine buying a single function device the size of a small single subject notebook that's dedicated only to reading books from just one vender. That's just me and to each his own. And although you are right about just because a device can do something doesn't mean it should. It should also be said that just because you didn't like a particular function doesn't mean it's not a good one. I think that you should have stated that this was your opinion and not a fact because it seems to have come off the wrong way.