Comments on: iPad as Kindle Killer is more storyline than reality

By: Ryan

Ryan — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 14:55:37 +0000

I have a Kindle and love it for reading novels. The eInk is the one thing that separates the Kindle and other eReaders from something like the iPad or even reading books on an iPod touch, iPhone or even laptop. So I could never imagine trying to read for long periods of time on a device without eInk. However, as far as research or for reading textbooks, I don’t think the Kindle is a very good device. I like to do research but the functionality of a Kindle does not make that very easy. (Check this article out on Kindles being used at Princeton – http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/2009/09/28/23918/ )Taking notes, making annotations and “flipping” quickly through the pages of a text to find something in particular is very difficult and painstaking on the Kindle. The iPad’s interface and speed makes this much easier to do and seems like it would be a great tool for university students as a replacement for textbooks. Imagine reading a textbook or scholarly monograph and being able to connect to the internet on your iPad to look up an article mentioned in a footnote to see what it says. Now, if Kindle or another company could combine the functionality of an iPad with eInk technology, I think we would have a great reading device that would be useful for those people (like me) who enjoy reading for pleasure and for research.

By: switch11

switch11 — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:31:42 +0000

Not elite or superior – just people who want to do productive things rather than pass the time.
Nothing wrong with passing the time.

It’s just that people who want to be entertained by YouTube and games shouldn’t be trying to claim that their device is also the best ereader.

By: Alex

Alex — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 22:43:51 +0000

ok. we got it — Kindle is for elite, superior people who doesn’t spend their life on YouTube, Twitter, blogs and other time-consuming activities and read books and work documents. Period.

it’s about 2-3 millions of them, taking into account last year sales. What’s about the rest? People who want to read glossy magazines, surf a number of stupid blogs, write meaningless posts on Facebook? 10-30 millions? More? Ok, iPad will target this small community.

By: Adam S

Adam S — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 21:20:53 +0000

I know well over a dozen people that have kindles. 1 with a sony. None of them think that lcd is better, or even comparable with eink. Maybe my group is self selecting, but I don’t think Scott is right at all. For instance we know numbers of people with netbooks, but other than myself I know no one that owns one. Publishers that report ebook sales are reporting lots of sales. So there are a lot more sales than the detractors admit.

By: Scott

Scott — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 20:43:20 +0000

Interesting article on Kindle sales, which Amazon has been very tight-lipped about..

http://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/2010/01/06/doing-the-kindle-math-does-amazons-opacity-conceal-a-shameful-truth/

The author of this blog–and many others–keep insisting it’s sold well…but has it? Amazon hasn’t published any numbers, and they’re the exclusive provider of the device. I know a lot of techie people, and I only know 2 or 3 with a Kindle. I know about the same number with a Sony Reader. I never see these things in public, in meeting rooms, in libraries (among students doing research), or in classrooms.

Part of my job is evaluating academic uses for technology, and there’s lots of interest in iPod Touches and iPhones. There was even some interest in the Pulse smart pen.. but eBook readers have not been on the radar. There’s just no demand to do anything with it.

I might sound like a big detractor of eInk eBook devices, but I’m actually a big advocate. Not necessarily for the packaged eBook part, but I want to see them able to more readily display web pages and other things. I read a LOT of stuff everyday on a computer screen, but very little of it is in eBook form. I’d love to shunt a bunch of it to an eInk screen, for my eyes’ sakes.

By: switch11

switch11 — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 19:02:03 +0000

The post only discusses the Kindle. Just to clarify.
Unless Amazon (and other large screen eReader makers) drastically improves the Kindle DX 50% or more of sales might be lost.

By: Fred Coulter

Fred Coulter — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 16:34:42 +0000

Perhaps I’m insane, but I could see getting an iPad. Not to replace my Kindle, but to replace my laptop. The biggest reason I would do that is coming soon from Microsoft; Office 2010 Cloud Edition. Assuming that it’s functional on an iPad, I might go back to a desktop computer (much cheaper and more flexible than a laptop), and an iPad for whem I’m away from my desk. I already use an HP Tablet, so I should adapt to an iPad.

And I’d still use my Kindle for most of my reading. Heck, I might not want to upgrade my phone to an Android based phone, I could easily survive with just a dumb cell phone, not the Windows phone I use now.

That’s an interesting argument I can use with my wife; I can go down to a basic voice/text plan with an iPad.

(Yes, I’m making several assumptions about functionality.)

By: Berrios

Berrios — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 15:44:04 +0000

uPad is not meant to be an eBook reader. But it is too an eBook reader added value. If aré reading and suddently want to surf the web, see a movie, look for maps among others, theres the iPad… What about Kindle? An excelent ebook reader, nothing else. Dont be afraid if you are a readerholic, iPad is just a new gadget, and kindle is an ebook reader meant to be a reader not an iPod not a movie player, not mp3 player not an internet browser… you name it

By: thepeoplestherapist

thepeoplestherapist — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 15:34:36 +0000

It’s about the reading experience. I need something I can spend hours on, reading books. That’s my priority, and right now, it the Kindle looks like the best bet for me. Thanks for this post .

By: Furbus Cramer

Furbus Cramer — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 13:55:13 +0000

After the long wait, and your intelligent analysis, it is now clear that the choice should have been easy for me. My favorite downtime activity is reading novels. I spend a couple hours per day at it. I do not consider gaming interesting at all, still prefer to listen to music on a system using speakers that blare throughout the house, watch movies on a big screen, surf the web only if I don’t have time to read something better, and look at email only when at a desk. Newspapers would seem to be a better experience on the iPad, but keeping up to date on current events is not my “passion.” Kindle it is. And since I’m getting to be a codger and need a big font, even the pricey DX is the clear winner, for being the best thing to maximize the pleasure in doing what I like.