eReader thoughts needed

I was planning on getting an eReader soon. Wether it be a Kindle, Nook, or iPad. I wanted to see if anyone has spent some real time using the iBook for books that could possibly tell me if it would be worth getting if you main use will be iBooks.

Thanks

I don't have an iPad yet as I am in the UK and they are not here yet. However, I use eReader (the one native to the Nook) and Kindle for iPhone on the iPhone. Both of these will work on the IPad, so with an iPad you get the content of all three of them.

In fact, I believe a new version of the Kindle App has already been released for the iPad and I assume the eReader App will be updated too, if it hasn't already.

As for the actual devices, I haven't tried a Nook. I have a Kindle2, which is excellent. The Whisper 3G works well, even at Home where other 3G does not get a signal (including the iPhone) and the screen is clear and easy to read.

Unfortunately, the display is only mono and not as large as an iPad. The Kindle DX is larger but about the same price as an iPad - for which the iPad does so much more. The only issues left are how much the iPad costs in the UK with Apple's usual crazy exchange rate and how much of a problem the iPad's reflective screen is for book reading, compared with the matte display of the various eReaders.

The wife has a Kindle 1st gen, and I'd been eyeing the Kindle DX for 6 months before the iPad was announced and just couldn't bring myself to push that buy button. The iPad overcame my last objections to the typical eReader - no color and the fact that I'd still require a book light for my reading habits better than 70% of the time.

There's no question here for me. The iPad has dealt a death blow to every eReader priced at $250 or above.

The touch screen... even just for turning pages blows away the Kindle we have. The iBook app even has the option to turn the page forward with a tap on either side of the screen. You'll see the advantage when you start using it. With options for white, black or sepia screen, along with brightness adjustment, font size and even a few selections of fonts.

Color - did I mention that? The National Geographic looks fantastic. So do Marvel comics, Archie comics and several more comics already working on optimizing their iPhone apps for the iPad and surely more will follow or be left behind. Zinio has around 150 mags available already, among them: MacWorld, Sporting News, PC Magazine, Smithsonian, US News & World Report, BusinessWeek, Rolling Stone, Sail, Bike, Skiing, Billboard, Spin, Motor Trend, Cycle World, Road & Track, MotoCross, Field & Stream, Outside, Outdoor Life, Popular Photography, Modern Painters, Layers, and for the women out there... Elle, O, Bazaar, Cosmo, Redbook, MStewart Living....

Thus far the glossy display has not been an issue for my personal use (and I am one of those that hate them) since I do most of my reading at night or in dimly lit rooms. It has been when I pull it out to show it to folks though. Finger prints are a problem, especially for those with oily skin, but typically not noticed until you turn it off. I do have an anti-glare, oil resistant screen protector on the way (hoping it's the same I have on my iPhone).

Amazon already has the Kindle reader updated for the iPad and the books look great. B&N and eReader.com should have updated apps out soon.

It's in color, brilliant color in fact, did I mention that? This is the eReader I had been waiting for. And no book light. Those things have always been the bane of my existence when trying to read in bed at night. As an eReader alone, I have no problem recommending the iPad as my instrument of choice.

There is one con - it's heavy. About the same as the last Harry Potter book. For those that buy hard back books, not a problem... you already know how to deal with the weight. For those that have been purchasing nothing but paperbacks for years, well, you're not going to hold the iPad up in the air with one hand for hours at a time while you're engrossed in a novel. Not even an hour. I'd surmise not even a half hour for most of you.

You'll be setting it in your your lap while sitting, or on your belly while lying down. Laying on your side with one arm under the pillow, holding it with the other hand and turning the page... that's not a problem.

After owning a Kindle 2, Kindle DX and now an iPad I can offer my opinions.

Kindle Pros:
Very easy to read on. Bright sunlight is no issue at all. No eyestrain for long reading sessions. Battery life is fantastic.

Kindle Kons:
No color. Fantastic as an eReader. Crappy as anything else.

iPad Pros:
Much more options for tasks you can do on it. Color images look fantastic. You can use the Kindle app on it if you wish.

iPad Cons:
You can't see anything on the screen in bright sunlight.

All that being said, I just sold my Kindle DX this afternoon and am keeping the iPad. If all I wanted to do is read with it, the DX would still be used and the iPad would go back. The Kindle, especially the DX is far and away superior to read on. Not as nifty as the iPad, but you get lost in the content and all that stuff really isn't important - Unless you read magazines.

The arguments i see for the iPad are pretty good. The only thing that kinda lacks is the battery life. Also I plan on going back to school and if I can get some text books cheaper on my iPad (when and if I get one) that would be sweet.

For paperback books - no problem with either.

However, for textbooks - no question. Who wants a black and white textbook?

Vash108 said:

I was planning on getting an eReader soon. Wether it be a Kindle, Nook, or iPad. I wanted to see if anyone has spent some real time using the iBook for books that could possibly tell me if it would be worth getting if you main use will be iBooks.

Thanks

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I don't have an iPad (yet), but I do have a kindle 2 and I used to read books on my old windows mobile PDAs with MS reader. The kindle is a great ebook reader. Battery life is a week+, and the free wireless wispernet is great for buying books on the go to read. I've finished a book on a long flight, and then bought another after we landed-- no need to look for a wifi hotspot or spend $30 month for 3g access. eInk is fantastic for reading, but you need an external light source. You can do some light browsing with the kindle on wispernet (still free), but it's a stripped down experience and the pages don't always render that well. About what you'll experience with a standard web enabled cell phone. Many websites have PDA or mobile versions of their site to handle the decreased ability of mobile browsers, so it still works OK. The kindle will also read to you out loud and can play mp3s and whatnot, including audible books. Kindle also does regular PDFs now, and there is a special email address through amazon that you can mail things to that will automatically be sent to your kindle via whispernet so no need to sync, though I think there was some sort of charge for that-- 5 cents or something.

The old PDA was backlit (like the iPad), so you could read it in the dark (say laying in bed without the light on, nice if your significant other doesn't want the light on. For extended periods though, this caused some eye strain. And battery life was nothing at all like the kindle has.

Other nice things are that both of those devices can use non-DRMed books. On that I have no idea as to what the iPad will allow.

Ultimately, you have to figure out what you want to do. For just ebooks, the dedicated eReader is by far, imo, the better device. I want an iPad, but not for ebook reading. I doubt I'll do any, what with the Kindle on my nightstand.