Amazon has release a Kindle iPhone app that allows users to read their Kindle books on their hand held device. The app is free to download from the Apple app store and connects iPhone and iPod users with over 400,000 Kindle books. Now with the announcement of the new Apple iPad, launching later in the year the question is “Could the iPad be a competitor to the Kindle as an e-book reader?”
Industry opinion
So people are saying that the iPhone Kindle app, which more or less provides the same ebook reading functionality on Apple’s smartphone, will kill the Kindle. Makes sense actually. After all, why spend $360 on a gadget that can only do one thing, when you can spend roughly the same for a smartphone that multi-tasks? This argument appeals especially to die-hard fans of the Apple “experience”.
At the same time however, I can tell you that reading text on a backlit display strains the eyes. The e-ink of Amazon’s Kindle, on the other hand, is easy on the optics. That’s still why a lot of us still prefer reading printed words on dead trees, even if literally all books ever written are available through the web browser; no tiring light shines from them.
Future Kindles will definitely display color, free from the limits of grays. And you can bet that development will make Amazon’s reader more attractive; who wouldn’t artificially generated color pages that are easy to read? Amazon has the luxury of concentrating on ebook research, unlike supposed future competitors like Apple who are taking a more broad research towards R&D. What do you think?
Okay so in theory the iPhone is too small to really compete with a Kindle and the screen sucks but how about the iPad. The screen is still an issue but it’s around the size of the larger Kindle DX plus is does so much more. The Kindle does just one thing though people argue it does it well and has been designed specifically for the job.
Apple app for iPhone and iPod (and iPad?)
Here’s some quick features of the app:
- No Kindle required
- Get the best reading experience available on your iPhone or iPod touch
- Access your Kindle books even if you don’t have your Kindle with you
- Automatically synchronizes your last page read between devices with Amazon Whispersync
- Adjust the text size, add bookmarks, and view the annotations you created on your Kindle
- Read in portrait or landscape mode
- Select alternate background and text colors to improve reading comfort in low light conditions
- Tap on either side of the screen or flick to turn pages
- Pinch to zoom images in books
- Tap and hold on a word to create a note or highlight
- Whispersync will back up and synchronize annotations with your other Kindle devices
Kindle Book Readers
I find the syncing feature a great asset of the app. It also opens the door to Kindle books so in theory the only difference between the iPad and the Kindle is the user experience and the screen.
Comparison
Price wise the the Apple iPad and equivalent Kindle DX are both competitively priced. The cheapest iPad without 3G is on paper at the moment $10 more than the top spec Kindle.
Final thoughts
If we were to analyse this battle solely on the premise they are both e-readers and are sold as such with no other features then surely the Kindle would be the wise choice. The kindle is brilliant at what it does and price wise is competitive with the iPad and it’s competitors. The iPad costs more and hasn’t got an ideal screen for long periods of reading. So in our opinion, as an e-reader, the Kindle is a clear winner. However this isn’t an e-reader face off, the iPad isn’t an e-reader, but can be used as one. In fact, what exactly is it? Who is it aimed at? Is it trying to be a Jack of all trades? What is it’s USP? Soooo many questions…
We’re sure with time the iPad will fit within a niche it’s ment to be in. It has the potential to be amazing primarily due to it’s vesitility, just not as a users primary e-reader.
Thanks to Amazons Whispersync technology we see handheld devices like the iPhone and BlackBerry being perfect accompliments to the Kindle. These devices are unlikely to become a users primary e-reader but there is certainly room to support the technology on other devices.
Reviews elsewhere
Amazon Kindle DX versus Apple iPad
The iPad Vs. The Kindle: How Should Amazon Respond?
iPad vs Kindle DX – The Definitive Comparison
January 29th, 2010 at 1:15 pm
I think from Amazon’s point of view – why release an app that lets people read books on their own device if you want to push Kindle sales? I doubt they’re worried – like you say in the article, Kindles are designed for a specific job and they’re aimed at hard-core readers. iPhone, iPad users are a different market.
Even if the ipad *can* let you read books on it…well, that’s not really what it’s for! You sum it up really well:
“the iPad isn’t an e-reader, but can be used as one. In fact, what exactly is it? Who is it aimed at?”
Exactly! If people are reading books on their iPad it’s only because they don’t have a Kindle.
Something I have struggled with as a UK Kindle owner is the poor Amazon support for wireless (you can only access wikipedia for example) and online file management (you have to login on Amazon.com to see your Kindle account which is very confusing). I wonder if the iPad will be better supported in the UK?
January 29th, 2010 at 1:26 pm
[...] right”. For a more balanced view however, trip on over to Frog’s blog for an Apple iPad vs Amazon Kindle [...]
April 9th, 2010 at 10:02 pm
My view is that the more devices Kindle books are available on, then the more chance there will be more Kindle books available for my Kindle.