Ever since Apple Computer announced the much anticipated iPad in January 2010, speculation on its effect on the future of e-readers has filled many a blog and website. There is only one real problem with an iPad vs. e-readers comparison. All the authors of all these reviews forgot one of the basic lessons of grade school mathematics. Do not compare apples and oranges (pun not really intended).
iPad Does More Than E-Ink
The iPad is not a dedicated e-reader such as Amazon’s Kindle, Barnes & Noble’s Nook or the Sony e-reader, all of which have e-ink screens. It has more applications and future potential for services other than a wireless book reader such as Kindle. It can check your email and web surf for current events or whatever tickles your fancy. It can store a music or video library, an address book and more. This additional versatility is reflected in the iPad’s price tag. Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO, has been working on a tablet computer for 30 years. No one works on a project for 30 years without a goal to be more than an electronic book.
Apple’s iPad does offer some advantages over the Kindle and other e-ink devices. Kindle offers 5 font sizes, iPad offers 10. Scrolling through the e-book is simple. A light finger tap on the right side of the screen scrolls forward one page. A light tap on the left side scrolls back one page.
E-ink Readers Better for Reading
The iPad as an e-reader cannot stand toe to toe with Kindle on the features that make e-readers simple to use. The iPad is a gangly awkward reading machine compared to Kindle. It weighs in at 24 ounces, compared to around 12 ounces for the smaller Kindle and the Nook. The larger Kindle weighs 19 ounces. It may not seem like much unless you read by holding the reader in front of your eyes with your hands. After 30 minutes of this, wrists will start to ache and burn. The iPad’s back is slightly concave so it will be unstable when placed on a flat surface. It is too large to carry in a pocket or a belt holder like the iPhone. There will probably be some great attache type cases that can be slung over a shoulder for ease of carrying.
The iPad’s full color screen makes it a great reader indoors. The Kindle’s e-ink screen is designed to replicate newsprint or a book page. Outdoors or any bright lighting is different. The iPad screen turns to glare and reflects the reader’s face in these conditions. The Kindle is very readable in bright sunlight. The e-ink screen also gives the Kindle a 7 day battery recharge cycle opposed to the 3 day cycle for iPad.
About the author: James Mowery is a computer geek that writes about technology and related topics. To read more blog posts by him, go to laptop computers.
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