This specifically compares the $259 Kindle 2 against the Apple iPad ($499 WiFi, $629 3G). There’ll be a separate Kindle DX vs iPad post later.
Please note that -
If you want a multi-purpose device then iPad is the right choice for you. No need to read the rest of the post.
If you will be reading less than a book a month then the iPad is definitely the better choice.
If you want a dedicated eReader than the Kindle is better – read the post and see the pros and cons.
If price is an issue then the $259 Kindle is the clear choice.
Let’s look at Kindle vs iPad in detail.
Kindle vs iPad Review – iPad advantages
The best way to think of the iPad is as a larger iPhone – one with a 9.7″ screen. The iPad’s advantages are -
It does a lot of things – movies (including HD), TV, color screen web browsing, playing games.
Very good looks.
Larger screen size – the screen is a 9.7 inch IPS display. IPS is really good screen technology.
Full capacitive touch screen and it’s in color.
1 GHz Apple A4 processor.
16, 32, and 64 GB of flash storage – That’s much more storage than the Kindle.
802.11n, WiFi and Bluetooth 2.1 in the 3G model and WiFi and Bluetooth in the WiFi model. Kindle doesn’t have WiFi or Bluetooth.
Accelerometer and Compass. Kindle doesn’t have either.
Good battery life of 10 hours. Standby of over a month. This is still much less than the Kindle.
iPhone Apps – iPad gets all iPhone Apps. The new SDK includes an iPad simulator.
Excellent for newspapers – you get color photos and inline videos and more.
The iPad is optimized for movies and games and doing everything. It also happens to let you read – quite well.
The iPad models are priced at -
WiFi models at $499, $599, and $699. Available around March 27th, 2010.
WiFi+3G models at $629, $729, and $829.
iBooks Store for iPad - iPad as an eReader
The key features of iPad’s iBooks Store -
Menus look like bookshelves with titles on the shelves.
Partnered with Penguin, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, MacMillan, and Hachette.
You can look at reviews and download samples – very similar to the Kindle.
Publishers can choose B&W or color content. They can embed video too.
You can turn pages by tapping the screen or by dragging your finger.
You can change the font and the font sizes.
It’ll offer fiction and textbooks.
It uses ePub format.
It’s quite good.
Kindle vs iPad – Kindle advantages
Price – At $259 the Kindle is much cheaper than the iPad.
Focused on reading – Fewer distractions and the whole device is built with reading in mind.
More compact and lighter. iPad weighs 1.5 pounds and is 0.5″ thin – the Kindle is thinner and lighter (0.36″, 10.2 ounces).
Screen is better for reading.
Free Internet.
Free Wikipedia in 100+ countries around the world.
Amazing battery life of 2 weeks with wireless off and 1 week with wireless on.
iPad has Text to Speech just like Kindle so no advantage there.
Cheaper Prices on books from non-Agency Model Publishers. Same price on Agency Model Publishers’ books.
Wider range of titles. Kindle Store has 450,000 titles while iBooks has 60,000 (30,000 of which are free public domain titles). Kindle for iPad app sort of negates this advantage.
Readable in direct sunlight.
We don’t know what sort of apps we’ll get in the Kindle Store - However, they might make the Kindle better.
Kindle vs iPad – Which is the better eReader?
Let’s consider the reading experience on both devices and the major factors that go into making a great eReader.
Please note that we’re considering books – if you’re buying an eReader primarily for newspapers and textbooks you should stick to the iPad.
Getting Books - A tie. It’s easy to get books on both.
Cheap Books – Kindle wins because it will have lower prices (except for Agency Model books).
Reading Books – The Kindle’s eInk screen is better for reading.
Price – Kindle easily wins.
Screen Quality - iPad has an excellent quality screen and is bigger at 9.7″. eInk is better for reading. iPad wins.
Color – iPad has color. Kindle doesn’t.
Touch and Multi-touch – iPad wins.
Portability – More compact size and better battery life make the Kindle the winner.
Reference and surfing the web for information – iPad wins as it has a better browser and you can see a page at a time.
Store and Software – All the various Stores and software are available as iPad apps. iPad wins.
Ease of Use – This is a tie.
Content Portability – Both Apple and Amazon use proprietary technology. iPad has apps from all stores so it wins.
Free Internet Access – Only on the Kindle and also includes free Whispernet in 100+ countries.
Text to Speech feature – Tie as both have it.
Adding notes – iPad’s iBooks doesn’t allow notes (neither does Kindle for iPad). Kindle does allow notes.
Reading in sunlight – Kindle wins.
Based on these 16 reading related features we have the Kindle and the iPad almost in a tie - Kindle wins 7 areas, iPad wins 6, and they tie in 3 areas.
The Kindle wins overall because it wins in some of the most important areas – price, cheap books, readability of the screen, and portability.
Please weigh the factors according to what you value and consider essential to reading.
A few factors that might be important to you (although they aren’t strictly to do with reading) -
Looks – The iPad wins.
Doing things other than reading – iPad wins.
Kindle vs iPad – Recommendation
This Kindle vs iPad Review arrives at quite a straightforward conclusion -
If you want a device optimized for reading or price is a priority then the clear choice is the Kindle.
If you want a device that does a lot of things well, including reading, then the iPad is the clear choice.
The $499 WiFi iPad makes it very accessible (do factor in the price of data plans if you get the 3G iPad).
Kindle vs iPad is an easy decision because these are very different devices built for two distinct sets of customers.
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