Kindle vs. iPad

Over the past year, I have used the Kindle as my sole device for books and newspapers. Over the course of this time, people have stopped me to ask how I like the device. "I love it," I'll say. But recently people have been asking if I've thought about getting an iPad instead. There are several reasons why I have not thought seriously about getting an iPad yet. As we're going down the pros and cons, keep in mind, entry cost for Kindle is $139 and entry cost for iPad is $499.

The Kindle and iPad differ in one very large and specific way: the screen that is used to display text: Kindle uses E-ink technology, and iPad uses a standard LCD screen. An LCD screen is just like your computer screen, a pixel is shown a certain color and a light shines behind it to illuminate it. This allows you to see multiple colors and read the screen in the dark. In contrast, the Kindle uses e-ink which uses pixels (same as the iPad) that only have two sides, white and black. This allows the page to "change" but keep the same "visual texture" as a real book. No light is shined behind the pixel, so external light (like a lightbulb) is needed.

A benefit of having the iPad screen is that you can read it in the dark, but, like a computer monitor, if you read it a long time, your eyes can get strained by the light. If you want to read longer, the Kindle replicates a book perfectly and allows a user to read for as long as they would normally for a book. The only catch: you need to have a light.

Now, I use my Kindle for books and newspaper subscription. The kindle comes with a 3g internet subscription with AT&T (which is free) that allows you to download books from the online store wherever you may be. In addition to buying books, if you have a newspaper subscription, a new edition of the paper is delivered wirelessly every morning to your device. It is very convenient. Most books are $9.99, including books that are only out in hardcover. If you think that most hardcover books are $25, this is a great deal.

The iPad's bookstore also sells books mostly for $9.99. For magazines or papers that use more diagrams and color pictures, the iPad is better for these circumstances. The iPad is also a great device for internet browsing and things besides reading.

I have thought about purchasing an iPad for my kitchen as a recipe device. Video recipes and color pictures of herbs and spices would really work for my uses, I think. Right now, though, most of my internet browsing can be done easily with my computer or my smart phone, so those uses are redundant with an iPad. I also can't get past the perfect size of the Kindle for reading; the iPad is almost 33% bigger than my Kindle.

The Kindle is a perfect device for those who want to use it just for reading. If you want more internet accessibility and applications for other uses, the iPad would be more of your taste. But remember, for reading in the sun, the iPad has terrible glare; for reading at night, the Kindle needs a light.