Anyone who knows me is aware of the fact that I love gadgets. So when my husband called from the States to say that he had bought an iPad, I was estatic. The slightly obsessed owner of an iPhone (aren't all iPhone owners worryingly over-attached to their devices) since arrival in Geneva, I waited impatiently for his return. I already have a Kindle, bought earlier this year so I thought that a comparison of the two gadgets would perhaps be helpful for anyone currently considering which of the two devices would be best for their wishes.
The set up was extremely easy, connect to computer, register the Kindle, download a book or two and off you go. Since I already had a Kindle account from using my iPhone Kindle application, the books that I had already purchased were wirelessly transferred.
Amazon offers over 670 000 books, newspapers and magazines. The newspaper and magazine offer is interesting for those living overseas, as you can have your favourite reading material delivered wirelessly every morning, wherever you are. Obviously. it is not the same as reading a newspaper as it is black/white but you can keep up to date with the news from home easily.
Reading on the Kindle is like reading a book, the screen is not backlit (unlike the iPad) so you can read a book even in the sunshine, on the beach. The only drawback with this is that you cannot read in the dark, or in low light.
Up to 3500 books can be stored on the new Kindle and if you leave the wifi off then you should be able to go for a month without recharging. This is an improvement on the old Kindle that I have, which has to be recharged more often, but it is still fine for reading for several days, eg. on holiday.
There is an “experimental browser” on the Kindle which to be honest is pretty useless. I tried it a couple of times but soon gave up. It was so slow and unwieldy.
Otherwise the Kindle is very easy to use. Books can be downloaded directly on to the device, or via Amazon.com – which is slightly easier to navigate. I like the fact that the Kindle connects to the US or UK store, meaning you can buy books in English.
So to the iPad. It will set you back a good bit more than the Kindle, the cheapest version is CHF 649 if you buy it here in Switzerland, a bit less expensive if you bring it back from the States, but of course you will have to pay tax on it.
That is a lot more expensive – so what do you get more?
A lot. The main attraction is the browser, which is very easy to use. The touch screen keyboard is surprisingly easy to use, I can even touch type on it. I also like the instant availability of the browser. No waiting for the computer to power up, just switch on and you are ready to roll. Great if you want to have a quick browse of your favourite websites while you have a quick cup of tea, or to check the address of the museum or park that you wish to go to.
If you are a person who likes games (or have children) then the iPad is great too. I kept my two kids occupied at a recent ladies lunch by passing over the iPad (while hissing at them not to break it or they would not be seeing any pocket money in the next decade).
The famous Apple Apps make the iPad fun to use. Whether you want to be informed of the weather forecast for the next couple of days, track your period (really!) or play the piano, there is an app for it.
The eReader on the iPad is somewhat predictably called iBooks. The basic idea is the same, you download a book, this time only through the iBooks app not on the computer, and pay via your iTunes account. When I first started using iTunes, I was registered through the German website which means that the majority of the books offered in German which although I can read, I prefer to read in English.
There are books in English but they are difficult to find. The possibility of browsing “English Books” does not exist. Amazon do offer different content in the different countries, and there are about half as many books available as on Amazon. To get around this, I downloaded the Kindle app on my iPad and have synched it with my Amazon account. This means I have the advantages of the larger selection, easier search, more English titles. It also magically synchronises between the iPad, Kindle and iPhone so that I am never without a book, and for this bookworm that is a truly fantastic thing.
I found using iBooks similar to using the Kindle, as I mentioned the only disadvantage is it is not easy to use in the sunshine. Due to the high price, I doubt very much if I would risk taking it to the beach anyway.
In comparison to the Kindle, the iPad connects to the mobile phone network via a SIM card, or through wifi so if you are not home you will need the more expensive 3GS model otherwise you have to search for a cafe with wifi.
The iPad is an all-singing, all dancing alternative to a buying a second computer. It is not suitable as the only computer in the household really, as it is missing a USB port and Adobe Flash capabilities, and you have to set it up and synch it through iTunes. I imagine that the iBook store will improve in time but at present Amazon is miles ahead so I would advise downloading the Kindle app.
The Kindle is a device for reading eBooks and doesn’t do much more than that. It is smaller than the iPad and a good deal lighter. Downloading books is free and can be done anywhere you have a mobile phone reception. It is of course a lot less expensive. If this is what you are looking for – a way to download and read books on the go and you do not need the browser or games – then it is the best option.
Smallest print size on the iPad
Smallest Print on the Kindle2
Largest print size iPad
Largest print size Kindle2
Keyboard on Kindle2
Accessing menu is slightly easier on iPad
Dark screen good for reading in the dark
so as not to disturb snoring husband
That's really useful, thanks. We are looking into getting one or the other for Eldest in order that she can read more grown up books in larger print - is increasing print size and font equally easy on both?
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