Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Kindle or iPad for reading books?

KINDLE or iPad?
OMG, I am amazed at how many people ask me this question.
That's like me saying, "Shall I have coffee or breakfast?" Or, should I get the brown Fryes or the black ones? Those who have peered into my shoe closet know the answer to that.
The kindle is light, easy to read, and provides very few distractions to the words on the "page". Yes, you can fiddle with it, change the text size, listen through earphones if the book you are reading has text-to-speech enabled, search and buy stuff from the kindle store, etc., but it's really a small, light way to carry around an infinite number of words. Since it's not back lit like the iPad, it is easy on the eyes. But in real life, I read my kindle books on the iPad most of the time, and sold my kindle since my techno-bling purse just couldn't carry it all. But if I get up to stretch, or the book is too intense, I play a game of Scrabble, or look to see what those pesky Republicans are up to on the NY Times app. I check my email, maybe even log into my computer in the other room to get a file. No wonder it takes my 10 times longer to finish a book than if I had the actual book in hand, or my kindle.

So here it is:
Kindle pros: light, easy on the eyes, seamless download, enough customization to personalize, no distractions. Wifi version, $139
Kindle cons: Another machine, no distractions.

iPad for reading books pros: All in one, no need to carry around 2 machines, the ability to use other book reading programs also, can listen to music while reading, and so much more
iPad for reading books cons: Heavy! Many  distractions, expensive if all you want to do is read. Screen is hard on the eyes for some, text can look frayed.

BTW, this is not a discussion about how we are overtaken by technology and should use our public library and how the feel of a page between your fingers is part of the reading experience.
I mean, d-uh.

2 comments:

  1. This whole e-book platform business is driving us librarians to distraction. The providers just don't think in terms of a lending model. Amazon is being especially poopy-headed about it. We're ready to jump on board, but they are making it really, really hard. Reminds me of the whole betamax - vhs war, only to the tenth power.

    Bleah, I want them ALL.

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  2. Yes, when we face a transition to new technologies, it seems that there is much corporate battle over who gets to own what. While Amazon, Apple Barnes and Noble, etc. battle it out, authors apparently own their work less and less....All while we readers wait.

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