At a glance, pros and cons for reading electronic books on the Kindle and the iPad
By APMonday, March 29, 2010
E-book advantages on the Kindle and the iPad
If you’re choosing between a Kindle or an iPad for reading electronic books, you might keep in mind some advantages of both products.
Kindle:
— Lower price. ($259)
— Light weight. (10.2 ounces. The iPad is 1.5 pounds.)
— Can wirelessly download books any time, anywhere from Amazon’s Kindle Store without a monthly fee. The $499, entry-level iPad goes online only in Wi-Fi hot spots. Wireless connectivity anywhere requires an iPad that is $629 and up, plus a monthly service fee.
— Gray-scale “e-ink” screen that can be read in direct sunlight.
— Battery lasts up to a week with wireless connection on, or two weeks with it off.
iPad:
— LCD color touch screen is 9.7 inches diagonally, compared with 6 inches on the Kindle. That can give a more complete Web-surfing experience.
— It also functions as an iPod and video player.
— It can download music and videos from Apple’s iTunes Store and games and applications from its App Store — including e-reading apps from Apple and other companies, such as Amazon.
