Newsweek.com runs a piece today about why the iPad has not yet killed the Kindle.
Six weeks ago, Seth Godin (one of our top business thinkers) said it was time for Amazon to panic about the iPad, and price the Kindle at $49.
In response to Godin, in early June, I wrote that Amazon should not panic. Far from it. Amazon should act like the market leader in digital reading, and push its advantages over the iPad.
See, the iPad is a digital Swiss Army knife — a jack of all trades. It’s good at email, web browsing, photo viewing, movie watching, and lots of other things. And it also lets people read electronic books.
The Kindle, conversely, is a big, sharpened knife, with a single focus: book reading.
Book readers — book enthusiasts — aren’t buying the iPad to read books. They’re buying the Kindle.
Here’s another, bolder, prediction: Apple is simply focused on too many things — from music labels to computers to mobile applications to antenna problems to its new mobile ad platforms — to get great at electronic books.
The Kindle, meanwhile, has the entire focus of Amazon.com. It’s the only product they make!
The iPad will never be better than the Kindle at digital book reading.
Given each products’ circumstances, it’s just not possible.
Alex L. Goldfayn is a marketing and branding consultant, who works with the top consumer electronics manufacturers in the world. He is eminently reachable: Contact him here.
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The Kindle is smaller and lighter than an iPad, it costs a lot less, and the battery life is far superior. The “Swiss army knife” analogy is right on target. My Swiss army knife has a corkscrew, but that’s not my first choice when I want to open a bottle of wine.
I have 4 iPads, I would never buy a kindle, I like Color!
I have a Kindle and an iPhone [now 4] and I end up reading most of my Kindle-edition books on my phone via the Kindle for the iPhone free app. I always have my phone with me, not always the Kindle. I also use the Kindle for the PC free app to read a bit when sitting at the computer. The “magic” though, of having all three locations know where I am in the book at all times is dependent on the actual Kindle, so it is important to have even if I don’t use the device that much. It is incredible for reading on the treadmill, though, since I can boost the font size to a very large size that’s comfy for reading from a distance while bouncing a bit. No dummies Amazon!
Neither. The iPad screen isn’t as sharp, isn’t good in sunlight, and costs far too much. The Kindle – I don’t think I’m going to enjoy the latest issue of Automobile without color photos, and I can’t pass along or resell titles as I can do with physical books. And with physical books, if I’m reading two or three books at a time, I can leave on at home, one in the car, not having to remember to drag something with me to make sure I have something to read. What has to change is the ridiculous $20 (or more!) for a hardcover – price every title under ten bucks, and people will be more willing to take a chance on an author they haven’t read before.
I will allow your argument that the Kindle is a better book than the iPad. I think you are missing the mark however because in the case of the iPad, second best is pretty darn good and it can do SO MUCH more! I’ve only had my iPad two weeks and knowing I would like it, I’m amazed by how much I LOVE it. This little thing has changed the way I live and work. Call me smitten.
Another point over the iPad is that the Kindle uses electronic ink, which will allow you to read a lot more without your eyes being strained, bloodshot, etc.
The iPad, for obvious reasons, will never have an e-ink screen. Kindle’s not going anywhere.
I have had a 2nd generation Kindle for over a year and I absolutely love it. Wouldn’t trade it for Nook, Ipad or Sony. For a diehard book worm like me, the Kindle is perfect. Currently, Amazon has over 675,000 titles to choose from – there are many free books (especially classics). There are many books where you can load a free sample (usually the first chapter or so) if you’re trying to decide whether or not you want to buy the book. It’s the perfect tool for travelling because I never run out of books to read and don’t even to move anywhere to get my next book – it’s just a click away! Usually have a dozen books on standby! It is so simple – just like reading a book should be.
I think that the biggest difference between the two is that the Kindle offers free cellular connectivity. I currently have a Kindle 2, and I would love an iPad, but refuse to pay the outrageous prices for cellular connectivity. As long as Amazon keeps up with this approach, they have nothing to worry about with Apple.
Why do I have to use an iPad OR a Kindle? I’ve got both. I take my Kindle when I want to read a book around the pool and I use my iPad when I want to read a magazine or news paper at the kitchen table.
The Kindle is a superior ebook reader, the iPad is a superior web browser/email client/game device.
I say they are both far inferior to B&N’s Nook.
Sure the kindle is clearly superior to the ipad in terms of ebook reading, but when compared to the nook, the kindle falls short.
I mean, what’s the point of a physical keyboard on a e-reader? That unnecessary hardware just annoys me.
The Kindle ad showing the woman reading her Kindle poolside, with the iPad guy struggling with glare, is very effective. They play into the other ads for the Kindle showing people reading at the beach. If you are the kind of person who does a lot of reading outside, then hey, the Kindle’s electronic ink is going to work much better for you.
However, it’s Fall, and these ads are kind of late… people aren’t going to be doing much book reading at the beach for a while. I live in Southern California, and even here, the beaches have already emptied out. People who say the Kindle is better for reading outdoors than the iPad may be correct, but that is less relevant now we are entering Fall and Winter…
I brought iPad specifically to read, with advantage of browsing web if mood takes me. Definitely prefer one device to two, and have kindle app loaded for access thru amazon.. 🙂
I brought the Kindle 2 during the spring of o9′, but when my husband brought me an ipad this past July I decided to give the Kindle to my mom, since I find reading on my ipad a much enjoyable experience. I’m an indoor reader and the Kindle would strain my eyes, even though I have 20/20 vision. I also find that the ipad opens up various book apps faster than it would take to power on the Kindle. Not to mention there are many more ebook book and custom reading options available on the ipad. However, I still think that at $139 the Kindle is a fine device; it’s really more up to individual preference. Both have their advantages and disadvantages.