A Brief Review of the Kindle and Ipad

The Amazon Kindle and Apple Ipad are changing the world of printed books and magazines, but for different reasons. After reading several books, magazines, and newspapers on these devices, I offer these observations and opinions:

Amazon Kindle
This is a dedicated reader that most closely duplicates the printed page. It requires an external light source to read the screen. For this reason, many claim it is less tiring to read for extended periods than a backlit screen, but I have not experienced any difference. Page refreshes are not obtrusive, and most Kindle books have an easily navigable table of contents. Kindle is not just a reader, but a platform where you can read your Amazon purchase on several devices, including the Ipad. For the frequent reader of books, the Kindle offers a comparable, but not superior book reading experience. Yes, having your entire library available to you at any moment on any device is a true convenience, but does not improve on the the experience that deep concentration on the printed word provides.

Apple IPad
With color, a robust browser, and wireless internet access, the IPad is a powerful device, and a price to prove it. With its own Apple bookstore as well as the Kindle app, the Ipad is a competitive book reader, but really shows its strengths with newspapers and magazines. Leading edge publishers are folding in podcasts, video, and reference links to support a rich and immediate multimedia experience. It is this interface that offers a superior experience to printed newspapers and magazines, and even television broadcasts.

I offer the following opinions. Printed books, and printed book publishers and printers will be affected less in the near term by the e-book readers. Book reading is a deep thought activity that is ruined by jumping from text to links and back again. Book reading is for diving, not surfing.

Newspapers and magazines are more suited to the surfing and Ipad experience. A proper image in a magazine or newspaper can be faithfully reproduced on an Ipad and communicates a great deal about the particular story. Tapping that image to get embedded text, sound, and video is easily done with the Ipad. The Economist is a great example of a weekly magazine that has embraced the capabilities of the Ipad device.

We are a long way from the last word on ebooks.