Upon researching this article, I was surprised to see how many e-readers are actually on the market. Sony and Barnes & Noble are comparative options but it would seem that the latest Kindle is considered the best by many. That is, until you try and stack it up against the iPad.
What exactly is an e-reader? It’s an electronic device that allows you to read a book you’ve downloaded to it. The true, e-readers use a special technology called e-ink, which is the defining difference between reading a book from an e-reader and reading a book from your iPad or laptop. E-ink is a liquid substance that requires very little battery power and can be read in bright light unlike a computer screen.
E-ink gives you an almost true book experience – it’s just gray scale, no colour. Other advantages are that you can type notes, it is light, it stores thousands of books, it is very portable, it is reasonably priced, it has a PDF reader, Wi-Fi, read-to-me and much more.
Some studies have shown that e-ink reduces the eye strain experienced when using a computer or iPad. Kindle is not currently available for purchase in New Zealand (you can order one from overseas easily); therefore there is limited support if required.
The iPad is bright and colourful making it ‘prettier’ to read from and has almost countless functions. It can do all that Kindle can, however it is heavier and requires more power. It also holds less battery life and is several hundred dollars more expensive.
Before you rush out and purchase either I suggest doing some in-depth research into each device, as there are pitfalls with all devices dependent on your requirements. All in all if you are looking for a device to just read books from then Kindle is worth the investment. However, if you want more and are prepared to spend more money, then iPad would be the way to go.