I prefer iBooks, but Kindle seems cheaper and has more titles. Just curious to hear which you use and why. I think I'll likely have some books for each, but will lean toward iBooks.
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Do you use iBooks or Kindle?
- Thread starter miamialley
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I like iBooks more in terms of appearance and organization but I have a Kindle too, so I think the Kindle app will get more use in the end for me.
I still like the Kindle a lot more for reading anything without a chart or diagram, and that's rare so the Kindle gets more reading love.
I still like the Kindle a lot more for reading anything without a chart or diagram, and that's rare so the Kindle gets more reading love.
Entirely Kindle. At the moment, the selection in the Kindle store dwarfs what's available in the iBooks store. That's the deciding factor for me. It's also nice to know that Amazon is not tied to any one platform. My books are still available in the unlikely and unthinkable event that I happen to pick up an Android or WebOS tablet at some point in the distant future.
I export my school books to PDF then view in iBooks. Only gripe is that it goes by total page #'s and not actual PDF standard numbers i ii iii iv v vi 1 should not count as page #'s they should be just i of 360 or ii of 360 not 1 of 367 etc. Kind of messes up going to a "page number"
For new books I'm buying I use Kindle exclusively. Without a desktop app, iBooks is too limited for my needs.
For public domain/DRM-free books and PDFs, I use iBooks. I love the page turning animation. Wish Kindle would do that. Glad Google Books does.
For public domain/DRM-free books and PDFs, I use iBooks. I love the page turning animation. Wish Kindle would do that. Glad Google Books does.
Kindle.
I can read a kindle book on virtually anything with a screen. An iBook can be viewed on only on iOS devices.
I can also browse/purchase books on my desktop or laptop if I want.
iBooks needs a desktop app (at least on the mac) and a store that can be accessed via a desktop.
I can read a kindle book on virtually anything with a screen. An iBook can be viewed on only on iOS devices.
I can also browse/purchase books on my desktop or laptop if I want.
iBooks needs a desktop app (at least on the mac) and a store that can be accessed via a desktop.
i'm buying in ibooks exclusively. i love having an app that can read pdf and epub natively, as i'm bringing ~1.4gb of books with me. (not sure if kindle can do pdf now...)
I voted other. What I do is buy from Amazon (kindle), then remove the DRM and convert to ePub, and read in iBooks.
I jumped on the Kindle bandwagon before iBooks came out, so I found no need to throw books between the two apps. I thought there was enough ebook fragmentation before that, then Apple comes along with its own DRM just to add another freakin' monkey wrench in it all.
100% Kindle, except for Winnie the Pooh. 
I do 90% of my reading on my Kindle (original, then Kindle 3), but occasional snippets on my phone while I'm out. All my e-Cookbooks are on Kindle for PC on the laptop in the kitchen, and my tech books are on my laptop at work.
Can't do any of that (except for the odd page or two on the iPhone) with iBooks.
I do 90% of my reading on my Kindle (original, then Kindle 3), but occasional snippets on my phone while I'm out. All my e-Cookbooks are on Kindle for PC on the laptop in the kitchen, and my tech books are on my laptop at work.
Can't do any of that (except for the odd page or two on the iPhone) with iBooks.
Kindle, because I think using the iPad in the NYC subway system or in public seems just a bit dangerous, and using the iPad to read outdoors or at the beach is pretty much useless. Plus I can read books on my android phone if I only have that with me.
iBooks visually looks great and is superior to Kindle, but that doesn't really make reading any better in my opinion.
iBooks visually looks great and is superior to Kindle, but that doesn't really make reading any better in my opinion.
Kindle. I used to have one but 2nd generation broke and GF left 3rd generation on plane (at the start of five day vacation trip, doh!). But by then I'd gotten into habit of buying books through Kindle so I would have them on iPad, Kindle, and computers. I will probably be buying third Kindle at some point.
Most books in Kindle, the selection is just better plus I can read the same book on different systems/platforms
most of the files in my iBooks are PDF files and some if the free stuff; there was really lots book I was interested in.
most of the files in my iBooks are PDF files and some if the free stuff; there was really lots book I was interested in.
right on.
reading on the kindle device is so much better than on the ipad. the reduced weight of the 2 makes it better, but its nothing compared to the feather weight of the kindle (at least to me).
being able to read the books on pretty much any platform is the other factor.
My local library (and it's quite common now) lends eBooks in the ePub format so I mostly use iBook or Stanza. That said I've never bought and eBook from the iBook store or Kindle Store.
Don't forget Nook. The Nook store has almost as many titles as the Kindle store, and the Nook iPad reader has better appearance customization, so is comparable to iBooks in appearance and comparable to Kindle in selection.
iBooks, but only for free books. I refuse to buy anything with DRM, because it's so likely it will bite me a few years down the road, and I don't like the idea of buying the same thing twice because the DRM made it unusable.
Besides that I also refuse to pay more for a digital copy of something than I pay for the physical version, especially when I can't give it to the charity store when I've finished with it, and I can't easily lend it to my friends and family.
Rant over, wake me up when there's a DRM-free ebook store open
Besides that I also refuse to pay more for a digital copy of something than I pay for the physical version, especially when I can't give it to the charity store when I've finished with it, and I can't easily lend it to my friends and family.
Rant over, wake me up when there's a DRM-free ebook store open
Kindle is much better for reading. Although I would really like for the Kindle to tell you how many pages are left in each chapter like iBooks does.
How do they lend a book in electronic format? It's been forever since I've been to a library. For years I've either bought or borrowed the books I've read.
How do they lend a book in electronic format? It's been forever since I've been to a library. For years I've either bought or borrowed the books I've read.