iBooks Got Me Back Into Reading

[SnowLeopard2008]

The Kindle is horrible. Why do I need to pay to see black and white? My eyes can see color for free.

I read stuff all day long on LCD screens. The Kindle is too small for any serious reading because most books are bigger than that 7 inch screen. For short novels, sure it'll do fine. I'd rather have an iPad. It does more than just reading. If I want to stop reading and take a break, I can watch a video, listen to music or a bunch of other things. I can also look online for notes about what I'm reading like spark notes or someones detailed analysis of the first chapter.

If you are using a computer, desktop or laptop and a cellphone made in the last few years, you should be fine with reading stuff on a LCD screen. You've been reading already. For beach readers, yea a Kindle with no glare is ideal. But I'm not paying $139 for that privilege. I'd rather have fun at the beach by surfing, building sand castles or hanging out etc.

 

[zhenya]

As a huge paper book fan, I'm honestly quite surprised at how much I like reading on the iPad. I've read a couple of thousand pages already and find no eyestrain problems at all. Things like the built-in dictionary and lack of a need for a backlight are major advances over a traditional book, (or the Kindle in the case of the backlight). Sure, I'll be glad when it's a bit lighter, but honestly, it's not like holding a paperback book open is easy, and the iPad is only marginally heavier (and easier to hold) than the average hard cover.

 

[AAPLaday]

The Kindle is horrible. Why do I need to pay to see black and white? My eyes can see color for free.

I read stuff all day long on LCD screens. The Kindle is too small for any serious reading because most books are bigger than that 7 inch screen. For short novels, sure it'll do fine. I'd rather have an iPad. It does more than just reading. If I want to stop reading and take a break, I can watch a video, listen to music or a bunch of other things. I can also look online for notes about what I'm reading like spark notes or someones detailed analysis of the first chapter.

If you are using a computer, desktop or laptop and a cellphone made in the last few years, you should be fine with reading stuff on a LCD screen. You've been reading already. For beach readers, yea a Kindle with no glare is ideal. But I'm not paying $139 for that privilege. I'd rather have fun at the beach by surfing, building sand castles or hanging out etc.

Spoken like someone who has never owned a Kindle.

 

[padma]

I just can't get into reading with the iPad, whether in Goodreader or iBooks. Something about having a real book keeps my attention, where if I'm reading on the iPad I quickly lose focus...not as in I want to play a game or open another app, but I just can't get through the page.

Might try a Kindle for that reason, because I love the offer of a portable library.

 

[ScottNWDW]

Since getting my iPad, back in april when they came out, I have read more books through the iBooks, Kindle and Nook apps than I have in the past 7 years. Part of the reason is that the book is always with me, whether it be on my iPad or iPhone 4.

I usually bring my iPad to work and on breaks I now find myself reading. Before the iPad, I just did not want to carry a book around. The iPad is lighter and less bulky than most books.

I had the kindle app on my iPhone 3G before getting the iPad, but always felt the phone to be too small, but I did use it, just not as much. Once I got the iPad it felt more natural since the size was more like a real book.

I don't find the text to be jaggy or aliased at all as the OP stated.

 

[emw]

I'd agree that my reading has increased significantly - I've latched on to the Nook application since I'd received a B&N gift card, so financially it just made sense to me. Speaking of which, I'm still disappointed there's no rental option for books.

I can get a library book for free, so paying for an e-book that I'll generally read once seems like a bit of a waste. It certainly would be nice to have the option to "check out" a book for $.99 for a week or something.

 

[gnychis]

ibooks has me wizzing through angels and demons, a book i struggled to keep up with carrying around eveywhere with me. With it always with me now, it's amazing.

 

[JBazz]

I am suffering from iPad burn-out right now. I really dont even want to see the thing in my bag. I get like that sometimes with other devices (like my PSP). I can put them down and might not pick them back up again for several weeks.

But to date, I have never experienced burn-out with my Kindle. I have never been tired of it and I have had one for somewhere in the 2 year range. I still read it every day, even if it is just newspapers and blogs.