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Owning a ipad 2 and kindle
- Thread starter Narco220
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I have both and really like both. I had the Kindle first back in January but then returned within the 90 Return window at the store I got it from. I returned it because the new school semester started and wasn't using it much anymore, and I was also planning to get the iPad 2 when it was released. I got the iPad 2 on release day and used it as an e-reader, using the Kindle app since I already had a few books I needed to read from having the Kindle. Then in August I decided to get a new Kindle since I was getting eye strain and tired of holding the iPad 2 at night to read in bed. Still use both, but of course since school started getting busy I haven't used the Kindle as much as the iPad since I use it to look stuff up and use the Zinio app to read magazines in down time.
I don't own a Kindle but I do own a Sony Reader. Actually I had the Sony Reader before the iPad even existed, or at least was known to exist outside of Cupertino.
I definitely think there is room for both an iPad and an e-ink based e-Reader in one's gadget artillery. It's not overkill, especially if you read outside of the home. The e-Readers do a fantastic job at the pool, beach, park, or anywhere outside. They are also easier to "curl" up with at night where the iPad is still to big and clumsy. I love my iPad2, just not for book reading. Magazine reading, def. Thumbing through a PDF product manual or how-to guide, absolutely. But the latest Grisham novel, not so much. That is clearly e-Reader territory.
I definitely think there is room for both an iPad and an e-ink based e-Reader in one's gadget artillery. It's not overkill, especially if you read outside of the home. The e-Readers do a fantastic job at the pool, beach, park, or anywhere outside. They are also easier to "curl" up with at night where the iPad is still to big and clumsy. I love my iPad2, just not for book reading. Magazine reading, def. Thumbing through a PDF product manual or how-to guide, absolutely. But the latest Grisham novel, not so much. That is clearly e-Reader territory.
The only reason I won't own both a Kindle and iPad 2 is b/c I'm too damned cheap to fork over for both. So, I view the price of a Kindle as a discount towards the price of a iPad 2. In my retarded math blinded by slovenly need for a new iPad 2.
The value of the Kindle really depends on how much you read. If you are a light reader, then even if it is a better reading experience (a subjective judgment), you'll be better off without the Kindle. It's just one more gadget, and you probably won't carry it around anyhow.
But, if you are a heavy reader, I think it is worth it. I have the DX and the iPad 2. I am pleased with both devices. However, even though I enjoy the DX, I tend to read on the iPad, because that is what is always with me. I tend to use the DX at home.
Agree with those who say it's not overkill. The e-readers are far superior at what they do, specifically with regards to outdoor reading, where the iPad is almost worthless.
I have both , and both get used fro reading. I like the sync ability between the two. If I only had an iPad, I'd rage at it's poor outdoor capabilites!
I have both , and both get used fro reading. I like the sync ability between the two. If I only had an iPad, I'd rage at it's poor outdoor capabilites!
I do all my reading on the iPad at the moment and find it a great experience. I hate duplication of gadgets where possible but I will be picking up a Kindle soon as I did a lot of beach/pool side reading on holiday and it was with a paper back. I would never use my iPad in that situation for two reasons - the glossy screen makes reading outdoors far too painful an experience and also the iPad is just too expensive a device to have on the beach. Otherwise though, the iPad is great in the house and especially in the evening with the controllable backlight.
What the heck, I'll play devil's advocate.
I have both, and my once beloved launch day Kindle 2 has seen virtually no use since I bought an iPad over a year ago. In fact, I couldn't justify upgrading to the Kindle 3, even with my desire for the "latest & greatest" because the K2 sits in a dock, ignored, 99% of the time, while I read plenty of books on the iPad--to the tune of up to 10 a month sometimes.
I don't find the iPad too heavy for reading, because I'm sensible enough to prop it on something--which, BTW, I also did with hardcovers and large paperbacks. I don't find it awkward to read in bed, for the same reason, and unlike the Kindle, I can read it at night without supplemental lighting.
As for e-ink being superior for "serious readers", well, a lot of people actually hate it. My husband is one of them. He had zero interest in ebooks until he got an iPad, more than a year after I started reading on the Kindle. And he reads more than I do.
To me, you're a good candidate for an ereader IF:
-You hate/can't tolerate backlit screens. (The Kindle app and others have a multitude of settings that make this a non issue for many.)
-You're the type of person who used to carry a paperback everywhere, you don't carry your iPad full time, and reading on your phone for brief periods won't cut it. (Personally, I use the phone, and have read whole books on that as well when I was too engrossed in the book to switch to a bigger device.)
-You like to read outside in full sun. (The iPad pretty much sucks at this. But I live in a cloudy climate. I read outside without a problem and just turn the brightness up.)
Otherwise, I'd say at least give reading on the iPad alone a try.
I have both, and my once beloved launch day Kindle 2 has seen virtually no use since I bought an iPad over a year ago. In fact, I couldn't justify upgrading to the Kindle 3, even with my desire for the "latest & greatest" because the K2 sits in a dock, ignored, 99% of the time, while I read plenty of books on the iPad--to the tune of up to 10 a month sometimes.
I don't find the iPad too heavy for reading, because I'm sensible enough to prop it on something--which, BTW, I also did with hardcovers and large paperbacks. I don't find it awkward to read in bed, for the same reason, and unlike the Kindle, I can read it at night without supplemental lighting.
As for e-ink being superior for "serious readers", well, a lot of people actually hate it. My husband is one of them. He had zero interest in ebooks until he got an iPad, more than a year after I started reading on the Kindle. And he reads more than I do.
To me, you're a good candidate for an ereader IF:
-You hate/can't tolerate backlit screens. (The Kindle app and others have a multitude of settings that make this a non issue for many.)
-You're the type of person who used to carry a paperback everywhere, you don't carry your iPad full time, and reading on your phone for brief periods won't cut it. (Personally, I use the phone, and have read whole books on that as well when I was too engrossed in the book to switch to a bigger device.)
-You like to read outside in full sun. (The iPad pretty much sucks at this. But I live in a cloudy climate. I read outside without a problem and just turn the brightness up.)
Otherwise, I'd say at least give reading on the iPad alone a try.
i have a kindle 2 and own an ipad 1 and an iphone 4. I have read on them all, initially had my kindle prior to the ipad, it was amazing bit of kit and i realised why my baggage is so often over the limit when i go away - loads of heavy books for me to go through usually! it worked brilliantly in the maldivian sun and had only 1 issue, that was it was slow to load the menu (i'll explain why in a minute).
So the ipad comes out and i HAVE to get the new shiny! i use ibooks and love it, also there's a kindle app brilliant! My kindle stays in a drawer gathering dust for a few months.
Commuting becomes an issue with me using the ipad, i get paranoid that people are looking at my shiny ready to pounce and steal it my back catalog of .txt books aren't getting read, i need to convert em and put them through itunes, i'm not really keen on the bookshelf look on ibooks and i nearly give myself concussion one night reading with it in bed and falling asleep.
Ok time to try the kindle again - i frakking love this device, how come it's so much faster at loading the menus? Ohhh i've only put 25 books on it not the 300+ .txt books in my collection.
So in closing lol
Kindle is great for reading books, the kindle store is great, value isn't too bad now, it's much lighter than the ipad, you can put loads of books onto it (i limit mine to maximum of 50 at a given time just because i don't want it to struggle, if you want more it will still work - and lets be honest who will read 50 novels on a standard holiday anyway), the e-ink display is a pleasure to read, and it's killer feature - no matter what type of sun is shining down on you/the kindle you can still read it perfectly, no glare, no reflections, just pure reading fun.
The ipad, i love it for what it does i love watching videos, surfing the net, presenting slideshows (did this for the first time this week, loved the geekiness!) playing apps and reading the occasional book.
This is why i will probably own both for some time, i'm even thinking of waiting to see if the K3 drops in price and i'll buy it so if my K2 gets damaged i have my spare.
To the OP i would say look at the kindle, ask a friend who owns one - hopefully you do know someone they seem to be everywhere these days - and play with it for a few hours, get a feel for the page turn effect, look at the contrast try reading a book sample, as it is with all devices it's personal preference, my wife hates the ipad (dunno why!) and loves her kindle 3 and a friend of mine adores his ipad and refuses to see my side of things regarding the kindle.
Hope this helps
So the ipad comes out and i HAVE to get the new shiny! i use ibooks and love it, also there's a kindle app brilliant! My kindle stays in a drawer gathering dust for a few months.
Commuting becomes an issue with me using the ipad, i get paranoid that people are looking at my shiny ready to pounce and steal it
my back catalog of .txt books aren't getting read, i need to convert em and put them through itunes, i'm not really keen on the bookshelf look on ibooks and i nearly give myself concussion one night reading with it in bed and falling asleep.Ok time to try the kindle again - i frakking love this device, how come it's so much faster at loading the menus? Ohhh i've only put 25 books on it not the 300+ .txt books in my collection.
So in closing lol
Kindle is great for reading books, the kindle store is great, value isn't too bad now, it's much lighter than the ipad, you can put loads of books onto it (i limit mine to maximum of 50 at a given time just because i don't want it to struggle, if you want more it will still work - and lets be honest who will read 50 novels on a standard holiday anyway), the e-ink display is a pleasure to read, and it's killer feature - no matter what type of sun is shining down on you/the kindle you can still read it perfectly, no glare, no reflections, just pure reading fun.
The ipad, i love it for what it does i love watching videos, surfing the net, presenting slideshows (did this for the first time this week, loved the geekiness!) playing apps and reading the occasional book.
This is why i will probably own both for some time, i'm even thinking of waiting to see if the K3 drops in price and i'll buy it so if my K2 gets damaged i have my spare.
To the OP i would say look at the kindle, ask a friend who owns one - hopefully you do know someone they seem to be everywhere these days - and play with it for a few hours, get a feel for the page turn effect, look at the contrast try reading a book sample, as it is with all devices it's personal preference, my wife hates the ipad (dunno why!) and loves her kindle 3 and a friend of mine adores his ipad and refuses to see my side of things regarding the kindle.
Hope this helps
I own both a Kindle and an iPad 2. I owned the kindle first, but I still use it for a couple of different scenarios.
1: Outdoor reading. If I'm going on a vacation and know that I will be outside quite a bit, I bring the kindle along with me. As much I enjoy reading on the iPad (and I prefer the iBooks app to the Kindle app as well), the iPad just doesn't work that well in direct sunlight, especially if I have sunglasses on. So the Kindle comes with me on those trips so I can continue to read.
2: Newspapers. I subscribe to the New York Times on my kindle and, last time I checked, I can only get that subscription on the kindle device itself. However, assuming that Newstand does what I think it's supposed to do, I'll be cancelling my kindle subscriptions once iOS 5 comes out.
So honestly, unless you plan to do a lot of outdoor reading, or just hate starting at an LCD screen to read, I wouldn't bother with a kindle.
1: Outdoor reading. If I'm going on a vacation and know that I will be outside quite a bit, I bring the kindle along with me. As much I enjoy reading on the iPad (and I prefer the iBooks app to the Kindle app as well), the iPad just doesn't work that well in direct sunlight, especially if I have sunglasses on. So the Kindle comes with me on those trips so I can continue to read.
2: Newspapers. I subscribe to the New York Times on my kindle and, last time I checked, I can only get that subscription on the kindle device itself. However, assuming that Newstand does what I think it's supposed to do, I'll be cancelling my kindle subscriptions once iOS 5 comes out.
So honestly, unless you plan to do a lot of outdoor reading, or just hate starting at an LCD screen to read, I wouldn't bother with a kindle.
I can't read books on my iPad. I don't know why, but I can't relax with it. I'm always checking emails/twitter/new sites etc! I use a Sony PRS 300 to read novels, and it feels like reading a book in a way that the iPad just doesn't.
I'm solidly in the reading on the iPad camp, but if anyone wants a Kindle, the factory refurbs on the $115 model are $85.
I only find eye strain a problem on the iPad if the brightness is too high, you can turn the brightness right down and the text is still legible.
I've tried the Kindle and iBooks apps, but prefer using Stanza, it handles most formats of ebooks and has a great night viewing mode, white text on a black background, which gives me no eye strain at all.
I find myself using this mode all of the time. It also works really well in bright sunlight.
I've tried the Kindle and iBooks apps, but prefer using Stanza, it handles most formats of ebooks and has a great night viewing mode, white text on a black background, which gives me no eye strain at all.
I find myself using this mode all of the time. It also works really well in bright sunlight.
I have both but now that I just recently purchased my iPad2 I am considering listing my Kindles for sale dice I haven't used them, I've Judy been reading in my iPad.
Please post a link. From my searches, the lowest (at amazon) for refurbs is $99. If I can find these at $85, then, I may get a couple for friends.
I love my ipad2 for everything except reading books. As far as I'm concerned you can't read a book comfortably on an iPad (eyestrain, too big, screen not suitable outdoors etc). It's fine for articles, newspapers and web pages etc.
I have a kindle and it's perfect for reading on, it's designed specifically for it.
You can curl up in bed with a kindle and get absorbed into the book, you forget your even reading from a gadget, it's like a real book, I can't achieve this with the iPad.
I have a kindle and it's perfect for reading on, it's designed specifically for it.
You can curl up in bed with a kindle and get absorbed into the book, you forget your even reading from a gadget, it's like a real book, I can't achieve this with the iPad.
I own both, and see them as completely different devices.
The Kindle has no competition when it comes to reading ebooks.
Conversely the iPad 2 really has no competition when it comes to tablets. I use the iPad for web browsing and it's the best for that purpose.
The Kindle has no competition when it comes to reading ebooks.
Conversely the iPad 2 really has no competition when it comes to tablets. I use the iPad for web browsing and it's the best for that purpose.
Seems I'm in a minority here.
For me the ipad reading is better than a real book.
I can increase the letters thus I can read more comfortable (I have good eye sight, and don't have glasses), I can adjust the brightness to be more or less bright than a real book page - see again the picture
I don't get distracted by emails because they I don't have notifications enabled. And sometimes if I read a real book, I have to turn on computer to search for a word on google or wikipedia. But with ipad is easier.
I still plan to read on a kindle. When I have very strong sources of light, the glare gets annoying on an ipad.
As I said reading on a real book is nice when you don't have the options mentioned above - adjust letters size, brightness, constant uniform page color/brightness.
For me the ipad reading is better than a real book.
I can increase the letters thus I can read more comfortable (I have good eye sight, and don't have glasses), I can adjust the brightness to be more or less bright than a real book page - see again the picture
I don't get distracted by emails because they I don't have notifications enabled. And sometimes if I read a real book, I have to turn on computer to search for a word on google or wikipedia. But with ipad is easier.
I still plan to read on a kindle. When I have very strong sources of light, the glare gets annoying on an ipad.
As I said reading on a real book is nice when you don't have the options mentioned above - adjust letters size, brightness, constant uniform page color/brightness.