# Kindle vs. Nook vs. iPad – Thoughts?



## Mike_WI (Feb 26, 2009)

*Kindle vs. Nook vs. iPad – Thoughts?*
updated: 8-3-10

*CNET – “Kindle vs. Nook vs. iPad: Which e-book reader should you buy” (7/6/10) - link*


*Amazon Kindle Links*
Amazon Kindle Store
Kindle (Wi-Fi, 6") - $139
Kindle (Free 3G + Wi-Fi, 6") - $189
-- Due to strong customer demand, Kindle is temporarily sold out. Order now to reserve your place in line. Orders are prioritized on a first come, first served basis. Orders placed today are expected to ship on or before September 4th.

Kindle DX (Free 3G, 9.7") - $379

?? – Extended (2yr) warranty, leather cover (+/- light)


*3rd Gen*
(as above)

*2nd Gen*


*1st Gen*


*Kindle Alternatives*
Apple iPad w/Kindle app
PRO: more like a netbook, laptop, apps
CON: expensive, heavy
Barnes & Noble
- nook Wi-Fi - $149
- nook 3G +Wi-Fi - $199
Aluratek Libre
Kobe eReader
Sony Reader
Entourage Edge
Alex eReader
Pandigital Novel


*Format converter*
Calibre


(I'll update with links as I find them, but wanted to get discussion started...)


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## madpoet (Jul 26, 2010)

Soooo.... I own all 3  2nd gen Kindle, a Nook, and an iPad. At the end of the day I do 90% of my reading on the iPad but that is because it's such a handy device in so many other ways. I can pop out and check my email, look up a map, play a game, whatever. It is heavier than the other two but you get used to it. If you have bad wrists though you will have problems. My mother can use a Kindle all day but an iPad with case kills her. I would heartily recommend the Wireless Kindle if that's the route you want to go. For the few extra bucks the free wireless connection is very nice. The Nook is ok but nothing special. The color cover browser is a nice touch but not something I care about. 

FYI, I rip all my books to my PC (or... liberate them from somewhere else) and use Calibre to convert to ePub. Drag/drop into iTunes and sync it up. Alternatively you can use the Calibre app. At the end of the day that is why the iPad rocks though. I can peruse every ebookstore and find the best price. Trust me, there have been plenty of times where I saved a buck using the Kindle app on the iPad over the iBook store. Or where one store had it in eBook and the other didn't. Yes, it's a pain to have 4 different libraries at times but it isn't that bad.


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## Mike_WI (Feb 26, 2009)

Thanks.
I'm leaning twoard the 3rd gen Kindle.
What do you think about the...
- Extended (2yr) warranty
- Kindle leather cover (+/- light)

Thanks,

Mike


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## madpoet (Jul 26, 2010)

The light can be essential. The backlighting on the iPad is one of the reasons it is so much more convenient for me. I have the leather cover, it's fine. Warranty is a tricky question. I had a friend who busted his Kindle 5 days out of warranty. He called in and they actually said "Well, you've been such a good customer we can overnight you a replacement free of charge." He'd bought like $600 worth of ebooks over the last year.


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## Mike_WI (Feb 26, 2009)

Roger roger.
I have 2 small kids, so I thought the warranty might be worth it!

Mike


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## Cujobob (Feb 12, 2008)

Best Buy has a few options to look at and get a feel for, personally, I'd go with an IPad though it's the most expensive. I love the touchscreen, the lighting is a big plus for me, and it's obviously useful as more than just an Ereader.


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## DaneJa (Dec 4, 2009)

I'm probably going to get the new Kindle when it comes out. I have an Evo 4g for internet if I need to look something up. I want a Kindle because it's as comfortable as reading a book and I don't have to keep a huge collection of heavy and space consuming books. For someone like me who has to move often, a book collection is a real pain. They pile up fast and I tend to go through them pretty quickly.

The only thing I'm worried about on it is how the Kindle handles PDFs. I don't want the DX because it's just too big for what I want, but at the same time I want to be able to read any PDF booklets I have. I don't think ePUBs work on the Kindle, so I can't just covert them. If it weren't for this dilemma, I may have bought a Kindle last generation. I know that PDFs work, but it presents them more or less as an image, so on the small Kindle screen that could be a problem.

EDIT: Sorry for raising an old thread, I just noticed when the last post was.


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## dvenardos (Sep 27, 2008)

I missed this thread. An ereader is at the top of my list. I went into Best Buy the other day and demoed the Nook. I don't think I could get used to the page delay on the eInk screens. You might want to demo one before buying. I don't like reading on LCDs so eInk is a big want item for me.


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## madpoet (Jul 26, 2010)

Page delay honestly isn't bad once you're reading the book. How it handles PDFs though sucks. I had to convert all of my pdfs to a native format. The problem with PDFs is that the scaling engine doesn't work right, so it can't just adjust the page like it does for ebooks. You can zoom in on the pdf itself but it makes reading hard. The DX screen size helps, but it still isn't great. Luckily they are easy to convert in most cases.

Honestly as much as I hated the idea of it (and I REALLY hated it) the iPad has been the single most useful computing device I have ever purchased. My problem is my wife keeps stealing it, which means she steals my ebook reader, email checker, and web browser all at the same time


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## dvenardos (Sep 27, 2008)

madpoet said:


> Honestly as much as I hated the idea of it (and I REALLY hated it) the iPad has been the single most useful computing device I have ever purchased. My problem is my wife keeps stealing it, which means she steals my ebook reader, email checker, and web browser all at the same time


You mean this thread. 
http://www.tweakcityaudio.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2436


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## madpoet (Jul 26, 2010)

No... that was some other Madpoet guy. What a loser he was, huh? 

But seriously...the iPad is cool. I hope other, cooler tablets come soon!


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## dvenardos (Sep 27, 2008)

It definitely has a lot of appeal. When we went into the Apple Store to play around with it I liked the apps, my son liked the games, and my daughter liked the full color books (she is the artist in the family). If they add the GPS to the wifi version I could see it making a really good GPS (easy to go back and forth from street view to overview map and actually be able to read the map).


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## DaneJa (Dec 4, 2009)

madpoet said:


> Page delay honestly isn't bad once you're reading the book. How it handles PDFs though sucks. I had to convert all of my pdfs to a native format. The problem with PDFs is that the scaling engine doesn't work right, so it can't just adjust the page like it does for ebooks. You can zoom in on the pdf itself but it makes reading hard. The DX screen size helps, but it still isn't great. Luckily they are easy to convert in most cases.
> 
> Honestly as much as I hated the idea of it (and I REALLY hated it) the iPad has been the single most useful computing device I have ever purchased. My problem is my wife keeps stealing it, which means she steals my ebook reader, email checker, and web browser all at the same time


How and what do you convert the PDFs to? Does it read like an ebook then?


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## engtaz (Jul 9, 2010)

I vote iPad. more versital.


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## madpoet (Jul 26, 2010)

DaneJa said:


> How and what do you convert the PDFs to? Does it read like an ebook then?


Native format for the Kindle (or whatever). Yes but the formatting gets weird sometimes depending on what you use and how the source is. I used Mobi Pocket Convertor to do it.


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## Chris Newton (Feb 12, 2008)

I have the same problem. My wife keeps stealing my iPad.

It's so stinking convenient the laptop really never leaves the desk anymore.

I prefer the Otterbox Defender for the case. Gives you the liberty to drop your 650+ investment without fear of breaking it at the cost of a bit more weight in your hands.

Email, Maps, Pictures, Calendering, PDF reader that can pull files remote from the office to the device in your hands in minutes, Citrix Client, Cisco VPN native connection, WebEx Meeting Attender, Video Player - list goes on. 

It doesn't replace the laptop fully. But it does replace the most common functions you'll need on the road or around the house.


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## One4yu2c (Oct 13, 2010)

The latest Kindle is pretty slick for an eBook reader. It feels the way a mobile device should -- light, intuitive, and easy to use. Page refreshes are fairly snappy, at least compared to the Nook (I'm basing that on what's probably an older firmware version of the Nook -- I don't own one, but have played with one previously). Battery life is excellent, at least for reading books. Surfing the Web or playing the handful of games available (Every Word and Shuffled Row are surprisingly addictive, and free) will drain it much quicker.

Apple's iPad is a different experience altogether. For strictly reading eBooks, the edge goes to the Kindle. It's considerably cheaper, you can view it in sunlight, and if you grab a book light you can also read it in the dark. By comparison, the iPad chokes in sunlight and there isn't a whole lot you can do about it.

If those aren't issues, reading on the iPad is "fun," for lack of a better term. Flipping pages better mimics the real thing, and if your needs go beyond just eBooks, it's no contest. I find myself using my iPad fairly often, from dinking around the Web to checking email from the couch. There are some decent games out there too. Productivity's pretty much a bust, but as an entertainment device, it excels (lack of Flash support notwithstanding).

There really isn't a best option between the Kindle/Nook and iPad, as they serve different purposes, with a little bit of overlap. The decision could get even harder very soon. Several tablets are in the pipeline, some of which are supposed to come out in time for the holidays, though I imagine none of these will do much better in the sunlight than the iPad.


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## fitzwaddle (Aug 25, 2010)

None of them, I don't know how to read. These are the only two sentences I know how to write too, I memorized them letter by letter.

LJKLl fsd 3fbhb


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## dvenardos (Sep 27, 2008)

Actually the Notion Adam will be available with the pixelqi screen that is an eink type non-lit display or a full color led. That is the bees knees for ebook readers.
http://notionink.wordpress.com/


One4yu2c said:


> The decision could get even harder very soon. Several tablets are in the pipeline, some of which are supposed to come out in time for the holidays, though I imagine none of these will do much better in the sunlight than the iPad.


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## One4yu2c (Oct 13, 2010)

dvenardos said:


> Actually the Notion Adam will be available...


The Notion Adam has looked promising since CES. It will be interesting to see if it comes out in late November as currently planned.


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## imported_alhull (Mar 4, 2009)

*Kindle Gen 3 Wifi/3G*

I bought one of the newest Kindles with the 3G capability. I love this reader. Super easy to download books from Amazon, and still pretty easy from other sites using the USB cable.

After I got the Kindle I ended up getting a new smartphone - a Verizon Samsung Fascinate (Galaxy S). It came with the Kindle app already loaded. I love that I can simply go to the "Manage my Kindle" page on Amazon and tell it to send any of my purchased books to my phone (free of course - no added costs). On my phone it is just like using an iPad - same swipe a page with your finger, etc.

Best part of all, if I'm reading to a further point in a book on the phone and then switch back to the Kindle, it synchronizes your last known reading location in the book.

I bought the add-on leather case (no light) for the Kindle and feel it is very well made, and very durable and protective of the Kindle.

Battery life on the Kindle is incredible - nearly a month between charges if you aren't running the net much. $189 is waaaaaaay cheaper than an iPad with it's monthly network costs. I'm getting nearly as much functionality from my Kindle and my Samsung phone.


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## monkeypimp (Sep 11, 2006)

alhull said:


> Battery life on the Kindle is incredible - nearly a month between charges if you aren't running the net much. $189 is waaaaaaay cheaper than an iPad with it's monthly network costs. I'm getting nearly as much functionality from my Kindle and my Samsung phone.


From a reader perspective I can't argue that you are getting nearly as much functionality. But overall the Ipad is far more functional than an smartphone plus kindle. I didn't get the 3g version of the ipad, just the wifi version and I just use my Smartphone as a wifi hotspot and i have internet connection, takes all of 5 seconds to turn on or off.


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## lorajohn1984 (Jul 2, 2011)

*Re: Kindle vs Nook vs iPad – Thoughts?*

After sharing thought s in forums about Kindle vs Nook, it seems eventually people are 
going with kindle for various good reasons some of the very important are first the Kindle and Nook screen and color issue, the Nook color looks awesome, but it is more of a tablet something like a mini laptop than an e-reader that doesn’t give you that paper-like feel. It has an lcd screen which emits light that causes strain to the eyes after reading for long periods which is very bad I think. The Kindle on the other hand has an e-ink display that does not cause eye strain. Second in terms of E-book availability, you can find a wide variety of title supported by kindle from stores like Amazon, while when it comes to nook they have many fewer in comparison to kindle.


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