Anyone own both a Kindle and an iPad? Need advice

Next version of the iPad OS will do away with the iTunes requirement. I've been testing it on my development device and it's pretty nice. I've done most of my reading for the last 10 or 11 years on various devices (palm pilot, Sony clie, dell axim, iPod touch, iPhone) and I've gotten used to the backlight, but I still don't read on the iPad because of the weight. The better half has a kindle and I've borrowed it several times. I prefer it to the iPad, and if I can ever justify it to myself, I'll get one.

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Originally Posted by pretzelb

I should say that if you want to be a minimalist then getting a tablet for both Internet and reading is the way to go.

But after thinking about this for a while I must say that there are other nice options. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is a nice tablet. If you have an iPhone or Mac computer then it makes sense to go iPad. If you don't, an Android tablet can make more sense. I was so very annoyed when I found out that before I could do anything with the iPad I had to register it with iTunes. My father was going to use this as his main Internet device but for some reason Apple forces you to consider it more of an accessory to your existing computer. Apple does some things really well but they really annoy me when it comes to forcing decisions on the users. Sorry for the rant.

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I do have Macs, and I also already have an iPad: it really isn't the best e-reader if you ever do it outdoors. Though it is better in dim conditions than the Kindle.

As for your father's situation, as of iOS5, which is due out in about a month, iPads and iPhones and iPod Touches will no longer have to go through iTunes for anything. (Or at least, that is my understanding.) You will be able to use these devices without a desktop or laptop computer at all.

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Originally Posted by amw

Next version of the iPad OS will do away with the iTunes requirement. I've been testing it on my development device and it's pretty nice. I've done most of my reading for the last 10 or 11 years on various devices (palm pilot, Sony clie, dell axim, iPod touch, iPhone) and I've gotten used to the backlight, but I still don't read on the iPad because of the weight. The better half has a kindle and I've borrowed it several times. I prefer it to the iPad, and if I can ever justify it to myself, I'll get one.

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Good to know the next OS will do away with iTunes, though I suspect to install it I will need iTunes. I might need to make a trip to the Apple store to see if a genius can help me do that (in under 3 hours).

Weight is a good point I forgot about. I've been using our iPad with a cheap case for protection and that makes it even worse. I have a nice case for the Kindle but I find myself sliding it out for long periods of reading. When I do, it's a joy due to it being so light.

If we want to add rumors to the mix, Amazon is supposed to be coming out with a tablet soon. As much as I like having more options I'm a bit skeptical at the rave reviews. I think someone estimated that Amazon will outsell Apple in 2011 with their new tablet. The problem? No one has any clue exactly what it will be. So without knowing any specs, some experts are predicting Amazon will outsell Apple. I prefer Amazon over Apple but even I have a problem with that kind of logic.

I own both and each has its own separate use. I've owned a Kindle since they first came out and taken mine on three trips to Iraq. Finally broke down and bought a Kindle 3 last year and LOVE it. The Kindle does what it was meant to do perfectly: serve as an e-book reader. The text is crisp, clear and easily adjustable. You need a light source since it is not backlit to read it in dark conditions. What this does, however, is reduce eyestrain. Have your eyes ever gotten tired from staring at the computer screen all day at work? That won't happen with a Kindle thanks to the e-ink and no backlight. To me, the Kindle is the perfect e-book reader.

I am relatively new to the iPad but love it as well. It has many great functions and I enjoy a variety of aspects about it. That being said, I do not see it as a serious e-book reader because of backlit screen. The larger color iPad screen is great for multi-media applications such as newspapers, Flipbook, Foreign Policy, or other apps. I love using the iPad to read NY Times articles or to get the latest news from a variety of sources. That being said, I cannot see reading a book for a few hours on the iPad.

Both are great devices and I know everyone has their own opinion. For me, having both is a win-win situation. Each does what it is supposed to do perfectly!

Again, I want to thank everyone who has posted their experiences. I am enjoying my iPad, and use it for a variety of purposes (one of my favorites is with a piece of shareware called AirDisplay that allows me to use my iPad as a secondary display with my Macbooks). But after using it an e-reader, and hearing all your experiences with the Kindle, I think I'm decided that I'll get a Kindle. I already own about thirty Kindle books, which I read with the free Kindle reading app on either my Macbooks, my iPad, or my Touch. The only reason I'm delaying with purchasing the Kindle now is that I keep expecting that Amazon might release the Kindle 4 soon, and I'm waiting to see what features it might have.

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Originally Posted by Lone Piper

I own both and each has its own separate use. I've owned a Kindle since they first came out and taken mine on three trips to Iraq. Finally broke down and bought a Kindle 3 last year and LOVE it. The Kindle does what it was meant to do perfectly: serve as an e-book reader. The text is crisp, clear and easily adjustable. You need a light source since it is not backlit to read it in dark conditions. What this does, however, is reduce eyestrain. Have your eyes ever gotten tired from staring at the computer screen all day at work? That won't happen with a Kindle thanks to the e-ink and no backlight. To me, the Kindle is the perfect e-book reader.

I am relatively new to the iPad but love it as well. It has many great functions and I enjoy a variety of aspects about it. That being said, I do not see it as a serious e-book reader because of backlit screen. The larger color iPad screen is great for multi-media applications such as newspapers, Flipbook, Foreign Policy, or other apps. I love using the iPad to read NY Times articles or to get the latest news from a variety of sources. That being said, I cannot see reading a book for a few hours on the iPad.

Both are great devices and I know everyone has their own opinion. For me, having both is a win-win situation. Each does what it is supposed to do perfectly!

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I want to thank you, Lone Piper, not just for your advice, but also for your service. Three trips to Iraq? Wow. That is above and beyond the call.... Oh, and I'm in Georgia, too, but in the west central part of the state.

NCB4,
Thanks so much for the nice comment. I love what I do even though I hate the time away from my family. Gearing for #4 this fall, less than a year after the last homecoming. The good news is I'll have a nice Risetto to carry my Ipad in on the way over!

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Originally Posted by Lone Piper

NCB4,
Thanks so much for the nice comment. I love what I do even though I hate the time away from my family. Gearing for #4 this fall, less than a year after the last homecoming. The good news is I'll have a nice Risetto to carry my Ipad in on the way over!

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I'm glad you've got a nice Ristretto (not to mention the iPad inside it) to carry around on your fourth tour. (Is there no limit to how many times you can be posted?) Do you have the iPad 2 with the webcam so you can video chat with your family here in the States? That helps a little. My son lives abroad (not in the military though) and those Skype chats make him seem a little less far away.

Meanwhile, my nephew just started basic training at Ft. Benning yesterday; my brother-in-law (his uncle), spent a year in Iraq with the Navy.

Not sure when you'll be leaving again, but godspeed.

I recently recently read about an author who wrote
several mystery novels, priced them at 99 cents a
download, and had over 1 million downloads in
Kindle format, nice piece of change. Now all
the major publishers are fighting over the print
rights.

Amazon's proposed new tablet:

Amazon’s Kindle Tablet Is Very Real. I’ve Seen It, Played With It. | TechCrunch

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Originally Posted by BPritchard

Amazon's proposed new tablet:

Amazon’s Kindle Tablet Is Very Real. I’ve Seen It, Played With It. | TechCrunch

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So the fabled Amazon tablet is going to be the Kindle 4?

Hmmm. Review says it is backlit so no good for reading in the sun which if I remember was you reason for wanting something other than the iPad.....

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Originally Posted by ncb4

So the fabled Amazon tablet is going to be the Kindle 4?

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The way I read it so far is that it's just a Nook. Not that the Nook is a bad device but hardly the iPad killer announcement that the hypesters were throwing around. I like the Android platform but I really don't get why so many choose to customize it and shut it out from the app market. I know Amazon wants to get all the app sales in their version of the market but seems risky to me.

One quick tip I found using the Kindle app on the iPad is to change the background to Sepia and turn the brightness down to a comfortable level for you. It definitely doesn't rival the e-ink screen but it allows the iPad to be a bit more tolerable.

I use black with white. I turn the brightness WAYYY down.