Kindle vs iPad 2

I recently bought an iPad 2. I already had a latest generation Kindle, which I really liked.

However, reading PDFs (which are quite common for technical books) is a major pain in the Kindle. It is slow (and slows down more the further I get into the book), and highlighting is pretty slow too. The screen for the regular Kindle is nowhere big enough for a regular A4 formatted PDF.

I had the option of getting a Kindle DX or a tablet. I kept hearing good things about the iPad 2, and it can do a lot more than just reading books, so I decided to try it out. (This is a Kindle vs iPad 2 comparison - I posted my iPad 2 review separately).

One thing I really like about the iPad 2 is reading PDFs. It is pretty fast and works great. iBooks is not perfect - it seems I can't set a zoom level for a PDF and keep it there. Nor can I highlight text and add notes, only bookmark pages.

I also read any Kindle technical books mostly in the iPad now. The bigger screen and faster highlighting make it a much pleasant and productive experience.

Kindle vs iPad 2: File Transfers

On the Kindle, every time I get a new PDF magazine or book I have to go grab my Kindle, connect it to USB and transfer files manually

On the iPad, I just drop them into DropBox on my PC and use the DropBox app on the iPad whenever I get around to reading them. The app isn't great (I miss decent sorting and refreshing), but it is very helpful.

I don't really intend to buy books on iBooks, however. Kindle's books can be read on iPads, Kindles, any Android phone, PCs and Macs. iBooks are limited to iPads and iPhones - a big difference. I usually continue reading books on my Android cell phone (Samsung Galaxy S) whenever I'm out and have to wait. The Kindle app even auto-syncs my position in the book with the Kindle.

Kindle vs iPad 2: Magazines

I never bothered to try magazines from Amazon. I did read several Asimov, Analog and IGMS issues on the Kindle, but they were bought elsewhere (Fictionwise and the IGMS site) - since they don't have DRM and can be read anywhere.

For other magazines, I understood that the black and white nature of the Kindle would be a major problem. For example, I tried Popular Science and Wired on the iPad, and they both look great and have extra features, such as interactive sections and movies. Prices vary - some are more expensive than the paper magazine, while some are really great - such as a Popular Science annual subscription for US$15.

Kindle vs iPad 2: Web Browsing


Something I really liked about the iPad 2 is web browsing. It is very good, and I found myself using it occasionally to look for interesting references while reading books on the Kindle (which has a browser, which is barely usable by comparison).

Kindle vs iPad 2: Screen

The biggest problem with the Ipad 2, compared to Kindle, is the screen. I can read for several hours with basically no eyestrain on the Kindle - it is just like paper, with slightly worse contrast.

The iPad 2, however, tired my eyes very quickly when I got it. It did get much better over time.

There is no current solution for this problem - while there are hybrid LCD/e-ink screens I don't see any serious commercial offerings. Given how well e-readers are doing, it is only a matter of time till they are available on Kindles or iPads.

Kindle vs iPad 2: Battery


Battery life is pretty impressive in both devices. My Kindle can go for weeks without recharging, even with more than an hour per day of reading. The iPad is more modest, but I only have to charge it after a week and a half of use on average.

Kindle vs iPad 2: Conclusion

So, what is the best book e-reader? If you are reading only fiction, I recommend you get the Kindle. It is much cheaper, it is really easy to buy ebooks on Amazon (and any other places that support Mobipocket files). And some other sites, such as The Pragmatic BookShelf and IGMS can even auto-deliver to a WiFi enabled Kindle (for free). It is much kinder on your eyes and can be read outside on the sun easily.

If you regularly get PDF magazines or books, and have other uses for the device, the iPad starts getting a lot more interesting. There are plenty of apps, and you can browse almost all the web (Flash sites excluded), talk to friends on MSN and Skype, and much more.

A quick reminder for those buying the iPad who like magazines - all issues I've seen so far are in the hundreds of megabytes. So the 16GB model might get cramped pretty soon.

Personally I got the black, 32GB, WiFi only model below on the left.

Update(2013): Any book that you send through Amazon can be sent to the Kindle app on the iPad. Some places like O'Reilly sync e-books to Dropbox - you can just grab the e-book (in ePub or Kindle format) on the iPad.

Note that if you use Kindle books like that your notes and highlights won't sync!