Comments on: Why The iPad Actually Strengthens Amazon’s Position

By: Lynne in Colorado Springs

Lynne in Colorado Springs — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 13:47:33 +0000

You must be reading my mind! I spend hours a day reading on either laptop or desktop and at least an hour or so reading my Kindle. I’ve ordered the 3G version of the iPad to replace the Kindle at home and when I travel. Kindle’s built-in Sprint network access has spoiled me to not being tied to a WiFi hotspot. I LOVE the fact that Kindle books can be read on many different devices. If I buy an iBook from Apple it will only be because Amazon doesn’t offer it. I say: one point each to Amazon and Apple. They’re both winners.

By: stuwalters

stuwalters — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 15:33:15 +0000

Great article, and probably one of the better discussions I’ve seen regarding the iPad vs. Kindle.

If some of the other rumors/discussions are true, Amazon has sold the Kindle at lower than their cost, in order to encourage the sale of ebooks. This is similar to the idea of “give away the razor in order to sell the razor blades”. What this did was truly grow the ebook as a viable product line, as oppossed to it being a simple niche market used by readers like Sony’s.

I believe that the iPad will continue this growth of the ebook marketplace for Amazon, Barnes & Noble (assuming they can keep up), and the iBook stores. You’re right, in that Amazon will not only survive, but probably thrive in this environment.

I have personally pre-ordered my iPad (WiFi +3G), purely on the basis of two key uses: 1) as an ebook reader with the iBook & Kindle apps, and 2) as a web browser experience (instead of getting a netbook). Those two uses justified the cost for me, while everything else is just a bonus.

By: Nikki

Nikki — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 08:45:54 +0000

Remember when the music companies forced Apple to drop their 99 cent price structure in favor of variable pricing by putting cheaper music on Amazon? Well, payback is a fickle bitch. The Kindle software will survive, but the hardware is dead.

By: Brad

Brad — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 18:32:32 +0000

I don’t understand why these articles don’t state the absolute obvious right off the bat. Black and White e-ink is SO much easier on the eyes. I can read books for hours on the kindle without eye fatigue. It looks like a book. I can’t stand reading on a back-lit display. If you can do color in true e-ink, then great, but mostly I want to be able to read my books without eye fatigue with the ease and convenience that a true e-reader provides. I’ll probably end up buying an ipad, but I won’t use it to read books.

Perhaps my eyes are more sensitive than most.

By: celtex

celtex — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 16:22:05 +0000

It’s not Amazon itself that may have a problem, just the don-only-one-thing and in black-and-white only Kindle. Spend a tad more, get a color e-book reader you can surf the internet or watch movies on.

By: Jason

Jason — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 15:36:24 +0000

I’m surprised you say “Round 1 goes to Apple”….I would say that Round 1 went to Amazon about a year ago when the Kindle became the first commercially successful e-reader. Round 2 goes to Apple for the iPad, but it seems shortsighted of you to not recognize the success Kindle has had to date. I don’t own either, but everyone I know who has a Kindle (an ever increasing number) swears it has the “Tivo-effect”, i.e. once you own it you can’t understand how you lived without it. However, it will be interesting to see what happens to the Kindle now that the iPad is out, for sure.

By: Marty McPadden

Marty McPadden — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 15:08:07 +0000

Frankly, I was surprised that Apple was so quick to allow the Kindle app into the iPad App store. Good news to for Amazon and consumers. A competitive market is good for all. I am waiting for my 3G iPad to be shipped but plan on using both Apple’s iBook app and Amazon’s Kindle app. I do wish Apple would allow more universal access to iBooks through all your devices including your desktop and iPhone.

By: Elaine

Elaine — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 14:26:32 +0000

I have both a 1st gen Kindle and an iPad. (I also have a Rocketbook, but let’s not go there :)). I also read a ton.

I think that Kindle on the iPad is a better reading experience than iBooks on the iPad. In addition to the points made in the post, I would add:
- Kindle makes it easier to browse the bookstore — you can buy/browse Kindle books from anywhere you have a web browser. The only way to browse the iBookstore is through the iBooks app on your iPad.
- The iPad is heavier (1.5lbs to 10oz) than the iPad. When you’re reading in bed, that makes a difference.
- I prefer the UI of the iPad Kindle app to iBooks — I want my pages to just flip, not to be animated. This is probably a personal preference.
- I also find the amazon website much easier to browse than iBooks — I think that the whole iTunes UI needs an overhaul — the content is not very well organized in my opinion, although the Genius feature helps you find other content you might like.

The 1st Gen Kindle isn’t a great hardware device, but it isn’t bad. It holds a charge for a long time and its been rugged enough to survive a backpacking trip in the Sierras as well as a camping trip at the beach.

On the other hand, games, web browsing, watching video, etc.. is superior on the iPad — it’s a far more versatile device. But, the iPad/iBooks e-book experience lags the iPad/Kindle e-book.

By: taukehkedai

taukehkedai — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 13:37:24 +0000

Most of the time, i used my laptop to browse internet. As a part timer in internet marketing, i spend more time on the web. If iPad can give that same experience, i would bet that i would carry iPad whenever i go rather than my laptop. Anyway, i strongly believe, same like PC and Mac, some people would like iPad, some wouldn’t. It is all depend on their usage and need.

By: CJK

CJK — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 13:31:33 +0000

I thought this was going to be an insightful article about how Apple and Amazon could mature a budding symbiotic relationship, but I really had to laugh at the Amazon Flame idea…April Fool’s Day is past. I read Kindle books on my iphone whenever I have some time but don’t want to carry my Kindle. The real way to leverage their book store is ala Netflix..become platform ubiquitous. Don’t design hardware, keep improving the Kindle App for iPad and every other device that someone might read a book on.