The Best eBook Reader: Amazon Kindle or Apple iPad – Which Should You Choose?

The recent surge in the popularity of eBook readers is reflected by their increasing ubiquitousness, and has made them hot sellers in electronics outlets. A flood of new products in this previously non-existent industry has made it difficult to choose the best eBook reader, and most consumers don’t even know what features to look out for.

Two of the biggest names in the eBook reader world at the moment are the Amazon Kindle (which has now been around for a few years) and the newly-released Apple iPad. They’ve been pitted against each other due to their overwhelming popularity – but are they really all that similar? Read our review to find out which you should choose.

Kindle Vs iPad – The Features

When it comes to comparing the two on the grounds of features, they aren’t all that similar. The Kindle is designed to be a reading device, with an easy-to-read e-Ink screen to match, but not much else.

The iPad, on the other hand, is designed to do everything – from allowing you to check email on the move, to listen to music, create documents, browse the web and more. The downside? Its screen isn’t as easy on the eye for those who want their eBooks to feel more like real books.

The Amazon Kindle would have to be the best eBook reader as it is very good at carrying out its primary purpose, which is to allow eBooks to be read on the go. On the other hand, the Apple iPad’s multifunctional nature unfortunately affects its effectiveness as an eBook reader.

Kindle Vs iPad – The Price

If you’re thinking iPad is the clear winner just because it has more functions, you’d be wrong. After all, the original Kindle costs around half of what the iPad costs. However, the Kindle DX is where the real comparison lies. With a similar price and little extra functionality, unless all you want to do is read, you might be better off with the iPad. But for the avid reader, the original Kindle is still a fantastic choice.

No Boundaries for the eBooks Themselves

Though most of us probably won’t be investing $700+ into buying both the Kindle and the iPad, one area where you don’t need to make a choice is the eBooks themselves. With the launch of the iPad comes the launch of iBooks, a service to rival Kindle’s own bookstore. However, if you do buy an iPad you can still take advantage of Amazon’s more competitive prices with the Kindle App for iPad.

As Amazon.com has the largest collection of eBooks that can be purchased online, any eBook software that allows Amazon eBooks to be read would be a wise choice as the best eBook reader. The good thing is that the Kindle software is available for multiple platforms such as Macintosh and Windows.

Sammy runs eBook Reader Guide, the best place to go to find the funkiest iPad covers and cases. Check out the latest iPad accessories review to see the most popular and trendy accessories available now.