Loading ...iPad versus Kindle
I asked seven digital design students to take a look at the iPad and Kindle, analyze the major points both good and bad and come to a decision about the product. The specific question is what’s going to happen a year from now. Will the Kindle be overshadowed by the iPad, or will it hold it’s own? Is there a market for both kinds of products, a dedicated e-reader and a new type of device?
Here are the key points they found about each product:
iPad Key qualities
- a good company
- more functions than advertised
- Apps
- sleek, slender
- open door to touch screen
- save money on books for college students
- hi-def
- Universal access (compared to iPhone)
- crappy name
- glorified iPhone
- do we need this?
- Kindle killer or iTouch killer?
- expensive, fragile
- uncomfortable to hold
- why is it better than a laptop
- great presentation tool
- emailing device
- can’t read in the sun
- will screen get dirty
- 10 hour battery life, really?
Kindle Key qualities
- Good for reading
- Specialized
- Holds a lot of books
- Slow flipping
- Comfortable to hold, as a book
- Free 3G internet
- Good downloading store (with books)
- Not that entertaining of a device
- Slow
- Hard navigating
- Keep wanting to touch the screen
- crappy browser for internet
- Right handed people only
- Retro menus (early 80’s)
- Appeals to old people
One year from now:
Kindle will be a has-been: 3 votes
Kindle will still be growing in popularity: 2 votes
Kindle will still be in “the fight”: 2 votes
iPad will be an embarrassment for Apple: 2 votes
iPad will be slow-grower like the iPod: 4 votes
iPad will be a revolutionary device: 0 votes
The simple answer is: both. The Kindle and the iPad cater to very different crowds. The Kindle will trump the iPad to those looking for a dedicated e-book reader; the iPad will appeal to those looking for a gadget to do everything.
I have to say I came down on the side of the Kindle. Part of it is that what I’m looking for is a replacement for paper. This week I took my 5 pound blue bag of Yellow Pages/Dex, whatever it was, directly to the recycling bin as did millions of other people. Last year I took the books out of the bag, replaced the previous year’s phone books that I had not touched since putting them there a year earlier. This year I decided to not even go through the motions, took the old phone books off the shelf and put the whole lot into recycling.
As something that would allow me to stop consuming paper, I don’t think the iPad is it. I would challenge the main claim of the iPad (according to their ads) that is the best way possible to surf the web. I actually think it’s the worst way possible to surf the web, it is like surfing the web on a Mac Classic with it’s small screen. If you look in their video, the typography is tiny and practically unreadable. Oh, and no Flash.
I think Apple should not try to implement their mobile browsers identically to a desktop/laptop browser. A good mobile version of a site is much better than a tiny browsing experience. Sure, it’s fun for a while to browse the full web on an iPhone, but it grows old quickly and I seek out sites or apps that are made just for the iPhone.
As an e-reader, the iPad also appeared to be a desktop oriented app with tiny type. It feels like the iPad was rushed, and it’s just not clear what it is going to be good at. Personally, I was hoping for some kind of killer drawing app, or an intuitive video editing device, something to make a point as to why we would need this. Gaming seems promising, but again if I’m really into games I’ll probably want the real deal, not a small screen version of a real game. The iPhone wins in this regard in that I don’t expect a lot out of it, great for a casual game whenever. The iPad is not something I’ll just always have in my pocket, I’d have to want to sit down and play a game.
Despite the Kindle’s flaws, and it’s quirkiness I think it was designed with a purpose – to read books. It also feels like it was designed by someone who likes to read books. While I still think Apple will evolve the iPad or come out with a great e-reader, I don’t think this is it just yet.
The iPad is a Kindle killer. No question about it. For about
$200 more you get a device that goes way, way beyond the capabilities of a Kindle. In addition, it does a better job as an e-book reader than the Kindle (way better). It is a better quality device with a *vastly* superior screen. Coupled with the Apple / iPod / iPhone / iTouch name recognition and the iPad is going to sell like crazy. Every kid in college is going to want
an iPad. The iPad is going to put just about every e-book reader out of business. E-book readers will survive but will be limited to a fairly small market which consist of those people who can’t afford an iPad. And, with iPads being introduced at $499 the iPad is easily within range of most people in the U.S.; and the price will come down because Apple IS looking to kill the Kindle. In addition Apple will aggresively price these through educational institutions for students (many which already own an iPod / iPhone / iTouch).
If I’m on vacation I want an iPad (not my notebook and a Kindle).