Apple iPad 2 MC769LL/A Tablet (16GB, WiFi, Black) List Price: $499.00 Price: $505.00 Read Reviews

The release of the Kindle Cloud Reader promises to enlarge Amazon’s presence in the eReader market…especially when you think about the already popular free Kindle apps for computers and mobile devices. 

Currently, the Kindle Cloud Reader only works with Google Chrome, Safari for MAC/PC, and Safari for iPad…but knowing Amazon.com, that will change rather quickly!

An Amazon Tablet?

Rumors in the tech sector have been flying for some time about the possibility of Amazon releasing a tablet that will run the Android operating system…apparently those rumors are true!

The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday that Amazon plans to release their own Android based tablet this fall (just in time for the Christmas shopping season!), however, the first generation may not be much competition for the iPad so much as a step towards taking the market away from Google.

Here’s what we know so far about the Amazon tablet:

• It will have a 9 inch screen
• It will run a version of Android
• It probably won’t have a camera

And, this version won’t be designed by Amazon.  Instead, the design and manufacturing of Amazon’s first generation tablet has been outsourced to quickly gain a foothold in the market.  Amazon’s own version, which they ARE designing themselves will reportedly be released next year.

So, is the Amazon tablet an iPad killer? 

Is it even a competitor?  Considering that Apple has a corner on the tablet market that no one has really touched right now, Amazon might be able to compete if their tablet is extremely cheap, and that’s going to be very difficult to accomplish if the technology is to compare with the iPad or other similar tablets on the market.

Still, even if Amazon releases a reasonably inexpensive tablet this fall, would you buy one instead of an iPad?  Maybe.  And again maybe not. After all, this is Amazon’s first tablet, and unless there’s something pretty spectacular about it, it likely won’t be any more of a threat to the iPad than the other tablets…why?  Because there are typically two types of customers.  Apple customers, whom you can’t convince to try any other device, and those who aren’t Apple customers, who probably won’t try the  Apple device. 

Who Should Really Be Worried About Amazon’s Tablet

Either way, an Amazon tablet should be of more concern to Barnes & Noble and to Google, who have both recently released eReaders to directly compete with the Kindle, because Amazon’s tablet will undoubtedly ship with Amazon’s stores pre-installed, meaning customers can access Amazon’s movies, music, books, and much more…all with a single touch.

Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve been playing with both an iPad and an Amazon Kindle, and I’ve talked to other people who have both devices…  So, which device actually IS better?  Kindle or iPad?  The answer may surprise you.

Kindle Keyboard, Wi-Fi, 6" E Ink Display List Price: $139.00 Read Reviews

Plain and simple:  When reading using the backlighting on the iPad versus the eInk on the Kindle, the iPad literally cannot hold a candle to the Amazon Kindle.

Apple iPad 2 MC769LL/A Tablet (16GB, WiFi, Black) List Price: $499.00 Price: $505.00 Read Reviews

Plain and simple:  The iPad is hard to see when you’re outside.  Period.  There is no easy remedy to this that I could find.

So, which device should you buy?  Kindle or iPad? 

Well, the answer to that question is not simply, “Buy a Kindle,” or “Buy an iPad.”  The answer is that you may actually find that you have a good reason to have BOTH devices. 

• For the best all around reading experience, nothing beats an Amazon Kindle.
• But, when you want to do more than lose yourself in a book, then you need a tablet computer. 

Fortunately, in addition to the iPad, there are dozens, if not hundreds, of Tablet Computers on the market today…so you can shop around, compare important features, and find just the right Tablet Computer, at a price that fits your budget.

PC Magazine:  Apple on Wednesday finally unveiled its next-generation tablet, dubbed the iPad 2. The device is 33 percent thinner, runs a new A5 chip, and will come in white, Apple said.

The iPad 2 will start shipping on March 11 in the U.S., and on March 25 in 26 additional countries. Like the original iPad, pricing will start at $499 for the Wi-Fi-only 16GB. The 32GB Wi-Fi iPad 2 will be $599, and the 64GB will be $699. For Wi-Fi+3G, the 16GB will be $629, the 32GB will be $729, and the 64GB will be $829.

Read the rest of this article at PC Magazine: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2381259,00.asp

Coming soon:  Watch for our upcoming review of the iPad 2 as an eReader!

Considering an eReader as a gift for your college student this year?  Perhaps you are a student and wondering how much you could save on the cost of textbooks?  Can you replace textbooks with the same versions via eBooks?

The truth is, you can save lots of money on textbooks by switching to electronic versions of the same information.  The real question is, which of the vast number of eReaders on the market are the best eReaders for students. 

Here’s a quick rundown of what we consider to be the top three, and the features that make them the top three eReaders for students:

Amazon Kindle:

1. Amazon lists over 700,000 books, magazines, and newspapers in the Kindle store.  All are available for immediate download at very reasonable prices, with over 1m free to Kindle owners.
2. Priced at $169-$379, the Kindle is an excellent investment, and it won’t break the bank. The more expensive models come with free 3G wireless connection that doesn’t require any type of monthly data plan (additional charge).
3. Battery life is typically 10 days to 2 weeks, and the Kindle works well in all kinds of lighting.

Sony Reader PRS600 Touch Edition:

1. The Sony eBook store features hundreds of thousands of books, magazines, and newspapers, available for immediate download, and offers access to over 1m free titles as well.
2. Priced at $169.99, the Reader is reasonably priced, and offers free 3G wireless access.
3. Battery life is about 14 days, and as it also features e-Ink technology, it works well in all kinds of lighting.

Apple iPad:

1.  The Apple iBookstore features less titles than the Kindle Store, but the number is growing.
2.  Priced at $499-$829, the iPad costs more up front and requires a monthly data plan, starting at $14.99.  However, it should be noted that the iPad is more of a tablet computer, and not an eReader, so there are more functions and apps designed for the iPad.  Still, it won’t replace your laptop.
3. Battery life is typically 10 hours, and as it’s an LCD screen, it doesn’t work well in bright sunlight.
Any way that you choose to go, an eReader can definitely save you money on textbooks…and you won’t have to lug around nearly as many books in your backpack!

LONDON, ENGLAND–(Marketwire – Sept. 6, 2010) – A survey of over 1000 US and UK users by news navigator http://www.onenewspage.com/ found the Kindle scored strongly over the iPad as an e-reader. 

Although OneNewsPage’s users admitted the iPad was “more compelling” than the Kindle because of the iPad’s multi-functionality, if it came to a straight head-to-head choice between e-readers, almost two thirds (64%) preferred Amazon’s Kindle to Apple’s iPad.

Interestingly, 16% of the OneNewsPage survey sample said they owned both a Kindle and an iPad, two of the best selling e-readers on the market.

Winning the e-reader popularity contest wasn’t the only good news for Amazon. Amazon was seen as the likely victor in an e-book marketing battle with Apple – albeit by a very small 2% margin. Fifty-one percent said their money was on Amazon to win the e-reader battle, versus 49% who were backing Apple.

Despite sales of e-books outselling hardbacks on Amazon for the first time, OneNewsPage users felt the physical book has a healthy future. Almost three quarters (73%) believe there is still a place for physical books.

But perhaps the most surprising finding of the OneNewsPage survey was that e-books are now more popular than paperbacks for reading on holiday. 

Again, while there was little in it, fifty three percent preferred to pack e-books rather paperbacks for their beach reading. 

Dr Marc Pinter-Krainer, CEO of One News Page, says:

“The e-book has come of age. The Kindle has built a strong position as a specialist e-reader. Its new version is considerably cheaper and lighter than the iPad, which may explain why two thirds of our users preferred it to the iPad as an e-reader. 

“That said, it’s clear the iPad as an e-book platform is already giving Amazon a stiff challenge and there’s everything to play for as Apple only launched the iPad in March this year.”

Notes

The e-reader market is dominated by Amazon’s Kindle, which is believed to have a between 60% and 80% share (the total market size is difficult to quantify). 

Article courtesy of Marketwire.

With the recent price drop for the nook and the Kindle, it’s now rumored that Kobo will be dropping its price to $99.00 in time for Christmas…could this be the year of the price wars for eReaders?

Read more on Price Wars Coming?…

Here’s a link to a great article posted today on CNN about the use of the Apple iPad in colleges across the country. If you’re seriously considering an iPad for yourself or a college student in your family, you may want to read this article!

Sharp has a new file format, known as Next-Generation XMDF, or ever-extending Mobile Document Format, and has introduced two prototype eReaders, signalling their intention to take on the Kindle and the iPad!

Both eReaders, announced in Japan this week, will have full color screens and feature the new file format. This file format allows a much more fluid integration of both text, audio and video when viewed on eReaders.

According to the corporate press release, “The next-generation XMDF enables easy viewing of digital contents including video and audio, and allows automatic adjustment of the layout to match and meet publishers’ needs.”

With persistent rumours of TWO new models of the popular iPad, and Kindle releasing a color version, this year’s Christmas gift season should be HOT for eReaders! And, we as consumers, can expect some EXCELLENT deals!