[fantasyfan]

I have and use both the Kindle and the iPad. In the end your choice must depend upon what you personally need. The iPad is a good e-reader and can support both Stanza {which uses epub} and the Kindle iPad app which downloads Amazon books from the Kindle store. However, the iPad is basically a media access device; thus one can choose from thousands of apps to do all sorts of things. I use mine for games, films, utilities, etc as much as for reading. It has an excellent battery life {I get around 12 hours} as laptops and tablets go and can support colour images. The capacity is far greater than the DX Kindle. The entry model has 16Gb and 32 and 64 Gb models are available. It has a very beautiful HD backlit intuitive touch screen.

Now the Kindle is the device I prefer for reading. The 10 hour battery life of the iPad can't even begin to compare with that of the Kindle--which can last a month without wifi! It is lighter and can produce black and white images. Above all, the use of the excellent e-ink technology and the lack of a backlit screen makes it much easier on the eyes when reading. I can read a Kindle as long as I could a physical book; reading an iPad is definitely more tiring. I might add that I find the iPad backlit screen very difficult to read in bright sunlight. You really need a muted ambient light context to enjoy the iPad. Since books take up far less space than games and films the available 3GB capacity of the Kindle is very generous. {Perhaps, though. Amazon should have included a memory card slot.}

So if reading is a priority then get the DX. If you want a web browsing device, wish to play games, watch films, listen to music and are happy with a supplementary reader, then the iPad is what you need. My only reservation about the DX is that I think it's overpriced--the 16GB iPad doesn't cost much more--but that's just my opinion.