Kindle 2 Price Drops to $189.00

[flyash]

Originally Posted by bhartman36

I think it boils down to this: The Kindle is designed for reading. The iPad is designed as a multifunction device you can read on, if you want to. That's a major distinction.

Perhaps you should read the posts from MR members who find their iPads are fine to read with (I was surprised by this, but I hate reading backlit screens). For those who can read with a backlit screen, $500 iPad vs. $489 DX is a no-brainer.

[John F]

Originally Posted by BenLee

By larger, I mean larger than the 5-6" readers

Sorry about that.

[ThomasMc]

Originally Posted by flyash

For those who can read with a backlit screen, $500 iPad vs. $489 Nook is a no-brainer.

Um, a Nook isn't $489, it's $189, and only $149 for the Wifi (no 3G) version.

[flyash]

Originally Posted by ThomasMc

Um, a Nook isn't $489, it's $189, and only $149 for the Wifi (no 3G) version.

Sorry, typo. I meant the Kindle DX.

[greencat]

Originally Posted by flyash

Perhaps you should read the posts from MR members who find their iPads are fine to read with (I was surprised by this, but I hate reading backlit screens). For those who can read with a backlit screen, $500 iPad vs. $489 DX is a no-brainer.

I'd agree with this. The iPad is a perfectly fine ereader and in some ways a superior one. I use mine to take notes in evernote (these can even be voice ones if I prefer) while I'm reading and occasionally build a mind map of what I'm learning as I go along. You do have to experiment with your brighteness settings though.

[bhartman36]

Originally Posted by flyash

Perhaps you should read the posts from MR members who find their iPads are fine to read with (I was surprised by this, but I hate reading backlit screens). For those who can read with a backlit screen, $500 iPad vs. $489 DX is a no-brainer.

I'm not saying reading on an iPad is intolerable, let alone intolerable for everyone. What I'm saying is that the Kindle offers a superior reading experience, if what you want to do is read, and you don't care about doing other things. I have yet to read a review that says the iPad is the Kindle's equal for reading, in anything other than low-light conditions.

And with all due respect, if someone's already bought the iPad, their judgement on the issue might be cloudy. If I plunked down $500 expecting to be able to read just fine on my new device, I'd be very reluctant to admit (to myself or others) that the reading experience wasn't what I'd hoped it was. There's the possibility of cognitive dissonance.

Again, I think it's a different story for someone who was thinking of spending $200 on a Kindle 2. That's not the same kind of financial investment in reading, and I can easily see someone in that camp opting for an iPad instead. But I don't see a potential DX buyer as a potential iPad buyer, because it's a much different mindset, IMO.

I recently had a scare where my Kindle 1 wasn't powering up, and I thought I'd have to decide whether or not to spring for a Kindle 2. (It turned out that I just needed to reset my Kindle.) If I had to decide today betweena Kindle 2 and an iPad, I'd pick the Kindle 2, but that's only out of cost consideration at the moment.

[Maggie Leung]

Originally Posted by bhartman36

I'm not saying reading on an iPad is intolerable, let alone intolerable for everyone. What I'm saying is that the Kindle offers a superior reading experience, if what you want to do is read, and you don't care about doing other things. I have yet to read a review that says the iPad is the Kindle's equal for reading, in anything other than low-light conditions.

And with all due respect, if someone's already bought the iPad, their judgement on the issue might be cloudy. If I plunked down $500 expecting to be able to read just fine on my new device, I'd be very reluctant to admit (to myself or others) that the reading experience wasn't what I'd hoped it was. There's the possibility of cognitive dissonance.

Again, I think it's a different story for someone who was thinking of spending $200 on a Kindle 2. That's not the same kind of financial investment in reading, and I can easily see someone in that camp opting for an iPad instead. But I don't see a potential DX buyer as a potential iPad buyer, because it's a much different mindset, IMO.

I recently had a scare where my Kindle 1 wasn't powering up, and I thought I'd have to decide whether or not to spring for a Kindle 2. (It turned out that I just needed to reset my Kindle.) If I had to decide today betweena Kindle 2 and an iPad, I'd pick the Kindle 2, but that's only out of cost consideration at the moment.

I own a Kindle and an iPad, and have switched over to iPad for all reading. I bought the iPad, figuring I'd try it and resell if I didn't like it, primarily for reading. Turns out I love it for reading, plus a bunch of other stuff. To each his own. "Superior reading experience" is determined only by the individual user, I figure.

[kjk]

Originally Posted by bhartman36

And with all due respect, if someone's already bought the iPad, their judgement on the issue might be cloudy. If I plunked down $500 expecting to be able to read just fine on my new device, I'd be very reluctant to admit (to myself or others) that the reading experience wasn't what I'd hoped it was. There's the possibility of cognitive dissonance.

Again, I think it's a different story for someone who was thinking of spending $200 on a Kindle 2.

I'm sure that's the case for any purchase-all depends what your spending threshold is. Yours seems to be that $200 is fine, but $500 is where your self-delusion/rationalizations set in

Others have different levels, I'm sure. I personally don't use my Sony 505 anymore, but that was as much a function of my unhappiness with e-Ink as my switch to the iPhone/iPad for my reading needs. I don't feel the need to justify my purchase of the iPad by forcing myself to "enjoy" reading on it though...I just prefer reading on it.

[LDBoblo]

Originally Posted by Maggie Leung

I own a Kindle and an iPad, and have switched over to iPad for all reading. I bought the iPad, figuring I'd try it and resell if I didn't like it, primarily for reading. Turns out I love it for reading, plus a bunch of other stuff. To each his own. "Superior reading experience" is determined only by the individual user, I figure.

What I find amusing is the thinly-veiled hostility a lot of [apparently] insecure ebook readers show toward the iPad, and the amount of conviction in their dismissals of it as a "fine general-purpose device, but...".

I'm not convinced of the iPad yet, but some little malevolent, vindictive voice in my head wants to buy one just so I can dismiss E-Ink with statements of "it's fine for people who are not serious about reading, but...".

[Maggie Leung]

Originally Posted by LDBoblo

What I find amusing is the thinly-veiled hostility a lot of [apparently] insecure ebook readers show toward the iPad, and the amount of conviction in their dismissals of it as a "fine general-purpose device, but...".

I'm not convinced of the iPad yet, but some little malevolent, vindictive voice in my head wants to buy one just so I can dismiss E-Ink with statements of "it's fine for people who are not serious about reading, but...".

I think the hostility stems from worries that iPad-like devices will lead to the extinction of e-ink devices, which some people love. People tend to respond with emotion rather than logic when they feel threatened.

I prefer tablets and have no love for e-ink, but would like to see a variety of devices thrive, to serve all readers.

It makes me laugh when people say or imply that dedicated e-readers are for "serious" readers. I edit for a living and read hundreds of books a year for leisure. I'm as much a "serious" reader as anyone.

[petermillard]

Originally Posted by Maggie Leung

I think the hostility stems from worries that iPad-like devices will lead to the extinction of e-ink devices, which some people love. People tend to respond with emotion rather than logic when they feel threatened.

I prefer tablets and have no love for e-ink, but would like to see a variety of devices thrive, to serve all readers.

Quite. Ironically, for me the Kindle price-drop has made me think about buying one for those rare occasions that the iPad isn't ideal e.g. reading outside in bright sunlight, i.e. holidays. Having all my books in the Kindle eco-system (all books available to all devices, shared bookmarks etc...) would be neat. I have no problem with using the right tool for the job, whoever makes it and whatever technology it uses, it's just that for my needs (and clearly many others here) a multifunction device (iPad) works best, most of the time.

Cheers, Pete.

[MerLock]

Originally Posted by bhartman36

And with all due respect, if someone's already bought the iPad, their judgement on the issue might be cloudy. If I plunked down $500 expecting to be able to read just fine on my new device, I'd be very reluctant to admit (to myself or others) that the reading experience wasn't what I'd hoped it was. There's the possibility of cognitive dissonance.

Can't say I would agree with that. I follow the Sony forums and it seems quite a number of people who bought the 600 through 900 models complain that the text is too dim for them to read comfortable and have returned their device.

[BenLee]

Originally Posted by greencat

I use mine to take notes in evernote (these can even be voice ones if I prefer) while I'm reading and occasionally build a mind map of what I'm learning as I go along.

While I'm a Kindle lover, I would agree that this is a perfect example of the kind of "experience" the iPad offers over e-ink readers. Sure, e-ink is perfect for READING, but that's it. It's just perfect for reading and doesn't offer many extra tools to help you absorb the information better like the ability to mind-map it. Mind mapping could be very useful for a lot of readers who read to learn and not for entertainment.

[flyash]

Originally Posted by LDBoblo

What I find amusing is the thinly-veiled hostility a lot of [apparently] insecure ebook readers show toward the iPad, and the amount of conviction in their dismissals of it as a "fine general-purpose device, but...".

Agreed. I really dislike reading on backlit screens, so I love e-ink. But there have been too many positive reports from iPad owners who read using the device to dismiss them all as suffering from cognitive dissonance. E-ink lovers need to be careful not to project their clear-cut preference onto others.