iPad Can the iPad replace ebook readers?

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

To answer the question raised in the topic, the answer is, the iPad is not yet reader to replace your reader. The apps just are not ready yet.

Thanks for providing "the answer" Jon. But, I think this is more subjective than objective and while that is "the answer" for you... it may not be "the answer" for everybody else.

BOb

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Thanks for providing "the answer" Jon. But, I think this is more subjective than objective and while that is "the answer" for you... it may not be "the answer" for everybody else.

BOb

There are no apps that handle ePub well enough that allow you to use your own content. iBooks just isn't good enough yet.

[dmaul1114]

Not everyone cares about that stuff. I have a Kindle and I've only read books bought from the Kindle store and public domain mobi files from Feedbooks.

So if I had an iPad, it would handle all my reading needs fine. I don't care about formats, fonts, making my own files etc. I'm a casual reader and would probably just use the Kindle app mainly.

[tomsem]

Originally Posted by tommyleeh

...

For anything with pictures (ie magazines, newspapers, technical/scientific PDFs) the iPad rules. Big time. Being able to load up even graphics-rich PDFs and fly around them effortlessly is NICE. The annotation ability that is so coveted by most scientific types is provided in style by iannotate PDF. Its not perfect, but it will let you highlight, scribble, enter notes, etc. All things that other ereaders can only dream of - I know because I own other ereaders and dreamt of it!

Is the PDF annotation scheme compatible with what you have when using Adobe Reader/Acrobat on the desktop? or are they completely disjoint?

BTW, when is Adobe going to do a PDF viewer for iPhone/iPad? Why have they left this to 3rd parties? Maybe Adobe programmers really are lazy? They can't blame Apple for this...

[Prognos]

Hi, new to this forum, here's my 2 cents. (have sony PRS-600 for 4 months and iPad for 5 days)

iPad is better for reading in a dark location (like in bed or other dark spot at home), but it won't travel as well as my PRS-600. (hate attaching a book light to 600) iPad is heavier, bulkier and not as good in sunlight.

To the comments about the apps not being fully cooked, what will likely change and improve faster, iPad apps, or the firmware on any dedicated reader? I think the iPad has the potential to be a great reading device. But at the current price and size, I'd much rather travel with my Sony.

So I think it boils down to costs and usage: iPad as a more casual reader with other features could be better than say, buying a netbook/laptop and a reader... For me the more important issue is better DRM policies so that I can more easily buy a book once and read it among many devices (device independence) and have the ability to resell it later on when I'm done with it (ebook aftermarket). OR drive the costs down so that I won't care so much. (like under $5 for most books)

I think competition can be good for driving prices down. Likely the popularity of the iPad and/or the other devices will drive prices down for both readers and content.

[Latinandgreek]

I wouldn't mind a tablet such as the ipad for pdf markups, but I would keep my reader for fiction and commuting. I would probably choose an a device with a large e-ink screen over the i-pad if I were satisfied that with it's mark-up capabilities, however. The only "extras" I could see myself using on the ipad is the comic viewer and internet.

[tommyleeh]

The annotation in iAnnotate is usable only in that program as far as I can tell. It's very slick, but it is a major limitation. But what iAnnotate does is miles and miles beyond any other ereader that I'm aware of.

Originally Posted by tomsem

Is the PDF annotation scheme compatible with what you have when using Adobe Reader/Acrobat on the desktop? or are they completely disjoint?

BTW, when is Adobe going to do a PDF viewer for iPhone/iPad? Why have they left this to 3rd parties? Maybe Adobe programmers really are lazy? They can't blame Apple for this...

[tommyleeh]

Originally Posted by SCION

Thanks for the info. I see it was just released. Definitely a nice start for a version 1.0 app. With some sort of annotation ability, like this, the iPad has moved up on my list. I'm keeping my Sony for non-pdf reading.

Yes! Totally agree.

Here's another heads-up: "Zinio" just came out which is a GREAT magazine reader. Check it out - it has more magazines than just about any reader, and often at great prices (Maxim for 1 year for $10! PC Magazine for 1 year for $12!). National Geographic magazine is extremely impressive. Make that one less thing that is better on my Nook/Irex.

With what the iPad does (and it's been barely out a week), eink is looking like it is rapidly going to fade into what it originally did well - reading books. iPad is looking like it will dominate everything else.

[kennyc]

Now come the Advertisements:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8610610.stm

".....The update includes a mobile advertising platform called iAd that will be used to place adverts in applications made by third parties. ..."

[scottjl]

if those 3rd parties choose to install ads. or even use apple's iad. neither are required by developers.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by scottjl

if those 3rd parties choose to install ads. or even use apple's iad. neither are required by developers.

That's not what the article says. It says Apple decides. Like it does with everything else.

[stustaff]

Originally Posted by kennyc

That's not what the article says. It says Apple decides. Like it does with everything else.

No if someone chooses to put adds in their app then apple choose what ads!

[Tamara]

Originally Posted by kennyc

That's not what the article says. It says Apple decides. Like it does with everything else.

The article is wrong. The developer gets to decide whether to include ads or not.

[Heather Lackey]

It has replaced my Kindle 2 and then some. I've read a novel on it so far, plus half of an O'Reilly book, some book samples, and this morning I started another novel. This is in addition to all the reading I've done on the web and all the editing work I've done in Pages. (Pages is very "word processing lite" at this point. It needs some serious competition.)

Although the text was crisper on the Kindle, I found the contrast a struggle. This is not a problem on the iPad. Also, the time it took to turn a page with the Kindle drove me nuts. On the iPad, it's instant.

What I really thought I'd miss were the page-turn buttons, in part because they were right there on the edge; you could leave your thumb on one and just apply a little pressure whenever you needed. Plus, the "next page" button was located on both sides, allowing me to hold the Kindle in whichever hand I felt like. (The two "next page" buttons is why I chose the Kindle 2 over the DX, in fact.)

Yet I haven't found myself wishing I had a button to turn the page with yet. I can hold the iPad lower or higher in my hand than I did the Kindle, if I like, or turn it 90 degrees, and it's still easy to turn the page, regardless of what side of the screen my hand is on. I can even hold it from the bottom and still turn the pages with my thumb. (If I hold it from the bottom in portrait mode, I've found it's best to hold it upside-down; otherwise my thumb accidentally clicks the Home button.)

Regarding iBooks, when I saw the demos with the two-page view in landscape mode, I wasn't impressed. I don't need the print book experience to be mimicked. But now that I've used it and compared it to the Kindle app on the iPad, which doesn't go to two pages in landscape mode, I really prefer the two-page view; it makes for shorter lines. Now if only the iBooks store had half the selection Amazon does.... (I do appreciate that I was able to load my non-DRM ePubs into iBooks, though--like the O'Reilly book I'm reading. And I look forward to being able to share them on my iPhone come summer.)

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by stustaff

No if someone chooses to put adds in their app then apple choose what ads!

And they they even get to keep 60%