I've had enough with this "iPad killing Kindle" thing

Geppetto · 04-15-2010, 01:26 PM

I think people - journalists, mostly - who say: "iPad will kill Kindle" or "will iPad kill Kindle?", and so on, are people who WANT iPad kill ereaders, because they DO believe ebooks will eventually kill publishing industry. They think: "look at what happened to mp3s and music industry: ebooks will do the same to publishers".
A load of crap, of course. In my opinion, record companies sell far less because they sell too much garbage, not music.

Sydney's Mom · 04-15-2010, 01:34 PM

Interesting point. I was worried at first, until I realized they are for entirely different uses. Now I just figure the comment is from someone unfamiliar with the kindle and/or the ipad.

JSWolf · 04-15-2010, 01:47 PM

I do think the iPad will not kill the K2. But I do think the iPad will kill the KDX. The Kindle app is what's going to allow the iPad to trump the DX.

Logseman · 04-15-2010, 01:55 PM

The Kindle DX, if I recall correctly, has received a lot of flak because of its poor PDF support (the usage for which huge quantities of people buy large-screen readers). As proof, when a third-party PDF reader app with good functionality appeared for the iPad (GoodReader) people are now all about it. I am of the opinion that if the Kindle DX had had nice PDF support from the beginning, the iPad's ebook fame would be quite inferior.

jmaloney · 04-15-2010, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geppetto

...people who WANT iPad kill ereaders, because they DO believe ebooks will eventually kill publishing industry.

I don't think anyone's saying that the iPad will kill ebooks. They're saying the iPad will kill the Kindle/eInk-based readers and will supplant them as the primary reading device for ebooks.

pholy · 04-15-2010, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmaloney

I don't think anyone's saying that the iPad will kill ebooks. They're saying the iPad will kill the Kindle/eInk-based readers and will supplant them as the primary reading device for ebooks.

Only for people with really strong wrists... My wrist (singular) can tell the difference (after a while) between the 9 oz. PEZ (with cover) and the 12 oz. Sony 505 (with cover). And it prefers the 6 oz PEZ (without cover). I don't think a 24 oz. reader has a chance for long-term (hours and hours of) reading.

But I might get one for other uses... maybe.

Sydney's Mom · 04-15-2010, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pholy

But I might get one for other uses... maybe.

I thought I might, too. But I just realized that except for the weekend I spent getting my new netbook just the way I wanted it, I haven't picked it up since. The laptop is a much better experience. I better be careful around tablets!

LDBoblo · 04-15-2010, 03:07 PM

XYZ-killer is a fine example of outdated or uncreative people trying too hard to make themselves sound trendy in popular media. It's just as bad as calling something a game-changer. The vernacular becomes functionally obsolete and loses its bite quickly, but has a long-lasting bitter aftertaste.

JSWolf · 04-15-2010, 04:00 PM

What can the DX do that the iPad cannot do? Nothing that I know of. And given that cost of the DX, I do think most people would go the extra and get the iPad.

Teddman · 04-15-2010, 04:07 PM

The DX needed to drop by at least $100 before the iPad came out, and the Kindle 2 would've been better served by a cut to $199 too.

I still don't know what Amazon is thinking by maintaining pricing on both Kindle models. Unless they just figure they'll try to make Kindle for iPad more popular than iBooks and make selling books to iPad users their main focus, or at least an equal focus with selling Kindle hardware.

dmaul1114 · 04-15-2010, 04:13 PM

I'm a big fan of tablets, but I hate that stuff too.

All it does is rile up the e-ink diehards, lead to a lot of "if it glows it blows" nonsense and cause threads full of bickering on sites like this.

It's not some zero sum endgame, there's plenty of room in the market for the iPad and tablets in general, e-ink and other reflective screen dedicated readers, smart phones, pdas, laptops, netbooks etc. that can display e-books and/or do other stuff as well.

I'll probably ditch my Kindle when I find the right tablet device as I've found I'm fine with reading on my girlfriend's iPad and prefer all the other functions as I spend more time on the net, video, newspapers, magazines, comics etc. than I do reading novels--that's just a chapter or 2 before sleeping 4 or so nights a week.

But I seen no reason to go around touting the death of e-ink etc. as there's a sizable niche of people who just want dedicated readers with screens ideal for reading for hours on end. And I see no reason that tablets will kill that market. It will stick around and companies will continue making money off it by releasing e-ink and other reflective screen dedicated reading devices.

I will agree that the large screen readers like the DX, Que etc. need price drops. It was niche with in a niche already for those things and I do think tablets will eat into that some. I was interested in the Que and Skiff for reading scholarly PDFs. But not anymore after using the iPad. They look great on there (screen could be an inch or so larger) and having fast page turns and scrolling is a must for research related reading, studying etc., and e-ink is just too damn slow for that. Fine for normal reading going one page forward at a time, but not good for documents you need to just flip through and skim etc.

Teyrnon · 04-15-2010, 04:33 PM

It's the typical hype you get out of many journalists these days and it's often doubtful that they're even bothering to understand the things they're talking about beyond a few basic details. There also seems to be an impetus to jump on whatever bandwagon is predicting how the "next big thing" will play out and what'll result. If they think it'll sell few journalists are above the proverbial "Me too!" screed.

richman · 04-15-2010, 10:27 PM

In about 6 months time we will be able to see how the Kindle holds up next to the IPAD.
It might come down to what device will a person take with them when they leave the house.
The kindle or the IPAD?
I can't see them taking both.
And at home sitting in a chair reading for an hour or so, which screen will they use, the one where they don't have to turn on a bright light or the one that you can read in the dark.

JSWolf · 04-15-2010, 10:30 PM

We already know that the iPad is not a threat to the K2. The iPad is a threat to the DX. So can we please stop the K2 vs the iPad as it's not really relevant. Talk about the DX vs the iPad as that is relevant.

Dellaster · 04-15-2010, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

We already know that the iPad is not a threat to the K2. The iPad is a threat to the DX. So can we please stop the K2 vs the iPad as it's not really relevant. Talk about the DX vs the iPad as that is relevant.

Yeah, I always thought the iPad vs Kindle 2 talk was like comparing [insert huge, option-packed SUV] against a Honda Accord or something 'cause, you know, the SUV can commute to work too and also do so much more. Why would you choose the Accord?!

04-15-2010, 01:26 PM	#1
Geppetto Addict Posts: 232 Karma: 748 Join Date: Feb 2010 Device: Sony PRS600, Cybook, Hanvon N520, Sony PRS300, Onyx Boox, Kindle 3	I've had enough with this "iPad killing Kindle" thing I think people - journalists, mostly - who say: "iPad will kill Kindle" or "will iPad kill Kindle?", and so on, are people who WANT iPad kill ereaders, because they DO believe ebooks will eventually kill publishing industry. They think: "look at what happened to mp3s and music industry: ebooks will do the same to publishers". A load of crap, of course. In my opinion, record companies sell far less because they sell too much garbage, not music.

04-15-2010, 04:13 PM	#11
dmaul1114 Wizard Posts: 2,300 Karma: 1121709 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Amazon Kindle 1	I'm a big fan of tablets, but I hate that stuff too. All it does is rile up the e-ink diehards, lead to a lot of "if it glows it blows" nonsense and cause threads full of bickering on sites like this. It's not some zero sum endgame, there's plenty of room in the market for the iPad and tablets in general, e-ink and other reflective screen dedicated readers, smart phones, pdas, laptops, netbooks etc. that can display e-books and/or do other stuff as well. I'll probably ditch my Kindle when I find the right tablet device as I've found I'm fine with reading on my girlfriend's iPad and prefer all the other functions as I spend more time on the net, video, newspapers, magazines, comics etc. than I do reading novels--that's just a chapter or 2 before sleeping 4 or so nights a week. But I seen no reason to go around touting the death of e-ink etc. as there's a sizable niche of people who just want dedicated readers with screens ideal for reading for hours on end. And I see no reason that tablets will kill that market. It will stick around and companies will continue making money off it by releasing e-ink and other reflective screen dedicated reading devices. I will agree that the large screen readers like the DX, Que etc. need price drops. It was niche with in a niche already for those things and I do think tablets will eat into that some. I was interested in the Que and Skiff for reading scholarly PDFs. But not anymore after using the iPad. They look great on there (screen could be an inch or so larger) and having fast page turns and scrolling is a must for research related reading, studying etc., and e-ink is just too damn slow for that. Fine for normal reading going one page forward at a time, but not good for documents you need to just flip through and skim etc. Last edited by dmaul1114; 04-15-2010 at 04:15 PM.

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04-15-2010, 01:34 PM	#2
Sydney's Mom Wizard Posts: 2,895 Karma: 6995721 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Idaho, on the side of a mountain Device: Kindle Oasis, Fire 3d Gen and 5th Gen and Samsung Tab S	Interesting point. I was worried at first, until I realized they are for entirely different uses. Now I just figure the comment is from someone unfamiliar with the kindle and/or the ipad.

04-15-2010, 01:47 PM	#3
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,897 Karma: 128597114 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	I do think the iPad will not kill the K2. But I do think the iPad will kill the KDX. The Kindle app is what's going to allow the iPad to trump the DX.

04-15-2010, 01:55 PM	#4
Logseman Orisa Posts: 1,999 Karma: 1035571 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Ireland Device: Onyx Poke 5	The Kindle DX, if I recall correctly, has received a lot of flak because of its poor PDF support (the usage for which huge quantities of people buy large-screen readers). As proof, when a third-party PDF reader app with good functionality appeared for the iPad (GoodReader) people are now all about it. I am of the opinion that if the Kindle DX had had nice PDF support from the beginning, the iPad's ebook fame would be quite inferior.

04-15-2010, 03:07 PM	#8
LDBoblo Wizard Posts: 1,385 Karma: 16056 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Asia Device: Kindle 3 WiFi, Sony PRS-505	XYZ-killer is a fine example of outdated or uncreative people trying too hard to make themselves sound trendy in popular media. It's just as bad as calling something a game-changer. The vernacular becomes functionally obsolete and loses its bite quickly, but has a long-lasting bitter aftertaste.

04-15-2010, 04:00 PM	#9
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,897 Karma: 128597114 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	What can the DX do that the iPad cannot do? Nothing that I know of. And given that cost of the DX, I do think most people would go the extra and get the iPad.

04-15-2010, 04:07 PM	#10
Teddman Addict Posts: 242 Karma: 695 Join Date: Jun 2009 Device: Sony PRS-505	The DX needed to drop by at least $100 before the iPad came out, and the Kindle 2 would've been better served by a cut to $199 too. I still don't know what Amazon is thinking by maintaining pricing on both Kindle models. Unless they just figure they'll try to make Kindle for iPad more popular than iBooks and make selling books to iPad users their main focus, or at least an equal focus with selling Kindle hardware.

04-15-2010, 04:33 PM	#12
Teyrnon Groupie Posts: 190 Karma: 384 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: South Eastern United States Device: jetBook, Kindle DX, Kindle 3, Kindle Fire, Nook Simple Touch	It's the typical hype you get out of many journalists these days and it's often doubtful that they're even bothering to understand the things they're talking about beyond a few basic details. There also seems to be an impetus to jump on whatever bandwagon is predicting how the "next big thing" will play out and what'll result. If they think it'll sell few journalists are above the proverbial "Me too!" screed.

04-15-2010, 10:27 PM	#13
richman Addict Posts: 269 Karma: 58 Join Date: Jul 2009 Device: sony prs-505 BLUE,itouch,netbook	In about 6 months time we will be able to see how the Kindle holds up next to the IPAD. It might come down to what device will a person take with them when they leave the house. The kindle or the IPAD? I can't see them taking both. And at home sitting in a chair reading for an hour or so, which screen will they use, the one where they don't have to turn on a bright light or the one that you can read in the dark.

04-15-2010, 10:30 PM	#14
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,897 Karma: 128597114 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	We already know that the iPad is not a threat to the K2. The iPad is a threat to the DX. So can we please stop the K2 vs the iPad as it's not really relevant. Talk about the DX vs the iPad as that is relevant.