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In this article, I will be reviewing the iPad. This will cover the electronic book feature of the device and only a few other features as not to dilute the review too much with unimportant information. If you are looking for complete information about the device, it would be wise to look elsewhere. If you are considering buying one of the many electronic book readers on the market, this review is for you.
Let me first start by saying I have had the iPad for nearly two months now, and have had a good amount of time to explore and understand this device which is being reviewed today.
iPad Overview
The iPad is a 9.7" touchscreen device manufactured by Apple Inc. It weighs roughly 1.5 pounds and has only one button. It shares its looks with cousins iPhone and iPod Touch, if you have one of these devices it is gaurenteed you will understand how the iPad works. iPad is not a dedicated reading device, this needs to be stated first. While it has the functionality to download, store and display electronic books it is not a dedicated reading device because it has hundreds of other features such as internet, e-mail, video and music to name a few. It is essentially a media consumption device. While the device is somewhat useless in the beginning, adding content such as applications, books, video and music open up iPad into the powerhouse media device that it is. Without the content, iPad would be a crippled device, unworthy of your hard earned dollars.
iPad competitors and pricing
The iPad is not invisible to competition, even if the lines of what is and isn't competition aren't always clear. Considering the electronic book market, the iPad's main competitors are the Amazon Kindle and Barnes & Noble Nook. These are the two most popular electronic book readers on the market today, with Sony Readers trailing somewhat behind. iPad is priced from $499 (16GB Wifi) all the way up to $829. The price is going to depend on how much storage you need as well as whether you order one with the 3G chipset (allowing cellular data access instead of only Wifi). Amazon Kindle is priced at $189 after a price drop from $259. Similarly, the B&N Nook has been reduced to $149 (Wifi Only) and $199 for the 3G version. These price drops are a result of the introduction of the iPad, aggressive competition as well as falling manufacturing costs. You can thank Apple for the price reductions across the electronic book reader market, their device has created a dash for more customers to counter the Apple threat of electronic book domination.
First experience
On the iPad, the reading experience happens through a program called iBooks. You can download it from the App Store for free which will save it onto your device for future use. iBooks is where your books live on the device, opening this app will let you have access to the iBook store, which allows you to view and download thousands of available books. Accessing the iBookstore requires tapping the "Store" button in the upper left corner, the bookcase will flip around and present you with thousands of literary items.
iPad makes it extremely simple to download and read electronic books, that is a fact. It doesn't get much easier or trouble free. Apple as usual has nailed the simplicity of media consumption this time, with electronic books.
Reading an eBook
Reading with the iPad is a mixed experience. I sincerely believe that if your the type of person who reads constantly and is tossing around the idea of joining the electronic reading crowd with a device and you should steer clear of iPad unless you also need it for other things.
My reasoning is this: iPad is heavy, heavier than a regular book and twice as heavy as Kindle or Nook. The device does not "disappear" into your hands when your reading, you always know it is there. The purpose of a book is to forget about whatever is going on in your life and descend into the pages, into that particular story. While the iPad is packed with features to customize your reading experience, it is hard to completely immerse yourself into the book. The device weighs 1.5/1.6 pounds which is the main reason for my argument. If the book you are reading weighs this much, you are constantly reminded of this fact and the reading experience suffers.
iPad is a great casual reader, I use it when on the go or during short periods of reading, but not for hours on end. Others may be different, but these are my opinions of the device.
Features of iBooks
iBooks has some really great features. The application allows you to change the brightness directly from the app which helps at night or in darker reading areas. Because the iPad has an LCD screen it can be harder on the eyes than an e-Ink screen device such as Kindle or Nook. Other features include allowing you to change the font size, font type, making notes and highlighting passages for later review.
While it is a rarity that I will highlight or make notes, many people find these features incredibly attractive and use them daily. iPad makes this very simple to do, simply tap on the word and you can drag two pins over the word, sentence or paragraph you would like highlighted or noted. It doesn't get much easier than this.
Kindle for iPad
If your like me and also have a Kindle, you can download the free application from the App Store which allows you access to your Kindle library from your iPad. I find this a great addition to the already strong iBooks application. Now I can open the Kindle app (instead of iBooks) and download all of my previous Kindle purchases which is great when I want to read them on the iPad. Place settings are saved and synced with the Kindle so you always know where you left off regardless of the device being used.
Conclusion
As stated earlier, I really believe that the iPad is a great reading device for casual readers, or by using it on the go. Spending hours reading on the iPad is not an enjoyable experience for myself and I much prefer Kindle, Nook or a regular electronic book reader. If you in the market for a dedicated device simply for the hobby of reading, I would recommend you push past the iPad hype and choose another eBook reader.
If you are in the market for a multi-purpose device, iPad is king. I love my iPad and use it everyday, just not for reading. Only occasionally will I utilize the reading features of the device. Reading on the iPad is not bad, just not the experience that I want when trying to get into a good book.
Good luck to everyone on their quest to join the electronic book reader world. If you have any questions please feel free to leave a comment.
Product Pages:
Apple iPad ($499 and up)
Amazon Kindle 2 ($189)
Barnes & Noble Nook ($149/$199)
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