| The iPad was recently unveiled, and it was billed as | | | | store, but for books, currently most, but not all, |
| an ereader. The demo even featured an app that | | | | major publishers are signed on to have their books |
| was supposed to simulate a bookshelf, so you can | | | | sold on the Apple Bookstore, and apparently many |
| browse through all your books like a real bookshelf, it | | | | smaller publishers will do so as well, so it is easy to |
| was very cool. The iPad also had a really cool page | | | | anticipate that Apple will have a large selection of |
| turning animation that made it seem like you were | | | | books, but it will not be at the same level that the |
| turning the page of a real book, and like all Apple | | | | well established Amazon bookstore will have for a |
| products the interface was intuitive, response and | | | | long time, if ever, and as of now, generally speaking, |
| unique all while managing to draw some impressed | | | | the Apple Bookstore charges more (most Kindle |
| ohs and ahs from anyone who is seeing one for the | | | | books are $10, while many in the Apple store will be |
| first time. | | | | closer to $15) |
| Here is what the iPad is not - an actual ereader, it is | | | | Also, the Bookstore does not have nearly the |
| just an LCD screen that has a special application to | | | | subscriptions to newspapers, blogs, and magazines |
| let you read books. Why doesn't anyone read novels | | | | that the Kindle store does. |
| on computer screens? Because looking into a big | | | | The big plus for the Bookstore is that Amazon uses |
| panel of light strains your eyes and makes it difficult | | | | its own proprietary format (which is something that |
| to read for extended periods of time. It's much more | | | | the industry leader often does - the iTunes store |
| comfortable to read from a printed page, this is what | | | | uses a unique music format that, for a long time, was |
| the advance in technology that the Kindle and other | | | | very restrictive about copying) while the Apple |
| ereaders provided: a way to read electronically | | | | Bookstore uses the common ePub format. What |
| without a backlit, eye-straining computer screen. So, | | | | does that mean for you? It means that these ePub |
| really, the iPad doesn't solve the problem we've had | | | | books can be read on a number of devices, while the |
| with reading on computers that has existed for | | | | Amazon format can only be read on Amazon |
| decades, it is just a fancy laptop with a special | | | | approved products, which at the moment is the |
| application for reading. | | | | Kindle, iPhones, and registered computers. |
| It's worth mentioning that since the Apple uses a | | | | If you were expecting the iPad to be a combination |
| regular computer screen, their books display full color | | | | of an eReader and a tablet PC, sadly that is not yet |
| images and potentially movies, which eReaders | | | | the case, the eReader portion of the device is more |
| cannot currently do. | | | | hype than substance, but the iPad is still an excellent |
| The other major launch to go along with the iPad | | | | choice as a portable computer, but as an ereader the |
| was the Apple Bookstore, similar to iTunes music | | | | Kindle still is the better device, hands down. |