Right now, if you wanna read electronic books, you have two "Amazonian" options: you can either shell out the US$359.00 Amazon wants for their handheld Kindle reader — and deal with a piece of hardware that's frankly still evolving — or, if you already have an iPhone, download the free Kindle app from iTunes, and try to read test on your smart phone's less than generous screen.
Or, if you're the what's-behind-Door-Number-Three type, you can wait for Apple to unveil their own netbook and toast the Kindle for good.
The long-rumored "Mediapad" (think "super iPod Touch") is said to be smaller than the Kindle, but with a larger screen. Add some decent speakers to it, and you've got a nice handheld movie-viewing solution — something the bookreading-only Kindle can't do. (Did someone say "one trick pony?")
Before you write the Kindle's obit, though, keep in mind that (a) Amazon's actually sold more than a few Kindles already, and has legitimately jump-started the ebook field, and (b) Apple's device will probably debut with an MSRP much higher than the Kindle's. Only when the two units are price-comparable will the Apple tablet pose a serious threat to Amazon's reader.
[Via PC World]
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The kindle has two things going for it that the rumored Apple tablet will have a difficult time competing with:
1) Free wireless access. You can not only download books, but you can get a (crappy) view of the web with Kindle, with no monthly costs.
2) Enormous battery life. If you aren’t using the wireless, Kindle can go for weeks without having its battery recharged, and that’s not an exaggeration.
Don’t get me wrong, if Apple comes out with a nifty tablet device, I’ll start planning when I’m going to get one… but I may still buy a Kindle just to read books on.