iPad vs Kindle

Blogs seem to be heating up already about whether the iPad will kill the Kindle. I just read an article listing 10 reasons iPad will crush Kindle.

Although I agree with the 10 items on the list, I think there are a few things Kindle still has going for it.

(I own neither an iPad nor a Kindle, so the following is based purely on tech specs and a very brief hands-on with a Kindle.)

1. Kindle's screen may not be colour or support video, but it really is amazing. I can see that it would be comfortable to read for hours.

2. Also thanks to its screen, Kindle's battery life dwarfs iPad. And there's no need to worry about turning it off if you get distracted with something else. You just put it down and leave it. Just like a book.

3. Kindle is much thinner and much, much lighter. Many people enjoy reading in bed - can you imagine trying to hold a 730g iPad with one hand while you keep the other arm warm under the covers? Even the big Kindle is only 290g.

4. I agree Apple has dominated the online music buying experience, but Amazon is THE biggest and most international bookstore in the world. The iBookstore is in the U.S. only. Amazon is still the gorilla in this jungle. The iTunes Store filled a vacuum. No such vacuum exists for eBooks. (However, I will admit that Kindle hasn't sold well enough to be considered a done deal.)

5. Touch interface sounds easy, but it's not always. Nobody of any age will have trouble with the Kindle's buttons, but with a touch screen it's so easy to accidentally tap something without meaning to. If you watch the iPad demo carefully, you can see Steve doing this.

Okay, so I've only got 5 reasons to support the Kindle, so maybe iPad will eventually eclipse it. I'm just saying - it won't be as easy as Ben Elowitz and others make it seem, and it won't be overnight. Apple's got some work to do.