So many eBook readers in the market that it gets daunting to select one out of the many. However, if you look closely, the list of the best ones is really short. The topmost are the three we'll talk about today: Kindle, Nook, or iPad.
The Amazon Kindle, the Barnes & Noble Nook, and the Apple iPad stand in heavy competition against each other. Each of these has its pros and cons that make them ideal or inappropriate for you. It can be overwhelming with so many features to judge according to your requirements.
If you are in the market to choose between Kindle, Nook, or iPad, here is a guide to help you make your choice.
Amazon Kindle
You get to choose between two versions of Kindle – the WiFi-only and the WiFi+3G version. The former comes for $139, and the latter gets you a deal of $189. Amazon claims that its third-generation products are their best work.
The Kindle 6-inch e-Ink screen goes much easier on your eyes compared to the typical laptops or desktop screens. It appears like a flat piece of paper without any glare or reflections. It weighs considerably light and belongs to the size of a mass paperback book. So, it doesn't feel heavy in your hands.
Kindle has one downside that is its refresh rate that Amazon is working on. Although it is not as fast as turning over a page of a traditional paperback book, it is convenient with the e-Ink screen. Amazon claims to offer you the best reading experience till now.
You also experience the Webkit browser, which is good enough to look for anything online while reading. However, the browser is not for regular or heavy internet usage. But you should see the Web in its grayscale nature. It is interesting!
More exciting news for Kindle lovers is that the latest version supports PDF files. However, still more progress is yet to be seen on EPUB file support. But you get an additional feature of sharing your books online.
Among Kindle, Nook, or iPad, Choose Kindle if you:
Read a lot
Want to focus on reading
Care for your eyes
Prefer to read books outside
Read novels
Read during daytime
Are a dedicated Kindle store user
Barnes & Noble Nook
Even in Nook, you get to choose from two varieties – the Nook worth $149 and the NookColor worth $249. The standard Nook features a 6-inch E Ink screen and looks like the Kindle. If reading is all you prefer, the Nook is an excellent device for your needs.
The NookColor is available in 7-inch, full-colour with touchscreen abilities. The designers have given it an LCD screen, and you get many options among enhanced books, magazines, newspapers, and other interactive books. You can use the NookColor as a media player as well.
The similarity between Nook and NookColor is the LendMe feature. It enables you to share eBooks with fellow readers and friends. This is a downside to Kindle. B&N offers you a Lifetime Library using which you can store your most liked books, download them whenever you need to, use them anywhere and access them from any device with Nook installed in it.
The Nook allows you to choose from a wide range of over 2 million titles to choose your books to read.
Among Kindle, Nook, or iPad, choose Nook if you:
Prefer reading at any time of the day
Are an avid reader
Prefer a device to read books exclusively
Do not fancy the idea of paperback books
Want many choices in book titles
Prefer internet browsing along with book-reading
Apple IPad
Although the Apple iPad is not a dedicated eBook reader, it does support the required functionalities to read an eBook. The iPad by Apple features a 9.1-inch full-color LCD touchscreen. It's a bonus to have such a large-sized device. It becomes handy and can be taken horizontally to read two pages like a traditional book.
But there is a similarity of reading from the NookColor and an iPad – both are LCDs that may be responsible for not allowing you to read as comfortably as you would from an E Ink screen.
You get to choose eBooks and audiobooks from its in-built iTunes store. It allows you to download the eBooks and audiobooks to your device, whether an iPad or an iPhone. The second-generation iPad features a 16GB storage size for the minimum that is priced at $499. From here on, the price and storage capacity of the iPad increase with the version.
Among Kindle, Nook, or iPad, choose an iPad if you:
Want to read comics and textbooks
Like to access different eBook stores
Want to make notes while reading and studying
Read for short periods
How To Choose The Ideal EBook Reader
We all know that it is becoming more challenging to pick with the advancement in the tech world. Here are a few tips to help you decide on the three top eBook readers - Kindle, Nook, or iPad.
Decide according to the type and size of the screen that would complement your needs.
Try a device among Kindle, Nook, or iPad to test all its features before finalizing your buying decision.
Make sure that the device supports the type of content you want to read.
Consider the connectivity concerns applicable for the device and essential for your needs.
Ensure that the battery life of the device you choose is long enough to support your uses.
Judge the price and the features and go for the best deal at a reasonable price.
Final Thoughts
If you are an avid reader and don't want to install add-ons, Kindle or Nook is ideal for you. However, if you like to have more features and advantages, NookColor and iPad are two great all-in-one devices.
Nevertheless, your decision to choose between Kindle, Nook, or iPad would depend on your requirements for reading. If you understand your needs well, selecting an eBook reader won't be difficult for you.
