The emergence of ebook was revolutionary. It changed the way millions of avid readers enjoy books in unforeseen ways. It was also revolutionary for writers and publishers. Stephen King’s Riding the Bullet reached 500,000 copies sold in just 48 hours. Imagine that!
Seeing people reading eBooks while commuting and enjoying the sun in the parks became so common, we rarely think about how life-changing it was. People glued to all kinds of eReaders such as Kindle, Nook, Cybook, Kobo eReader, and of course iPads. These days, however, the iPad seems to push away dedicated eReaders to the side as it takes the top stop as the number one gadget people use to read eBooks. Is that true?
Is An iPad Better Than E-reader?
Before we jump to conclusions, let’s weigh in the pros and cons of these two from the display and battery life standpoint first.
Display
Consider the newest iPad with Retina display. That device pampers your eyes not only when you read ebooks, but also when you want to watch videos, play games, draw pictures, or whatever.
Now, if you have kids, then an iPad makes so much more sense than an e-reader. You can have your kids read colorful comic books, watch movies, and explore other various multimedia content. Expecting a dedicated e-reader to match that is just asking too much.
“But reading on a Kindle is so much more comfortable…”
Yes, that’s true. The e-ink technology used in dedicated e-readers is safer for long reading sessions too. In addition, you don’t need to worry about blue light hindering your sleep cycle if you’re the type who loves reading before bed.
So while an iPad is certainly superior when you want to do more than just reading, an e-reader with e-ink technology is better for your eyes.
Battery life
The iPad has up to 10 hours of battery life. That’s good, but not great. A Kindle can last weeks on a single charge. Charge once before you go on a cruise then leave the charger at home. That’s one less item to take up precious space in your carry-on luggage. A dedicated e-reader wins this round for sure.
Now, let’s get back to our initial question. Will iPad wipe out e-readers?
The answer is probably no. People will still rely on their Kindle when they want to read ebooks and nothing more. The iPad, and other tables for that matter, will also still be around in the near future. These two gadgets already have their own market and that will remain true for years.
Does it matter who wins?
Well, not really. No matter what device wins as the go-to gadget for reading ebooks, you’re still the winner here. After all, you can read your ebook collection in whatever device thanks to ebook format conversion from online-convert.com. So if one day the industry suddenly decides to switch to AZW 3 completely and all your ebook is in ePub, you can swiftly convert them all without any hassle.
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