tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-485455051458949924.post1389014023923241079..comments2024-01-10T06:18:05.838+00:00Comments on eReaderJoy: Adam Engst on iPad and ereadersEolake Stobblehousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07126147415891586345noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-485455051458949924.post-82078573195480595592011-03-15T13:28:14.695+00:002011-03-15T13:28:14.695+00:00Boy, I didn't expect Eolake's interview to...Boy, I didn't expect Eolake's interview to get quite so much attention (via Daring Fireball) or I might have taken some more time to craft exactly what I was saying.<br /><br />First off, I think people are reading WAY too much into my statement. I said:<br /><br />> One thing that I think is potentially helping the Kindle is that Apple has become so large and so dominant that buying a Kindle is almost an act of rebellion.<br /><br />Note the words "I think" and "potentially" and "almost". I'm not stating this as a fact, I'm proposing it as a possibility, as something that might be true in some cases. In fact, I'm pretty sure it is true in some cases, but it would be madness to suggest that it's true in all cases, or even in a majority of cases. <br /><br />If you're all really interested, we can explore the question of why people buy one device over another, but I don't think there's any argument that not all people make fully rational decisions all the time. Sometimes they just like one thing more than another, or have a good or bad association. I don't wear or buy Nike running shoes, for instance, and while I can make up various rational justifications for why, the fact is that I'm not a big fan of Nike and buying other brands of running shoes is a small personal rebellion about how big and powerful Nike has become.<br /><br />It's true I'm not a big fan of the Kindle. I have a Kindle 1 and a Kindle DX, and they sit on my floor unused until I need to test something on them, at which point I generally become fairly frustrated with them since I find the Kindle interface slow and opaque, the keyboard is next to useless, and I really dislike the E-Ink screen redraw time. I'm sure my discomfort with the interface is in part because I use them infrequently, but I could also make a point-by-point criticism of the Kindle on usability grounds.<br /><br />All that said, if you like your Kindle, great. I'm not an iPad fan boy, and most of the reading I do is on paper, because I like to get books out of the public library.<br /><br />Everything is more complicated than it seems, and there are always more than two sides to every argument. But it's not always possible, in the time and space available, to present and explore every possibility. When it comes right down to it, Eolake asked me these interview questions via email and I hadn't replied as promptly as I would have liked. So I was writing quickly in an effort to get the message out of my Inbox. And because he's a friend with a blog (as opposed to, say, the Washington Post), I wasn't thinking as carefully as I might about my wording. So it goes.<br /><br />cheers... -AdamAdam C. Engsthttp://www.takecontrolbooks.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-485455051458949924.post-32682718059570162442011-03-14T13:28:07.398+00:002011-03-14T13:28:07.398+00:00Indeed.
Also, it seems to me that using an ereade...Indeed. <br />Also, it seems to me that using an ereader should hardly require proof of your manhood! <br /><br />Even if it should, children and seniors use them too. :-)Eolake Stobblehousehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07126147415891586345noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-485455051458949924.post-14526475623742075342011-03-14T13:12:42.360+00:002011-03-14T13:12:42.360+00:00"It puzzles me when me(n) complain that the i..."It puzzles me when me(n) complain that the iPad is heavy."<br /><br />As usual, I have mixed feelings about the implication that I'm kind of a wuss, which carries both a degree of pride and some residual shame, but there you have it.<br /><br />In any event, I wonder whether J. has used her/his iPad standing on a commuter train for an hour or so. As I believe Einstein proved, things get heavier over time, especially on a moving object traveling at a fraction of the speed of light :).Peterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17549329862762587604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-485455051458949924.post-79349614299628033192011-03-12T16:51:59.368+00:002011-03-12T16:51:59.368+00:00Thanks, Anon.
I bought a Kindle 3 when it came o...Thanks, Anon. <br /><br />I bought a Kindle 3 when it came out in November, and for a week or two I was very enthusiastic about it. And I still love the form and weight. But the slow interface and the grey screen, and the poor handling of web content means I'm also using the iPad exclusively anyway. <br /><br />I think Amazon has to come out with a tablet at some point, to not lose the hardware game eventually.Eolake Stobblehousehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07126147415891586345noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-485455051458949924.post-25807757595691425572011-03-12T16:33:05.646+00:002011-03-12T16:33:05.646+00:00I had two Kindles before the iPad. Great battery l...I had two Kindles before the iPad. Great battery life, lightweight, and ease-of-use (I could buy a book just before the airplane door was closed and read it on the way home). <br /><br />I also bought an iPad on the first day it was available and the Kindle for the iPad was one of the first apps I installed. That was the last time I ever used my Kindle.<br /><br />He's right about iBooks. It sucks, though mostly because of the poor selection of books and Apple's klutzy download system. (When will they figure out cloud syncing?)<br /><br />Interesting to read the comments of the Kindle enthusiasts. De gustibus non est disputandum.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-485455051458949924.post-39153787465559021442011-03-12T06:37:19.400+00:002011-03-12T06:37:19.400+00:00I also thought that it was strange that Adam chose...I also thought that it was strange that Adam chose to say that people only buy a kindle to avoid Apple. If there is one thing that I have found helping others with computers is that it is very much each to their own. I much prefer reading on the iPad to the Kindle - bigger screen and the ability to highlight and annotate along with the fact that I (personally) don't find the Kindle screen any easier on the eyes. However, I understand that there are some people who prefer to read on the kindle for very legitimate reasons. It comes down to personal preference and it is a little condescending to dismiss another’s preferences as nothing more than a fashion statement.johnsmithnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-485455051458949924.post-80015466282370483312011-03-12T05:55:29.625+00:002011-03-12T05:55:29.625+00:00I very much enjoy reading on my Kindle and about ...I very much enjoy reading on my Kindle and about 90% of my reading time is spent with online articles and blog posts. Instapaper is what makes it actually useful, though, by allowing me to bookmark the things I want to read and then helping to format them for the Kindle display.<br /><br />I'll admit that I haven't used an iPad for reading, but I prefer the Kindle enough that I will find an article on my iMac and then transfer it to Instapaper to read on my Kindle.Nicknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-485455051458949924.post-66091799872116827032011-03-12T04:44:30.390+00:002011-03-12T04:44:30.390+00:00Correction: when MEN complain that the iPad is he...Correction: when MEN complain that the iPad is heavy.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00511173176550583544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-485455051458949924.post-40875939984924948082011-03-12T04:42:26.707+00:002011-03-12T04:42:26.707+00:00I've never owned a Kindle. But, I did read eb...I've never owned a Kindle. But, I did read ebooks on a 'big' PDA, a Palm Tungsten, a few years ago. The experience is far superior on the iPad. Despite being a MacBook Air owner, I prefer carrying the iPad to my 'little' laptop. In fact, I am using it now. It is resting in my lap as I type, so the weight is not an issue. It puzzles me when me complain that the iPad is heavy.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00511173176550583544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-485455051458949924.post-38894606061670379882011-03-12T03:47:59.488+00:002011-03-12T03:47:59.488+00:00The interviewer here:
I do admit I have written m...The interviewer here: <br />I do admit I have written more than once of my wish for a reader of the K3's size, but the iPhone 4's screen quality. The high res makes a big difference. <br /><br />(I dislike the greyness of the Kindle screen.)Eolake Stobblehousehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07126147415891586345noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-485455051458949924.post-79470196042025285992011-03-11T22:39:04.447+00:002011-03-11T22:39:04.447+00:00If you don't find the weight difference betwee...If you don't find the weight difference between iPad and Kindle relevant, you're unlike almost everyone else who uses them. I have a creaky old 1st generation Kindle and it's still better for reading than my iPad (which I love for many other things). The exception of course is for anything will illustrations, color, etc. where the iPad is much better. But to relax with a novel - Kindle is fantastic.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14991227879272397253noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-485455051458949924.post-341837734630376432011-03-11T18:49:05.708+00:002011-03-11T18:49:05.708+00:00Adam, as president of a Mac User Group, I can hard...Adam, as president of a Mac User Group, I can hardly be accused of being anti Apple. Yet I use one of the small Kindles. If you are going to me carrying something around with you all day that's a huge advantage. My wife has an iPad and leaves it home or in the car when we are out all day. Why? Weight. Oh, size is important, too. I can slip the Kindle in a coat pocket.Michael McKeehttp://myporttownsend.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-485455051458949924.post-17793686520783149702011-03-11T18:25:08.759+00:002011-03-11T18:25:08.759+00:00Uh, I read on my Kindle because it's ridiculou...Uh, I read on my Kindle because it's ridiculously superior to the iPad for reading books. Considering i spent something like $100,000 on Apple products for my department this past fiscal year, I don't think I'm using the Kindle to avoid buying Apple products.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-485455051458949924.post-1820874747226269742011-03-11T17:37:59.852+00:002011-03-11T17:37:59.852+00:00extra files might confuse people who just want PDF...<i> extra files might confuse people who just want PDF and don't know what to do with EPUB and Mobipocket, especially since few apps on the Mac will even open those files</i><br /><br /><a href="http://www.lexcycle.com/" rel="nofollow">Stanza</a> Desktop and <a href="http://calibre-ebook.com/" rel="nofollow">Calibre</a> for Mac OS X both work just fine for reading ePub books on the Mac. Yes, two qualifies as "few" but when it comes to the iPhone or iPad there are more than a few apps that will handle ePub books, not least of which is Apple's iBooks (although I prefer reading in Stanza for a number of reasons). <br /><br />I much prefer reading a book on my iPhone in ePub rather than PDF format (although I primarily read books made up of words with few pictures -- I assume Take Control books have lots of screengrabs in them). I can't speak to the iPad experience since I don't have one.<br /><br />Eventually I'm sure Apple will build a desktop reader into the increasingly-misnamed iTunes as well: Stanza Desktop is poorly maintained (even though their iOS app rocks) and Calibre is an exercise in masochism to use, even though right now it's the best of breed.<br /><br />I just searched both versiontracker and macupdate for "ePub" and neither of them returned either Stanza or Calibre, so perhaps it's no surprise most Mac users don't know there's Mac desktop reader software for ePub books.valiant66noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-485455051458949924.post-59062306462839240842011-03-11T17:07:21.332+00:002011-03-11T17:07:21.332+00:00I was an early iPad owner, but when I realized how...I was an early iPad owner, but when I realized how I was using the iPad, I sold it on Craig's List and bought a Kindle. I was prepared to sell the Kindle too, if I felt like I wasn't making good use of it, but have it still. (I'm a Mac user at work and at home and even own a few shares in the company, so it would be hard to detect any anti-Apple biases) The advantages of the Kindle to me are the ones you dismissed, plus a few others, like free 3G access and being able to email documents from my Mac to my Kindle. This works quite well getting Mobi versions of Take Control books (of which I own several) to the Kindle by the way, where they are quite readable. I could do this with Mobi or PDF, but Mobi works much better. I'd like to make the obvious point that we live in a multiplatform world and only a very powerful or obstinate publisher (and I'm sure there will be some) would slight the iPad, the Kindle or Android. Interesting interview anyway.Peterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17549329862762587604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-485455051458949924.post-12774827493325280042011-03-11T16:46:21.303+00:002011-03-11T16:46:21.303+00:00People go on about how the Kindle is great because...<i>People go on about how the Kindle is great because there are no other distractions and because you can read it in direct sunlight and whatnot, but my feeling is that they're really saying "I'm avoiding the iPad because I don't want to be seen as slavishly buying everything Apple releases."</i><br /><br />Seriously? <br /><br />Wow, I thought I read books on my Kindle because the screen is better for text, I no longer get eye strain, it weighs less, I can read it in sunlight and the battery life is outstanding. <br /><br />But now I realize that I'm just a tool who was only using it because I'm anti-Apple.<br /><br />Thanks for clarifying that for me jackass.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08283621133071819232noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-485455051458949924.post-13448790941050181042011-03-11T16:43:52.705+00:002011-03-11T16:43:52.705+00:00Awesome, a ton of these questions are things I mys...Awesome, a ton of these questions are things I myself was wondering about. I want to have EPUB/MOBI/PDF sales later on, and I really appreciate the insight about the respective stores. Thanks. <br /><br />I'll definitely grab your RSS feed ;)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-485455051458949924.post-69594657897655878612011-03-07T18:16:01.137+00:002011-03-07T18:16:01.137+00:00Thank you for noting how the book publishers creat...Thank you for noting how the book publishers create various formats, Epub, PDF, etc. for various reading devices, and their reasons for doing so. Yes, iPAD2 is thinner and lighter, faster and has better graphics, the battery life is still about 10hours, not two weeks. However, over night recharge is a reasonable action. I doubt that Apple will provide a smaller display (economies of scale and manufacturing differences, marketing and inventory issues ... these are not trivial.) Would we like 'em, perhaps, but the size and flexibility of the iPAD concept has been an overwhelmingly successful. As software is upgraded, relationships are solidified and built-in to digital publishing ... the world needs for print will shrink rapidly ... not entirely ... but the need to reduce printing, distribution and storage is cumbersome to state it mildly. Thank you for sharing this info... it is definitely helpful<br /><br />Dave (theoleguy)Dave and Nancy Madsenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05233082705610680550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-485455051458949924.post-24828724089559443712011-03-01T23:44:27.559+00:002011-03-01T23:44:27.559+00:00For sure there'll be a fourth kind of Kindle t...For sure there'll be a fourth kind of Kindle this year. And a new iPad tomorrow, and some say a third kind already in the fall, possibly a different size and higher screen resolution. So I'm very interested to see how all these things will make the landscape change.Eolake Stobblehousehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07126147415891586345noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-485455051458949924.post-3866386087700783542011-03-01T21:19:52.232+00:002011-03-01T21:19:52.232+00:00I have both an iPad and a Kindle.
I prefer the Ki...I have both an iPad and a Kindle.<br /><br />I prefer the Kindle for book & newspaper reading: much lighter, good screen, long battery life. It has weaknesses for sure: klutzy navigation beyond page turns and a cramped keyboard.<br /><br />The iPad wins hands-down (on a stand) for colour magazines and web access but it's heavy, shows messy screen with any use and the battery life is not great. But I am certain that some of this will be improved in v.2Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13309412122797154825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-485455051458949924.post-21898324531408929302011-02-26T11:31:25.615+00:002011-02-26T11:31:25.615+00:00I'm sure the check is in the mail re: the Appl...I'm sure the check is in the mail re: the Apple accolades! lol! That was DELICIOUS to read! (as in: I didn't think they were as "perfect" as Jobs likes their image to appear!) :-DTC [Girl]https://www.blogger.com/profile/13627383459407464083noreply@blogger.com