The Differences Between the Apple iPad & Amazon Kindle
The Apple iPad and the Amazon Kindle devices both enable you to read e-books and other content that uses their e-reader functionality, from wherever you are. The tablet devices differ in their flexibility. The Kindle is exclusively an e-reader, while Apple enables a wider range of applications for the iPad, including gaming and Internet browsing.
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Purpose of the Devices
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The Kindle's design delivers e-book, magazine and other print content to the user in an electronic form. Though similar in form, the iPad is a more flexible information appliance. Its color screen and touch-screen interface deliver a familiar computer-like interface for the consumption of music, movies, games and Internet content. A convergence between the two devices is possible through the Kindle application for iPad that enables you to read the books in your Kindle library on your iPad.
Display Differences
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The iPad has a full-color, touch-screen display. It has a 9.7-inch liquid crystal display (LCD) capable of a resolution of 1024x768 pixels. The touch-screen interface is designed to be used with bare fingers or special gloves and styli that allow electrical conductivity. If the use of color applications is important to you, the iPad is your choice as the Kindle is strictly a black and white device. The E Ink technology used in the 6-inch display produces a higher contrast image than an LCD. This makes the content readable in challenging situations, such as direct sunlight, that might be a challenge for LCD iPad. The Kindle uses a built-in keyboard and manual buttons as its interface.
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Connectivity Differences
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Both the Kindle and the iPad are portable devices, connecting to the Internet and content servers through a variety of technologies. The Kindle is available with both Wi-Fi (standard) and a model with 3G connectivity that enables the user to connect and purchase content anywhere this type of cellular connection is available. The iPad offers similar wireless connectivity, but also has a proprietary Apple dock connector for wired communications. Consider where you want to use your device, as 3G and Wi-Fi accessibility varies from place to place, and one or the other may not be available at all.
Physical Differences
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The two devices share a similar rectangular shape and shallow depth. The iPad is physically larger at 9.5-inches by 7.3-inches and slightly less than one-half inch in depth. The smaller Kindle's dimensions are 7.5 by 4.8-inches, and about the same thickness as the iPad. The Kindle's size may make it easier to tuck into a purse or backpack, the iPad is slightly larger. The Apple device has a camera built into it, which would be extraneous on the Kindle.
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