Kindle or Nook or iPad - Which is the Best e-book Reader?

By Dominic Zumumba

Not many people know that Michael S. Hart is credited to be the inventor of e-book. It was way back in 1971 that Michael typed the United States Declaration of Independence on his computer as an electronic document. E-book has traveled a long way ever since. Continuous improvement in E-book formats and advent of portable supporting hardware to read these books has been a welcome change for consumers of today.

There is no dearth of choices when it comes to e-book readers. In fact, the number of options available today can easily confound any first time buyer. Profiled below are three of the top e-book readers that you can consider for your needs:

Kindle at amazon.zom

Kindle - Established in 1994, today Amazon is the world's largest online retailer having amassed around $ 48.07 billion of Revenues in the fiscal ending 2011. This meteoric rise received a fresh impetus with the launch of Amazon Kindle in November, 2007 which was sold out within the first five hours of its launch. Kindle is a new age e book reader that allows you to search and read digital content and even download it via wireless networking.


Nook - Year 2009 saw the launch of Nook e-book reader by Barnes and Noble, the leading U.S. book retailer. It will enhance your digital content reading experience as it comes with a color LCD device and runs on the ever dependable Android platform. Technology giant Microsoft has infused an investment to the tune of $300 million which is set to improve your Kindle experience.

iPad at amazon.com

iPad - Apple iPad is in a league of its own as it is not just an e-book reader but delivers a complete Tablet experience. It is a bit on the expensive side when compared with other e-book readers but comes loaded with features e.g. you can align this device with the online Apple iBookstore to read and download digital content.


Take into account the following three questions before finalizing an e-book reader:


"Do I really need this device?" - Before buying you must be clear with the intended usage of this device. Tablets and E-ink readers are best suited for enhancing the e-book reading experience. A pocket friendly variant can be the e-ink reader which can easily help read online newspapers, e-books and magazines. Tablets are a step ahead of e-ink readers and provide color LCD screens and many other extra functionalities.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 

"What is the acceptable weight of the device?" - Kindle Touch is a perfect example of a lightweight and easy to carry e-book reader. It weighs just below 6 ounces but lacks features like a touch screen and audio capability. Increase in screen size, color screens, battery size all add up to the weight of the e-book reader. 10 inch Apple iPad 2 and the Kindle DX devices both weigh around an incredible 1.35 pounds.

"What factors influence the price of an e-book reader?" - The more the features on our e-book reader the higher the price you should be prepared to shell out for the device. Kindle Touch, one of the most basic e-book readers available today comes at just $79 and lacks audio and color screen interface. On the contrary, a state of the art feature rich Apple iPad will start around $499 but is a definite value for money product.


Closing Remarks


E-book readers have a lot of choice when it comes to finalizing their purchase. A good selection will revolve heavily on the kind of features you want to see in the device. The questions as asked above can help you make an informed decision on which one out of a tablet or a e-ink reader suits your requirements.

About the Author:

Learn more about tablet devices. Stop by Dominic Zumumba's site where you can find out all about refurbished computers and what they can do for you.. Check here for free reprint license: Kindle or Nook or iPad - Which is the Best e-book Reader?.