In this review of the Apple iPad I will show you the real user experience of two possible eBook / eReader applications that are available on the Apple iPad. The new iBooks application from Apple and the already existing but updated for iPad Kindle application.
Both applications are free for download in the iTunes App Store and both have the options to get your favorite book on your iPad.
Below is a bullet point summary of the options and the differences between the iBooks and the Kindle applications on the Apple iPad:
- iBooks let you download larger samples
- iBooks has life like page turning options
- Kindle’s home page looks nicer compared to the book shelf on the iBooks home page
- Both can bookmark pages, iBooks let je bookmarl lines.
- Kindle Bookmarks are being synchronized to all your different Kindle readers. Not in iBooks, I tried with two iPads on the same account.
- Sharing of books is possible. You just have to use the same iTunes account and purchase. Message will say that you already purchased/ downloaded this book before and if you want to download it again.
- Dictionary available in iBooks only.
- The Kindle application allows you to add personal notes to lines.
- Both applications allows you to change font size
- iBooks allows you to change font type.
- Kindle allows you to change the color of the text and background (3 options)
- Both applications allows you to change the brightnees from within the application.
Conclusion
So, which one should you use? It is a personal preference. Since I am sharing my purchased books within my family on the same account in iTunes and Amazon I prefer the iBooks application because it wouldn’t affect my personal bookmarks while another family member is reading the same book. Synchronizing across all the different readers associated with our family accounts would make things a little bit more complicated.
Take a look at the video below and see both the iBook and Kindle eBook reader applications in action on the Apple iPad.
About Johan van Mierlo
