Am I a Kindle, a Nook, or an iPad?

E-reader, what to do, what to do?  The purpose of this column is to try and cut through the gazillion different charts and graphs and technical mumbo jumbo and help you make a decision on your e-reader purchase. There are really only three options to choose from.  The Kindle, the Nook, and the iPad.  All others, are also-rans.  There are competitors out there that are cheaper, but they are no-names and I doubt they will gain the market share that these products have.  Remember HD-DVD and Blu-Ray, never heard of HD-DVD?  My point exactly.  

Ok, let’s talk Kindle.  The Kindle e-book reader was put out by Amazon.com.  If you are an avid reader, this is your choice.  The display is monochrome (ok black and white/ grayscale) and the image is crisp and clear.  The image truly looks like ink on paper.  This device is for reading, that’s it.  Its other advantage is that you can download a book anywhere you can get 3G service and the 3G(mobile internet connection) is included on the $189 model. The DX model is larger and clocks in at a much higher intro price of $389. (both with no 3G gift that keeps on giving like other devices, more on that later).   You can also read outdoors, for those of you who like to go to the beach, sit in the park, or go out on the deck to read.  

Next we have the Nook.  This is the offering by Barnes and Noble.  They have monochrome devices, but let’s skip right to the latest – the Nook Color ($249).  This thing is an iPad-lite.  It’s an e-book reader with a web browser.  The display is beautiful and it runs on the Android operating system from Google.  Don’t think you are getting a giant Android phone though, that’s not the case, and its capabilities are limited.  There are a couple of Apps like Facebook and Twitter, but not much more. The price point is higher than the Kindle, but lower than the iPad.  In other words, right on target for a device that isn’t just an e-reader, but also isn’t a full- fledged tablet computing device either.  The Nook Color does not come with a mobile everywhere (3G) internet connection, it relies on a Wi-Fi hotspot connections or your wireless home or office network. Think Starbuck’s, internet cafes or airports.  A couple of cute extras thrown in by B & N - you can loan a book for up to two weeks to a friend who has a Nook .  You also can read any book B & N has by going into their store and using their Wi-Fi signal (up to an hour a day).  If you want a middle of the road tablet/e-book reader, then this is your device.

This brings us to the iPad.  Fair warning, this gets complicated with gobbledygook - in a Steve Jobs sort of way.  Once upon a time, lots of people – me included – thought the iPad was an e-book reader killer.  Why would anyone buy a Kindle or Nook when they could get an iPad?  Price points and marketing have kept this market competitive, plus some people ONLY want an e-reader.  The iPad is a full- fledged tablet device, supported by hundreds of thousands of apps which will do other things like play games, surf the web, “ding dong” when you get an email, locate a restaurant, you name it.  You also are not going to get an iPad for under  $500 bucks either.  They have Wi-Fi only devices and devices that will run on 3G, however, you’ll have to pay AT&T each month for the privilege of using 3G.  You cannot “add” 3G to a non-3G iPad, so make your decision carefully up front.  The full blown iPad 3G + WiFi 64 Gigabyte version will cost near $1000 with a case and taxes plus the $50/month to AT&T for 3G.  You can see how if you’re just going to use this thing to read books, how it gets expensive.   You can still get a non-3G middle of the road iPad (32 Gigabytes of storage) for $599.  Apple is really good confluxinating you with mumbo jumbo and floating the $499 price tag to get  you in, and then having you leave the store by buying the $1000 model and  you saying to yourself "what just happened?"  Hopefully, reading this column will prevent that, or cause it, whatever the case may be.  Also, if you're a reader, see how you could buy a Kindle or Nook at their pricepoint and load it up with $700 - $800 worth of books for the same price as a top of the line iPad?   

Ok, so which one.  Well, you come here for my opinion so here goes.  If you like long walks on the beach and enjoy sitting in the sunshine while reading Tolstoy, you’re a Kindle.  If your idea of reading includes Soap Opera magazine and People (magazines are beautiful on the color Nook by the way), and you occasionally read best sellers like “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” or ”Hunger Games”, while checking your email and surfing Facebook, you’re a Nook (color) ($249).  If you are a First Person Shooter or Angry Birds person (you know who you are) who likes to get a “beep” when they get email and look cool by pulling out your iPad at Starbuck’s, you’re an iPad all the way. ($499-$829).  Furthermore, there will be times you’ll wish you opted for the 3G, but my advice is don’t.  As for me, I’d much rather keep the $50/month in my pocket and find a WiFi spot at McDonald’s or Chick-Fil-A.  You could be different, but I don’t see this as a $600/year luxury I need, especially since I already give blood every month to AT&T for my iPhone account.  I’d only go with the 3G on the Kindle since it’s free (the non-3G version sells for $139, go for the 3G version which is $189 and includes lifetime 3G coverage).  The hardest part of making your choice is going to try and figure out which kind of reader you are.  Good Luck!

In short

 Voracious, outdoor reader who thinks Twitter is a sound a bird makes  – Kindle  3G

($189)

e-Magazine, Best Seller, Facebook, Twitterer – Nook Color

($249)

Mobile Gamer, emailer, app user, techie who loves reading and looking cool at Starbuck's – iPad

($499 - $829 plus $50/month if you want 3G)

Rates e-book readers a "Well Done" I like 'em all, but choose wisely