iBooks vs. Kindle app

[BuayaGuy]

Foreward: I haven't used an actual Kindle DX in person - I'm assuming the Kindle app is the same experience as the original device. Feel free to correct me if this is not the case.

Does anyone else find the Kindle app experience...lacking? When I look at the difference between reading a book in iBooks and Kindle, it's like night and day.

Books in iBooks FEEL like you're reading a real book (particularly in landscape - that's the only way I like to read on the iPad), whereas in Kindle, you get the title of the book at the top, and beneath that, a bunch of words. No formatting other than having the words in paragraphs. No double page spread, no PAGE numbers for that matter…how do you tell how far along you are in the book, or even the current chapter for that matter?

To me (and yes, this is personal opinion), reading an eBook in the Kindle app is no better than if you were reading a bunch of text off of a computer screen.

Kindle may currently have a lot more choice than iBooks, but it's all about the experience when you read.

Does anyone else feel the same way?

 

[kheldour]

I have both apps on the iPad, but after reading a bit on Kindle, I decided to continue with iBook for the reasons you mentioned. I really like the book-style and that it actually really looks like a real book.

And what I really like is the fact, that I can read in bed without having a light on

 

[Bremen]

I use several reading apps, for different formats. I think iBooks is a very good first effort. Amazon has had a reading app well over a year for computers and iPhone, so theirs should be a little more mature....

I actually like them all, and enjoy the change. I'm one of those that have several books going at once, so different readers make it easy.....

I do like the septa background option in Kindle, but over all iBooks wins in presentation. Another point to consider is that Kindle uses a propitiatory book format. You cannot read a Kindle book on anything other than a Kindle. Apple wisely went with the ePub format which is the eBook standard. You can read ePub books on every stand alone reader, no matter the brand.... Except a Kindle......

 

[arshield]

The openness argument is a false one. First you can read kindle books on any device that has kindle software, as you are doing. So you can read a kindle book on an iphone, an ipad, a windows pc, a mac, a blackberry or a physical kindle device.

Second epub is not much more open than mobipocket, which is what the kindle format is based on. Yes it is considered an open standard, but once DRM is applied the books are not transferable to different devices any more than kindle books are. And epub allows for different DRM schemes so epub books purchased through sony don't work with ibook unless they are DRM free.

Kindle app for ipad does have some page turning animation but it is turned off by default. It is basic reader. I have not read a full book on ibook yet. I still read most on my kindle device because I prefer the eink. I am almost finished with my first full book on the ipad kindle app.

 

[Bremen]

As I said, you can only read a Kindle/Amazon book on a Kindle app or the Kindle device. You can read ePubs on any current reader. When Amazon changes formats and finally goes to the standard (and sooner or later they will) all the kindle books people buy will become useless in a short time. One would hope they will do like Sony when they made the change and make the customers bought books available to them in ePub formats.

Quick list of ereaders that read epub:

Aluratek
Astak (3 readers)
Nook
Bebook (2 readers)
Booken (2 readers)
Cool-er
Elonex
Hamlin (2 readers)
Irex (2 readers)
L-book (2 readers)
onyx
Sony (5 readers)
iBooks

Quick list of readers that read Kindle format:

Amazon Kindle


It does not matter to me if you agree or disagree, but in 5 years you will get my point.

For someone like me the DRM is not an issue ether. The ePub format is easy to remove DRM from (unlike Kindle format whose Topaz is a PITA) so all my books are DRM free....

But, I am all for the free market, you like the Kindle format, then that is what you should buy

 

[airwake]

I personally think the iBook reader is much prettier application with the page turn effects. However I like the kindle app more. It's cleaner, faster, and I love the options for page color.

 

[Hopkins]

You can turn on the pretty page turning in the Kindle app if you want. It's more distracting than the iBooks feature though so I leave it off.

I think they're both lacking. It's disappointing to me that there aren't more features available in these "amazing" technologies. I should be able to see with a press on the screen anytime what page I'm on, how many pages are left in the chapter, in the book, etc. I should also be able to click on any word and launch a dictionary or wikipedia search if I want. So many things that could be done but aren't imho.

 

[Bremen]

@hopkins - for the record iBooks does show what page you are on, total pages in the book, how many pages to end of chapter. Also iBooks has the dictionary feature. I understand the Kindle app does not nave these features, but iBooks does.

 

[Hopkins]

Yeah, sorry - left out that I was referring to the Kindle app there... iBooks also has Google and Wikipedia search for the word. iBooks has more functionality but an awful selection (I know it's new) so I've been mostly using the Kindle app so far because the books I purchased weren't available on iBooks. The search categories on iBooks are also lacking imo. A combination of the best of both apps would be ideal.

 

[Bremen]

@Hopkins I don't buy books from Apple, so I really don't know what they have. I get epubs from all over (Kobo, BooksOnBoard, etc....) and remove the DRM. And when I have a hard time finding something, or the price is absurd, I sometimes turn to the dsrkside of the net. I do buy a few books from Amazon, but it is such a pain to remove their DRM (especially the Topaz) that they do not get much of my business. But, I buy all my mp3's from Amazon. I have never bought a book or song from Apple.....

 

[BuayaGuy]

I should be able to see with a press on the screen anytime what page I'm on, how many pages are left in the chapter, in the book, etc. I should also be able to click on any word and launch a dictionary or wikipedia search if I want.

That's exactly my problem with the Kindle app - it's like reading a mess of words on a screen, not like you're actually reading a book.

The iBooks app does tell you what page/how many pages left in the chapter by default. If you highlight a word, you can also do a dictionary search. Wikipedia would be a nice bonus...maybe when they get multitasking

 

[Hopkins]

I should be able to see with a press on the screen anytime what page I'm on, how many pages are left in the chapter, in the book, etc. I should also be able to click on any word and launch a dictionary or wikipedia search if I want.

That's exactly my problem with the Kindle app - it's like reading a mess of words on a screen, not like you're actually reading a book.

The iBooks app does tell you what page/how many pages left in the chapter by default. If you highlight a word, you can also do a dictionary search. Wikipedia would be a nice bonus...maybe when they get multitasking

You can also do a Google or Wikipedia search too. When you highlight a word, click search instead of dictionary and you will see a Search Google and a Search Wikipedia button at the bottom.

 

[alvraen]

iBook is the better option, in my opinion. The highlight feature is awesome.

 

[cherhall]

I have a kindle, and the iBooks and Kindle apps for iPad. My kindle will be given to my son. Can't even imagine using it after the iPad! I also prefer the iBooks app over the Kindle app, but am very happy I could transfer my books from the Kindle and have the best of both worlds!

 

[thehatguy]

How do you remove the DRM from an epub book?

Will the iPad load the book without DRM attached?

A bit confused about the whole book thing.