So my wife wanted a Kindle for her birthday but I bought her the new iPad instead given it has the Kindle app and can do so much more. I've never used a Kindle but from using the Kindle app, I've noticed there is a big part missing...getting content. How will she purchase her content? Also, is iBooks basically the same thing?
Marilyn...the key sentence is "So with multiple apps they can shop around". That's the problem with the Kindle app. She would need to fire up a browser to search for or buy content whereas with iBooks she can just stay in the app. I think that is where she will probably hang out the most!Yes, iBooks and the Kindle app are both the same thing - in that they are readers that can read e-books.
However, the apps are proprietary to each company (iBooks to Apple, Kindle to Amazon). If the ebook has Digital Rights Management (DRM) coding loaded on them - and most do from either place - then you can only read books from Apple in iBooks and only books from Amazon work in the Kindle app.
Either app can read non-DRM books, as long as they are in the proper format for that reader (i.e. the Kindle app can't read e-pub books).
Generally, people have more than one app for the DRM coding reason. So, with multiple apps, they can then shop around and find the best price for the ebook...
Marilyn
Marilyn...the key sentence is "So with multiple apps they can shop around". That's the problem with the Kindle app. She would need to fire up a browser to search for or buy content whereas with iBooks she can just stay in the app. I think that is where she will probably hang out the most!