Amazon’s Kindle App for iPad vs Apple’s iBooks

One of the main reasons I wanted to buy Apple’s iPad is to use the device as an ebook reader. I’m a big reader, and have thousands of books, but would like to be able to read some books on a portable device. Aside from any discussion of the merits of this, I thought I would look at the two main apps for reading ebooks, Amazon’s Kindle and Apple’s iBooks. (I’m leaving aside the many other apps that allow you to read free ebooks, or those which offer limited catalogs. I’m just looking at the two that let you read the broadest selection. And I won’t discuss selection here either, because the iPad is too new to have the selection that Amazon offers.)

First, Amazon currently has the edge in device ubiquity, with a Kindle app for the iPhone and iPod touch, as well as for the iPad. Apple’s iBooks will, however, be available for these devices in the fall, when the company releases a new version of their software. Amazon also, however, lets you read ebooks on their own device – the Kindle – or on a Mac or PC, with a program that that works on those platforms. Apple will presumably follow suit, with a Mac version of iBooks in the fall, and perhaps even a Windows version.

But the main question remains that of display. Reading an ebook, you want the broadest range of display options, so you can get the maximum reading pleasure from the books you buy.
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Posted: 4/11/2010 by kirk | Filed under: Books, iPad | Tags: , , , , | 8 Comments »

Box Sets on Sale at Amazon France: Yo-Yo Ma and The Beatles

Amazon.fr is having their spring sale. They’ve got a few big box sets on sale, sets which are out of print in the US.

Yo-Yo Ma: 30 Years Outside The Box for 300 euros. This set listed at 552 euros, and is on sale at 46% off. It’s out of print in the US, and shipping to the US is not expensive; in addition, Amazon takes off the 19.6% VAT.

The Beatles stereo set, for 130 euros, and The Beatles mono set, for 110 euros. The stereo set is out of print in the US, and the mono set is much more expensive.

Personally, I don’t care for Yo-Yo Ma that much to want to buy his set, but I may go for the Beatles’ stereo set.

Posted: 3/28/2010 by kirk | Filed under: Music | Tags: , | 2 Comments »