iPhone/touch-Kindle Smackdown
eMedia. Everyone wants it. And Amazon's Kindle is the latest media darling. For all that, we think that the iPhone and iPod touch may be getting overlooked. These devices offer a full-color screen with 480-pixel wide displays in landscape mode, PDF compatibility without fees, and full access to the Internet. Sure, you have to jailbreak your system or stick with Safari, but feature-to-feature we think Apple's hardware stands up pretty well. What do you think?
| Feature | Kindle | iPhone | iPod touch |
| Cost | $399 | $399 + $50/month | $299 |
| Connectivity | EV-DO (free) | WiFi & ATT/EDGE (monthly charge) | WiFi (free) |
| Onboard Memory | 256 MB | 8 GB | 8 GB |
| Memory Expandability | SD slot | No | No |
| Screen Size | 600x800 | 320x480 | 320x480 |
| Measurement | 6" diagonal | 3.5" diagonal | 3.5" diagonal |
| Screen Depth | 2-bit Grayscale | Full color | Full color |
| Book Software | Included | PDF reader and Books (requires jailbreak) | PDF reader and Books (requires jailbreak) |
| PDF compatibility | Yes. (You pay to email directly to the Kindle.) | With free software | With free software |
| Flash Support | no | no | no |
| 3rd Party Apps | None at this time | Unofficial only until February | Unofficial only until February |
| Weight | 10.3 ounces | 4.8 ounces | 4.2 ounces |
| Video Playback | No | Yes | Yes |
| Newspapers and Magazines | By special subscription, full content or via websites (with the Kindle's experimental browser) |
Via websites | Via websites |
| Physical Keyboard | Yes | No | No |
| Touch Screen | No | Yes | Yes |
| Font resizing | Yes (6 levels) | Yes (arbitrary) | Yes (arbitrary) |
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eMedia. Everyone wants it. And Amazon's Kindle is the latest media darling. For all that, we think that the iPhone and iPod touch may be...
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One might want to bear in mind that by supporting Amazon (a major Bush supporter) one is supporting illegal wire-tapping, the failed occupation in Iraq, war-mongering with Iran, etc., etc., etc., etc...
December 02 2007 at 3:21 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyI'm an Apple fan from 1990, but to a comparison like this one I add:
Feature - Toshiba G900
Cost - $599 + wahtever contract you want, if you want any
Connectivity - 3.5 G & WiFi & Bluetooth
Onboard Memory - 128 MB
Memory Expandability - miniSD slot up to 2GB
Screen Size - ***480x800***
Measurement - 3" diagonal
Screen Depth - Full color
Book Software - MobiPocket & eReader & M$ Reader & TXT, etc
PDF compatibility - Yes, with included software and more
3rd Party Apps - Many. Lots! (WM6)
Weight - 6.9 ounces
Video Playback - Yes
Newspapers and Magazines - Via websites
Physical Keyboard - Yes
Touch Screen - Yes
Font Resizing - Yes (arbitrary)
Or I could add the Nokia N770 or 800 or 810, if you want some Linux stuff instead of M$...
What next? An iPhone comparison with a packet of chips?
December 02 2007 at 7:51 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyIf you're going to make a comparison, compare the Nokia N810 to the iPod touch. Or compare the Verizon Wireless XV6800 with the iPhone. The kindle is not a multimedia device like the others.
December 01 2007 at 3:13 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyActually. Compare the Verizon Voyager to the iPhone. That's more Apples to Apples.
Although the kindle probably has a wider book selection.
December 01 2007 at 1:14 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyIm not paying $400 for anything with a greyscale screen. sorry.
December 01 2007 at 9:46 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyThen you completely miss the point. Well, you mostly miss the point :)
Reaching on my bookshelf here...lets see. How many shades of gray are in these novels here...ah yes. Hrm.
How many shades of gray does one need in a 500 page book exactly? Should the quotations be blue, the proper names red...the chapter titles some shade of...pink?
The thing about eInk is well, its supposed to look like ink on paper...not electrons on screen.
You...do...understand that, do you not?
Now, the $400 part. I totally see that but not for the same reason.
you can use all the pdf formats in iphone that is file format with .pdf extension.
http://www.helponvoip.com/
anyhow for me kindle is best....it has all the features
December 01 2007 at 6:02 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Replythe disadvantage of iPod touch and iphone is it doesnt have the functionality of expanding memory......
December 01 2007 at 5:59 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Replygood comparison!!yeah iPhone has built in PDF software already. You can easily read PDFs loaded from the web.It can also be called as ebook reader
December 01 2007 at 5:49 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyHot Apps on TUAW
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