Shawn Blanc is sold on the Kindle Touch which he thinks is the bee’s knees:
When I bought the Kindle, I didn’t know if it would actually replace my iPad as my go-to reading device or not. I purchased the Kindle primarily so I could review it and so I could have experiential knowledge of E-Ink displays and just how light the Kindle is and how it compares to the iPad as far as a reading device.
He’s in love with the screen and the size:
The Kindle’s E-Ink screen is so much better for reading than the iPad’s backlit display. However, what I appreciate even more than the screen is the Kindle’s size and weight. The iPad is not comfortably held for long periods of time and is nearly impossible to use with one hand. The Kindle blows the iPad out of the water in this regard.
I fully agree with him on the size and weight of the Kindle Touch in comparison with the iPad. Time and again I have said that the iPad is just too heavy to be a comfortable book reader. I actually prefer the iPhone for reading and I would say that a good 80 percent of my reading time I am glued to the phone rather than to iPad or Kindle. And I am a heavy reader.
Unlike Shawn’s Kindle, my Kindle has been gathering dust for the past six months. I like it, don’t misunderstand, but it is just something else to carry around. And, on balance, I have to say that I prefer a backlit screen. It is usable in many more situations (other than in very strong sunlight) than is an unlit e-ink screen.
Many will disagree, but that’s my preference and I’m sticking with it. If I really had to have a smaller reading device, other than the iPhone or iPad, I would probably find myself better pleased with the Kindle Fire.