Seven Ways the Kindle Beats the iPad

An e-reader price war is underway. Amazon just fired a volley with the recent announcement of two new and improved Kindles, a WiFi-only version for $139 and a 3G model for $189. You can also buy the corresponding Barnes and Noble Nooks for $10 more than the new Kindles. Amazon claims both new Kindles offer improved contrast and month-long battery life. Incidentally, both devices are currently sold out on Amazon in advance or the August 27th release date. The big question is does anyone still need or want an e-reader now that the iPad is available? The answer to that according to our own gadget experts and supporting data from a recent Retrevo Pulse study is definitely, yes. Here are some reasons we think e-readers particularly the new Kindles beat an iPad as an e-reader.

1. They're Lighter and SmallerJeff Bezos has always said Amazon's first priority was to create the best experience for reading a book. Amazon thinks the reader should be free to become part of the author’s world and forget they are holding a book. We don't think that could ever happen with an iPad, it's too heavy, too big and too bright to get out of the readers way and let someone lose themselves in the story.

2. They're Easier on the Eyes An e-reader display is reflective, just like paper, meaning the more light that shines on the surface, the better it looks. An iPad display is transmissive meaning the backlit display shines out of the screen into your eyes just like a TV set or computer display. We admit that e-Reader displays may not look as "black and white" as an iPad but Amazon claims the new Kindles offer improved contrast.

3. They're Possible to Read in Bright Daylight Try taking an iPad to the beach (not that you'd want to risk getting sand in a $500 device) and see how the display gets washed out or filled with glare in the bright sun. An e-reader display, on the other hand, doesn't have a problem with glare and looks even better in bright light.

4. Less Traumatic if Lost or Stolen We don’t think you’d want to leave an iPad under a towel on the beach or by the pool at the hotel partly because it could be a very tempting item for a would-be thief and if it did disappear it could be a major financial loss and potentially big personal security breach. Think about the passwords, Facebook access, contacts, etc that could be compromised. Sure you could pay $99 a year for Mobile Me and wipe out your data on a lost or stolen iPad but wouldn't it provide more peace of mind knowing that you'd only be out a $139 if you left your Kindle on the subway seat? You could restore all your books fast and easy and there wouldn’t be any personal identity information exposed.

5. Month Long Battery life One month between charges vs. ten hours – 'nough said. Yes, the iPad offers a respectable battery life but for many trips you could probably leave the Kindle’s charger at home.

6. Free 3G Connectivity Yes, we know you don't pay any monthly fee if you use WiFi on your iPad but you can download books and surf the web on a 3G connected e-reader supposedly for as long as you own it - for free. You can even buy books overseas using the many GSM-based carriers.

7. They're Much Less Expensive to Purchase You can afford to buy 3 WiFi Kindles for the price of the entry-level iPad and still have plenty of money left over to buy a bunch of books. And as we say, it's a much less valuable gadget to leave lying around.