There are some valid points in the article. In musing more on this, I see the iPad as a "computer for people who don't really need a computer" -- for the (substantial) portion of the population who use their computer to browse the web, check their e-mail, look at their digital pictures, listen to their music or watch a video, and maybe play a couple games. And, oh yeah, in addition the iPad will give you e-books.
If you don't use your computer to do heavy-lifting, capital-W Work -- to create novels, websites, or corporate presentations, to edit and process professional video or photography, to program, debug, and compile software -- then the iPad is potentially your next computer. I suspect that's a significant percentage of the larger set of 'all computer users.'
I also suspect that for a significant percentage of Kindle users and potential Kindle users, the iPad is the better choice -- for those who don't buy a hundred books a year, but only two or three now and again. The iPad is an e-book reader with a significant catalog (five of the six Big Sisters of publishing have already signed on; Random House being the only holdout so far), melded with all the computer they need. Why buy a Kindle when for a couple hundred bucks more you get everything else you need in one (very attractive) package?
It may not kill the Kindle, but I would argue that it sure as hell is going to cripple it.
For you, though, the Kindle may still be the best choice: better battery life (it doesn't have to light up a screen), it weighs less, and you don't want/need a device to do the other tasks that the iPad could do.
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If you don't use your computer to do heavy-lifting, capital-W Work -- to create novels, websites, or corporate presentations, to edit and process professional video or photography, to program, debug, and compile software -- then the iPad is potentially your next computer. I suspect that's a significant percentage of the larger set of 'all computer users.'
I also suspect that for a significant percentage of Kindle users and potential Kindle users, the iPad is the better choice -- for those who don't buy a hundred books a year, but only two or three now and again. The iPad is an e-book reader with a significant catalog (five of the six Big Sisters of publishing have already signed on; Random House being the only holdout so far), melded with all the computer they need. Why buy a Kindle when for a couple hundred bucks more you get everything else you need in one (very attractive) package?
It may not kill the Kindle, but I would argue that it sure as hell is going to cripple it.
For you, though, the Kindle may still be the best choice: better battery life (it doesn't have to light up a screen), it weighs less, and you don't want/need a device to do the other tasks that the iPad could do.