Do I really "need" an iPad, and another couple of questions

I use it for email, web browsing, chess, Solitaire, all with Pandora music playing in the background. I also watch an occasional movie and listen to a book. My WiFi is always on and I get approximately twelve hours out of a charger.

Quite simply, it's much easier than walking upstairs to the computer.

I can't address the E-ink because I still read paper books.

You'll likely have to wait until the at least the first quarter of next year for iPad two to come out and for prices to go down on the first gen. Of course no one but Apple knows for sure when the second gen will be released.

If your primary interest is in reading, then get the wifi-only Kindle now. It's cheap enough that it won't rule out also getting an iPad later on if you decide that you've just got have one.

I'm thinking of doing it in reverse. Already have the iPad, and love it, but no way do I take this machine to the beach for reading.

someone suggested that when next generation iPad comes out, the first generation one will go down in price

It will most likely simply disappear. It probably won't go down in price except maybe through some retailers (not Apple).

Ipad is good for reading, but kindle is better.

Ipad gives you a hot vogue pattern of how to flip pages, kindle doesnt.

For eyes relax, kindle is better.

Ipad battery lasts 10 hours, and as i heard kindle is more, like 24 hours or more.

In sun , you can read in kindle, in ipad you will have to search foe a tree and sit under its leeves makes a shadow to avoid suns beam.

As a ipad book reader, you will, surely, face a app crash in the middle of reading, tooootally annoying, make you lose your concentration.

If you want reading in the sake of reading go kindle noooo argue!
If you want fun, games, books in a "cool" way go ipad.

Like many of the others point out the Kindle is good at what it was designed for, a book reader and it probably has the edge on the iPad if you want to read traditional style monochrome books.

Where I find the iPad comes into its own is as an all in one device when I'm travelling and I may wish to read a book, read a magazine, watch a movie, listen to some music, play a game, etc.. . My carry on bag is certainly lighter and less bulky and the iPad comes into it's own with richer media.

Horses for courses I'm afraid.

I have both. Since I got the iPad, I've virtually stopped using the Kindle, much as I loved it.

Yes, the iPad "only" has 10-12 hours battery life as opposed couple of days for the Kindle. But, realistically, I charge the iPad every night anyway.

Personally, I find the reading experience much more pleasant on the iPad than on the Kindle. The pages flip much faster, the screen is clearer. For books or magazines with color or pictures, the iPad is the only way to go.

The magazines that have been especially done for the iPad are gorgeous! I love Wired and Runner's World.

True, you can't read an iPad in bright sunlight but nor can you read a Kindle in the dark. Personally, I'm more likely to do the latter than the former.

And, of course, as was mentioned above, the iPad does so much more that it's just overall more useful to have around. I will keep my Kindle for beach reading but the iPad goes with me everywhere else.

I have both. If you just want to read text, like novels, and you read a lot, get a kindle. I read books on my kindle now because I don't like seeing pixels on the iPad, or the glare, or the weight. I enjoy taking my kindle with me and reading outside.

For reading comics, iPad wins hands down. For Internet, playing games, everything else, iPad wins.

But these are really different products at different price points and not really comparable.

You will be very happy with the Kindle. I have both. For reading books, the Kindle is amazing, and still my device of choice at home.

The Kindle will last a couple of weeks with the WiFi turned off.