I decided it's finally time to start building up a library of ebooks. But which service do I hitch my wagon to? The iBookstore or Kindle? Although I don't have a Kindle, the Kindle platform has two key advantages over iBooks:
Are there any advantages that iBookstore/iBooks has over Kindle? I don't know of any...
You don't have to limit yourself to just one of them. Whilst you generally can't copy books between ebook apps due to digital rights management, you can still use both apps (and potentially others) and buy each book from the cheapest source. I tend to use Amazon for most of my purchases as, here in the UK anyway, they have a larger choice than Apple and tend to be cheaper - and I also have a Kindle ereader which is sometimes easier to carry around with me.
So the only advantage you see in iBooks is that sometimes they are cheaper?
Price is not a big issue for me. I don't mind paying a little more to be able to read the book on my computer screen (as well as my devices). Plus I don't want to deal with two separate, incompatible libraries, so I'm trying to decide on one or the other.
For me, the question has to be considered another way.
Given that there is no great difference between the kindle/ibook products, the question comes down to which is more convenient.
If it's your practise to use the ipda/iphone for net browsing etc, then it may be easier to simply add another string to that bow, namely iebooks. But of you come at it from a genuinely neutral position, then I would suggest you try the kindle for a while. There is no doubt that the kindle is easier to hold for reading due to it being lighter (and smaller) but this brings other compromises.
My simple advice would be to try both. You will feel more comfortable, I'm sure, with one or other method then let this lead you.
Just to complicate things further, the kindle fire, with its web access, may well prove to be a good compromise for some.
Good luck
Max
Given that there is no great difference between the kindle/ibook products, the question comes down to which is more convenient.
I don't see how iBooks are more convenient than Kindle books, even on Apple devices.
If it's your practise to use the ipda/iphone for net browsing etc, then it may be easier to simply add another string to that bow, namely iebooks.
For the record, I only own Apple devices (iPhone, MacBook Pro, iPad) and have no intention of purchasing a Kindle device. Yet I am still struggling to find an advantage in purchasing iBooks instead of Kindle books.
Trevor Harmon wrote:
Yet I am still struggling to find an advantage in purchasing iBooks instead of Kindle books.
The only possible advantage is that you can purchase directly from the reader app. For others you have to go to their website separately. Beyond that, it makes sense to use whatever service has the widest selection of the kind of books you want to read, and for many people that is Kindle. Others may find Nook, Kobo, or Googlebooks better. The inability to read anything purchased from the iBookstore on OS X or Windows is certainly a major disadvantage to that service if that is something you might want to do.
Why should I buy iBooks and not Kindle books?
