[Pturner]

Originally Posted by BBQMan

IIMHO, Google has made serious mistakes getting into the ereader market. The Alex is nearly three times the price of the entry Kindle ereader - Kindle 3. They use the same technology for reading, E ink, though Kindle has a newer and better generation. Alex has the same size-reading screen as Kindle 3 and B&N nook - 6". The critical difference is that Alex and Nook they have the same battery life, 6 hours. Kindle 3 has a battery life of 28 DAYS.

Alex also tried to compete with Apple's iPad. The iPad is nearly the equal of a laptop and easier to carry than any laptop including the Mac Air. Failing to use full capable MS applications is its greatest shortfall. Alex falls so far short of this that it is no contest. Again, Alex has a 6 hour battery life and iPad has a ten hour life (I have verified that for the iPad).

Google tried to find a 'sweet spot' between Kindle and iPad - they discovered by trying to be all things too all people, they failed and the result was an ereader that did nothing particularly well and fell short in all too many areas.

If you want a reader - get Kindle. If you want a multipurpose tablet, get the iPad. Sony, Barnes & Noble, Google, etc. are similar to Commodore and Radio Shack in the early days of personal computers.

As for the libraries, Kindle books can be read on computers, iPads, iPhones and Android phones and readers. Google, for some reason, has chosen not to make its books unavailable to Kindle owners. Making your books unavailable to more than 75% of the market makes no sense to me.

I've used every generation of Kindle as well as recent generations of iPhones and iPads. I take my iPhone and iPad nearly everywhere I go. I take my Kindle 3 when I need something smaller than the iPad and want to travel light. It is lighter, fits into the side pocket of my blazer and never needs a charger during the trip. Just my input to the discussion.

I agree with your assessment about the ereaders. I haven't sprung for an iPad. I've used one, but I can't get passed it being just a bigger iPhone without the phone and camera. As a mini-computer, a netbook is more versatile, assuming you already have all those cool iPad/ iPhone apps on your iPhone. Guess I'm in the minority on that one!