Digimonkey was recently enjoying a quiet evening in her banana treehouse with her sweetie, Paco, when suddenly…chaos erupted! You never heard such a ruckus in all your life, and sad to say, Digi’s beloved ebooks were the cause of it all. But it wasn’t Digi’s fault. Really!
First, Digi must explain that Paco is as stubborn as he is green, and he just had to announce in his very sweet and self-assured manner that his Kindle Fire was so much better than Digimonkey’s iPad. Well, you must understand that Digi loves her iPad, so this was a thrown gauntlet if ever she saw one. The uproar that ensued in which the merits of both devices were shouted…errrrr, discussed (with intensity), created quite the stir in the neighborhood.
As you might imagine, Digi thought about that discussion a lot the next day, and she decided to share the details* of that exchange so that those who are considering purchasing an iPad or a Fire might learn from Digi’s experience and avoid saying or doing something they might regret. Like tossing a Kindle Fire off the balcony and watching a nimble tree frog hop after it. Not that Digi has ever seen such a thing. Moving on…
(*this conversation is verbatim with a few….okay, MANY edits for content. It is now suitable for all audiences.)
Paco: I just love this Kindle Fire! It is the absolute perfect size for me, so light and easy to carry and the 7 inch display is beautiful. I’m sure you’ll agree it’s much better than your iPad.
Digi: Oh Paco, you are so droll! (Digi gets very British when she’s around Paco) You know I much prefer the 9.7 inch display on my iPad. It makes it easier to see what I’m doing and to tap the correct buttons and links.
Paco: Oh dearest, how right you are! (Okay, Digi made that part up. Here’s what he really said). But yours is so much heavier than mine! 1.44 pounds to my 14.6 ounces. I wouldn’t want to lug around that extra weight.
Digi: That’s because you’re a tree frog, Paco. You’re not designed to carry much. I, however, have all four paws and a tail to hold and balance my beloved iPad.
Paco: How about price? My Fire was hundreds of dollars less than your iPad. That’s a big advantage!
Digi: I’ll admit your Fire is cheaper than the iPad, but my iPad is more than an ereader. It’s a mini computer that can function almost like a laptop. I also have thousands of apps to choose from that are not available for your less expensive Fire.
Paco: Okay, but let’s talk about performance, especially when buying ebooks. My Kindle connects directly to my Amazon account so I can easily access every purchase I’ve made and sync my device in a blink.
Digi: I’m sure you can. But what if you want to purchase books from a retailer other than Amazon? On my iPad, I can purchase books directly from iBooks, but I can just as easily purchase from other retailers such as All Romance, Barnes and Noble, or even Amazon using Safari and download to my preferred ereading app. I’m not locked into the device’s bookstore or software. How easy is that to do on your Kindle?
Paco: (long pause) It…takes some work.
Digi: Aha! And then there are the multiple options for reading my ebooks. I have several free apps to choose from on my iPad, although my personal favorite is Bluefire Reader. How about you?
Paco: All right, I’ll admit that downloading from retailers other than Amazon is much easier on the iPad, and you have more app choices for reading books.
Digi: Thank you. And I will admit that your Fire is nicely portable and well designed for shopping directly from Amazon.
Paco: So we agree to each enjoy our own choice?
Digi: Yes we do!
…and they lived happily ever after. Until the PC versus MAC discussion the following night.
Digi hopes you enjoyed your story time. She wants to close by saying that she receives frequent requests from customers who want to know which device they should purchase for optimal enjoyment of their ebooks. This is a complicated issue, and the simple answer is “the one that’s right for you”, whether that’s a Kindle Fire, an iPad, or something else entirely. Each person’s or monkey’s or frog’s needs are a little different, so the goal is to make the choice that fits your needs. If it does that, then it’s the right choice.
And now Digi will ask you…what’s your favorite reading device and why?
Filed Under: DigiMonkey eBook Tips
Tagged: digimonkey, ereaders, ipad, Kindle fire
