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This is a guest post Frank Emanuele

Since the January announcement of the iPad, the e-book scene has been abuzz with one major question: what does this mean for the future of e-book readers? Amazon’s Kindle has been a smash hit since its release in 2007. Could Apple’s “magical” new device dethrone King Kindle and pave the way for a new monarchy of publishing?

ZDNet reported that as of late 2009, an estimated 1.5 million Kindles had been sold. And for good reason. The major advantage that the Kindle has over other E Ink book readers is 3G access to Amazon’s Kindle bookstore. The ability to download a book at a low price and read it on the go without the need to sync with a computer is enticing. Subscriptions to blogs, newspapers and other online publications are also great. And many are in love with the E Ink screen that is easy on the eyes and consumes virtually no battery life. Users regularly report going weeks and even months on a single charge. Why would anyone want to trade in the elegant simplicity of a Kindle for the latest Apple toy?

On the other hand, Apple is offering users a new way to consume content with the iPad. Many books are already including dynamic text, graphics, and animations. The screen is comparable in size to Amazon’s most expensive Kindle DX model, but is in full color and offers a variety of apps, as well as full web access (sans Flash). The 3G model will provide internet access anywhere, but for now, the WiFi model allows web browsing from home and other hotspots. Apple has its own iBook application and store, but the interesting twist here is that Amazon has developed a free Kindle application that will bring the entire Kindle library to the iPad, just as it has been doing for the iPhone and iPod Touch for some time now. Publications like The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal have released iPad-specific apps for serving up their content in new and more interactive ways, and textbook publishers are targeting college students by announcing plans to provide less expensive e-textbooks on the iPad.

So with the same books being available on both platforms, who really wins? Well, it all comes down to your personal preference, really. If all you want to do is read books and nothing else, the Kindle is the economical solution. It performs one basic function very well. The iPad is the next step up. Entire volumes have already been written about the gap it fills between smart phone and computer. It does offer all the Kindle books as well as its own iBook store. Not to mention that some publishers choose to sell their books as independent apps. Still, the E Ink screen of the Kindle provides a more natural reading experience. Is the iPad a Kindle killer? The way I see it, the Kindle is for hardcore readers who have little interest in a mobile computer. Perhaps older or more traditional readers will skew towards the Kindle. Young people and those less focused on reading will lean towards the iPad and apply it to a broader spectrum of use cases. Personally, I’m in the iPad camp.

Frank Ramblings is a blogger, podcaster, and all-around tech enthusiast. In addition to writing for his own website, Frank hosts a number of podcasts covering everything from music and TV to tech news. The newest addition is the Tech Ramblings podcast, a weekly show covering the latest tech topics with a fun spin. Follow him on Twitter @FrankRamblings to keep up with his daily posts on tech, geekdom, and life in general.

Further reading:

Apple iPhone OS 4

Has The iPad Excessive Hype Ruined Potential Interest?

5 Tips For Keeping Up With Technology

Poor Technology Can Be A Security Risk

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