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It’s been a long time coming, but Apple have finally unveiled their long anticipated tablet computer. The name is confirmed as the iPad and it has received, quite predictably perhaps, a bit of a mixed reception. There are those who maintain that it’s nothing more than a bigger version of Apple’s iPod Touch, whilst others are already predicting that it will sound the death knell for netbooks, notebooks and e-book readers.

For a long time now, since before we even knew what it was going to be called, the iPad has been given the title of the “Kindle Killer”. In one way that is just a little odd. After all, the two devices are very different and you might think that they were targeting different market segments. On the other hand, when the iPad starts shipping in March, the Kindle and the iPad will be the two hottest gadgets available. The fact that both Amazon and Apple are very successful corporate giants – both with impressive track records for changing the rules of the game in their market sectors – only feeds the flames.

The fact of the matter is that the Kindle is a specialist. It focuses on one thing only – letting people read (and buy) books very well. It accomplishes this very effectively. It is a great e-book reader and it simplifies the sales and delivery process for books very well indeed. On the other hand, the iPad is extremely versatile and performs a number of different functions. It’s superb color display makes it a good internet browser, it’s great for playing games and you can access and use the enormous library of iPod “Apps”. You can even use it as an mp3 player if you like.

The Kindle is such a great e-book reader for a number of reasons. One of the most important is its e-ink technology display. This produces a reading experience which is very similar to reading printed text on paper and is much more comfortable than reading on a back-lit PC screen. It also has a very low power usage requirement – so it can go for a long time in between charging. However, the e-ink display, which is a great strength for an e-book reader, is monochrome and relatively slow to refresh – which means that it’s pretty poor, or completely non-functional, for use as a web browser or video player.

The stunning color display of the iPad makes it great for surfing the internet, playing video or playing games. On the down side, the back-lit display not only generates more eye strain when reading but it is power hungry and has a relatively short ten hour span between charges.

The fact is that the Kindle is a much better e-book reader than the iPad – but it is unlikely, even in its next iteration, to ever be anything other than a “reserve” web browser – suitable for occasional use only. The iPad is a multi-functional device. Apart from its suitability for use as an e-book reader, there will probably be other specialist devices that perform some of its other tasks better. If you want a specialist device or if you feel that the increased versatility of the iPad is more than enough to compensate for less than ideal performance in all areas will be the determining factor in deciding which device you choose.

Check out the Amazon Kindle for yourself – and have a look at the wide range of Kindle accessories available.