Best Reviewed
eBook Readers
- Best e-book reader Amazon Kindle *Est. $110
- Best touchscreen e-book reader Barnes & Noble Nook Simple Touch *Est. $100
- Color e-book reader Barnes & Noble Nook Color *Est. $200
- Tablet computer/e-book reader Apple iPad 2 *Est. $500
- Best iPhone e-reader app Stanza *Est. $0
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- Access to Amazon ebook store
- Uses iPhone's color display
- User-friendly
- Syncs with Amazon Kindle 2
- No search function
- Small, backlit iPhone screen can cause eye strain
- Shorter battery life than dedicated e-readers
In the world of e-reader reviews, there is a small but ardent minority that takes every opportunity to question the basic need for dedicated e-reader devices. Most of these contrarians point to their iPhone as a perfectly adequate ebook reader. With a color display, Internet connectivity and a plethora of additional features, the iPhone clearly beats out current e-reader offerings on versatility. Amazon's Kindle for iPhone app comes out on top with its latest iteration, which is praised by users and experts alike. With the ability to access the enormous Amazon.com ebook store and sync with Kindle 2, Kindle for iPhone offers a range of ebook access that owners say is unmatched by other ebook reading apps. Further, developers seem to be responsive to user feedback on the application; past complaints about the lack of a zoom function and landscape reading mode resulted in those features being added as an update. Kindle for iPhone's most popular competitor, Stanza (Free), was recently acquired by Amazon.com, so its future is a little uncertain.
When it comes to pitting the Apple iPhone against dedicated e-readers, Steven Shands at The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) does the best job of comparing each device's strengths and weaknesses. TUAW also does a nice round-up of eight e-reader apps for the iPhone, and CNET compares the iPhone app with the Kindle 2. In terms of determining which of the many iPhone e-reader applications is the best, the hands down ultimate review source is found at Apple's iTunes Store, where tens of thousands of owners contribute their experiences and opinions in narrative and ratings form.
Our Sources
1. The Unofficial Apple Weblog
Steven Sande runs Amazon's Kindle 2 and the iPhone -- outfitted with the Amazon Kindle for iPhone, Stanza, eReader and Wattpad ebook reader applications -- through a series of comparative tests. Shands determines that the Kindle 2 is a fun gadget for tech lovers, but the iPhone is a more than adequate e-reader device as well.
Review: TUAW Ebook Reader Smackdown: Kindle 2 vs. iPhone, Steven Sande, March 16, 2009
2. The Unofficial Apple Weblog
In this comparison of eight e-reader apps for the iPhone, David Winograd finds the Amazon Kindle for iPhone app a disappointment. He would prefer support for different kinds of files, and he doesn't like being limited to Amazon.com's ebook store for book downloads.
Review: Ebook Roundup: 8 Apps for iPhone Readers, David Winograd, Aug. 13, 2009
3. CNET
Both the Amazon Kindle 2 and the Amazon Kindle for iPhone app perform well in Nicole Lee's comparison, but she thinks serious and frequent readers should go with the dedicated Kindle. She finds that the Kindle app for the iPhone can do in a pinch, but it's not comfortable to read for long periods of time.
Review: Comparing Kindle 2 with Kindle's iPhone app, Nicole Lee, March 4, 2009
Walt Mossberg, a technology reporter for The Wall Street Journal, has a favorable first impression of the Amazon Kindle for iPhone app. The iPhone's display is brighter and in color, which makes it almost preferable to the Kindle 2 in his opinion.
Review: First Impressions of Kindle on iPhone, Walt S. Mossberg, March 3, 2009
5. iTunes StoreDetails/Subscribe
More than 850 users have rated the latest version of the Amazon Kindle for iPhone app, giving it a overall score of 3.5 out of five stars. While many praise the app, others would like to see features that are missing like a dictionary or text-to-speech functionality.
Review: Untitled, Contributors to iTunes Store
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