Closer to home* BestBuy on Gunbarrel Road recieved a shipment of 100 iPads Saturday, 77 of which were sold. A sales associate said there were 14 of the 32-gigabyte and nine of the 64-gigabyte units still in stock as of Monday morning.* MacAuthority in Hamilton Place mall received a shipment of 55 units, all of which were sold. Store manager Jeff Sisk said the store was still allocated to receive “a lot more” iPads but was unsure when the next shipment would arrive.
By Joe Dunn
Deals2Buy.com
The iPad, the highly anticipated e-book/laptop hybrid from Apple, is here. As a tablet computer, the iPad is loaded with enough features to successfully operate as an auxiliary laptop. But as a popular e-book, it may come at too high of a cost. Currently, that leading title belongs to the international best-selling Amazon Kindle – at half the retail price of an iPad.
Below is a breakdown of the two products:
IPAD
Price: $499-$899
Display: 9.7-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit glossy widescreen Multi-Touch display with IPS technology
Features:
-iPhone OS X 4.0 software including
-Safari
-Photos
-Videos
-iTunes
-Maps
-+150,000 Apps
-iBookstore
-iWork compatibility
Design:
-In-plane-switching (IPS)
-178 percent viewing angle
-Multi-touch interface
-Finger-print resistant oleophobic coating
Capacity: 16GB-64GB
3G Wireless:
-Optional (only available on iPad Wi-Fi + 3G); 14.99 per month for 250 MB data plan, 29.99 per month for unlimited data plan
Battery Life: 10 hours
Dimensions:
-9.56 inches (H)
-7.57 inches (W)
-.5 inches (D)
KINDLE
Price: $259-$489
Display: 9.7-inch glare free E-Ink screen; features 16 shades of gray
Features:
-Free wireless coverage in over 100 countries
-Books download in under 60 seconds
-Text-to-speech reading,
-Whispersync technology allows reading over iPhone
-Adjustable text
-Automatic Library Back-up
-Full Image Zoom
-Built in Dictionary
Design:
-Weighs 10.4 ounces
-Includes 5-way controller
-No computer required
-Rotating Display
Capacity: 1,500-3,000 books
3G Wireless:
-Standard and free on both Kindle and Kindle DX
Battery Life: 1 week with wireless on; 2 weeks without
Dimensions:
-8-10.4 inches (H)
-5.3-7.2 inches (W)
-.36-.38 inches (D)
Bottom Line: During these difficult economic times, casual e-readers won’t find a better value than the $259 Kindle. It functions quite well, even without the bells and whistles of the iPad. But if history is any past indication, don’t bet against the floral fruit.