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For many people it must have seemed like an awfully long wait, but Apple have finally shown off their new tablet PC – the iPad. Somewhat predictably, it’s been given a mixed reception. Some are predicting that the iPad will make notebooks, netbooks and e-book readers obsolete. Others are less impressed and are suggesting that it is no more than a larger version of the iPod Touch.

In particular, the iPad has, for some considerable time now, been hailed as the “Kindle Killer”. Which is, in one way strange as the Amazon Kindle and the Apple iPad are two very different devices, and yet, in another way, somehow inevitable. They are currently the two hottest gadgets on the market (or they will be when the iPad starts shipping at the end of March). Furthermore, they are brought to market by two of the largest and most successful corporations in the world.

The Kindle is a specialist. It does one job, letting people read books, very well indeed. Not only is it a great e-book reader but it simplifies the process of buying and taking receipt of books very nicely. The iPad on the other hand is a Jack of all trades. Its color screen is great for browsing the web, playing games, playing video and, of course, you can also use it as a music player and access the vast library of Apple “Apps”.

There are a number of reasons why the Kindle is such a superb e-book reader. One of the most important is the technology used for the Kindle’s display. It uses an e-ink technology screen, which provides a very similar experience to reading text printed on paper and generates much less eye strain than a back-lit LCD display. Another important aspect of the e-ink display is the fact that it only uses power when refreshing the screen (turning the page) – so it has a long lifespan between charges. Unfortunately, the e-ink display is monochrome and has a fairly slow refresh rate. It’s pretty poor as a web browser and completely non-functional when it comes to watching videos.

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.

Simply put, the Kindle is a very much better e-book reader than the iPad – but even after its next upgrade (rumoured to be soon) it’s not likely to be suitable for anything more than basic surfing. The iPad is a versatile multi-function device. Putting aside the e-book reader aspects of the analysis, it’s quite likely that some of its other functions may be performed better by other specialist devices. Which device you decide to go for will probably be determined by whether or not you’re prepared to sacrifice a little performance for all round versatility.

Discover the Amazon Kindle for yourself – and have a look at the huge range of Kindle accessories available.