Kindle vs. iPhone - Can an Apple a Day Keep the Kindle Away?

The Amazon Kindle is not only the hottest ebook reader on the market today but next to the iPhone its one of the most popular electronic gadgets. At the time of this writing it has been out of stock for weeks and those that have placed orders for the Kindle will be waiting for several more weeks to get it!While the Kindle is certainly the market leader for the ebook reader market, Apple is fast on its heels with the iPhone. From listening to music or watching your favorite movies to playing games, you can do it with the iPhone so why not read books on the device as well? That's what Apple seems to think anyway and as a result is quickly trying to give the Kindle a run for its money as an ebook reader.Recently, it was announced that several major publishers have signed deals with ScrollMotion, a New York mobile application developer. ScrollMotion is a new app for the iPhone and iPod Touch that will allow consumers to buy and read electronic versions of newly released and best-selling books. This latest iPhone app puts Apple directly in the ebook business in a big way.Despite Apple's ambitions, there are two main differences that should favor the Kindle (at least for now) as strictly an ebook reader. The first obvious difference is the size of the display. Try reading a chapter of your favorite book on a 3.5 inch display, the size of the display on the iPhone, and you'll likely go crazy. Contrast that to the Kindle's six inch diagonal display and there's no comparison in reading comfort.The other main difference between these devices is the technology that is used in the displays themselves. The Kindle uses e-Ink technology to display text while the iPhone works much like a computer monitor where light is emitted to display text. The difference in these technologies is dramatic. When you read text on the Kindle, it looks just like text on paper and there is virtually no eye strain, even after long reading sessions. With the iPhone, reading text is much like reading from your computer monitor (on a much smaller scale) and will almost certainly strain your eyes.When you compare these devices side-by-side as strictly ebook readers, the larger display and display technology easily favors the Amazon Kindle. There are two things in Apple's favor, however, that could trump the Kindle's success. The first being iPhone's availability and price, and the second being the convenience of being able to do everything with one small device. The iPhone is readily available and is cheaper than the Kindle. As for screen size and potential eye strain, consumers may be willing to make these sacrifices if it means they can use one device for everything.The ideal gadget would have the features of the iPhone and the Kindle, but that's never going to happen anytime soon. I believe in the end dedicated ebook readers like the Kindle will always have a leg up on smaller communication and entertainment devices like the iPhone. That doesn't mean Apple is out of the game. Who knows, could the Apple "iReader" be right around the corner?When comparing the Kindle vs. iPhone as an ebook reader, it's important that you determine exactly what your needs are in a reading device. It's also important you know what the Kindle can and cannot do before you buy. For that, read the full Amazon Kindle review here.