iPad as a Digital Reader

The iPad is more than just a digital e-reader, and Apple hopes to tap into the growing digital media market currently dominated by Amazon. Make no mistake about it though; the iPad is very much a full-feature digital media device.

Amazon's Kindle is an extremely popular e-reader. But, for the moment, it's dedicated solely to reading electronic books. Apple's iPad can do much more. With Apple's iBookstore, iPad will be an e-reader ready to rival Kindle. But Amazon has a Kindle app already available in the App Store, making it possible for you to buy books from its store and read them on the iPad.

Another digital device iPad is sure to lock horns with in the virtual media market is Dell's Mini 5 prototype, a digital media tablet much like iPad. Set to debut sometime in 2011, the Mini 5 is smaller in size; analysts believe the feature-rich device will run some version of Google's Android operating system. As it stands, many feel that the e-book segment is on the verge of exploding. Newspapers have been cutting staff to save costs and focusing more on online content. The e-reader could end up saving the newspaper industry. That, like iPad's success, will only be known over time.

source by : http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/high-tech-gadgets