The Amazon Kindle – THE (dedicated) eReader of choice for a great many people. Small and portable, its mobile broadband capabilities make it one of the best ways to shop for and read digital content on the go. As of today – $139 for the Wi-Fi only version.

The Apple iPad – in many ways it looks like Flav-a-Flave’s iPhone (especially if you hang it off a REALLY big gold rope chain). In many ways, its a ground breaking, Enterprise encroaching, totally end-user friendly, Star Trek PAD that has set the whole netbook/tablet/computing world on its ear.  As of today- $499 for the Wi-Fi only version.

I’m not going to pit these in a head to head review, but I AM going to bring a couple key points to light.  Let’ take a quick look at what both devices provide and then I’m going to let you decide if one, the other or both devices might be best for you.

The Amazon Kindle 3
Smaller, thinner, faster, lighter and less expensive.  In a nutshell, that’s what Amazon is hoping is going attract you to its native e-reader as opposed to an Android phone, a PC, an iPhone or an iPad. The Amazon Kindle forewent a color screen and tablet based touch screen in its 3rd generation ebook reader. Instead, it chose to make updates to its eInk technology and screen, providing for a sharper screen and a smoother page turning experience. At $139 for the Wi-Fi version, you can still shop and purchase content directly from the Amazon Kindle Store right on the device; but now, you’re going to be at a Starbucks, MickeyD’s or other Wi-Fi hot spot.

Here are a rundown of the Kindle 3′s features:

• All-New, High-Contrast E-Ink Screen – 50% better contrast than any other e-reader
• Read in Bright Sunlight – No glare
• New and Improved Fonts – New crisper, darker fonts
• New Sleek Design – 21% smaller body while keeping the same 6" size reading area
• 17% Lighter – Only 8.5 ounces, weighs less than a paperback
• Battery Life of Up to One Month – A single charge lasts up to one month with wireless off
• Double the Storage – Up to 3,500 Books
• Built-In Wi-Fi – Shop and download books in less than 60 seconds
• 20% Faster Page Turns – Seamless reading
• Enhanced PDF Reader – With dictionary lookup, notes, and highlights
• New WebKit-Based Browser – Browse the web over Wi-Fi (experimental)

The 3G version offers FREE wireless access for shopping and web browsing for $189.

The Apple iPad
Apple’s iPad is effectively a giant iPhone.  However, with iBooks and the iBookstore, the iPhone, as well as the iPad, is a native eBook reader. However, this is an eBook reader with the power of the iPhone/iPad. Applications, music reader, movie player, picture viewer in full 9.7"LED-backlit glossy, widescreen goodness. The cool thing here is that the iPad can also run the Amazon Kindle application.

Let’s think about that for a second – The iPad can run the Amazon Kindle application, meaning that it functions as a Kindle as well as an iPod, portable movie player, native eBook reader (iBooks) as well as a Kindle.

Brass Tacks
And that kids, is the point.  What is Amazon trying to sell – Kindles or Content?  If its Kindles, they’re doing a crummy job.  The Kindle 1 was good for what it did. The Kindle 2 was an improvement in form factor and device performance; but not necessarily in device.  Something akin to the iPad probably would have been a better move.  The Kindle 3 may be cheaper, faster, smaller and lighter; but it is NOT an iPad competitor, and in the long run, never will be, at least NOT with the screen that it has.

You’re NOT gonna use it to watch movies, surf the web, send and receive mail or anything else other than read on it. Using it for notations WITHOUT a touch screen seems awkward at best. Reading in black and white isn’t a big deal; but even for $139, I want it to do more than it does…and largely because  it CAN.

It surfs the web…for free. It plays music. Its light, fast and quick.  I haven’t even seen the device; and already I think its nothing more than a Kindle 2 with a fresh coat of paint. Sadly, I don’t see the Kindle lasting very much longer; but that’s no big deal… Here’s why.

Amazon’s business here is the CONTENT. It will continue to sell Kindle books even if the Kindle hardware takes a dirt nap.  The Kindle application, available in the Apple AppStore, the Android Market and for the PC will insure that you can buy, sync and read Kindle books for years and YEARS to come.  The application insures that when the Kindle hardware finally dies (and it will, kids… its just a matter of time…UNLESS Amazon decides to release a <pick a platform> tablet/iPad competitor of its own), that the business will go on.

If you buy an iDevice from Apple, you can read iBooks or Kindle books and won’t have to worry about leaving content behind on your new device.  If you buy an Android phone or tablet, your Kindle books will sync there.  Its really a win-win situation for them…

I see the Kindle 3 being the last TRUE Kindle device. Next time, if its not an Android (or other platform) tablet/device, I think the hardware will do VERY poorly.  My Apple iDevice, Android device or PC can do everything that my Kindle can do and more and still do it (in just about every form factor except my desktop PC) in an easy to use form that is really much more appealing.

What do you think? Why not join us in the discussion, below and sound off…

FINALLY! We were looking for this in May…

The long awaited Kindle update is now available for users to install on their Kindle 2′s or Kindle DX’s. I got an e-mail today from Amazon on this .  You can see the bulk of that e-mail below. If you’ve got a Kindle or Kindle DX and want to install the software, You can also find the installation instructions, below.

We recently released a new, free Kindle software update that is available for your Kindle. In order to receive the automatic update please turn your wireless on, navigate to the home screen and click on "Sync and Check for Items" on the Kindle menu. The software update will download in the background and install the next time your Kindle goes into sleep mode. The update should take less than 10 minutes to complete.

The features included in this update are:

• Collections
        Organize your books and documents into one or more collections
• PDF Pan and Zoom
        Zoom into PDFs and pan around to easily view small print and detailed tables or graphics
• Facebook & Twitter Posts
        Share meaningful book passages with friends on Facebook and Twitter directly from your Kindle
• Password Protection
        Password protect your Kindle when you’re not using it
• Popular Highlights
        See what the Kindle community thinks are the most interesting passages in the books you’re reading
• More Font Sizes & Improved Clarity
        Enjoy two new larger font sizes and sharper fonts for an even more comfortable reading experience

Learn more about these new features.

To find out more about the wireless update process please visit this page. If you don’t have wireless connectivity you can install the update using your computer by simply following these instructions

So, the other day, my wife noticed an email indicating that Amazon had reimbursed us $4.95.  Hey, I am never one to quibble over free money, so I took it.  Well, maybe I should have looked a little closer.  Apparently, that rebate was for a book I had purchased, The Works of George Orwell, obviously by George Orwell, and published by Mobile Reference.  Unbeknownst to me, along with that rebate, Big Brother Amazon was automatically sneaking in over the Whispersync connection and automatically removing the book from my Kindle.  Say what now?  Lucky for me, I had turned off Whispersync in order to conserve power, so I still have the book for the time being. 

The question on everyone’s minds now is what the heck happened.  And what gives Amazon the right to essentially unsell me a book.  I mean, I know when I bought it I did not call “No Give Backs”…but I really did not think I had to do so.  And really, I cannot possibly be the only one who is struck by the absurd irony of doing this with the book 1984, a book in which Big Brother literally controls your thoughts and feelings.

There is a bit of conflicting information going around as to what exactly happened here.  Over at Mashables, they are reporting that the publisher, Mobile Reference, changed their mind and decided not to publish a Kindle edition of the book.  Cnet News, on the other hand, is quoting an Amazon source who stated that the book was improperly distributed without the permission of the rights holder. 

For Amazon’s sake, I certainly hope the second explanation is the truth.  While I do not like the idea of Amazon reaching in and grabbing books off my virtual bookshelf without my knowledge (note to Amazon, an email would have been nice) I can live with this action much better if this was intended to right a wrong, rather than just a wishy-washy publisher.  Then again, every six year old can tell you that two wrongs do not make a right.

Nonetheless, it seems like Amazon has heard the outcry from this one.  They have indicated that they are now changing their terms of service in order to ensure this does not happen again.  Still…it should not have happened in the first place.

I have to say, I love the convenience of the Amazon Kindle, but I am starting to get tired of Amazon’s shenanigans.  In addition to this move, since February, we have seen:

• the on-again-off-again text to speech interface
• prices on the rise
• unadvertised limitations on downloads.

What could possibly be coming next?  The best thing Amazon has going for it right now is the almost complete lack of competition.  They can do whatever they want…and it shows.  Both Barnes and Noble and Borders have waded into the shallow end of the eBook phenomenon, but have both stopped well short of giving the Kindle a true run for its money.  Until that happens, I suspect we can plan on many more of these random and arbitrary moves from the eBook powerhouse.

Since I received my Kindle 2 device last February, I have had the opportunity to review a number of cases, and we have still more to go.  But today I want to focus on what could be the most comprehensive case I have reviewed.  This is really not so much a travel case for the Kindle as it is a travel case for all of your gadgets.  Let’s take a closer look at the case with a pocket for everything.

The outside of the case is constructed from the same water resistant nylon material as the other Waterfield cases I reviewed for the Kindle 2.  This is great, because it is attractive and professional looking, but casual enough to be comfortable.

The closed sides are covered in a rubberized, textured material to ensure the case will not slip out of your hands while you are carrying it.

The top of the case opens wide with a zipper stretching from end to end.  One thing which was very unique was the zipper pull, which does not flop loosely off of the zipper, but instead is held snugly in position. 

This means you can lay it flat against the zipper, and it will stay in place, with no fear of it snagging on anything.  I will say, however, that I found the tab to be a bit small.  I would have liked a larger leather tab, or even a tab made of the same material as the rest of the case.

In the front of the Travel Case is a large pocket, which opens like a gash across the front.  It opens to reveal a surprising amount of storage space.  There is a large pocket, with two mesh dividers in the back.  This offers plenty of space for a retractable cable, batteries, extra memory…just about anything.

Inside the main compartment of the case is a lot of padding.  And I mean padding unlike anything I have seen before.  Waterfield clearly aims to protect your devices with this one.  And since your primary purpose in using this case is probably to…carry and protect your gear, well you can see where this is going.   With all of that padding, you would expect this to be a bulky case, so I was pretty impressed by how flat it actually lay when empty. 

All of that padding combines to form one large main pocket, and three smaller pockets.  The large pocket is, obviously, perfect for the Kindle or Kindle 2 (though it may be a bit small for the Kindle DX).  The nice thing here is that if you use a cover-style case, there is no need to remove the Kindle from it before sliding it into the Travel Case.  the pocket is wide enough to hold the Kindle in your everyday case.

The first of the three pockets is nice and large, perfect for holding your power cables and adaptors.  The other two pockets are smaller, and tighter.  These are great for holding some of your smaller gadgets, such as a phone, mp3 player or gaming device.

What really impressed me was how much this case could hold without significantly increasing its size or weight.  Here is a picture of it fully packed.  Above is a look at what Waterfield crammed in the Travel case.

Now, let’s take a look at what I managed to squeeze in there:

• Camera
• 4 GB Memory Card (micrSD)
• iPod Touch
• Sprint Mogul
• Kindle 2 (obviously)
• Cowon S9
• Boxwave AC Adaptor
• Assorted sync/charge cables

Not too shabby at all.  And, it even comes in your choice of colors.

I was really impressed by this case.  It is designed to be a workhorse, and it really lived up to that impression.  I was able to cram a ton into this one, in addition to the Kindle it is designed to carry, and the padding and rubberized sides ensured that it was all well protected.  All that, without significantly affecting the profile of the case.  If you are looking fro something slim and sleek, but powerful enough to hold all of your gadgets and accessories, make sure to give this one a try.

Where to Buy: Waterfield

Price: $49 (the shoulder strap costs $5 extra)

I am a big fan of eBooks.  In fact, when I bought the Sony Reader, I almost instantly vowed to avoid paper and ink books forever.  I have since upgraded to a combination of the Kindle 2 and various apps on my iPod Touch, but I remain hardbound book-free.

One of the problems I have had with eBooks has always been the price.  Some eBook publishers for the iPhone/iPod Touch platform charge as much for a digital book as they would for a hardbound book.  This just makes no sense given the fact that the cost of producing an eBook, with no paper, ink, presses, or other overhead is significantly less than printing a book.  Amazon really became the first of the large distributors to acknowledge this difference in overhead with most books ringing up in the $9.99 price range, and plenty of others under $5.00.  In fact, it was the rare exception to find any books over $10 for the Kindle.  To be honest, that was one of my favorite features.  Kind of like the $2.99 and under average price of apps in the iTunes App Store.

Earlier this week, Fictionwise indicated that their eReader application would follow suit (finally).  Their new pricing scheme offers nothing over $12.99. Here are all of the details of the new pricing scheme:

• No e-book priced over $12.95
• All new e-books $9.95 or less
• All New York Times bestsellers $9.95
• Plus 15% rewards on all purchases

I thought this was a fantastic development, and was thrilled to see more distributors widening the pricing gap between traditional books and eBooks. 

Then, along came the other shoe…dropping as you might imagine, from Amazon.  Earlier this week, I had some extra money to spend and decided to buy an eBook for my Kindle.  I had jotted down a few new releases I wanted to read and began looking them up.  What I found when I got there, however, were prices in the $13-$15 range.  On almost every non-fiction new release I looked up, in several different genres.  This is just disappointing.  Particularly, when you read it in light of the Gear Diary KindleGate, in which Dan discovered that you do not necessarily have unlimited access to your purchased titles.  So, where does this leave us with Amazon?  You can now pay up to $15 for a digital copy of a book, which you do not own, and can potentially only download a limited number of times; or generally spend $2 more for a hard copy of the book, which is yours to read anytime you wish, and as many times as you like.   I found this unannounced increase in pricing to be troubling and disappointing.

I love my Kindle, and I love reading electronic books.  Honestly, I believe that the Kindle will ultimately do to eBooks what the iPod did to digital music.  it will bring it into the mainstream, make it easy and accessible.  But in order for that to happen, Amazon (and other eBook distributors) must do a better job of attracting new readers to the format by making the books accessible and reasonably priced. 

[Some parts of this report via JKontherun]