I was being totally serious. Its better in just about every respect. You can carry practically your entire library with you at all times (awesome when you travel). If the book you're reading sucks, you can replace it in about 30 seconds. You can adjust the font size (no need for "reader" glasses). Hardcovers are cheaper. It has a built in dictionary. If you're reading a Michener-esque tome, its lighter. You can download newspapers and magazines on it. If you're by the beach or the pool the bindings don't fall apart.

The downsides? Amazon charges more than Half Price Books. You need to shell out the money for the unit itself. You need to remember to charge it. Underlining and highlighting isn't as easy (still possible, just not as easy). You can break it if you're not careful (it is sturdy, but it can be broken). That's pretty much it.

The single best thing for me is being able to get a new book without getting off my rear end. Especially if you hear about a book on the radio or TV. A quick search and its on your device. Its fantastic.

Doesn't help the OP much, but just to chime in, I just bought my wife a Nook over an iPad for just this reason. We take several beach vacations a year and I know she'd like to use it there. The iPad just doesn't seem useable in the sun/shade when it's bright out. Plus, as mentioned, it is way too heavy.

In addition to skofarrell's comments . . .

I've been a voracious reader since childhood, and am intimately familiar with the experience of dead-tree books, having read thousands of them over the course of my life. I've had a Kindle for 2 years now, and there is simply no comparison . . . for wholly text-based books, the Kindle is superior in every way (for minimally-to-moderately illustrated books it's not terrible, but it would be nearly useless for "graphic novels").

With a Kindle (or other e-Ink based eBook reader):

• I can read comfortably in nearly any position; laying on my back, on my side, standing, sitting, in a car, on a plane, train, ferry, bus or subway
• I can turn the page with one hand even holding a beverage, briefcase, shopping bag or my SO's hand with the other
• It lays flat when I set it down, allowing me to read without holding it at all
• I can bookmark my page or a passage within it without carrying a bookmark around or damaging it in some way
• I can read multiple books at once, returning to where I left off in each without using a bookmark of any kind
• I can carry thousands of books with me if I desire
• The text is as crisp and clear as dead-tree books in identical lighting conditions
• If I drop it in the tub, leave it out in the rain or manage to set it on fire, I lose the device but I don't lose the books. I can always get another device for the cost of 4-5 hardcover books, and once activated, get all of the books back (with bookmarks intact!) without having to purchase them again

I can't imagine going back.

I too contemplated a Kindle versus an Ipad. After trying a Kindle I was sold. For book reading nothing is better. The backlight on the Ipad makes reading in the sun very difficult. For a 139 its a no brainer.

Just want to add my voice to the Kindle chorus. If you're a serious reader, you won't regret getting a Kindle. Occasionally I will use the iPad Kindle app - reading after dark on my deck or on an unlit Hawaiian lanai, for example. But in most situations, the Kindle is far superior, for all the reasons given by others above.

If you are a serious novel or non fiction reader kindle is the best option for outdoor reading. If you want more than just a book reader the iPad is the ultimate anti boredom machine, it's like having 25 devices. One of the downsides to the iPad is there are so many fun thing to do with it many find it hard to concentrate on reading a book when Angry Birds is just a couple taps away.

I have a kindle V2 but haven't touched it since I got an iPad the day iPads were released. I do have about 2 dozen books on my iPad many of the books I buy are illustrated and look much better on the iPad.

I was just on vacation in Aruba, I saw a guy sitting on the side of the pool reading a kindle as well as several other kindles on lounges chairs around the pool. I didn't bother bringing my iPad down to the pool or beach I spend most of my time in the water.

I often read my Kindle while on my shady porch during daylight hours. Would you recommend against that?

I personally LOVE my Nook. I used to be one of those people that would have the carry on full of books and hated lugging it. The Nook solved that problem for me. I'm an avid reader and the lure of being able to carry hundreds of books with me on one little device was too much to pass up.

I don't personally have any experience with an iPad, but I love the way the Nook emulates real paper. As another poster mentioned, I find it actually easier to read on the Nook than real paper as well. Not sure why that is. Anyway, +1 for an eReader over an iPad if you only want it to read.

I do most of my reading during taxi, take-off, descent, landing, and taxi.

You know: those times WHEN YOU CANNOT USE A KINDLE.

Which, I think has absolutely nothing, whatsoever, to do with "How practical is iPad for poolside & beach reading?" which I believe is the actual topic of this thread.

Regards

Yeah, but I don't think I'd be terribly excited about reading a book I just dropped in the toilet while doing my business, lol

Back on topic, though, the other thing I'd be concerned about in the context of beach- or pool-side reading of an iPad is that I'd be supremely paranoid about it being stolen if I were to get up to go to the bathroom, for a dip in the water, etc. I suppose it wouldn't matter as much if you're not swimming or if one of your party was always by your stuff, but a consideration nonetheless.

Couple of questions:

1. What if you're reading in the shade?
2. What if you're reading while wearing sunglasses that block UV rays?

Actually, that is a very good point that I hadn't really even considered. And I certainly do get up and walk around, swim, etc. when in an enviroment like that. Nobody has tried to steal my 900+ page "History of Europe" type book while by the pool, but an iPad might be a completely different ball game...

Regards

I would do what I do with my purse when I want to take a dip in the ocean. I hide it in the big LL Bean tote bag and swim closely enough that I can keep an eye on things.

For those of us that aren't used to "guarding our purses" it does present a bit of a new usage model though!

Regards