Amazon has launched a new television ad on U.S. broadcast and cable networks that highlights the Kindle’s E-Ink screen’s ability to be read in bright light, especially versus Apple’s iPad:
MacDailyNews Take: Apple’s iPad does so much more, in color, that it’s ridiculous. If you want to read books in black and white in bright sunlight, get an eBook reader with an appropriate screen. If you want to do just about anything else (Web, Mail, TV Shows, Movies, iPod, iTunes, 250,000+ apps, Notes, Maps, Calendars, Contacts, Word Processing, Presentations, Spreadsheets, etc.), including reading eBooks in color, get an iPad. If you want to do it all, get both. Kindle is not really a competitor to iPad; the devices are just not in the same class. Kindle is a paring knife while iPad is Williams-Sonoma plus the rest of the entire mall.
This ad is a marketing mistake for Amazon, because most people will see it and say to themselves, “That’s cute, but iPad does sooo much more.” So, in the end, this is an ad for iPad. Now, Amazon does sell iPads
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Fred Mertz” for the heads up.]
..and she paid far too much for the shades.
glossy has its advantages and disadvantages
kindle is only good for basic text reading
ipad not really about basic text reading at all
come on
kindle is grasping at straws and I believe circling the bowl at this point, sales not good from what I’ve heard
Amazon is treading on dangerous ground with this ad.
Williams sonoma vs a paring knife. Good one!
Ah.. Apple finally is getting a taste of it’s own medicine
Awesome commercial
Agreed, wonder what apple will have to say about this?
Meanwhile in a shack nearby Lake Stallwart, Jolene asks aloud, ” Pa! Where’s the app to show me how to bake possum pie on this Kindle?”
Ok, she is much prettier than him. He can go inside with the AC and use the magical features of the iPad that the grey scale Kindle lacks. And if the good looking gal did not buy those very expensive glasses, she could have joined him inside with her iPad.
BUT, there are at least 2 beautiful girls sunbathing at the pool. Put the iPad down and enjoy the day at the pool man! She is talking to you. Offer her a drink man. Is our species getting stupid and will it survive.
I think it’s a good ad and it’s truthful. The iPad is nearly useless in a situation as shown in the commercial. That said, I love my iPad and all the different things it can do.
So isn’t Nokia, Amazon, Palm, Dell, Microsoft’s etc… Mocking of Apple’s products which are the only computers selling in a contracting tech economy for the past few years, evidence of their blind vision? Their ostrich like, head up their ass, denial is not only making them look desperate in the face of Aplle’s record quarterly sales records, but best of all, it’s proving them incompetentvto their own past captive customers who are all seeing iPhones and iPads and Macs and Apples everywhere…..
Yeah right, laugh into tears and eat your hearts out wannabes- your days are numbered….
Sometimes, a paring knife is all you need to enjoy a piece of fruit. Other times, all the tools in the kitchen are necessary to prepare a complete meal.
Funny thing though, the little knife rarely costs 25% of a kitchen.
At the end, he should tell her to excuse him while he checks his email.
It’s hardly fair that the guy is sitting out in the sun with no shades.
AND the iPad’s screen brightness looks to be set at 25%.
Yeah, the iPad screen is glossy, but the way it collects fingerprints is far worse. I got a Power Support anti-glare film and it solves BOTH problems!
Because hot chicks read Kindles by the pool all the time in my neighborhood.
@Jersey Trader
You’re right. She actually spoke to him first! What’s he thinking?
He should ask her about her Kindle over drinks.
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”wink” style=”border:0;” />
She’s wearing sunglasses because every time she turns the page, the kindle flashes madly like a disco strobe.
HOW can read with this insane flashing every page turn?
Poor ad, btw.
they forgot the part that says it’s ONLY a book reader.
It was okay right up until the snooty flatchested b*tch said she had paid more for her sunglasses. Smug snobbery doesn’t sell.
If you only want to read books, then sure kindle for $139 or a paperback for $7.99. If you want more than that, then iPad.
Apple can counter this ad with 2 students with the iPad and a Kindle (NOT sitting in the heat of the sun). Or 2 grandparents, 1 reading a grey eBook and the other using the great features of the iPad being interrupted with a FaceTime conference call with one of their grandkids. Or one watching a movie and the other wanting to watch too, so the iPad jumps the movie to the AppleTV on the HDTV (which may not be at the pool side either). Or the iPad person editing the days vacation movies and photos. Or making dinner reservation or ordering a pizza pie to be delivered to the pool. (She may want a slice man. THINK.) Or … “I am the iPad and I am the iPad killer”.
You do know there isn’t much to do with a Kindle. iPad people, get one of those big umbrellas and enjoy the day. Put the iPad down. Enjoy life and the iPad. You can.
I saw this ad on Sunday and laughed. The Kindle is a one-trick pony and should be targeting other one-trick ponies, not the thoroughbred of the industry.
Living in th UK with little sunshine this has not been an issue, I love the iPad and have loved the ereader. I have however been very disappointed with the ereader outdoors and think that apple missed an opportunity to totally put the Kindle to bed. Very shortsighted.
Let me see if I understand this commercial correctly…….Are they comparing value of:
– reading the (not-so-black-and-white, but more so gray and yellowish-green-gray) kindle screen easier in BRIGHT light situations
TO:
– the multitude of possibilities with the iPad? The average iPad buyer probably wasn’t drawn in by the Apple READER ability (at least not in that capacity).
Maybe I should trade in my glossy-screened iPhone 4 for a less-reflective green/gray/yellow pay as you go phone…….
This commercial would have to elevate just to be a joke……
I go with MDN’s first thought, with a slight modification: This is an ad for the iPad AND the Kindle. The ad really says, “Get both. Get a Kindle for reading ebooks outside, in the sun, by the pool (or on the beach), where you probably don’t want to be holding an iPad anyway (chlorine, sand, salt, sunscreen). Get an iPad for everything else.” I don’t have either, but I will be getting an iPad soon, and I’ll probably get a Kindle eventually.
The brightness setting on the iPad looked about as low as you could set it without turning the screen off. Turn the brightness up, and glare/reflections are much less of an issue. It’s not perfect, but it’s not horrible either.
It’s as if every tech company on the planet is giving Apple free advertisement. Apple has the must have devices and every company is driving that home with customers.
I want to personally thank Microsoft, Nokia, Amazon, HTC, Motorola and any other company for helping make Apple the company to beat.
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”smile” style=”border:0;” />