Apple’s iPad… Will it read your eBooks?

You’re thinking about getting the iPad, and your main reason might just be that you want it for reading eBooks. Will it be compatible with eBooks you bought from Amazon to read on a Kindle?  You might have a Sony eBook reader or a Nook eBook reader from Barnes & Noble.  Whatever the case may be, you’ll want the iPad to be able to read these eBooks. Well, the author of this piece from ABC 7’s website states that the iPad will not be compatible with eBooks from Amazon’s Kindle or other eBook providers.  This is completely untrue.

Amazon makes an app for the iPhone and iPod Touch that will allow you to read  eBooks for the Kindle.  As we all know, the iPhone apps will work fine on the iPad. Barnes and Noble also have and app for the iPhone, so we’re good to go in that arena. The only one that I believe might not work are eBooks from the Sony eBook reader. 

The author from ABC also goes on to talk about incompatibilities between devices.  He tries to use the analogy of purchasing new CDs every time you buy a new stereo system.  For one thing, these are two separate mediums.  CDs were designed to work on any type of device that plays CDs.  Plus, CDs do not offer any copy protection. eBooks, by nature, are not designed this way. eBooks have Digital Right Management. Next, eBooks were not designed to work on just any ol’ device. There is no expectation of the files to function in the same way that CDs do.

Apple is not the only one to blame in this situation. In this cutthroat — eat or be eaten — digital world we’re in, everyone wants to have their own device that works with their own content.  So, it’s unfair to say Apple is creating frustration and confusing customers. In fact, all the major players are doing this.  Yes, for the common consumer there will be a level of confusion, but that’s why everyone should do their own research before making a purchase like this.

Photo Credit: Apple iPad iBooks

[via @ABC 7]