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| Electricpig opinions: iPad versus Kindle, and why YouView is the way forward Posted: 19 Sep 2010 05:00 AM PDT 
Why iPad Guy is still cooler than Kindle Girl Earlier in the week Amazon launched a video assault on the Apple iPad, with an ad for Kindle poking fun at the iPad’s occasional inability to be read in bright sunlight. Amazon also the chance to have a not so subtle dig at the current iPad pricing. “$139″ says the girl in the ad, before the camera shows a man looking forlornly at what Amazon hints is the iPad. See here: Companies having a bit of banter is all well and good, but our writer, Mic Wright believes that Amazon could’ve picked its battle a little better. The Kindle may have an e-ink screen that is easy on the eyes, and perfectly readable in bright sunlight, but as Mic says: “…it's like comparing a socket wrench with a Swiss Army Knife. The Kindle is the king of ebook readers but the iPad just handles iBooks as one of its party tricks and focusing on its trouble in direct sunlight is ultimately a pretty desperate shot. If you're after something to read in the sun there's another great option: it's called a book.” You see, as good as the Kindle is at what it does, it can’t do much else. “Kindle Girl won't feel so smug when she sees iPad guy watching a film, checking his emails or wiling away a few minutes battling with Angry Birds”, Mic points out. Rather than taking aim at their rivals, tech companies should focus on their own strengths and get along: “Apple are at their most irritating when they take potshots at their rivals and the new Kindle ad makes the same mistake. In fact, all tech firms end up looking a little foolish when they fire salvos at competitors instead of focusing on their own strengths (see the Nokia Apple attack this morning). ” And for that reason, the new Apple ads are better than those Mac vs PC TV spots. “The What Is iPad ads are better than the pseudo-comedy of Mac vs PC because they stick to showing off what makes the iPad worth picking up.” Of course the iPad isn’t perfect, Mic acknowledges, but “If Kindle Girl was such a common sight, Amazon would stop being so coy and release some sales figures…” Do you agree with Mic? Should Amazon have pitted the Kindle against something of its own size? Let us know. Why the Project Canvas YouView box will convince reporter, Jennifer Allan to get a TV YouView was launched earlier this week. It combines digital TV with free on demand service and interactive telly features, the ability to pause and rewind live TV and record entire series for one-off fees, instead of ball and chain subscription fees. Our reporter, Jennifer Allan informs in her opinion piece this week that she’s been living without a TV for the past three years *gasp*, but YouView could be about to convince her to get one, she tells us: “It's not that there's much that's new or revolutionary in YouView, at least that we know about yet, but for the price of a license fee and a box everything can be grouped together in one place, with the extra controls over live TV that aren't available with Freeview, plus the prospect of being able to watch the next Mad Men seven days in advance.” All those features, such as being able to record shows in advance are great for multi-tasking busybodies, but its the absence of a monthly that has got Jen really excited. “The important thing for me though, is the fact that it's not another monthly contract, and it's all in one place. “Just like we want our handsets to become multi-function devices that are our mobile media devices, MP3 players, phones, handheld consoles and more, we increasingly want our TVs to do the same, and while that's already possible in lots of ways, YouView can push it forward further into the reach of the average consumer.” Does the YouView service sound enticing to you? Or are there better services elsewhere? Read more about YouView here and drop us a note and let us know in the comments section below. Related posts:
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| Video of the week: Halo Reach Spartans jet into London Posted: 19 Sep 2010 01:00 AM PDT 
Halo: Reach finally arrived in stores this week, taking in $200 million in 24 hours. Fans of the franchise yet to pick it up are advised to hit up our Halo: Reach review, where our very own Ben Sillis gave it a five star badge of honour in our Halo: Reach review. It was already one of the most eagerly awaited games, so we’re not sure it needed a faux Spartan warrior to glide around London to whip up publicity in the first place (yes, we know we’re adding to it), but here it is, in our video of the week: Halo: Reach real jetpack flight video Related posts:
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