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Kindle vs. iPad: A contrast in availability
August 30, 2010 | 7:15 am
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By Chris Meadows
![mkindle3[1]](http://www.teleread.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/mkindle31.jpg "mkindle3[1]")
A New York Examiner blog post looks at the continuing order backlog on the Kindle 3, quoting a post from Amazon’s Kindle Community Forum in regard to shipping schedules:
- Orders placed before 8 p.m. Pacific Time on August 1st will still ship by the August 27th release date.
- Orders placed before 10 p.m. Pacific Time on August 5th will ship on or before September 4th.
- Orders placed before 12 p.m. Pacific Time on August 12th will ship on or before September 8th.
- Orders placed after 12 p.m. Pacific Time on August 12th will ship on or before September 12th.
The bottleneck in this case, the post states, is PVI, the company making the Pearl e-ink screens. It is not able to keep up with current demand, especially given that other e-reader companies are ordering Pearl screens as well. Given that it is unlikely PVI is going to be able to ramp up production for the Christmas season, there may very well be a dearth of Kindle 3s under the tree save for those that were ordered early.
But on the other side of things, 9 to 5 Mac notes that the shipping date on the iPad has, over the last few weeks, dwindled from 7-10 business days to “within 24 hours” as of August 27th. Is this because Apple has ramped up production to meet demand? Or has demand simply fallen off, especially as consumers have been more impressed by the higher-resolution iPhone 4?
Of course, I know that the two products are aimed at different demographics, and someone who wants one wouldn’t necessarily want to settle for the other instead. But all the same, it’s interesting to note that anyone who might be frustrated with the long shipping wait for the Kindle 3 can now get an iPad faster than ever.
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Comments:
FWIW, I ordered in the second window — Aug 4th delivery — but the Kindle 3 showed up today in Toronto on Aug 30 — one (business) day after the originally promised Aug 27 ship date. Delivery was to Toronto, Canada.
It’s the same great service when I ordered the Kindle 2 (when it was in stock) last November — next day delivery.
BTW, you repeat the claim that:
“The bottleneck in this case, the post states, is PVI, the company making the Pearl e-ink screens. It is not able to keep up with current demand, especially given that other e-reader companies are ordering Pearl screens as well.”
But has anyone verified that, in fact, at this time, any other vendor has a Pearl e-ink screen coming to market this fall? It may be true: but nowhere do I recall seeing any statements by Sony or B&N for Nook that, positively, they will have pearl devices in market this fall.
@Alexander
You’re correct that there are currently no announced “Pearl” readers.
But here’s a link to the sales page for Pearl:
http://www.eink.com/products/High_Res_Pearl.html
I don’t see anything about an “exclusive contract with Amazon”. I do see a contact our sales department button. So I think it’s a pretty safe bet that we’ll see some competitors.
Sony and Pocketbook have floated rumors and pre-announcements for new products soon and they haven’t announced color. So they will most likely be using Pearl.
The nook project encore is probably Pearl as well. Although that’s and harder to say since the launch is further away.
It’s possible that Kindle will be the only Pearl device. But I wouldn’t hold your breath on that one.
Amazon will not give me a shipping date for the three kindles I ordered.
I placed my order for the Kindle 3 a gift from my bf. When we placed the order it staid will ship no later than Sept 7. Well today is Sept 7th and we have no email from Amazon.com. I checked the order on their website and it says no date and will email us. If I do not have an email by this evening Amazon will be hearing from me. We opened their credit card to get the $30 off, and we already have received the bill. But Amazon stated after we called them that we can disput the charge if the due date is before the item ships.
I’m glad I didn’t wait till Christmas time to ask for the Kindle 3.