Will the iPad 2 overtake the Kindle as an e-reader? Not unless they sort out their anti-glare…

In June, Apple is going to be forcing booksellers such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble to rewrite their apps, so that all e-book sales go via the apps themselves – with Apple taking a whopping 30% cut.  That means they’re really cashing in on the e-book market, so they must have some faith in iPad’s abilities as an e-reader.

Certainly, the iPad 2 is a huge improvement on the original iPad in this respect.  Whenever I held an iPad (no, I’ve never owned one!), I was struck by how heavy it was – nothing uncomfortable for a bit of light surfing, but not something I could imagine relaxing with for a long session of reading.  The iPad 2, however, is over 3 ounces lighter than the original tablet, as well as much slimmer, and that sort of thing can make all the difference over time.

So, Apple have done good there!

But there’s still a major problem – the screen still reflects glare from overhead lights or the sun, making it tricky to read in certain conditions.  And the situation gets even worse when compounded by a layer of greasy fingerprints over the top!  The iPad 2 Smart Cover is supposed to clean the screen each time it’s closed, but there do seem to be some reasonable doubts as to its efficacy.  With that in mind, frankly I’d still recommend the Kindle as the best e-reading solution (and its battery life is second-to-none).

However, if you do want to use the iPad 2 as an e-reader, or in fact just want to read anything at all on it in bright light, various iPad 2 anti-glare screen protectors and iPad 2 anti-fingerprint screen protectors are beginning to appear on the market.

We’ve got one over on the main site by Casemate which purports to handily prevent glare and fingerprints all in one, the aptly-named Casemate Anti Glare/ Anti Fingerprint Screen Protector for iPad 2.

 

 

 

The Casemate is made from a tough, self-adhesive polymer and will protect against dirt, dust, scratches and fingerprints as well as having anti-glare properties.  The kit comes with micro-fibre cleaning cloth and applicator card included.

The Power Support iPad 2 Crystal Clear is also coming soon and will do much the same job – it’ll be interesting to compare the two once these arrive as well!

 

If the idea of all those greasy fingertips on your prize possession really upsets you then there’s also an Anti-Bacterial Screen Protector for iPad 2 available.  It has crystal-clear transparency, so you’ll still be able to see the screen, and will keep the screen of your tablet a germ-free zone.

 

 

 

Head over to the main site for all iPad 2 screen protectors.