[Note: I'm continuing a series on Saturdays called "The Toolbox." My intent is to highlight some of the software, products, and services that have become invaluable to me in my work. I think they will be helpful to you, too. I'd welcome your suggestions on what to review. You should know that these are not sponsored posts, and I'm not acting as an affiliate or receiving any funds for this series.]

Before you attempt to burn your computer screen, delete my blog feed, or accuse me of being a heretic, here me out. I’m a HUGE Apple fan. I do believe that Apple is simply better than just about anything else in the marketplace. And I was one of the first ones to purchase the original iPad. In fact, I sold my iPad 1 a few months in advance of the iPad 2′s release. I had every intention of purchasing the iPad 2, but a little time of reflection made me realize…

  1. I primarily used the iPad for reading books. I used my iPhone or MacBook Pro for almost every other task.
  2. If I wasn’t using the iPad, my four-year-old used it to play games (some educational, some not) and watch videos.
  3. It was an “extra” piece of equipment that I carried with me on business trips but rarely used in client scenarios. In other words, it didn’t eliminate my need to carry my MacBook Pro.
  4. I never used the iPad for mission-critical business functions. Again, I always went back to my iPhone or MacBook Pro.
  5. The few times I did carry the iPad, I had to carry my Bluetooth keyboard with me so I could write (because that’s what working writers do). The extra bulk tainted the benefits of carrying the small device.

I certainly am not condemning people who purchased the iPad 2. In fact, I think it’s the “gateway” to the Apple world for non-Apple users. It will only draw you in deeper to a new, much better technology experience. But for me, I’m thrilled with my Kindle which allows me to do exactly what I want it to do: read books. It’s inexpensive, small, light, can be easily read in just about all types of lighting conditions, and has a crazy long battery life.

What are your thoughts: Kindle or iPad 2?

P.S. I have my eye on the new MacBook Air. I do think it’s the perfect integration between the iPad and the MacBook Pro.

Ben Stroup is a content activist in a post-paragraph world. He is chief broker of opportunity at Ben Stroup Enterprises. Connect with Ben via email, Twitter, and Google+. Subscribe via email to learn how to use content to move people to action.

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