I have a Kindle too.  It has a few things going for it that the iPad doesn't.  First, its screen is really good for reading.  Easier on the eyes than a backlit display.  Second, it's much cheaper.  $500 for the cheapest iPad, or $259(1) for a Kindle.  Last, it sounds like books on Kindle are going to be cheaper ($10 instead of $15 on the iPad), though that could change.<p>What the iPad can do to improve on the Kindle is allow for interaction with reading materials.  Note taking, discussion forums based on specific paragraphs/sentences in the text, real-time highlighting, audio/video playback, color photos.  All a dream for a college student.  None of this exists for iPad yet, but it'll probably come in version 2.0 of its OS.  The best Kindle can do in return is its clunky text-highlighting, which isn't saying much.<p>So my point is, they're far apart in pricing and capabilities.  Kindle will probably stay popular among book lovers, which are a fickle bunch.  iPad seems like a Kindle with a zillion other capabilities.  The iPad is to an iPhone as the Kindle is to a normal Cell Phone.  One's very flashy and has some cool capabilities at a cost, and the other is cheaper but does a simple thing relatively well.  I don't think they'll eat each other's lunch, but we will have to wait and see to be sure of course...<p>(1) $470 Kindle DX aside; I'd grab an iPad before a DX any day.