A survey of over 1,000 US and UK users by news navigator www.OneNewsPage.com has found that the Kindle scored strongly over the iPad as an e-reader. 

Although OneNewsPage’s users admitted the iPad was “more compelling” than the Kindle because of the iPad’s multi-functionality, if it came to a straight head-to-head choice between e-readers, almost two thirds (64 per cent), said they preferred Amazon’s Kindle to Apple’s iPad. Interestingly, 16 per cent of the OneNewsPage survey sample said they owned both a Kindle and an iPad, two of the best selling e-readers on the market.

Winning the e-reader popularity contest wasn’t the only good news for Amazon. The firm was also seen as the likely victor in an e-book marketing battle with Apple – albeit by a very small margin of just 2 per cent. 51 per cent said their money was on Amazon to win the e-reader battle, versus 49 per cent who were backing Apple.

Despite sales of e-books outselling hardbacks on Amazon for the first time, OneNewsPage users felt the physical book still has a healthy future. Almost three quarters (73 per cent) believe there is still a place for physical books.

But perhaps the most surprising finding of the OneNewsPage survey was that e-books are now more popular than paperbacks for reading on holiday. Again, while there was little in it, 53 per cent preferred to pack e-books rather paperbacks for their beach reading.

“The e-book has come of age,” says One News Page CEO, Dr Marc Pinter-Krainer. “The Kindle has built a strong position as a specialist e-reader. Its new version is considerably cheaper and lighter than the iPad, which may explain why two thirds of our users preferred it to the iPad as an e-reader. That said, it’s clear the iPad as an e-book platform is already giving Amazon a stiff challenge, and there’s everything to play for, as Apple only launched the iPad in March this year.”