There have been some reports that the iPad is a little too heavy for reading. Some people are reporting sore wrists and discomfort. LiveScience.com lists heaviness as a problem for the iPad in an article describing the iPad's shortcomings.
To be sure, at 1.5 pounds and with all this functionality, the iPad is an impressive feat of engineering. But it's simply not light enough (a Kindle ebook reader is about 10 ounces) and that heft adds to the awkwardness. Holding the iPad in one hand for more than a few minutes to watch a movie or read an ebook results in tired wrists. Even holding it with two hands to read an ebook is tiring. Reading an ebook on a smartphone is ergonomically much more practical.
A PaidContent article also comments on the heavy nature of the iPad. The author says, "The iPad is sleek-and heavy. It's not an easy one-handed read on the go-or even sitting. I was able to manage the Kindle with a cast on one hand; holding the iPad would be tough and actually using it even tougher."
The iPad weighs 1.5 pounds. This is more than the smaller ebook readers like the Kindle, which weighs 10.2 ounces. Amazon's larger Kindle DX weighs 1.18 pounds. The iPad's hefty 1.5 pounds is also considerably heavier than your average hardcover. Amazon.com lists the shipping weight under every book listing on its website. For example, the latest book from John Grisham, Ford County: Stories, has a shipping weight of 1 pound. The book is 320 pages long, which is about average size for a hardcover. Hardcover books with more pages weigh a little more. Amazon.com lists the shipping weight for a hardcover edition of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, which has 734 pages, as 2.5 pounds. That is heavier than the iPad. However, it is probably much easier for a reader to distribute the weight of the Goblet of Fire on their lap than the unflexible iPad.
If the weight of the iPad is an issue it may give an advantage to the slimmer and lighter Kindle. It is also something that could be fixed in future iPad models, or by competing tablets, if they can be made lighter. It probably depends on how and where you plan to read as to which device will work best for you. People who like to read for hours on end may prefer a lighter device than people who read briefly at a desk or table.
