Be it a gadget guru or an average appreciator of technological wonders, the iPad has been the latest talk of the town amongst one and all. Loaded with a chain of smooth & trendy features and gorgeous looks, it seems as yet another trend-setter from Apple.

With negligible threats in the field of Tablet PCs, the iPad has created some serious ripples amongst fans and foes alike. Amongst the brunt-bearers are the two major e-book readers available in the market – Amazon’s Kindle DX and the Sony Reader.

At first glance, the Amazon Kindle has a 9.7 inch screen, while the Sony Reader has a 7 inch counterpart. The Apple iPad has a 9.7 inch screen similar to that of the Kindle, but it can be switchable vertically and horizontally view.

Another major aspect that rockets the iPad ahead of its rivals is the fact that it is a complete multimedia package, supporting major media formats for pictures, movies and music. The Kindle and the Sony Reader can stretch their capabilities only as far as e-books.

The Kindle and the Sony Reader offer 3G connectivity, but restrict its usage to subscribing of books. The high-end iPad variant offers 3G too. But what sets it apart is its Wi-Fi support, which makes connectivity easier no matter where you go.

Both, the Sony Reader and the Amazon Kindle come with externally built keyboards or touch pads, which add to the size and weight of the devices. The iPad has an in-built touch keyboard which appears on the screen directly, adding to its appeal and cutting back on size.

The iPad’s screen resolution is a cut above the rest, with a resolution of 1024 x 768. The Kindle and the Sony Reader can only stretch as far as 600 x 800 pixels. Plus, the colour options of the iPad screen are far truer and brighter than those of the two e-book readers.

An iPad can expand its storage capacity to 64 GB (the high-end variant), while the Sony Reader can only handle as much as 32 GB via external memory card links. The Kindle can store e-books worth merely 4 GB.

When it comes to pricing, the Sony Reader – costing $399 a piece currently – gives the Kindle, worth $438, a good run for its money. The iPad has a starting range of $499 and goes all the way up to $829 for the Wi-Fi + 3G model.

The Sony Reader supports Windows, Linux & Mac OS X, while Amazon’s Kindle works on a conventional Linux base. The iPad uses the iPhone OS 3.2 A4, which provides it faster functionality, but deprives it of major program compatibilities at the same time.

Although on paper, the iPad hands e-Book readers a stark defeat in terms of usability, looks, features and market competition, the sales are bound to remain highly subjective to consumer class, wants and budgets.