Study: Kindle falls short for reading news

But differences were evident in response between different age groups. Young adults often compared the Kindle unfavourably to smart phones, which feature touch screens, mobile internet and music players, among a myriad of other applications. For them, the e-reader felt "old".

Older adults were generally more receptive to the idea of an e-reader, but missed some aspects of a traditional newspaper, such as comics and crossword puzzles.

Professor of advertising Dean Krugman, one of the professors who conducted the research, concluded that the newspaper feature alone was not attractive enough to sell the e-reader. "It should be seen as one of a constellation of services for the device including books, magazines, etc," he said.

This is sobering advice for Amazon on the eve of the launch of the Apple tablet computer. Thought to be called the iSlate or iPad, Apple's new device is widely expected to deliver electronic newspapers, books and magazines in full colour and on a touch-screen. Sales of the Kindle, which of course offers e-books and magazines as well, are predicted to double this year. Will Apple muscle in on their territory, or is there room in the market for both?

Source: University of Georgia press release