Since it was first released way back in November of 2007, the Amazon Kindle reader has consistently been the best e-book reader on the market. That’s why it has enjoyed such a high level of success to date. Back in the third quarter of 2009, when every electronics manufacturer was trying to get a piece of the emerging e-book reader market, any new reader was instantly hailed as the Kindle killer. The simple reason for this is that the Kindle was, and still is, the industry benchmark.

The recent release of the upgraded third generation Kindle reader has increased the gap between Amazon’s reader and the following pack even more. It’s worth noting that the latest, and quite possibly most credible, Kindle killer isn’t another e-book reader but the Apple iPad. This is a totally different type of device, which sells for considerably more than the Kindle and – looked at as a pure e-book reader (an unfair comparison) – doesn’t measure up to the Kindle in certain areas.

The improvements in the third generation Kindle include a higher contrast screen, extended battery life, twice as much memory, faster page turns and an enhanced PDF reader. The device is also smaller and lighter – and it now comes in a choice of two colors – white and graphite. Amazon has also launched an entry level reader with Wi-Fi only for those who don’t envisage the need for a 3G connection. This is priced at just $ 139 – getting close to the $ 99 impulse buy threshold for personal electronic devices. The 3G plus Wi-Fi model is priced at $ 189.

As well as these various technical improvements, and almost unnoticed by many, Amazon opened a separate Kindle store for the UK market. UK customers can now buy their Kindles locally as opposed to getting the international version shipped across the Atlantic. This only took a few days to do – but some customers may have been put off by exchange rates and having to use a credit card (debit cards are more common in the UK). Amazon has just launched a major television advertising campaign in the United Kingdom and it may be that this, together with the “local” UK Kindle store could generate a lot of sales for them. If the venture proves to be successful, further local stores could open for France, Germany and the other countries with local Amazon websites.

It wasn’t long after the Kindle 3 was released before Amazon had, once again, sold out of Kindles. Customers are pre-ordering Kindles for delivery in three to four weeks time, with the readers being shipped on a first come first served basis. All things considered, there’s absolutely no sign that demand for the Kindle is falling off – which is hardly surprising given the quality of the product.

Up until now, reports of the death of the Kindle have always been premature, and that still seems to be very much the case. The Kindle and the iPad are completely different devices and there’s very little point in trying to compare them with each other. The Kindle is, by a long way, the best e-book reader available on the market. That’s why it will survive and continue to sell well – and also why Amazon will remain a dominant force in the digital publishing market in future. Some people will prefer to continue to read conventional printed books – whether in hardback or paperback format. Others will transfer to an e-book reader, in which case the Amazon Kindle will be the most popular choice (as will Kindle books). Others will be primarily interested in surfing the net, watching videos and playing games when they’re out and about, reading only the occasional e-book from time to time – and they will most likely choose an iPad. You will be able to get your reading material from Amazon, whatever your personal preference is.