Amazon is expected to unveil its Kindle Tablet at a press event in New York on Wednesday. From what we know so far about the device, it seems like it might be the first tablet rival capable of really competing with the Apple iPad. Based on the size and use of the Kindle brand, though, it is reasonable to wonder whether the Kindle Tablet is a true tablet PC, or just a Kindle with some tablet features.

Many have suggested that the iPad might be a “Kindle killer”. While the two devices serve different purposes, there has always been some overlap. I argued about ten months ago, “Comparing a Kindle and an iPad is like comparing a spoon to a Swiss Army knife. Yes, both enable someone to eat a bowl of soup, but the spoon is more or less limited to that role, while the Swiss Army knife might also include a corkscrew, can opener, wire strippers, scissors, tweezers, magnifying glass, and screwdriver. Trying to determine which one is “better” is entirely subjective, and ultimately futile.”