I'd be interested if it wasn't SO expensive, like many of you. Perhaps when the price comes down. I'm young enough that I have a feeling that books might eventually head the e-book way in my lifetime. I love books and the feeling of them, but I also like the idea of the portability.

I also want them to get the bugs out of any e-book reader before I buy - I would hate to loose my saved books due to a technical issue. My owning an e-book reader is probably several years away as of right now, and I also love new technological gadgets.

I'd pay the price for it if wasn't restricted to downloads from Amazon. I can't get files off the computer or the internet such as are available from Gutenburg. Also, there's no removeable storage, so if the device becomes obsolete or the Kindle network goes out of business, the library that one paid for is lost. About 50% of the reviews are one-star because of their restrictiveness.

To respond to some of the concerns posted here, my understanding is that the downloaded books are stored on SD cards and you can have multiple cards. Should something happen to the Kindle or the cards, you can retrieve the books you have purchased from Amazon. Audible.com works that way -- they keep your library and you can download the books multiple times if necessary.

The included SD card can store 200 books so you can carry a library around with you and you can have multiple SD cards. You can e-mail some types of files from your computer to the Kindle. Some file types are not supported. This is not an issue for me so I didn't pay close attention.

The concern I cannot address is the cost. Because I primarily purchase hardback books, don't use the library for books, and don't like paperback books except for the trade paperbacks, my book expenses make it more reasonable to have a Kindle. I'm sure I will still purchase some books but hopefully not nearly as many.

Since I won't receive the Kindle until around December 4, I can't say how it is to read. I know it won't feel the same as a book but, who knows, it may be better in some unforeseen way. It will be less bulky than a book and I look forward to taking it with me everywhere so I will never be without something to read.

Hmmmmm........ very interesting discussion.

Like a lot of people here, my main complaint is with the price point. $400 is a tad steep for what is basically an e-book reader. Also, the restrictiveness is troubling -- proprietary formats, to me, usually spells trouble.

If the Kindle can read all types of documents (Word .doc files, .PDF files, .TXT files, etc. and maybe even some picture files), then I'd seriously consider it. I do a fair bit of work on the road and this could, potentially, save me the hassle of lugging around a ton of paper. That being said, I still prefer working with the simple analog interface of a piece of paper and a pencil.

Now if they dropped the price to maybe $100 or even less, then I'd probably buy it. As it stands, I think I can spend $400 in more "productive" ways -- an XBOX 360's only an extra $50 more! :-D

(To be perfectly honest, I'm a bit surprised at the price of the Kindle. One model that seems to have worked quite well in the hi-tech field has been to price the hardware quite cheaply and then hit the consumer with steeper software prices. While $400 isn't as high as it could be, I think it's still a fairly steep entry fee to get into the e-book game. If I remember correctly, Microsoft lost a ton of money with the XBOX hardware but made millions on the software and licensing. Now if Amazon had priced the Kindle to be about $150-$200 and the books at about $15 or maybe $12 each ..... then their product may be more palatable to a wider audience.)

frances - Please let us know how your Kindle "reads" once you've spent some time with it.

I am very interested in finding out how people like the Kindle. I have seen Sony's electronic reader on airplanes, and people love them. I think such a purchase is a few years away for me - I get virtually all of my books from the library these days as I am very lucky to live in a town that is part of a vast network and can get just about anything in a day or two. But I doubt if I will always be so lucky, and hopefully the ebooks will be terrific by then.

No thanks. I have too many other things I have to spend money on to waste it on a device designed to suck more money out of me. Besides, I think the cell phone industry is going to take over this market with their all-in-one media device packages.

And how do you write notes in the margins?

Veronica, from Amazon's Kindle product description:

Bookmarks and Annotation
By using the keyboard, you can add annotations to text, just like you might write in the margins of a book. And because it is digital, you can edit, delete, and export your notes, highlight and clip key passages, and bookmark pages for future use. You'll never need to bookmark your last place in the book, because Kindle remembers for you and always opens to the last page you read.

The only books I would ever write in myself are textbooks but I might be more inclined to use this feature because I wouldn't be defacing a book.

I remember Sony coming out with one back in 1993; The Bookman (to go along with the Walkman, etc.). Sony's current version is not much different. I guess I don't see the point; people already have laptops, cellphones that can surf the net, and PDAs.....so why add another gadget that has proprietary downloads?

I think instead, it'll be easier to download books to a laptop (if that's what you want to do), and read them, as well as do everything else you do with a computer. I guess I just don't see the point of another failed idea (a takeoff on Sony's failed idea).

Call me a Luddite, like so many others, but I can get the books for free from my library, and it's nice to hold a book while lying on your side in bed. If my library doesn't have it, well....there's always bookcloserouts.com, where 95% of the books are under $10; less than the download price, and less than the machine price.

I found the info buried way deep in the description, but it does read TXT and HTML files. I couldn't find a mention of an SD card, but it comes with a USB cable, so I suppose downloading from a PC is possible. When there's plenty available, and the price comes down, I'll consider it.

Call me old-fashioned, but one thing I'd like to see is something that opens like a book. It would have two screens and a hinge. Closed, it would be the same size and weight as a paperback. Open, it would sit open like a paperback (but without having to hold the pages back - result!), and so you'd have two pages open in front of you.

Books work - why not copy them? Keeps the screen protected too...

I guess I'm old fashioned in some ways and progressive in others. I think eBooks hold a lot of potential to enhance the reading experience with annotation and hyperlinks. I like the idea of being able to click (or touch) on a word and jump to a source that provides more information on it, for example. I also like that it is so portable and saves space. I agree whole-heartedly with Jason, though, that there are already gadgets and devices that do the same or nearly the same thing, and there are many, many books (classics) that are in public domain that I haven't read and want to read. Why buy them when I can download them and read for free or very minimal cost on my computer?

As for being old-fashioned, I don't even own an iPod. We have our music stored on our computers at home, so I've seen no need for an iPod. I listen to music in the car, and read a book when taking public transportation. I can't justify buying an iPod for what little time I'd get to use one.

I am attracted to the idea of having an ebook. As far as Kindle and traditional books go, I don't view this as an "either/or" but a "both/and" development. I do have some questions though:
1.Is there a monthly charge for the service, and 2. How long does the battery last? I have an iPod and I love it, particularly for the Podcasts that I can download and then listen to as I walk, but I really get frustrated when the power disappears mid program! I wonder how the power source is managed with Kindle?

Another true Luddite, chiming in, here. I don't own an iPod, either, and barely even know what it is.

I agree with jason, in that I like holding a book while reading in bed, nights. I also like the feel and smell of books, and the fun of haunting yard sales and library used book sales, to seek out treasures for pennies....

thyrkas, there is no monthly charge for the service. You pay for the books you order and they are downloaded wirelessly for no additional charge.

From the Kindle production information:

Long battery life. Leave wireless on and recharge approximately every other day. Turn wireless off and read for a week or more before recharging. Fully recharges in 2 hours.

You would only need to have wireless on if you were expecting a download.

To correct something I said before, the included storage that can hold 200 titles does not seem to be an SD card but you can add an optional SD card for increased storage.

I almost feel like I'm trying to sell the Kindle or justify my decision to purchase one and I don't want to do either. I know it is not for everyone; it is probably not for most readers at this point. Because I read about it quite a bit before deciding to order, I've been trying to answer questions. If you go to Amazon.com, there is a lot of product information and a demo there that can answer questions better than I can.

Frances, you shouldn't feel like you need to justify your decision. I just think this is one of those topics that people find interesting and will naturally have strong opinions about.

By the way, Newsweek's cover story this week is on the Kindle. Going along with the info you provide on the battery life, it states:

The Kindle gets as many as 30 hours of reading on a charge, and recharges in two hours.

Another snippet about the battery reports:
I found that when youÂre warned that you only have 20 percent of your power left, you should recharge immediately, because when it goes, it goes quickly, and thereÂs nothing more frustrating than a device that plays dead. And yes, you can replace a battery, for about $20.

I like Martin's idea - that would be great. I'm already thinking I would like to have a Sony ebook or a Kindle. Too pricy for me at this point, maybe after I graduate and start making money again.

I bought an mp3 player that I loved - spent a lot of time putting stuff on it - the Menu button broke off! After only two months but out of warrantee, wouldn't you know. Grrr.

Well, there is no chance that Santa will leave this under my tree, but I can still hope.

I see this as a case of the future arrived. I've ordered a Kindle and can't wait until I have it in my hands. I plan to dramatically reduce my purchase of "old-fashioned" non-virtual books. I look forward to taking the Kindle everywhere I go, loaded with 200 of favorite books, magazines, and newspapers.

Seriously - just as downloaded music is the deathknell of CDs, the Kindle and its future variants are the first notes for books. While it's a requim that most of you don't want to hear, it's a requim that technology is going to play whether we listen or not.

Imagine your child coming home on the first day of school with all of his textbooks in a 10.3 ounce Kindle rather than in a 25 pound backpack. Neat idea, eh? It's only a matter of time.

I buy a lot of books. In the end, the Kindle is going to save me a boatload of money. I'm thrilled.

Rather as the CD is taking its sweet time about dying, so will the book.

One major advantage a book has over a CD is that books of short stories are in the minority, whereas long stories are the norm - so you pick up a single book and it will last you three or more hours. CD's are just the opposite - classical music aside, most albums are lots of tracks and picking a selection is the norm. That (and size) is the major advantage that portable music players have over portable CD players.

Or to put in another way - if I want to take something on the tube to read, I'd rather take my £4,99 paperback than my £250 Kindle.

I do like the idea of all your textbooks in one place at school or college, though.

Why should a Kindle save anyone any money? I don't understand this one at all.

Yes, amazon are suggesting that no book goes over $9.99, so there are a few dollars saving there. But text books are expensive because there is not much of a market, and you need to make a profit. They'll be expensive on a Kindle too.

Music downloads are not less expensive than CD's. (It's one of the major complaints about legal music downloading, and why so many people rip and "share" CDs.) I don't see why book downloads should be less expensive, either.

Of course, if books start to be regularly copied illegally (and be sure that someone out there is already working out how the Kindle works, and how to copy books around) then it's a different matter. But then we're back into the piracy argument, only even more so....

I don't know about the CD, but I am going to go out on a limb and say that I suspect that the book, per se, will never totally go out of fashion. I am not saying that technology will not prevail, however, in the short run....

Well, I, for one, have no intention of giving up on books. To me there's just something inexpressible about holding a book in my hands and physically turning the pages. I like it. No, I LOVE it.

I think that, in the final analysis, people are STILL analog creatures. Sticking everything into the digital world may seem fine to the legions of budding clones of Steve Jobs and Bill Gates but give me an analog interface any day of the week. Yes, I AM a Luddite. I admit it. (But don't tell my XBOX or my five computers at home)

When it comes to books, I LIKE looking at my collection. I LIKE acquiring and collecting the PHYSICAL manifestation of people's ideas and stories. Don't get me wrong -- I've read quite a bit of novels and books in digital format. I've read most of Edgar Rice Burroughs' Mars series in digital format from the Gutenberg Project but that was mostly a passing fancy for me.

I LIKE books. I LIKE leatherbound, hard cover books that LOOK nice. I also like thick, dictionary-like paperbacks. I like books in all shapes and sizes. But, mainly, I LIKE books and NOT their digital counterparts. Granted, their digital counterparts don't get soggy and wet when you drop by accident into a sink full of water (don't ask) but I imagine the interface for their electronic counterparts wouldn't fare too well in such circumstances.

Besides, how can one properly browse an e-bookstore? How can you determine how long or how short an e-book is? In a regular bookstore, you look at the thickness of the spine. Do you look at the size of the file in an e-bookstore?

Anyway, that's enough of my caffeine fuelled rant. ;-)

(And yes, I work in high tech.)

Dynomutt - hear hear! I love a good rant.

Book in sink of water - bye-bye, £4.99

Kindle in sink of water - bye-bye £250 plus all books....

Review in Slate: Can Amazon Save the E-Book?

In reading this thread, one would almost believe that books are being obsoleted. If you aren't interested in the Kindle, why does it matter so much that it exists or that someone might have reasons for wanting to own one? After all, it is an option, not a mandate.

We all obviously love books very much or we would not be here. However, just like I've discovered great satisfaction in listening to audio books while performing many necessary tasks, I think there may be multiple ways to enjoy reading and I'm willing to give it a try. If it doesn't work out, it won't affect anyone other than me. It is my choice and doesn't mean I love books any less.

Frances --

My apologies if my rant conveyed the wrong impression. I'm not against those who are considering the Kindle or those who advocate for it.

I know the Kindle probably won't make books obsolete. However, part of me can't help but feel deep down inside that this seems to be a tentative, hesitant first step towards the possibly inevitable obsolescence of the book. Yes, I'm a bit paranoid and the book may not be rendered obsolete for decades but I've also seen how fast technology marches on and how it seems to sweep away everything in its path.

I apologize but I'm not really an iconoclast. In fact, I'm the opposite -- I tend to be a conservative. I like old things and quite a large part of me likes the old ways. I liked vinyl. I liked cassettes. Yes, I agree that mp3 players are more convenient and that the digital revolution is quite amazing. We can now blast away our eardrums with multi-decibel aural assaults from our demons of choice, whether they be Cab Calloway, Nine Inch Nails, or (heaven forbid) the Spice Girls. But two things that seem to get lost in the mad, headlong rush towards the future is the why of it all and the unspoken plaint of the "obsolete" -- is it REALLY better?

Don't get me wrong, while I am a closet Luddite in some senses, I also DO like having the latest toys in the market. (I AM an engineer after all!) I see myself picking up a Kindle or one of its descendants in a few years' time. But, when I do that, I will also hear my book collection sigh in sad resignation as it realizes that its days may very well be numbered.

I guess my rant was my (premature) plea for the preservation of books. I know that, eventually, I'll give in and buy an e-book reader, possibly because a book I want may only be available in digital format. But, before that blighted day arrives, and while I still have my wits and senses about me, I thought I'd make a plea for the good ol' analog printed page book.

Part of me can't help but feel that, while the demise of the book is decades away (we hope), the Kindle is, in a way, like seeing a good friend at the beginning of what you know to be a progressively debilitating disease. (Then again, I have been known to be completely wrong. For one thing, I thought parachute pants (and disco) were here to stay.....)

dynomutt, there is no need to apologize. I wasn't specifically referring to your post but rather to the overall tone of the thread.

Anyway, the fact that Amazon is the company producing the Kindle does make me believe that they think it is the wave of the future. After all, they are potentially hurting their primary business -- selling books -- if the Kindle is successful. They must think an e-book reader is inevitable and they want to be the company to provide it. I can't remember that Amazon has ever had a product of its own before, but I could be wrong as I often am.

> found that when youÂre warned that you only have 20 percent of your power left, you should recharge immediately

And that will probably happen just as you are reading the most important part of the book, or getting towards the end...(this is usually when I get phone calls, visitors, or a husband who needs something)

dyno, I agree totally. Its difficult to imagine a day where there might not be books per se, because they have been such a part of my life since I was a toddler. I especially liked "Besides, how can one properly browse an e-bookstore? How can you determine how long or how short an e-book is? In a regular bookstore, you look at the thickness of the spine. Do you look at the size of the file in an e-bookstore? " Hee, yup.

And yes I am also a Luddite. While I am happy to see progress made in many fields with technology, I think some technology has had unintended consequences. I think cell phones have caused people to be more inconsiderate of others (see the couple at lunch, one silent, one on a cell phone having a wonderful time, or the mother on the cell phone walking with her child who really would love to talk with her), iPods making people less aware of their surroundings (tho they did say the same about Walkmans). I love the internet, but I think it has changed the way we communicate and interact with each other. What this new technology will do for us is uncertain. I guess my question is, why? Why is this even necessary? We can get books for free at the library, there is no shortage of books. What exactly is the purpose of an e-book?

I also think that the more technology we have, the bigger gap we have between the haves and have nots. My school district is now sending newsletters home on the net. I have many students that don't even have a computer. Heck there are people in this country who don't have land lines and electricity. If these Kindles take the place of books, if physical books go the way of typewriters, will people who cannot afford this not be able to access they books? Gaps in access to technology people's education, professions, salary, lifestyle. And that gap is getting bigger all of the time.

> I think there may be multiple ways to enjoy reading and I'm willing to give it a try. If it doesn't work out, it won't affect anyone other than me. It is my choice and doesn't mean I love books any less.

I don't think anyone is criticizing the choice anyone makes, or suggesting that we love books more. And I agree, it might be just another way like audio books have become for many people to enjoy books. I think some of us perhaps older and less tech savy then others are just wary and concerned - what will this new technology do to change our world once again? Its probably the same way our grandparents (and some great grand parents) felt when the car replaced the horse. I think this is part of what dyno is saying - some of us more conservative folk like traditions and our way of life and...

This should have read:

>Gaps in access to technology affects people's education, professions, salary, lifestyle. And that gap is getting bigger all of the time.

In case one has problems with the Kindle or anything else from Amazon: Amazon's Customer Service Number

When threads collide - martin's thread about the potential demise of hardcover books has me thinking about the future of books. I don't think they will become extinct any time soon because, frankly, they are just too nice. Many people love books - owning them, reading them, piling them on their floors until they can barely walk around their own homes. I would like to have an electronic reader, but I'm sure I would still buy books. Right now I don't buy much because of space and money considerations, but I make room somewhere for anything I read that I really enjoy and think I will read again.

The only real problem I see with an electronic reader is the danger of losing it, or of it malfunctioning and losing all my stored books. If I look a book now, I'm out $25. If I lose an electronic reader, yikes!

I think if these new ones are successful, the price will come down, or more types will come on the market.

I had a lunch time converstation about this with a colleague, one who has taught for two decades. She's not worried about the Kindle changing books. It won't matter she said. The kids can't read anyway. I don't share her cynicsm but understand it. Indeed if books become obsolete, that will be the reason.

Books will NEVER be obsolete with me. Even if I were for some bizarre reason unable to read them all, I just happen to like the way they look on shelves and coffee tables. I think books make a room cosy. So many "dinosaurs" we no longer find useful (spinning wheels, carts with horses, buggies such as my grandfather rode in, old millstones, older ploughs, etc.) I find quite interesting and even attractive to look at. I cannot say the same about my TV or my computer or my cell phone. Guess I am a Luddite with aesthetic prejudices....

Martin........"Call me old-fashioned, but one thing I'd like to see is something that opens like a book. It would have two screens and a hinge. Closed, it would be the same size and weight as a paperback. Open, it would sit open like a paperback (but without having to hold the pages back - result!), and so you'd have two pages open in front of you."........You are too funny! I think all we need to make you happy is two clothes pins to hold the pages!

I am horrified by the whole Kindle concept. I agree with Woodnymph, its the whole feel and smell of the pages, the "curling up with a good book" thing. I will NEVER curl up with a kindle!!!!

No - I would curl up with a Kindle if it opened like I suggested. It would still feel like a book.

So long as it was cheap enough.

Interesting discussion. I do love books like everyone else here and I intend to start hoarding favorites now but like Martin if I ever buy one of these devices it would have to imitate a book. I do love my iPod, cell phone and computer but I am not sure I want to read electronically. But I will keep an open mind about it.

In all my 58 years I have never heard the term Luddite....what does it mean?

gbg

It comes from the days of the mechanism of the weaving mills; a person called (I think) Thomas Ludd lead crowds of people to try to smash the mills as he and they were worried that it would take employment away from the traditional weavers. (Which of course, it did.)

Nowadays, it tends to be used about people who dislike progress or new technology for whatever reason, and also tends to be used (as above) in a slightly self-disparaging way.

Thanks Martin for explaining that to me. I guess I would have to say I am a Semi-Luddite......I am afraid I won't like the tech stuff until I figure out how to use it and then I usually like it. Tech things I really despise are the electronic telephone business menus.....I have screamed at computer voices " I want to talk to a person!!!!" like that does any good but over the summer I took back my maiden name and what a hassle with some businesses and some were so easy.
But even though I like my iPod I never had the relationship with my tapes/records that I do with a hand held pageturning book so I am just not sure about these new devices.

gbg

> have screamed at computer voices " I want to talk to a person!!!!"

The website gethuman.com saved my sanity. Now when I call a big corp like the bank or insurance or Amazon, I go to the site and look for the name of the corp, and read the way to get around the computer. Its wonderful. Pass it on

I am a luddite in the sense that I really do not think that new necessarily means better. However, I couldn't live without the technology I now have (air conditioning for one). I think about the end of Vonnegut's Player Piano when the mob decides to turn from the machines that were hurting them, to the electrical grid....um no.

Here is a link that might be useful: get a human

Cindy, Thank you so much for that link.....I think it might save my sanity too. It's great!! Thanks again.

gbg

My Kindle arrived on Monday, a day early! It works as advertised. I purchased and downloaded a book more rapidly than I have ever downloaded anything, probably a minute or less. I had already decided on the book, Down River by John Hart, and that decision took a long time because there were so many possibilities.

Last night I downloaded one of my previously purchased Audible.com books. To do that requires downloading first to the computer and then to the Kindle via USB. The audio book takes much more space than the printed book but I will only use the Kindle for that purpose in the car on long trips because I don't have a car player for my iPOD.

Before the Kindle arrived I was reading a paperback book, which I don't like to do because of having to hold it open without harming the book (my personal problem). Now, with switching back and forth, I find the Kindle is so much easier to read that I am wishing the paperback would be available on the Kindle as well.

Reading on the Kindle is better than I even expected. The cover for the Kindle is like a leather-covered hardback book cover. Because it has two sides, like a book, it becomes very easy to forget that I'm only reading on one side of it. I sometimes reach for the page to turn, forgetting that I should touch the "next page" button. The cover also makes it possible to prop the Kindle in front of me while I am eating and that certainly doesn't work with the paperback book.

The print looks very much like that in a printed book. It is possible to choose from six font sizes. The reason there are no page numbers is because they would vary depending on the font size. It does give a location instead of page number and there are dots across the bottom of the display to indicate how much of the book has been read.

The search feature is very nice and useful, especially in looking for something in the Kindle User Guide, which I do need to consult from time to time. There are other features I haven't checked out yet.

So, my initial reaction is that I really, really like the Kindle. Is it worth $400? I have no idea. That is a judgment everyone has to make for themselves. I don't think it will ever totally replace books but it will help me keep from adding nearly as many to my Tottering TBR Towers.

Sounds great! I like the idea of being able to prop it up in front of me. Seems like that would work for a treadmill or stairmaster as well as dinnertime.

Maybe Santa will bring me one! I've been more naughty than nice, so I doubt it. ;)

Frances --

Thanks for the review on the Kindle! It DOES sound intriguing, especially since it seems to eliminate one of my main problems with books -- keeping the darned thing open while I'm eating! ;-)

But, that being said, I think I might still get a new XBOX 360 . ;-)

After spending a week and a half with my Kindle, I had my first real test today. For Christmas shopping purposes I had to go to Barnes and Noble. I passed the test with flying colors because I left the store without a single book for myself! That was probably a first for me. Not only did I not buy a book, I wasn't even very tempted.

Reading on the Kindle is very easy, so much so that I seldom notice the momentary change that occurs on the screen when moving to another page. It is no more disruptive than turning a page would be, but at first I had thought I would be unhappy with it. Before the first day was over, it barely registered with me. I easily forget that I'm not reading a "real" book. Not having to hold the book open and being able to prop it up are wonderful features. I finished one book and am reading a second on the Kindle and can't bring myself to finish the paperback I was reading when it arrived.

To see what a newspaper is like on the Kindle, I signed up for the 14-day trial subscription to The Washington Post but canceled it right away. I think it would be good to have a subscription to a newspaper like the New York Times or Wall Street Journal, for example, but I cannot replace my local paper, the Post, with the Kindle version.

There are Kindle groups online that provide a great deal of information about locating free books. I know that was one of the complaints people had about the Kindle at first. The Gutenberg books are available from various sites and there are other sites with free books, as well.

Another concern was with the cost. I understand that people are paying between $800 and $1,000 on eBay for Kindles because the product is temporarily sold out on Amazon.

Yes, well, people who are paying between $800 and $1000 for Kindles clearly have more money than sense.

I still think it's too expensive, but I'll have to see if I can talk my boss into buying one for himself when he's next in the US. He's the sort who'll buy one just to show off about it. He might then lose interest and sell it to me cheap...!

I was at work last week when I happened upon someone who was reading what appeared to me to be an electronic book. I couldn't control my curiosity, and asked if what she was using was a Kindle? She said "Yes", and then immediately went on to tell me about how much she enjoyed it, and showed me some of the features. Her husband was with her (this couple was in their 70's), and I ended up speaking with him later that morning. He also was very pleased with the Kindle, except that he now thought that he was going to have to buy another one because he and his wife were having trouble sharing it! He talked about buying another Kindle and putting it under the tree for himself.

TTT

at first I thought, no, I wouldn't like this object of technology but I just finished reading His Dark Materials and now I am reading Pillars of the Earth and my arms are thinking, maybe it would be a good idea! You see I do most of my reading at night in bed and Dark Materials and Pillars have been pretty awkward to handle!

One alternative to the Kindle would be the Asus eee PC. I've been using it since January and it's almost the best thing since sliced bread. It's basically a small, 2 lb. PC with a 7" screen and it comes with all the software you'll need as well as an eBook reader. With a slight bit of fiddling, I've been using it almost like a book -- the size is perfect, about the size of a hardbound book.

Anyway, I've been able to turn it on it's side so I use it almost like a Kindle. Price is about the same -- about $400 +taxes. Granted, I'm not sure if it can handle e-books and newspapers that you buy online but it sure as heck handles everything that the Gutenberg project (and PDFs) can throw at it.

(Actually, I'm typing this up on it right now!)

For those who might be interested, I've given a link below to a Wikipedia article on the thing. And no, I'm not connected with the product in any way except that I think it's great and it fulfills most of my computing needs (and some of my reading needs as well!).

Here is a link that might be useful: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASUS_Eee_PC