Amazon’s Kindle looks pretty cool. I am one of those people who love’s the mobility and the feel of a true book. I cannot stand reading a long PDF on my laptop because it’s difficult to read in bed, to throw in the car, a book bag a brief case and quickly pull out to read when I want to, plus it tires my eyes faster than reading some dead trees. But, I think the Kindle might actually be a device worth having. For $399 you get:

• A pleasant to read screen and easy to look at formatting
• EVDO network to browse and buy Amazon books anywhere you can get cell. Plus access to Wikipedia
• It’s smaller than most paperback books
• Looks like an easy to use screen, nice large side buttons to move forward and backward
• Search your books
• Full qwerty keyboard
• You can take digital notes while reading your book
• Long battery life – without the cell on you can read for a week before recharging – and recharge is only 2 hours.
• Plus the books are pretty cheap - $9.99

And long term savings:

• Buying books uses paper – killing trees, and has high production costs – machines, ink…
• You have to lug books around from house to house or office to office – they take up a lot of physical space when you are not reading them
• They cost a ton to transport to and from warehouses and bookstores – Gas etc.
• Hopefully more profits can go to the author than to all the middle men

eBooks and book readers have been tried before and have not caught on. Maybe with some like Amazon behind it we can get a great device and a large selection of books this time!