Today, I don’t remember what got me here (probably following a link about an interesting book), but I noticed all the hype on Amazon about their new Kindle ebook reader device. I’ve got to say, I was impressed… and somewhat tempted, though the way that the screen refreshes on the eInk screen leaves me a little… concerned. It flashes dark, then updates. According to one wiki matrix, the refresh time takes a considerable portion of a second. Which is actually a good time, since it’s still a developing technology, but I’m not sure if that’s acceptable for me. I like paper books, and have never seriously considered getting an ebook reader, though I did meet someone in Baghdad who waxed evangelical about the merits of the technology. I’ll have to say, knowing that this new display isn’t backlit and is thus easier on the eyes, it might well be a tipping point… but $400 for version 1.0 is a little hard to swallow. I tend to be an early adopter (at least compared to most of the people I know), but I usually wait until the price goes down and they’ve resolved the first round of bugs.
However, if I do end up going overseas again in the near future, I may well decide to buy this device. I like that it connects through Amazon–you’re virtually guaranteed a good selection of books through a vendor of that caliber, and even if I prefer paper books, I discovered through the hard process of shipping trunks of books back home that acquisition of even lightweight paperbacks is not a particularly good idea, when it involves transatlantic journeys. One reader device, a couple batteries, and a USB cord might be well worth it. Yeah, I might be paying for books that will be inaccessible in a few years, but when you’re overseas the real point is having the books available in the moment. Think of it like watching movies in the theater–not exactly the most money-conscious expenditure, but worth it for the access and convenience. (Even if you can pick up pirated copies the week after a movie comes out–in the States!–for next to nothing from the street vendors in some overseas locations… I always did wonder how they managed it.)
So–I’m not buying it right now, but I’m keeping it in mind, especially if traveling comes into my near future. (Which is possible but by no means a certainty.)
Posted by Kjirstin 
