I've hijacked my daughter's Kindle and really have to add to the raves. However two things: one is the size makes accidental actions fairly frequent, at least for me, and two, if you're a fast reader you might find the constant page turning a little annoying. I talked to a woman with the DX who moved up for just that reason. I also read a lot of texts, and should they ever be kindleized, the larger format would be much better for graphs, charts, illustrations, etc. But, I'm going to get my own Kindle 2 and just adapt to the button punching. At $250 not so hard to swallow a loss, and the smaller size is much better for traveling.

I have a Kindle which I love. I think that it is incredibly easy to use, and great for travel. I gave one to my parents for X-mas, and they are not technology people, but they love it as well. My mother said that it was just like picking up a book for her.

I've had the Kindle 2 since the day they were first released, and I'll never go back for travel. The eInk technology is as relaxing on the eyes as a book, and when I have tired eyes, the scalable font really helps (also good for those who have glasses/contacts who would like to read without them at times).

How much do I love it? I just purchased a netbook to travel with and will NOT be adding the Kindle for PC software to it. Nor have I added it to my Blackberry. There's just no comparison. I spend too much time staring at LCDs. When I'm reading, I want to enjoy.

I do still borrow books from the library, mostly popular fiction, to save a bit. But I resent the weight of hardbounds now, and feel less resistance to buying a popular fiction which would be a particularly good travel read. Amazon is brilliant with the Kindle and the pricing.

The kindle is still too damn expensive.

A document viewer for $260 just doesn't cut it.

The Kindle 2 is absolutely worth every penny, the battery life borders on the incredible as well as the ease of reading and download speed, I didn't think I wanted one until I got one for Christmas and now I barely leave the house without it. Plus the books are cheaper to buy for kindle than their paper and ink cousins, if you read a LOT you could actually recoup the cost over a couple of years.

Exactly. I can buy a best seller for $14, or the e-book for $10.

On one side, I'm saving $4/book, but on the other hand I've invested $260 on a rapidly-depreciating device.

Not currently a winning equation.

I've been quite satisfied with my Kindle 1, bought used soon after the Kindle 2 came out. I do not claim that the device saves money in the long run. And if someone thinks a Kindle is too expensive, then it's too expensive - for that person. The same can be said about almost every other device mentioned in the Travel Technology forum. The prices of the ebook readers will come down as they become cheaper to manufacture, but currently the Kindle and other readers are not cheap and not for everyone, especially the occasional reader.

The primary reason I have a Kindle is convenience. I still love reading "real" books at home but it's been very nice having the Kindle's library with me when I'm out of the country for two to three months of the year.

Just thought of another perk: a lot of classics are FREE on the kindle. I have downloaded a bunch of children's classics for my daughter to read on vacation and Pride and Prejudice for myself (among others) all for free. If you sign up for the Kindle Nation newsletter there is always a list of the latest free books for the kindle.

This is why a Kindle will be best for you. If you would normally be carrying around a few books and/or switching between books, there is no comparison.

The major downside for me is that you have to be a bit more careful with it than a normal book (obviously), even though it is surprisingly tough. For example, using it at the beach can be problematic.

So for you the break even point would be 65 books? Does convenience of purchasing or compactness factor into your equation?

A downside for me is that when I'm traveling I often give the book I just finished to someone or throw a newspaper away. As great as it is, if you take a Kindle on a trip you have to carry it for the rest of the trip.

One of the best things about the Kindle is reading in bed... when you get yourself really comfortable with the pillows and covers just right you don't have to shift around to turn pages you just click with your thumb.

The DX is the most addictive thing I've ever tried. The DX vs K2 thread has more. I hav never tried crack but I suppose they have similar effects. My spouse calls it my girlfriend. My spending on books has gone down and the confort of travel is great. I don't think a color screen will help (iPad, Sony, Nook) because of the battery life question and, anyway, the books I read aren't in color. the browser is awful, but it even works, though labeled "experimental". I don;t use it anyway. BTW, I travel internationally a lot but I would not get the international version. Just download to a computer and xfer to Kindle via USB.

Yeah, I know what you mean. I work away a lot, and I enjoy sitting at a bar with a few beers and my Kindle. I end up spending a small fortune on books when I've had a few too many beers...

The only downside is the number of people who want to know :-

"What's that thing?"
"What are you reading?"
"What's it about?"
"Is that an iPad?"

Cheers,
Rick

Love my kindle, my pride and joy. It is way more than just an e-reader - the whispernet offers immediate availability to buy a book, cheaply, immediately, and start reading in seconds. Portability for travel is simply brilliant - a lot of my packing space and weight was taken up by books! Battery lasts a long time. I bought it the day the International Version was released - I had seen one in Vietnam about 18 months earlier and being in Australia had to wait a long time. I thoroughly recommend it to anyone who loves reading and travels.

You can load the books to your Iphone (and now some Blackberrys) and also to your laptop - up to 6 devices I think. I refuse to buy paperbacks now, and at double the price (in Australia) why would I?

Got the kindle - totally love it. (And the autosynch with my iPhone has been surprisingly useful.)