I like the hardware, but the terms of service and other limitations they put on it make me not want it.

Among other things, they make it a PITA to load any stuff that's yours that you didn't buy from them. And no PDF.

I think I'll wait on a later ebook. Or something.

I'm surprised by this:

It's surprisingly easy to get non-Amazon material on it. I just plug it in to the USB cable which perpetually hangs off the back of my laptop, and it shows up as a hard drive. I drop .txt and .mobi files into the "Book" folder and they show up. I convert a handful of PDFs to .mobi files using Mobi Creator and they work perfect, Tables of Contents and all. Sweet.

since that was a flag waved by dissenters. I just have to remember which ones, so I can see if they've withdrawn their claim.

Also, it's ugly. Why it got to be ugly?

since that was a flag waved by dissenters.

Maybe the issue it it's difficult to get your stuff on it wirelessly?

Although I seem to remember people complaining you had to email stuff to Yahoo to be converted to get it on the thing. Hmmm....

Well, I'm too lazy to go read those articles again. Maybe someone can report back....

You can drag any MobiPocket or TXT file on it over USB, instantly and easily. And the Mobi Creator software converts PDF, easy-peasy, apparently. (Unfortunately, there's no Mac version, but I bet somebody comes up with one, or some other converter, if the Kindle catches on.) Honestly, from what I can tell, the "problems" with putting your own stuff on it are barely problems at all. Just bad marketing by Amazon. That e-mail thing is an example: it's possible to e-mail files to your built-in Kindle e-mail for $0.10, if that's how you want to do it, but you can do it with USB for free: unfortunately, Amazon doesn't make that especially clear. The article actually goes into that.

The reviewer also insists that the device isn't really ugly at all: just looks that way in the photos. I frankly don't care whether he's mistaken because I want my eBook reader to disappear three words into whatever book I'm reading, at which point I don't care what it looks like. And apparently the feel and ergonomics of it make that happen. Th exchange with his wife is gold (quoting for those who haven't read it):

"So how do you like it?" I ask.

"It's good. Not as good as the last one, but it made me cry about half way through. They killed off one of the main characters, so I just had to finish it and see how they ..."

"No I mean the Kindle."

She looks puzzled.

"Oh. It's fine I guess," she says, shrugging. "I didn't really think about it. It's nice you can read it with one hand instead of lifting weights with a hardcover."

That's what I want.

Oh, cool! This definitely wasn't on there a few days ago, but on the product page:

Eliminating the need to print, Kindle makes it easy to take your personal documents with you. Each Kindle has a unique and customizable e-mail address. You can set your unique email address on your Manage Your Kindle page. This allows you and your contacts to e-mail Word documents and pictures wirelessly to your Kindle for only $.10. Kindle supports wireless delivery of unprotected Microsoft Word, HTML, TXT, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, PRC and MOBI files.

PDF conversion is experimental. The experimental category represents the features we are working on to enhance the Kindle experience even further. You can email your PDFs wirelessly to your Kindle. Due to PDF’s fixed layout format, some complex PDF files might not format correctly on your Kindle. If you are not in a wireless area or would like to avoid the $.10 fee, you can send attachments to 'name'@free.kindle.com to be converted and e-mailed to your computer at the e-mail address associated with your Amazon.com account login. You can then transfer the document to your Kindle using your USB connection. For example, if your Kindle email address is Jay@Kindle.com, send your attachments to Jay@free.kindle.com.

Gris, wait for the price to come down: [link]

I so completely missed the meeting on eBook readers. For the cost of a Kindle, I could buy 75+ mass market paperbacks.

For the price of an iPod classic, I could buy a cheap CD player and 30+ used CDs at Amoeba. For the price I paid for my 3rd-gen, back in the day, make that 50+ such CDs.

For the price of my Macbook Pro, I could've bought a Mac Mini and a bunch of neat software.

For the price of my filet mignon, I could've bought 300 packs of ramen. (Okay, that one is a seriously flawed metaphor... but I wanted three! The point is: convenience is awesome.)

From that article:

If I'm going to carry a shoulder bag - and I think I'd have to in order to carry the Kindle

Really? It's 10 ounces and the size of a DVD case. Smaller and lighter than most trade paperbacks. If you need a bag for it, you need a bag for books.

Okay, sorry, I'm stopping with the Kindle-oost now. I'm almost certain my mother already ordered me one for Christmas, so I'll report back when I have one in my hot little hand.

It would be a great thing for a trip. I always haul several pounds of books out of fear of having nothing to read. I'd have to try it out, though. I tested some of the earlier e-books and the problem was that they didn't "turn" the page fast enough. I'm a fast reader and it was actively annoying.

The point is: convenience is awesome.

Which is only really relevant if you find eBooks convenient. I just don't like them.