Amazon Kindle
For years we have been hearing about e-reading technology that will take the paper out of pleasure reading. Companies like Sony, eREAD, and Jinke have tried their hand at developing tablets that store and display electronic reading material. But honestly, all their products are pretty bootlegged. (too bulky, too heavy, lack of memory, lack of battery, lack of material, lack of connectivity etc.) What sets Amazon's Kindle apart is the Whispernet technology it uses to download an entire book in a minute, just about anywhere in the US. Amazon pays for the wireless connectivity for Kindle so there are no monthly wireless bills, data plans, or service commitments; just the one time price of $399. You can even get magazine, newspaper, and blog subscriptions updated automatically. The Kindle also provides access to wikipedia. It really is an excellent product for people who are on the go and read frequently.
So will I buy one? No. I like to write in my books and although the Kindle has annotation options, I like the freedom of pen and paper. I would, however, buy a Kindle if I could get all my textbooks for school on it. It would be so convenient to substitute 20lbs or more of books for a 10.8 ounce tablet. The books would undoubtedly be cheaper as well. In fact, I think that once text books are available on the Kindle, The University of Georgia should issue one to every incoming freshman.
Once the Kindle (Kindle 2.0?) has full internet access I will place my order. I am imagining a type of itouch/Kindle hybrid. I would even be wiling pay for service. Certainly technology is moving in the direction.
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