Kindle: Amazon's new wireless reading device

[astroglide]

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Smaller/lighter/easier to transport?

Yes and no. Certainly no when compared to a single book.</font>

the kindle weighs 10 ounces. the latest harry potter book has a shipping weight of 1.8 pounds.

<font color="green">Easier to read than standard bokos?

No. Approx the same ease of reading.</font>

the kindle is 7.5" x 5.3" x 0.7". the latest harry potter book is 9.1 x 6 x 2.3.

these are hardcover comparisons, but some books are only available in that format. that is currently the case with the potter book i referenced. it's not currently available on kindle either, though. just a marquee example with which many should be able to relate.

books also have to be held open. that is more difficult at the beginning and end of a book, and the effects are worsened as the page count increases. i find myself constantly annoyed with this issue on certain large technical books and i am unable, for example, to comfortably read them lying on my back.

i'm not necessarily pro-kindle, and i don't currently have plans to order one. still, i don't get these knee-jerk reactions from people who presumably have no actual experience with the product.