I am a "first adopter" who ran out and bought a Sony Reader right when it came out. I rushed out and bought the Kindle on the first day it was on sale. I love the concept. There are some features of the Kindle that I think are great. I really enjoy downloading newspapers and magazines and I love the fact that you can preview a sample of a book before you buy it.
BUT, if you like to read in bed, FORGET IT!!! The way that the page turning buttons are situated, if you doze off while reading, you wind up holding down the page turning button. You wake up someplace far ahead in your book of where you were when you dozed off. Even worse, the kindle has it's own system for identifying where you are in a book. I hate the fact that they do not use page numbers, like the Sony reader does. All and all you will love reading it sitting up, but hate reading it lying down. Unfortunately for me, I gave away my Sony Reader. It was less fancy, and had less features, but it was a pleasure to read in bed. I am going back to paper books and waiting for version two of the Sony Reader. DO NOT BUY THIS if you like to read in bed and doze off when you are reading, you will find it infuriating.

I am rarely without my Kindle. I have shown many people what I have been reading and am really impressed with its usability. I appreciate the ability to change fonts and do NOT find it even a little bothersom to have the screen take only moments to set to the next page.

I also appreciate not filling more shelves with books (I'm literally running out of space) and I do not need to blow dust off any of the books that I have stored.

*** Since getting Stephen Windwalker's book, The Complete User's Guide to the Amazing Amazon Kindle The Complete User's Guide to the Amazing Amazon Kindle (Take advantage of this terrific price to get the most out of your Kindle now!)(my first purchase), I have added many classics which I have always wanted from a couple of websites (in kindle format, which are copyright free) to my collection. I have also purchased from Amazon those books that I know I will want in my permanent collection that will be kept on my portion of their server. I have had problems loaning out many of my books only to come to the point of wondering who has the book I'm looking for.

I have also added the 2-gig SD card to my Kindle and now take with me many-many books and I don't have to worry about losing my place in any of them.

A great feature, especially reading Dickens, is the ability to look up terms in the dictionary, easily and quickly, anywhere I am. I used to keep a list or interupt what I was doing to go get my dictionary.

I am considering getting Kindles for my family, all readers, so they can also save space, have a lasting library, and enjoy inexpensive books, quick delivery and be about a green as you can be with printed media! I can't wait until more books become available and can leave the "out of print" category forever.

Books (their bindings, paper and font choice, weight and feel) have always been a love of mine. I have a few of which I am really protective. When I read an excellent book on the Kindle that I would like to add to my physical library, I have fewer qualms purchasing a "hard" copy. I have downloaded Windwalker's book with internet links as a service from him. I have also purchased the "hard" copy to lend to others who are considering the Kindle...well spent money!

It is absolutely the best gift I have ever received. Being an avid reader, my husband bought this for me after I told him about a woman I saw reading on one. It is so easy to use, lighweight for carrying and reading in bed, downloading books are a snap and download in an instant. It is easy to save my place when I put it down or close it and it opens right to where I left off. It is easy to go to the next book that I downloaded. I can adjust the size of the text for when my eyes are tired and I don't want to use my glasses. I cannot rave about it enough.

I love my kindle. I wish I could use it at night without lights. It needs a backlight functionality.

Most of the well known historians are not on kindle. If you are looking for books on history that are newer than four or five years old forget it. Kindle has a very limited selection and most of the books can be bought for less at a book sell. They show a lot of numbers but look before you purchase. 10 versions of Story of a slave girl. Several are Federalist and Ati-Federalist papers. They do a lot of duplication to get their numbers up. Look at what you can purchase before you get a kindle.