After almost cancelling my order I got my Kindle DX. And I love it.
I almost cancelled because it’s expensive and I figure a better model with a touch screen would come out soon.
But then I decided to get it for two reasons: (1) At the rate I buy books, it will pay for itself soon because I can save anywhere from $5 to $15 a book by buying it electronically. (2) I’m tired of newspapers and magazines piling up in the house and now, when my subscriptions to The New Republic, the Atlantic, The Nation, the New York Review and National Review (yes, I read that, too) need renewal, is the time to get them on the Kindle.
Pros: (1) Screen is easy to read. (2) My eyes are getting old and it’s nice to be able to increase the type size before they wake up in the AM or when they are tired at night. (3) It is light and sits comfortably in my hand. (4) I’m usually reading four books at a time and it’s easier to carry one Kindle than 4 books when I’m traveling. (5) I love to have searchable copies of the classic texts—Plato, Aristotle, Machiavelli, Wordsworth— I come back to all the time always with me. (6) There are lots of free classic novels I’ve never read or want to reread available for it.
Cons: (1) A lot of books I want to read are not available for it, yet. (2) The newspaper interface is OK but I miss newspaper layout as a guide to maneuvering through the paper. (3) I generally skip around when I read books and it’s harder to do so with a Kindle. (4) I do love to have books in my hand and this is nice but not quite as nice.