nook

So I bit the bullet last month and bought an eReader. I contemplated and had been tempted by the Amazon Kindle since it was first released. And finally, the price fell below $200 which I viewed as a more reasonable price than the introductory $400. Priced now at about $150, I nearly bit the bullet.

But I decided I wanted to touch the eReader before I bought it. I wanted to see if I liked it, if I could really read a book on it and whether or not it would "feel right." Basically, I needed to confirm that I could willingly sacrifice Guttenburg's invention for an electronic device designed solely to do the exact same thing as the traditional book.

It turns out, I really like the technology. But I wasn't terribly impressed with my ability to "try out" the Kindle. Here is what happened. I went to Target (they carry the Kindle). I thought great! I go to the demo model which is anything but a usable Kindle. So I prepare to purchase a Kindle just the same with only an inquiry about the return process (in case I don't care for the Kindle or how it performs in direct sun conditions - not a concern with products from Guttenburg's press!). Target's response: we cannot accept opened electronics. WTF? If I were to order from amazon.com, I could try it out for a couple weeks and make my informed decision. But Target soured me, and I thought I would wait a while longer.

But I ventured to my local Barnes & Noble. Walking in the door, a nook (their eReader) expert awaited me with two full-featured nooks. The interface includes a small touchscreen panel (rather than the Kindle 2's clunky joystick). The extended warranty actually covers a number of potential real-life problems (something amazon couldn't promise). The technology is not as proprietary as amazon's. There are some other benefits, too. But the BIG thing was that I could touch and experiment with a real nook. Not giving into impulse, I waited a full 24 hours before making my purchase. I've enjoyed my nook tremendously and would (and have)  highly recommend it to others.