Let’s ignore, for a moment, all the issues currently being discussed about the Kindle and other e-Readers. A kindle, no matter how awesome the e-ink could be, is not a book. It will never have heft, texture and smell of a book.
This weekend, where I spent multiples of hours reading on a hammock, I was in heaven. I cannot even begin to comprehend how that would have worked with an eReader. It is not a question of contrast–I’m sure I could set it so I could read outside–or battery life. The actual feeling of the paper book in my hand added a level of comfort no gadget could provide.
One day, I may enjoy a kindle–for Newspapers and Magazines–but until the device can actually FEEL like a book, I won’t bother with it.