An Unlikely Death Knell

In light of my previous post, it seems timely to remark on the that Amazon's new electronic book reading device, the Kindle.

Call me Luddite, but I have to say that I am not a fan of the e-book readers (this opposition is not based on any prior experience, it's more about the principle of the thing). I certainly understand the appeal of instant access and portability (I have to admit, the Kindle's free wifi access which includes the use of Wikipedia is rather alluring), but for me, nothing beats the tactility of a book. The screen may bear a remarkable resemblance to actual pages and the left side is thicker to mimic the feel of holding a book with pages folded back, but the Kindle ain't never gonna be a book. And as I said, books are sexy.

There's something to be said about the tangibleness of a book, especially in a world where so much of life is uploaded and done on a screen. Books are like baseball games, they're much better in person, up close and personal.

Or perhaps I'm just an incorrigible materialist since I really like having all those sundry books on my shelves. Not to mention the Kindle looks as though it has all the aesthetic appeal of a fax machine. Can you imagine what a drab world it would be if everyone was walking around with these little guys?

And what of the $399 price tag? I'd rather buy the new iPod touch. A book, especially used, isn't going to set you back more than $10 or so. Plus, you can drop it or let it get squashed in your bag without worrying that it might break. And do I really need one more newfangled electronic device to carry around with me?

If you are the e-book reader type, good luck if you're angling to get your hands on one of these suckers before the holidays, last I checked they're temporarily sold out.

As for me, Amazon isn't kindling my fire with the Kindle. I'd take a book over the sleek little device any day.

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