I'm totally obsessed with the e-book readers

Seriously, am I just a big kid who gets suckered into every slick new must have toy of the season?  "Oooh, shiny new toy!  I want it! I want it!"  Yea, don't ask my wife, I think I know the answer.

It seems like it was about a year ago this time that I was totally yearning for a Kindle.  The biggest drawback to me was being a captive Amazon user.  Not that it really matters that much.  I mean, almost every book that I have bought in the past five years has been from Amazon.  I just don't like the idea that I would not own my books, and wouldn't be able to move them to a non-amazon device in the future if I decided to leave them.

There was one other thing that bothered me.  There is no built in reading light.  One of the reasons that I want it is to be able to read in bed after my wife has fallen asleep.  I know that I can buy a $5 clip on light that will do the trick.  But, in my mind, if I am going to spend nearly $300 on an electronic device whose sole purpose is to make reading easier, more convenient and even more enjoyable, reading in the dark MUST be part of the design!

So, I punted.  I didn't put it on my Christmas list.  Didn't go out and buy it for myself, like a big boy.

Then we travelled to Thailand this past summer.  I had along with me two fairly weighty books.  You know, one that I was in the middle of, and another just in case I finished the first one.  And I saw a woman on the airplane holding a slim, elegant Kindle 2.0.  And there it was again, "Oooh, shiny new toy!  I want it! I want it!"

But we returned home, and shiny new toy syndrome subsided.

Then it happened again.  About a month ago, I needed a book, and I needed it today.  Ordering at Amazon wouldn't work.  So, I went to bn.com, to search local stores to see if they had my book.  And what do I see?  The Nook!  Barnes and Noble's answer to the Kindle.  And let me tell you, it looks slick.

In addition to the e-ink reader, it has a 3.5" color lcd screed, built on an Android OS.  The price is the same as the Kindle.  While they make it very convenient for you to buy your e-books from Barnes & Noble, you're not required to do so.  Because it does not use a proprietary e-book format like Kindle, you can buy books from third party vendors, or even rent from the library.

So, now I'm all, "Oooh, Oooh!"  You know, Shiny New Toy...

But I keep reading reviews, and find out that the Nook does not offer Wikipedia or a web browser, both of which is included in the Kindle.  That's a pretty big knock for me.  I mean, I know that I have my phone with me everywhere, so why do I need my e-reader to access the web?  I dunno, I just do.

Then there's the Alex, by Spring Design.  It has a similar design to the Nook.  Maybe too similar.  Apparently, the Spring folks are suing Barnes & Noble over stealing their design.  The Alex is due out next Spring (I wonder if this company only launches new products that time of year?).

So, here I am again.  4th and 1 at my own 40 yard line.  Do I go for it?  If so, do I play it safe and buy the proven Kindle (i.e. QB sneak)?  Or do I go for the unpredictable, and buy the Nook straight off the production line?

From what I have seen, the Alex looks like the coolest of them all.  And I like that they're not tied to a huge national bookseller.

I think I'll punt.

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