Yes, my interest is Kindled

I just finished my first read, Dickens' A Christmas Carol, on the Amazon Kindle. My dad gave me the Kindle for Christmas and, though I wouldn't have bought one for myself, I think it's a pretty great device and that it's an awesome gift. I have the Global version, which is good since I live in Canadia (I'm pretty sure that dad didn't think about this before clicking on "buy" so it really is a bit of luck there) with a 6" screen. I wasn't previously aware that there is a DX version with like a 9.5" screen. I think I would like the smaller one that I have better since it would be more portable but I've yet to hold the DX in my hands.

The configuration of the device is the 6" screen, with a keypad below that. To the right of the keypad is a little joystick for navigating the device menus. The basic interface of "turning pages" is done with dedicated buttons on either side of the device. There are also speakers and a earphone jack for audiofiles. Finally, a mini-USB port can link it to a computer.

The Kindle has a nice feel in the hands although it reminds me of those things they are always reading from on Star Trek. The screen is smallish but since you can adjust text size, this doesn't really matter. The screen is pretty soft and easy on the eyes, not like a computer display. On the other hand, it requires exterior light to read and the glare is only reduced so much. The controls are nice and you can basically hold the device and "turn pages" with one hand (either right or left) leaving your other hand free to hold a martini, for instance. Another nice feature is the built-in dictionary, which provides short entries at the bottom of the screen if you highlight a word with the joystick.

I don't know how many e-books that I realistically am going to buy. I like the feel of physical books and the sight of them on my bulging bookshelves. But one can get many old books for free since they are now public domain. Further, it will be very useful for perusing PDFs of papers and whatnot while I'm traveling or commuting. I'm hoping that a little digging around online and talking to other Kindle users will provide me with more ideas on its use.