The sony reader arrived first. I have read so many praises about the sony reader compared to the kindle 2. Whereas my experience with the sony reader, I kept for only 1 day, was the glare was horrendous. The backlight is not a backlight. The lights are casted from the side of the reader fusing towards the center, which caused me to experience severe eye-strain. Even without the back light, within fifteen minutes of reading on the sony reader due to the glare, my eyes were hurting. I repackaged the sony reader and sent it back immediately.

My kindle 2 arrived two days later. Although I have read some ill reviews about the kindle 2, my personal take on the kindle 2 is …. “I HAVE YET TO PUT IT DOWN.” I have not experienced eye-strain. The words are crystal clear. Although it does not have a back light, I purchased a clip on light. The illuminence of the light is equally distributed onto the screen which causes “no” eye strain.

I do hope in the future that Kindle incorporates a touch screen, which would enhance its performance. I ALSO wish kindle installs, (which the sony reader does have) “password” protect. On all of my electronic devices, they are all password protected.

But, as far as my reading experience with the kindle 2, I have downloaded so many books and all at a fraction of the original price. I have also found books that are free or next to nothing in expense. I enjoy my Kindle 2 so much that my sister is buying one too.

With some of the other reviews which were quite helpful, I am going to back up my purcahsed books onto my computer.

As far as I’m concerned, the Kindle 2 is my choice of electronic reader.

I noticed a coworker was reading her Kindle at lunch today, and she was more than happy to let me get a hands-on with it. I didn’t know anyone who lived close who had one, so I could try it out. Fell in love at once! My coworker said three or four other people in the office have said they were going to get one, after trying hers out.

Kindle will arrive next Thursday, although case and light won’t arrive until around New Year’s. I can cope. I’m going on a trip overseas next summer, so this will be fabulous. Now have the Kindle iPhone app (hopefully the Mac one comes out soon!) and was having fun looking at what’s available today.

Thanks so much for the detailed review. That really tilted me towards Kindle!

Glad you read Tales of a Female Nomad – to me it is the mature woman’s Eat Pray Love.

Probably my fav read of the decade is Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquviel.

Joan…I’m pretty sure Donald Miller isn’t a pastor, but he does attend Imago Dei, a great church in Portland and is just a speaker/author. Great book!

They have some sort of super neat technology that prevents eye strain. There is NO backlight. So you need a light source to read your Kindle. (Which you would need for a regular book, too.) I read through the Shack in a day and a half and did not get any eye strain or headache. They made it so that the screen replicates (very well!!) the look of the grey pages in a normal book.

I currently have the Kindle 1 but after seeing how cute yours was, I knew I just had to upgrade. It gets here the day before Thanksgiving!!! EEEEK!

You. Must. Read. The Shack. I loved it. I will say that it changed my life. I also loved the Help, too. On my Kindle, I currently have Under the Overpass, The Shack,Blue Like Jazz:Non Religious Thoughts on Christianity; Sleep Toward Heaven (January book club selection so I haven’t read it yet)