I am not an avid reader. In fact, I’m not a reader at all, unless you count e-mails and Web pages. In my entire life, I’ve read just a handful of books. So I wonder what all the fuss is over…

Amazon’s Kindle Wireless Reading Device

Amazon recently announced the latest version of their popular Kindle wireless reading device. According to Amazon, the new Kindle 2 has an improved display, weighs just under two-thirds of a pound, has a 25% longer battery life, 20% faster page turns, and can hold over 1,500 virtual books.

Great. I’m all for improving a product. But what’s the big deal about the Kindle in the first place? I’m hoping someone reading this post who regularly reads books can enlighten me as to why the Kindle is so special. Here’s what I don’t quite get:

16 Shades of Gray

Amazon claims that their newly-improved display “reads like real paper” and “now boasts 16 shades of gray for crisp images and text.” 16 shades of gray? Are we back in the early ’80s? Yes, I realize that this isn’t your ordinary display, as it’s designed to simulate print on paper, but any display that can only render 16 shades of gray and no color seems to me like it’s antiquated right out of the box. Wouldn’t it be more “21st century” to read a book on an iPhone or laptop, where color graphics, video, and animation could enhance the reading experience? Do we really want to return to the decades’ old look of newsprint?

A Book with a Keyboard

If the Kindle’s goal is to be as easy to use and portable as a book, why does it have a giant keyboard under the screen? It seems to me that the keyboard should somehow be hidden when you’re using it. If you sit down to read a 1,000 page novel, it’s likely that you won’t touch the keyboard once until you’re finished and ready to download a new book. While I think it’s a fun idea to be able to wirelessly purchase and download new books from just about anywhere, most of the time spent using the device will be in reading a book, not browsing selections.

Read-to-Me

Amazon spends countless research & development man-hours and dollars on developing a display that “reads like real paper,” only to include a feature that enables the Kindle to read books out loud in a computer-generated voice. Kind of defeats the point. Wouldn’t it be better to simply purchase an audio book? At least that way a professional narrator or actor can give the text a proper reading, instead of sounding like HAL 9000.

Why not a Netbook?

The ASUS Eee PC costs just $15 more on Amazon than the Kindle and is essentially a fully-functional laptop. On a netbook, You could download and listen to an audio book while browsing the Web in full color and still retain the small form factor and portability. Sure, it doesn’t come with free almost-anywhere wireless connectivity like the Kindle does, but there are plenty of free wireless hotspots to be found if you really need to hop online. A netbook is around 3-4 times heavier than the Kindle, but you’re not likely going to hold it up while reading. Just set it down on your lap or a nearby table and you’re good to go.

Summary

It seems to me that the Kindle is more hype than utility. I think it’s a great idea to have the ability to download a library of books on the go, so you can start reading a new book as soon as you’ve finished one. But can’t laptops already give you that ability? I don’t find reading on a computer screen any less straining on my eyes than reading the small print in an actual book. At least with a laptop, the display is backlit and you don’t have to hunt around for a light source. So why exactly is the Kindle needed?

So all you Kindle users and fans out there, tell me why I’m wrong. Comment and tell me what makes the Kindle so special.

Final Note: If you do want to purchase a Kindle 2, kindly do so through the links in this post. As much as I personally have no use for the device, it’s obvious that thousands of people do and I, along with my Amazon affiliate account, certainly wouldn’t mind you buying one via the links on this page. In fact, it’s encouraged. Tell your friends.