Nook

I've got a new toy! After lusting after the Amazon Kindle for what seems like years, I weighed my options, read the reviews and finally decided to get the Barnes & Noble Nook. And I love it!

My tipping point list:

• Prices have finally come down to a reasonable number. The wireless Nook sells for $149.
• The Nook allows access to the battery (for replacements) and has a memory expansion slot - the Kindle has neither.
• The Nook supports standards - the Adobe epub format. The Kindle uses a proprietary format. I'm all for standards.
• Because the Nook supports standards, I can load ebooks from my library and download tons of free books - huge savings over buying every ebook I read.
• The Nook has rudimentary web browsing - in Beta - nothing great - but a nice feature.
• I dislike the hard key pad of the Kindle - pefer the Nook's soft navigation.
• Love the e-ink technology.
  

I've been using my Nook for about 2 weeks now and love it. What I notice missing are the tactile pleasures I get from holding a book in my hands - the smell, the feel of the paper, the heft. But not having to carry stacks of books with me every time I leave the house is really wonderful. I currently have about 40 books loaded and am in dual reading mode at the moment - reading both ebooks and hard copy, and expect to continue in that manner. There are some books you just want to hold close to you no?