Kindle Part Deux - Kindle 2 Makes An Appearance

Well, Amazon has answered the criticism of its device... which might be the reason it's been so difficult to find a Kindle in these parts. Kindle 2 is on the scene. It's leaner, faster, pencil thin, and sleek. The advertisment shows a Kindle Savvy reader sitting with her $375 device on the beach.

Let me say that again. The advertisement shows a Kindle Reader SITTING ON THE BEACH, reading her Kindle quite happily.

Here's what you don't see. You don't see her kids filling her beach bag with sand. You don't see them pouring a bucket of sea water on her unsuspecting, romance reading head, and running off to merrily gather shells.

What I mean is simply this. The paperback novel is perfect in its design, but perhaps not perfect for our green-thinking. It's highly portable, completely disposable (though I keep my favorite dog-eared, sun-stained, water-warped, sandy copies on my shelf). Okay. Read that again.

1. Highly Portable. Pencil thin, light, with an available cover for $30.00. (I'm on my way to buying one with my Amazon One Click right now!)
2. Dog eared. Kindle can bookmark pages and favorite passages. (That's a good thing. A pre-order is still looking good.)
3. Sun-stained. With the special e-ink or whatever they're calling it now, reading in the sun shouldn't pose a problem and might even be easier on the eyes than the white-hot sun reflecting off pages. Hmm. Can one read at night without an itty bitty booklight? Gotta go back and see.)
4. Water-warped. Hmm. That's where I freak out, and leave the poor thing in my shopping cart wish list. I wish I could break down and buy one. This gadget girl is DESPERATE to own an e-book reader. BUT, I don't think I'd bring my Kindle to the pool. How can I swim around our community pool, wondering, worrying if my $300+ device is going to be swiped from my stuff?! But even if I can find the zen state I need to reach to free myself from that worry, what about water damage? Did any of you see the Michael Phelps commercials from ESPN last year? They were hysterical...I'll find one for you to watch. Hang on. Just watch, and you'll see my point.
6. Finally, this. Sandy...I know I wouldn't shove it in my sandy beach bag, the bottom littered with broken shells, fistfulls of sand, and last year's unfinished Stephanie Plum novel.

I would travel with it in the car, on a plane, or to a waiting room. I would attach an itty bitty booklight to it and read into the night while my DH snores away. I do want one, just for the cool factor.

I still feel like Roger Rabbit, trying not to do the "Two Bits" part of "Shave and a haircut..."

The question remains. Is it the right thing to do, right now?! Please, help me out!