I've spent a few days using my Kindle 2 now and figured I'd share some thoughts. First I should clarify that I have been reading electronic books (ebooks) for years now. It started when I was living in Hong Kong. I spent a lot of time traveling to different offices so I wasn't able to carry a ton of books with me.

At the time all I had was a standard PDA which got the job done, but the battery would start to die in a few hours. It was rare to be able to have a charge last the entire flight. I'd also have to spend time trying to find a unused outlet in the lobby to recharge while waiting for my next flight.

It also was hard to find books. Back then not many publishers sold ebooks so I had to resort to pirating books via newsgroups. Once I found books to download I would have to connect the PDA to a computer to transfer them.

The Kindle 2 has solved a lot of the issues above. I can turn on the built-in free cellular wireless connection to download the first chapter of books I'm interested in. Being able to read the first chapter of a book is GREAT! I don't have to worry about buying a book just to find out I don't like it. If I decide I like the book I can purchase and download it in less than a minute. All without needing a computer connection.

In regards to the power problems of the PDA, the Kindle kicks its ass easily. With the wireless connection on constantly the battery will last about FOUR days! With the wireless turned off we're talking about TWO WEEKS before it needs to be recharged! Unless you subscribe to content on the Kindle that updates often you can leave wireless turned off.

Content that requires wireless would be one of the many blogs. These are the same blogs you can get for free via a computer on the web. On the Kindle they will charge $0.99-$1.99 a month for a subscription. I know you're thinking, 'why would I pay for something I can get for free!?' Well I agree with ya there. I'm constantly surrounded by computers since I work in IT. So it takes no effort to pull up a blog to see what's new.

But for people who aren't around computers as much or don't want to deal with a laptop at the coffee shop the Kindle blogs are worth the fee. The cost isn't just for the content, it also covers having that content formatted to work well on the Kindle and allow you to view the whole article even if wireless is turned off.

In terms of the new form factor, I really like the looks of the Kindle 2 compared to the Kindle 1. When the Kindle 1 was announced I knew the form factor was a big mistake. For one, it was a ugly POS and two it had sharp corners. I remember my first PDA was the same way. The sharp corners would tend to dig into the palm of your hand after awhile making holding the device uncomfortable. My 2nd PDA had nice rounded corners like the Kindle 2 and it made long reading sessions enjoyable.

When my Kindle 2 arrived I have to admit I was surprised at the weight. It weighs a lot more than I thought it would. Don't get me wrong, it's not like holding a slab of granite, but there is some heft. I'm already getting used to it and now I barely notice the weight.

I have to say I'm sick of this trend of making everything iPod white. I'm afraid after a lot of use the Kindle is going to end up looking like a lot of those early white Apple Powerbooks. You know, the ones with the disgusting dirty patches where the users palms rested.

I've shown the Kindle 2 to a few people here in the office and the reactions have all been positive. But one thing everyone who has handled it has done is try to treat the screen as a touch screen. I gotta agree on that point. If the device was touch sensitive it would make it a lot better. But I also have seen screen shots showing how making a eInk display into a touch screen ruins the contrast/clarity. So I can live with it the way it is.

Also, the price was a sticking point for just about everyone. But once I explained about the free cellular wireless and the other perks of the device they all agreed it was resonable. But the price still made it a "If I had the extra cash..." type of purchase.

Well, I've started to ramble, so I'm going to end the note here. Feel free to post questions/comments and I'll answer them as best I can.