In a week and a half, I start on the first of my four trips this year for work, and I'll be gone for 17 or 18 days between now and November. So I've been looking at Kindles again, since I'd be talking about buying one to keep from lugging 4-5 books for each trip. Over the years when I've been to conferences, I've typically read 3-4 books on a M-F trip between airports, airplanes, at night, etc. That's a lot of wood pulp to be carrying around.Add in the multiple trips to the book stores to browse and figure out what I want to take and it's time as well. 

So I've got about a week in which to decide if I want a Kindle. Over the last year I've accumulated almost $250 in Amazon money from referrals on my sites, so this isn't a big dollar purchase for me. I won't really save on books since I mostly buy paperbacks to save on size for travel, but it will mean I'll save some bookstore trips and I can continue to use Amazon money for books.

I talked with Andy Warren today of End to End Training, and he was recently in St Louis and talked to a woman with a Kindle. He got the chance to see it and use it and gave me some feedback. First he wasn't thrilled with the refresh. He didn't understand how in 2008 we can't make something redraw quicker. I've read a bit about it and it's a technology and power limitation. We have faster e-ink type screens, but they cost more in terms of $$ and power.

The Sony reader uses the same technology and I tested this in the store. I grabbed a paperback, put it next to the reader and flipped pages on both of them. The time is about the same and it's an interruption of about the same level. It definitely feels different, but it didn't bother me. To me that's a non-issue and I'll take a second delay if I can get long battery life.

The other thing he, and the owner, didn't like were the forward and back buttons. they're large and easy to hit from either side. I've heard this complaint before and since I haven't seen a Kindle, I'm not sure what to make of this. I might have to just buy one to see it.

So I'm stil on the fence, I keep checking for Kindle versions of books I'm considering or buying, and we'll see what happens. I could always wait another month, but I'd kind of like to begin testing it. Especially as I'm guessing I'll be heading to England within 6 months as well.