If you’re not familiar with the Sony Reader, you can download up to 160 books on the portable device. It weighs about nine ounces and is about the size of a large greeting card. You purchase the books from the on-line store; the prices could be cheaper, but they are certainly more reasonable than a book store. The battery lasts quite awhile because the display is not backlit. That also makes it easier to read and you get about 7500 page turns with each charge.

For me, it means that I can browse on-line and choose several books I want to read, purchase them, and download. When I finish one book, the next one is already there for me to read. No more being on vacation, finishing the books I’ve brought to read, and having to figure out where to get a new book. It used to be a problem if I wanted to finish a book I was reading on an airplane flight. I needed to carry the book I wanted to finish, plus the next one I wanted to read. If I didn’t like the book I brought, I was stuck reading it anyway; there weren’t any choices. Now I just have my Reader to carry and I can have all the choices I need. The more I use it, the more I like it. I find it’s way more comfortable and easier to hold than a heavy book; my only possible complaint is that I don’t really like the button you click to turn pages.

I’m sure there will be many improvements made in the future, but I figure I’ll get my money’s worth out of this one in a short period of time.