Kevin Hoffman

Cloud Expo on Ulitzer

Barnes and Noble just recently unveiled their upcoming eReader, the Nook.

On the blog of my non-techy alter-ego I've posted a comparison of the two readers that is entirely based on my own personal feelings of what is cool and what isn't, so take it as opinion and certainly not as a technical review.

So far I've remained relatively aloof from the whole "eBook" craze. Ordinarily, given my geeky background and borderline insane craving for technology, one would think that I'd be all over these things. The problem is, my love for the written word also extends to a love for the experience of reading a book.

Click here to check out the blog post.

Call me crazy, but I love the smudged thumbs I get from a 3-hour reading session where the real world ceased to exist and it was just me and my alternate reality, lovingly prepared for me by my favorite authors. I love the smell of books and the feel of curling up with a book in a comfortable chair with a ridiculously strong coffee.

Lately, however, after having moved a few thousand pounds of books from an apartment into a house, I'm considering a less analog solution. The big bonus to the eReaders is instant gratification - the shipping time on an eBook is roughly 60 seconds and there is no shipping cost.

The Amazon Kindle 2 is a great device. You can download any book from their roughly 350,000 book large collection. It comes with the ability to get magazines, newspapers, and you can even hit Wikipedia from the device.

Personally, I think the device looks decent, but it doesn't draw me in. It doesn't feel like something that could substitute for my need to curl up in my favorite chair with a good eBook.

Click here to check out the blog post.