Fad?...

[Pantomimehorse]

a good point Dave, sure its not long before the next gen phone has one of these built in

[El Catador]

I'm yet to be convinced by these yet.

I bought my first PDA phone about 6 years ago and found I could install ebooks in pdf format at virtually no cost (free software and thousands of titles to download on the net).
The screen size was fine, and being a phone, it meant I was carrying it with me anyhow (no need for a separate and rather bulky, IMHO, additional device).

It was perfect for travel purposes, long haul flights and lazing by the beach, again without the need to pack a holdall full of paperbacks, but, for casual reading at home it still has to be paper for me.

As already mentioned, now that most mobile phones are being manufactured with more sophisticated software and better screens etc, I'm leaning towards the kindle becoming the 'tech' equivalent of the ill-fated Sinclair C5. But hey, whadda I know, I once voted for Tony Blair, and look how that turned out!

[Robusto]

I was in Waterstones and kind of cocked a snoop at a collection of these things by the entrance.

I can't imagine buying one, but as Drew points out, there are so many things that come along that you never thought about.

My Clinomyn gets rubbed in with what amounts to a Braun vibrator. These didn't exist a while back, tho' vibrators have always existed in some rattling form.

I'm enjoying "perfuming up" my copy of 1984 with a jolt of Ramon Allones et al. I love opening up old books. They reek and whiff and they take you back in time.

1984 is full of predicted gadgets, most of them very close to real things now.

The intro notes to my new edition (2003, I think) point out that he didn't pre-imagine the Internet in 1984.

He didn't see grown men sitting up at bedtime writing codes to each other on niche interest forums like this lol when really they should be out rounding up the horses for the night and lighting big candles in lighthouses.

I've decided to have a bookish Christmas this year and the books will be in the traditional form for the moment.

[Robusto]

(I'm bored witless by my phone and can't escape the contract for 18 months or so. I guess I'm quite fickle).

[Stevieboy]

Stevie ever heard of this crowd? might be up your street, a friend is always buying special books from them :

http://www.foliosociety.com/

Hi Chris! Yes indeed. I bought a beautiful facsimile set of the James Bond books a few years back. Magnificent replicas in slipcases. Not bad at ?30 per book considering a full set of the 14 books would be nearer ?50K!!! Casino Royale alone sells for ?10-?30K depending on condition

[misterbulgarin]

I love reading too. If Ive had alot of screen time (Gamer and graphic designer), I use either books or cigars as a break. Book chill me out, entertain me and rest my eyes. To put an electronic screen in place of that book will make my like 100% electronic and I'm not looking foward to that

[roughrider]

I don't know. The damn thing looks too fragile to me.