Will You, Won't You, Will You, Won't You, Will You Buy a Kindle?

CrunchGear's John Biggs conducts a debate with himself about whether or not to buy a Kindle. He offers ten reasons pro and ten con, and it's logical to conclude the results are a draw. But every consumer brings different criteria to decisions.

For instance, travelers will put great weight on carrying lots of books in one slim device. (It also helps that the Kindle works well in inclement weather.) Scholars will agree with his criticism that it's terrible for research, reference and student applications ("Expect ebooks to hit colleges in perhaps five years and high schools and grade schools in about seven" Biggs says). For some, cosmetic beauty is a consideration, and the sleek look and feel of the Kindle (v. 2) trumps functionality. For others, such functions as highlighting, bookmarking, dictionary lookup and 16 greyscale shades are paramount.

And then there are those who love the idea that you only need one hand to read on your Kindle. What you do with the other hand was a source of great hilarity when Jeff Bezos appeared on Jon Stewart's The Daily Show to hype the newly released device. For a good smirk, click on Bezos' appearance, and note his laughter, which soars beyond good-natured and approaches the diabolical.

If you're still on the fence about buying a Kindle, read 10 reasons to buy a Kindle 2… and 10 reasons not to and see if it helps you make up your mind. And keep both hands where we can see them.

RC