eBooks: Right or Wrong, Part III

So the recommendation has arrived...

But a brief word before I actually state it.

I've been reading various blogs, reviews, and up and coming tech stuff and it's overwhelming. At the recent CES, eReaders were basically the big thing and there were so many. It's kinda the hot novel tech item of the season and is still rising.

One blogger mentioned using a tablet for all it's features. This really caught my interest, as isn't that what the iPad is going towards, just sans the actual keyboard (which you have to pay extra to get?!!).

I wanted an eReader that was color (for my comics), played pretty much as many media forms as possible (text, literature, pictures, video, and music), and preferred touch screen. Damn, I wanted an iPad!

Or did I? My employer recently obtained new laptops for all the professionals and as such, were getting rid of the old laptops, Gateway M275's. Not exactly a bad ass machine, but for what I was looking for...

It has a stylus-operated touch screen, fold & swivel screen that converts it into a tablet, WiFi built in, and does...well...everything I wanted. It beat buying a watered down netbook. It beat a singular purposed eReader. The only shortfall? Battery. Sure, Steve Jobs mentioned that I'll eventually get to a power outlet to plug in, but 2.25 hours of batter life (that's without WiFi) is pretty slim, especially when your on vay-cay and not near a free outlet. Of course, not only did the Gateway beat the netbook and eReader in performance, but also in price. I dropped half a Franklin ($50 in layman's term) and even picked one up for my dear brother.

I've been reading the last few days, breaking in my library and building up my arms to read with a 5.5 lbs. book. Sure it's heavy, but I'm pretty sure my "tablet reader" will whip up on any netbook or eReader out there.

At least for now. I'll have gotten my money's worth in two years, then I can bug the wifey for a new toy...er, tool.

Shazam!