I'm in agreement with Katiebear in that we're probably going to wait for a Nook Color with 3g and a browser before pulling the trigger. That being said, if anyone stumbles across a device that is an E-reader with color, touch screen, 3g, and a browser, let me know.
My mother wants a Kindle for Christmas. I can't be assed to explain why DRM is bad, and to be honest it won't make a difference to her. it's not like anyone of her generation actually likes sharing stuff with each other (at least digitally). My only question is should I get the high speed one with wifi?
You can read DRM-free ebooks and docs on the kindle. Bookchan has just about any book you'd want, DRM-free. Torrents, too.
Get the newest 3g one. It's what I've got and I don't know how I lived without it. I'm now addicted to reading again and I love it.
I told my mom I wanted one for Christmas yesterday; I think she herself is interested in it too. The battery life (months!!) ended up being the biggest draw; as a student, what I really need is a dedicated document reader with an e-paper screen, and a ultraportable laptop for everything else. Also, Bookchan, /tg/'s scanned rulebooks, and scanlations provide even more material to use with the device. And it does email, podcasts, and browsing, too!
They all suck right now. Also, they're pretty close to $500.
What about that new Dell Inspiron Duo with the swingy screen? Still around $500-ish, but maybe less sucky?
Oh, I forgot that was a netbook. According to Engadget, it's heavier than most netbooks, has shorter battery life, and "suffers from its own identity crisis." That's pretty much on par with all of the other convertible netbooks.
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Still, <a href="https://xkcd.com/548">Randall Munroe is right about many things.