Tote a Small Library to the Beach

For the casual beach reader, there are a few disadvantages to "e-reading." Part of the pleasure of reading a book is lending it to a friend when you're done with it; with this gadget, that isn't possible. Another pleasure of reading, if you're proud of your habit, is seeing your books lined up on a shelf.

Yup, says Ron Hawkins , the vice president of Sony's eBook business: We know that already, thanks. "We've never had the hubris or the aim to say they we're going to supplant the printed book," he said.

Hawkins said the Sony Reader is mainly for commuters and frequent travelers. He declined to share sales figures for the device or for the online Sony Connect store, which sells digital book files.

Some fans of the device say they're ready for the digital era.

"My home library is overstuffed as it is. I have books piled up that I don't have space for," said Michael Thompson, a Philadelphia bookworm who bought the Sony device when it was released last year. Thompson admits he has a conflict of interest here: He's a bookseller at Borders, which sells the device. Still, Thompson buys books online when he can, even though he doesn't get a discount when he shops at Sony's online store, as he does at Borders.

Sony's Connect store carries 15,000 titles. By comparison, the typical Barnes & Noble carries about 200,000 titles. The chances that you're going to find a recent bestseller are decent, but there is a hit-and-miss element here: Harry Potter isn't available in this format, for example.

The downloaded books generally cost 20 to 30 percent less than their dead-tree counterparts. I bought three books for my vacation reading and saved about $4 off the cost at http://Amazon.com, not including shipping. In other words, this device is more attractive for people looking to save shelf space rather than money.

The 1999 Rocket eBook, which I also tested all those years ago, was a well-designed product, though overpriced at $500. The Sony reader is an improvement in every way: It holds more books, has a longer battery life, a better book selection and a better price.

All in all, I'd say the publishing industry's digital revolution has turned a page here, but we're still early in the first chapter.