Is the Amazon Kindle a low cost entertainment option?

I know at first I was a bit hesitant to buy the Amazon Kindle because the cost of the device was a bit high and the form factor wasn't the most attractive or functional. However, after giving it a bit more thought I went to Amazon to make a purchase of one. However, they were sold out and had a very long back order. I then actually purchased a Sony Reader PRS-505 because it has a great form factor and even better display than the Kindle (more gray scales). Amazon just recently caught up with orders and now when you purchase one you can actually receive it within the next two days or so. After reading and seeing Josh Bancroft's enthusiasm during his unboxing, I am again thinking about the Kindle as an ebook device.

To even further make the argument that the Kindle is actually a reasonable entertainment device, Josh put together an interesting blog post that I can definitely relate to. As one commenter on his post states though, I think the initial cost of the Kindle needs to be accounted for in his numbers. I still think the numbers may show that the Kindle is a reasonably priced entertainment device, with the benefits of reading outweighing the entertainment value in a movie or magazine.

I personally have about 100 books loaded up on my Sony Reader and am reading a lot more than I have in the last couple of years. The eInk technology makes reading a real pleasure during my daily two hour commute and when I travel for business. There are still issues of DRM, but since it is quite rare that I read a book over and over again I don't think it is as much of a concern with books as it is with music that you listen to often and on multiple devices. The Kindle has the advantage of wireless connectivity for purchases and if there was a second generation that had a slicker form factor I would order it in a split second. I still may pick up a Kindle in the next month or so as I continue to read reviews and ask people about their experiences with the device.

Do you have a Kindle or a Sony Reader? Are you reading more because of one of these devices?

Also, if you do decide to buy a Kindle, please use my affiliate link and I'll send any funds to the Orchant family as I discussed late last year.