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Did I mention that I bought myself a Kindle for my birthday? (The new, Kindle 3 version.) Oh yeah, I did. And I’m loving it so far. (grinning) I got myself the Kindle 3G (Free 3G + Wi-Fi, 6), which was $189, but there’s also a Kindle Wi-Fi without the 3G (internet access like cell phones use) for $139. I almost got that one, but I decided I wanted the fun and ease of purchasing ebooks instantly wherever I am, not just when I’m in my own wi-fi area or free wi-fi access. I researched the various ebook readers available, and decided that the Kindle looked like the best fit for me, and the one that people most consistently recommend as a good reading experience.

Right now I’m finding a lot to love about the Kindle. I do indeed like the screen–the e-ink screen that is NOT backlit, and so easier on the eyes–more like an actual book. I like that I can change the font if a font feels too small (or too big). I love the easy-to-use forward and backward buttons on *both* sides of the Kindle; it makes it really easy to turn pages when reading left or right handed (or both). The buttons (including for text, home, back, etc) are intuitive, and press easily. I love that I can carry thousands and thousands of books around without weighing down my bag.

The Kindle is easy to use–so easy that you can use it right out of the box. (Though I love that they include a detailed user guide, that you can read in your leisure or look up items in–as well as a quick-start guide.) The Kindle itself is easy to hold. It’s actually easier to hold, at least for me, than a thick hardcover book (which hurts my hands).

I love, love, love that I can take notes or “highlight” any section of a book. I would never highlight a paper book–I treat them with such care–but I do have post-it notes stuck all through some of my favorite books with notes on them. So the note and highlight features in the Kindle are much appreciated. I also love that I can *search* for anything in a book–which is very useful to find a specific section in someone else’s book–or in my own document. I also love that I can search my entire Kindle, or collection of books, for a particular title or author–OR search the store–OR search google, wikipedia, or the included dictionary. I also love being able to look up a word while I’m reading, if I’m so inclined, and am glad they included both an American and a British dictionary. The ability to take notes and to look up words in the included dictionary are part of why I chose the Kindle.

I also love that I can put Word and text documents (and more) on my Kindle, and can read them. I can put my own manuscript that I’m working on, on the Kindle! Or, I suppose, ebooks for review (though I still prefer