Bought a Kindle 2

It's small, it's thin, it's sexy. Rather than an experience, my latest "new thing" really is a thing.

It's my Kindle 2, the latest version of Amazon.com's electronic book reader. It arrived two days ago, and I'm in love. Though I was somewhat skeptical of how much reading I would do on a little computer screen, the Kindle's electronic-ink technology is easy on the eyes. I'm well into Malcom Gladwell's "Outliers" and can't say the reading experience is any different than it would be if I'd be holding a stack of pages. I have the satisfaction of feeling like I'm being eco-friendly, plus, to be honest, I feel quite cool.

Books downloaded in the Kindle (an astonishingly easy process) cost much less than the physical versions, although I wonder if that will change if e-readers take off. You can subscribe to newspapers and download them into the Kindle, but at this point, I prefer to read newspapers' Web editions because of the videos, slide shows and comments sections.

So far I haven't taken my Kindle any father than my bed. But since it's small enough to tuck into my purse, that will change soon. I can't wait to take it on an airplane or to the gym. It's my new favorite toy.