I’ll cut to the chase… I read all the time, yet don’t read books very often. Depending on one’s perspective, it is likely bad that I don’t read books, yet generally good that I read a lot.

Why?

Well books are books. Also being IT, I live a very digital lifestyle. I think the only thing I read in print these days are magazines, having stacks of them at home. Yet I’ve cut my zines to outdoors & fitness only ones, where gReader has a daily stream of all kinds of internet feed that I read like zines.

eReaders have been out for many years, yet have come up short for years.  Below is a list of features I am looking for in a tablet sized device:

1. tablet sized (not too big, not too small)
2. color + back light (bright in light + dark)
3. Supports all the common eBook formats
4. Supports PDF‘s + note taking
5. RSS feeds
6. network + internet connectivity
7. syncing up with my computers and devices (this is a big deal)
8. quick charge that is efficient and lasts long
9. Some sort of useful Bible (for sermonizing)
10. good text2voice (optional, yet would be great!)

I’ll stop with 10 items.

Honestly I’m looking for a versatile tablet PC that focuses on eReading, notes, and replaces most of my printing.  These tablets do exist, yet they are way too pricey.  I don’t want a full operating system.  (OK, I do, but not in this case).  If I have something where I can read books, read zines, read feeds, take notes, and make notes on documents, then that’s what I am looking for.  It has to be affordable, practical, something I can “throw around”, etc.   Also, I need to easily move stuff on my personal network, including computers and mobile devices.

Enter Nook (& Kindle)

Last week stumbled upon Barnes and Noble’s Nook, which is a new $259 eBook+ reader.  I liked what Amazon Kindle had to offer, minus the fact it lacked color.  Don’t expect me to go in a full feature compairson.  I just like Nook, since it has most of what I am looking for, plus runs on Google Android mobile OS, which is what my phone runs on.  (A mobile resource hog, yet great OS).

Thing is…

I honestly will not shell out $259 for Nook, even a color Kindle.  If I could do most of what I can do on my Android phone + have these eReader features, then I’d shell out that kind of cash, since I’d use that device all the time.

What I’d like to see is a TechCrunch Tablet merge with Nook in either the Android or Windows Mobile platform.  Thing is we’re not too far away from seeing what I want in Apple flavor, which can upset this “not quite there yet” eReader gadget market.  I’d love to be able to take this eTablet with me around the house and on the go to read my zines, feeds, books, and check up on my websites.

In the end, my mobile phone wins.  Right now I’ll end up going for what I can squeeze into my Android powered phone.  To be able to read books from a device that is usually in my pocket is a win-win for me.  And Nook has software for all these common mobile platforms, though I need to wait for the Android version, even though Nook runs on Android.

Bottom line…

Even in electronic for, you really think I’ll read more books?  For me, yes, but only a 20-25% improvement over my already low book reading rate.  Still, to have all my books at the palm of my hands, that’s what I want.

Poor ole books.  What a dying art you’ve become.