This gadget, and others like it, should not be approached as an "either/or" proposition when it comes to reading books. I have a library of several thousand traditional books and add a few dozen yearly. But I also use a variety of other devices including the Sony Reader, iPod touch and Palm TX.

Ron, Las Vegas, Nevada,

I do love you dear people. Are you not reading this by the light of a candle? I would much prefer that more people get the opportunity to read more, something that I know that I would like. This device will give people that opportunity. With 100 books included, leave by the loo, more will be read!

Matt Dove, Newport, Shopshire

Had one for ages bought in America. Great travel companion and to be honest I find I can read just as fast as with a conventional book - and I can get through a normal novel in about two hours. As for finding old books, well there are many free site that have and are adding out of copyright books.

Mark Chisholm, Dereham, UK

Having actually visited the ebook site I can assure you I am not interested.

Up to £15 for a new release ebook. Around £5 for a non best seller ebook.

Or just buy actual new release books, in hardback, for less than £15, and non best seller books second hand (or new in many cases) for under £5

Pete W, Bristol, UK

Yes, I've been tempted to get the Sony, then maybe the Kendle - but since having the iPod Touch - I've been using different apps. and eReader's site.

The iPod Touch works very, very well _ I'm happy with it.

Howard, Newton Abbot, England

they could design one that downloads the newspaper each day, perfect for convenience and cost effective.

Joe, Liverpool,

It is such a good idea but I thought it would've been better to incorporate a phone in the gadget. It would mean carrying fewer gizmos in your pocket/handabag-Mobile phone, Ipod and now bookreader. Better to combine them all

Samuel Ndirangu, Mariakani, Kenya

I've had one of these for ages and it is the ideal travelling companion. Books are still one of the best forms of entertainment, but to carry around enough for a holiday is both heavy and bulky. This reader has been a singular delight although getting the eBooks from Sony has been a living hell!

Dr David Wade, Bude, UK

Just to provide balance...books don't need batteries; ever. Books have a double page spread reducing the interruption of page turns. You need an online computer to access 'books'. The Sony Reader does have some advantages over books, but also some challenging disadvantages.

Marco, London, UK

Have it, love it. I don`t need to own a copy of every book I read, and ebook readers are considerably more compact than the average paperback. The internal memory fills up distressingly fast, but the article fails to mention the memory stick/SD card slots -- I have a 2gig SD card in mine right now.

Rolly, Niigata,

160 books enough for a year or two? I get through a dozen a week! The great thing about something like this is to deal with all the novels I will only read once, but which clutter up my home until I find somewhere to pass them on.

The Costa del Sol groans under my castoffs...

Mary, Marbella, Spain

This would be an absolute boon for me as I can't carry books around as I have to carry loads of other stuff with me, particularly for work - and e-reader would mean that I'd be able to carry this. It would also be a boon on holiday - I look forward to trying out the screen in my local Waterstones

Marios Patrinos, Reading, UK

I work for Waterstone's, and was sceptical too. However, having seen the finished article and had a wee play with it, I'm a convert. It's never going to replace books, and neither Sony nor Waterstone's has ever claimed such a thing. And for Graham Rounce, yes, it DOES look like a printed page.

Paul, Glasgow,

Alistair, well, the Sony Reader doesn't have internet connectivity, so if James doesn't have a computer (?) then the Reader wouldn't be terribly useful.
James, if you don't have a computer, you might be interested in alternatives such as the Amazon Kindle? (has internet connectivity)

Marco, Kraków, Poland

So many books taking up so little space Wow, I love the idea of being able to carry up to 160 'books' with me wherever I go. I want one! I love books (Ian Ellison) but I can adapt and would certainly use this.

Laura, Aberdeen, Scotland

Both has its purpose - books for the feel and smell - more to do with tradition; ereaders for convenience, storage and whatever extras there are (search, downloadable books, net access, writing notes - e.g. iLiad).

Regardless, in the future we won't have a choice once all the trees have been used.

Howard, Manchester,

I've got an Irex Iliad and it is much better than the Sony for reading A4 pdf's.

It is much easier now to keep up with the scientific literature now as I don't have to cart around lots of journal articles, I can just down load them on the Iliad

Nick, Cambridge, UK

What's all the fuss about? E-ink technology is quite elderly, the Reader has been sold in the US (& on Ebay) for at least two years & there are better e-readers already available now & coming. The Sony Reader hasn't transformed reading behaviour in the US & it won't here. Its a niche toy.

Leslie Forsyth, Blanerne, UK

I didn't think that the "Ipod generation" had the attention span to read a book.

Bill Peter, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

It will find a niche I am sure. I love reading, on a two week vacation I have to take about eight paperbacks in my suitcase, in addition to guide books. They take up a fair amount of space and weight allowance. An ebook would be really useful in that case.

Andy, Reading, UK

Might it mean less trees chopped down?

Edward Johns, Lannion, France

I think this article under estimates the emotional connection people have with their favourite books. What about when you read something amazing and you want to lend it to a friend?

I love going into second hand bookshops and wondering where all the books have been, and who has read them.

Hannah, sheffield,

But does the display LOOK LIKE a page of a printed book, or like a page of a miniature version, or like something someone's typed in?

Graham Rounce, London, UK

I'll consider buying one, but only if the price of the books is right. I beleive that electronic versions of books currently available can cost the same as a traditional book, sometimes the hardback version. Seems like the old story of ripping of consumers.

andrew allen, London,

De Ja Vu? Last year Amazons "Kindle" was touted as doing the very same thing and debated in the very same way. Is the world so boring and trite that we have to invent almost the exact same story every year?

Masopher, London, UK

I have an eye condition that makes reading normal print a very tiring experience, so the ability to increase font size sounds very interesting. I wonder if it's possible to also increase contrast etc.

Rich, Leeds,

The people who say that books can't be replaced are like the ones that said that people wouldn't switch from the 'feel' of vinyl. Well, everyone under thirty has an iPod now, don't they? Eink was rubbish before. It's awesome now. I know, I've just read two long books on a Sony Reader.

Hywel, Warrington,

I like the idea of this gadget and can see its usefullness for travellers and love the text size changes, but... Why leather cover and where did this material come from. Also, why not a variety of page colours to suit choices; I would like a pale blue for instance

helen, Norwich,

Yesterday I tried to see what ebooks are available on Waterstone's website. Could not find any!!! I need to be ceratin that I can buy a range of books before I spend £200.

David Shaw, London,

It could never replace proper books for me - a good idea for the partially sighted though.

Books have a strong IDENTITY both inside and out - all would be lost with this Blue Peter one-I-made-earlier gizmo.

Ian Ellison says: We've been there, done that. It didn't work.

Let's move on.

Annie Hancock, Bath, UK

I bought one of these in the US last year, and while it's great for travelling because it can store multiple items, it will never replace real books.

clivex, Bristol, England

I've tried this gadget, and its not great. There is such a significant delay between pressing the buttons and the screen actually showing the next page is incredibly frustrating and its almost incredible that they launched this product with such a fundamental flaw.

Helen , Cheltenham,

I agree with Tom of Bath: content is all.

John Peters, Swansea,

I'm a book worm and I have book shelves full of books. And I would not buy this gadget as there is nothing like curling up and reading a book. But for those who'd not normally read a book but would get on with this gadget then it would be a good thing.But I don't think it will ever replace books

Lib, Bristol,

I've self-published three novels but I can't sell them at a competitive price because of the greedy mark up imposed by the retail trade. Ever since I offered them as FREE downloads on Sony Reader and iPhone they've been moving in hundreds. I remain poor but happy for the marketing opportunity.

Martin Pilcher, Hertford, UK

Surely what matters more than the medium (i.e. a paper book or an electronic device) is less important than what you are reading from it? All this claptrap about dear old 'tomes' is mere fetishism. More literature to more people- what's the problem?

Tom, Bath, UK

This is wonderful - the future of the written word. Yes paper is more tactile, but in time we'll get over that, and save trees.

James, Monteria, Colombia - "You can only load it up in countries with decent bookshops"

Actually James, there's this thing you may have heard of called the internet?

Alastair, Alicante, Spain

I worked in electronic publishing in the early 90s when Sony released the EB (Electronic Book). Didn't work then, won't work now. People who love books want the tactile involvement, and the attachment of owning a favourite copy of a book - it's not just the story, it's the memories of that book.

Ian Ellison, Northleach, UK

Once you've spent the money on the machine, are you going to be able to find "deals" on books as you do with old paperbacks?

Arkady, Brooklyn, USA

Thankfully there are ernough of us left that still appreciate the feel of a good book in our fist - this visual-kinesthetic response to the "experience of reading a good book" can't be replaced by the latest plastic "got to have it" gimmick by whoever - don't worry Miss Cummings. all is safe!

Carol Scarratt , Bragg Creek , Canada

Ah, but there's nothing like the feel of a tome in your hands. The caress of the pages, fingers lingering to turn the page when required. The perusal of an illustration. Turning back to reread a section. The smell of paper. And the binding.

Jim Taylor, Edinburgh, Scotland

This piece of kit would be fantastic for people like me, living in almost bookless societies (there's next to nothing either in English or Spanish). The problem: You can only load it up in countries with decent bookshops...exactly where you don't need it. Sort that out and I'm having one.

James, Monteria, Colombia