Unlike mobile phones, laptops and other devices, the ebook reader industry started off rather inconspicuously. In fact, when the first Amazon Kindle launched, it did so without much fanfare. But with Oprah gushing about the Kindle being her “new most favorite thing in the world,” people’s curiosity eventually paved the way for the Kindle to really take off big time. This catapulted Amazon to ebook reader fame, and further cemented its hold on the market with the Kindle DX release.

But there are plenty of products out there with hype on their side, is the new DX another one or is it the real deal? Honestly, it is a bit of both. The Kindle DX is just the beefier big brother of the slightly older Kindle 2 and while they are both great technology, they may not be poised to replace paper books just yet. What they do offer, the Kindle 2 especially, is great portability. And with the ability to hold thousands of books in something only as big as a thin hardback book, the appeal is obvious. You would need a library on your back to carry around what the Kindle can.

The Kindle 2 has plenty of competition from other ebook readers, but the new Kindle DX is in a category all its own. Amazon has built a reader that is an improvement over the competition in almost every way. Whether it is more storage, an easier-to-read screen or the rotating views ala the iPhone, the Kindle DX is unmatched in its features. But it remains unmatched in its price as well.

The cost is probably the primary reason many people don’t have a DX and perhaps why many people never will. At nearly $500, you would expect the ebook reader to do, or come with, a lot more. You don’t get a cover, you don’t get any free books, you can only view in grayscale and you end up with a device that is extremely limited due to copy protection. If you pay so much, why can’t you get a few extras thrown in?

Because it is a fairly new piece of technology, the Kindle is still exploring its marketplace. It offers a great wireless connection to the Amazon marketplace, but it still isn’t available outside the country. This is simply because the Kindle is not yet established. Many people still see it as just something to read books on. But not too long ago, the iPod was only something that played music. And now, you’d have a harder time finding someone who doesn’t own one than someone who does. The fact is that the Kindle really is a revolutionary piece of technology and it has certainly made an impact. It’s only a matter of time before everyone with a bookshelf frees up some space in their room and does all their reading from an ebook reader. And as it stands now, Kindle is perched to be the ebook reader of choice for a long time to come.