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The KDX appears wonderful for reading PDFs, newspapers and so forth...but I question how useful it will be as an academic solution. $500 will purchase a netbook - I read (fiction) ebooks using my Eee 4G 7" with the backlight turned very low, for hours (I am in my 50s and wear glasses for reading) with no eyestrain problem. A netbook has much additional functionality, and a 10" size with a 6-8 hrs battery would provide a student with day-long use.
Also, most universitys use some sort of internet-based course management system to provide notes, interaction and other electronic content to/from students - the Kindle would not address this requirement - so the student would have to purchase 2 devices? Ouch.
A dual-display (eink + backlight) tablet/netbook/laptop would be ideal in an academic environment. It doesn't seem that the Kindle DX will provide enough functionality for that particular market segment.
I will find it very interesting to see what happens as the university trials roll-out this coming year.
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