My wife got me a PRS-505 for my birthday last year (December of 2008). We signed up for the Sony credit card and got $150.00 off, so it ended up being $150.00 instead of $300.00. I'm not sure I would have paid $300.00 for it, but for $150.00 I figured I'd give it a shot. I had seen one in a Borders bookstore and was very impressed by the e-ink technology. Also, I liked the idea of having e-books instead of physical books because physical books end up in boxes in the basement collecting dust. Also, I was one of those people that always had to have the hard-cover; I could never settle for the paperback version. Since I liked hardback books, was a little concerned that I would miss the experience of actually going to the bookstore, buying a book and bringing it home.
When I first got my e-reader, I fell in love with it. I liked the compactness of it and the fact that I could store literally hundreds of books on it including books (like the free classic books) that I would never otherwise bother with. I got the lightwedge cover and really liked that the reader, light and cover came in such a neat, compact unit.
I've been using the e-reader pretty regularly ever since. After over one year, I can definitely say that I remain completely pleased with my e-reader. I have read more books in the past year than I did probably in the five years preceding my purchase. I have read books that I never would have bothered with that have turned out to be some of my fravorites. I like how cheap the books are too. In addition to all the free books, I definitely have saved more money at the Sony store than I would have spent buying the hardcover editions at B&N or Borders.
I have since purchased the newer light-cover with the led arm attachment and slightly prefer that to the lightwedge cover. What I like the best is the fact that the cover folds back even when the light is not being used. With the lightwedge, you can fold the cover back but not the actual lightwedge. So if you read in the daylight, you have to either keep the lightwedge over the screen or flip it to the side but then it sticks out at 45 degrees so I wouldn't be able to fold the cover behind the book.
Anyway, I am completely sold on the e-reader. Well worth the money I paid. I've probably saved enough on books to pay for it at this point. It is, without a doubt, one of the best things I own.
