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Put me in the group that figures the Kindle is good for e-readers in general. We need volume sales to promote continued e-ink investment. We are not at the end of the road yet. In fact, it feels like we're early adopters of the technology.
I bought the 505 for my wife for Xmas. That's why I joined up. If it works as well as I hope I'll be buying a second reader for me. I'm on the fence whether that'd be another Sony or possibly the Kindle.
As far as how the Kindle affects my view of the Sony? I already don't like the idea of Sony-only LRx files because I have the long view. I won't likely be using the same device in five years but I'll sure have the same library. So even if the Kindle was never released I'd be trying to hedge my e-book investment. I'm doubly suspicious of the Kindle format future, thinking they'll take it all away some day.
I imagine the properous future of e-books is the Netflix/Blockbuster Online subscription model. Change me a fixed monthly fee and allow me access to "x" number of texts at a time that I never actually own. the Kindle would allow this sort of model, beaming me new books and killing old ones remotely. I'm not saying it is ideal. Many of us like to "own" books and this is just renting. But I think it'd be a feasible model for economic success in the e-book world.
Amazon has the book-clout to go there. Apple is another entity with enough marketing savvy and buzz to get it done too. I'll be surprised if they don't enter this arena soon. I already think of e-readers as Ipods for books.
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