Glad to hear you're enjoying the eDGe. There's more to come from enTourage, too

Regarding #1 - this was changed by design. Previously the Switch button only toggled between the Reader and the Journal. Now it cycles between eInk applications that are running. They also changed it so that the Reader and Journal don't actually run until you first need them. That's why if you're reading a book, the Switch button doesn't bring up the Journal anymore. I find pressing the "Journal" button on the LCD side easy enough to do.

Regarding #2 - This was changed with the Coyote release, and I "complained" about it at the time. The answer? use the blue trackball control to move left/right within a text field and up/down between fields.

Regarding #3 - search for "Gelaskins" and "decalgirl" for forum threads on covers.

I haven't been in a store with my eDGe, so I can't speak to your last question.