Hi lunixer,
I fell your pain. I've postponed the purchase of my first ereader waiting for a new model with side buttons.
Is the only thing I don't like about the KT. But I'm searching and I don't find a good alternative. BTW Sony is also dropping audio support in the new T2.
As other poster said you can look in less mainstream brands.
Onyx X61E for example. Kind of ugly but...
Papyre 601
http://grammata.es/papyres/50736/papyre-601.html