eh I have two calculators from the 80's that still work pretty well. I also have the Franklin Bible/Bookman lcd reader that still works after over a decade of regular use. Never bought its cartridge books. I got the wordgame cartridge and haul it out whenever I get stuck somewhere. I am still using a cellphone from the early 2000's as well. It may be that ereader components can't last as well as these, but there is no way to tell if anyone is seriously trying to make them work reliably for the long-term. Still, as the prices go down, the irritation on this point tends to reduce right along with it.
I seriously wonder how long the early LCD readers (with replaceable batteries) can last. A number of LCD portable electronics have been lasting very nicely.