Back to the battery question
--And a different perspective--yes, it's true that the original Kindle had readily replaceable batteries, but the price of the original Kindle was $400(US). You can now get a basic Kindle for $80(US); and frequently for $60(US) on sale. So you could replace your current Kindle five times for the amount you would have shelled out for a 1st generation Kindle (if you bought it new). I prefer the cheaper price and the inability to easily swap the battery. It's much easier for me to justify replacing an $80 device when a newer, nicer model comes out than replacing a $400 device.