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Traditional books are a good technology... but only for those with the proper resources. Another good parallel would be to the automobile... this also is a good technology, but for all its speed and independence, it is expensive, it pollutes, it clogs cities, and it is something that many people simply can't practically afford or use.
Books are simple to use, their chief positive attribute. However, they require the use of extensive wood pulp to create one book, an environmental waste... they must be physically transported, using energy resources to do so... they must be stored, using up valuable space... and they must be kept safe from heat, moisture, chemicals, pets, in fact air itself, in order to preserve them. Some of these steps are easy enough for people with plenty of money, large houses, and purchased safeguards. But for so many others on this planet, such resources are far too limited to allow them the same luxury. What percentage of the people on this planet own shelves of dozens to hundreds of books? A much smaller number than the percentage of people who ought to have dozens to hundreds of books.
E-books are certainly not perfect, but their potential to significantly cut the costs of production, shipping and storing will help offset higher purchase prices for readers, especially in areas where those costs are very hard to pay. That makes them a great technology.
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