So, why am I abandoning Elonex?

Simply put - Elonex abandoned me. Their staff and website promised updates which never came. We're not just talking about additional features - there are some serious bugs in the device. They ignored emails when people complained about faulty devices - as, it would appear, did Waterstones.

In short, their business model was BOPO. Buy One and Piss Off. No customer support. No attempt to buy loyalty. No thinking of a long term investment.

Last year, the price of the EB511 was fairly competitive. It still sells in Maplin for £150 - that's around half the price of some Sony models.

Yet the Kindle has the same price point, comes with 3G and - most importantly - customer support.  Software which seems regularly updated.  And it is backed by a company who don't treat customers with outright disdain.

Elonex could have made a huge impact in the budget eBook market - but their attitude to customers has put me off buying any of their products.

The Kindle is not all roses, though.  There are some potential downsides.

• ePub - the most popular ebook format isn't supported.  The eBook management software Calibre can convert the files into a suitable format.
• Over enthusiastic use of DRM - potentially to remove books you've already bought.
• Lack of expandable storage.  Only 3GiB.  I say "only" - because that's more books than you could hope to read in a lifetime.

I'm sure there are some other issues which will surface over time. But for now, count me among one of the faithful. Kindle - HERE I COME!