Wish I'd read this before I bought one of these readers this afternoon. It was a toss up whether to buy this or spend £20 more on the Sony. I'm extremely disappointed that there's no backlight. As you say, it was only a mock model in the store so I didn't see the screen, wrongly I assumed it would light up. I find it very difficult to read, especially by the light of a bedside lamp. Waterstones told me that it was important that they pointed out that once I'd taken the cellophane off I could not return it unless it was faulty. Doesn't really seem fair when they only showed me a mock up in the store and the sales person said it had just come in and she didn't really know much about it. Also, I find it difficult to navigate the various menus. No instruction book! I really can't quite believe that. Should I have gone for the Sony afterall?