I promised a review of the Amazon Kindle. I’ve had it for a month or so now, and I’m absolutely loving it.

The idea of the Kindle is absolutely revolutionary once you experience it. The screen is crisp, easy on the eyes, and effortlessly reads like paper. You’re carrying around a 10 ounce device that can hold a complete library of 1,500 books.

If you ever get to the point that your Kindle is full, or you just want fewer books on the directory, just delete them. They’re saved in the cloud in your Amazon.com account, and you can download them back into your Kindle in less than 60 seconds.

Even better, if you need something new to read, you can buy it and download it directly to your Kindle. No need for a wi-fi hot spot or computer; the Kindle has a built-in connection on the Sprint 3G wireless network with no monthly fees.

The Kindle’s battery will normally last two weeks with very little usage, or a couple of days with quite heavy usage. However, turn off the wireless connection and battery usage will be incredibly minimal when you’re not reading. That’s the approach I take, because then I don’t really have to worry about charging it unless I see the battery depleting while reading.

One of the best parts of the whole concept is the ability to sample books at will. Today, when I read about a book or am browsing Amazon.com, I can send the first chapter or two to my Kindle with a single click.

Here’s a major con: you’ll really wish there was some way to convert your existing “dead tree” library or books you’re in the middle of reading right now into Kindle books. Of course, there’s no way to do that.

Also, there are certain books that I don’t think I’d buy for the Kindle. Obviously, a book heavy on illustrations or art. Or a reference book heavy on diagrams. (This is a pretty small minority, but I thought I’d bring it up.)

I took the Kindle on vacation to Yosemite and greatly enjoyed it. I used it on the beach without any glare taking away from the readability of the amazing screen.

Right now, I’m focusing on finishing my “dead tree” books and stocking up my Kindle with the titles I’ll want for our upcoming trip to Ethiopia in late October or early November. My intention at this point is for the Kindle to be the only book I take!

And I won’t miss lugging around pounds of reading material, that’s for sure.