Kindle 2: More Than a Pretty Face

The younger, slimmer, and smarter sister of Amazon's (AMZN) sold-out Kindle electronic reader arrived on Feb. 9, at the same $359 price of its older sib. Gone are the angular lines and clunky silhouette that consumers and critics complained about when the first Kindle was introduced in November 2007. In their place is an ultra-sleek, tablet-like object with smooth, rounded edges and keys. But while the new object is gorgeous, tech experts say, its real beauty lies in its innovative service.

If Amazon Chief Executive Jeff Bezos has his way, readers will flock to the new Kindle because it's easy on the eyes. Talking up the device at a press conference in New York, Bezos says readers of "long-form text" will prefer Kindle to over a computer screen, any competitor's e-reader, and even ink on paper.