eReaders: Pros and Cons

Before BEA, I was not tempted in the least to get an eReader. One of my favorite things about reading is the physical comfort of curling up with a book, looking at its’ cover and turning the pages. And I love the conversations that arise from perusing bookshelves – both mine and others’. I could acknowledge that eReaders were probably a lot more convenient for traveling, but other than that, I didn’t think about them – at all.

Then at BEA, two developments made me actually seriously consider getting an eReader. The first is the new NetGalley service, a way for book reviewers to download galleys (ARCs) in PDF form. The second is the eARC pilot program HarperCollins is trying out for their Fall 2009 and Spring 2010 titles (some of which I am DYING to read).

Now, I still can’t really justify BUYING books for an eReader, but it seems like it could be a great format to read ARCs on.

Pros:
No or low shipping costs
Worldwide availability (in theory)
Environmentally friendly – less forests felled
No mountains of ARCs to get rid of after reading

Cons:
High cost of eReader – a $300 investment is a lot
Low current selection – not a lot of publishers are on board
Can’t pass on ARCs in contests or to other reviewers

Based on my Internet research, it seems the amazon Kindle might be the better choice for people who buy eBooks, at least in the US. But for reading ARCs and other PDFs, the Sony eReader seems to have an advantage.

What do you all think? Will we soon be seeing a shift to eARCs? And if you have an eReader preference or experience, please share!