I have been a proud owner of the Kindle DX for two whole days now.  I generally do like my reviews to be made after I’ve played with the product for awhile, and I’m definitely going to update this review as time goes on, but I think that I have enough right now to start to make some meaningful contributions.

My initial impressions of the new Kindle DX are mostly favorable.  Since I’m a bit of a “glass is half empty” kind of guy, let me lead off with the few things that I don’t like before I get to the things that I do like.

1. The weight – at 18.9 oz the DX is almost twice the weight of the regular Kindle 2.  I did not find it comfortable to hold one handed like I would with a paperback book.  It does weigh less than a hardcover, but you would usually hold a hardcover book with two hands.  The much smaller Kindle DX does not really lend itself to this.

2. No way to organize your library- Everything from magazines, newspapers, and blogs to books, audio files, and PDF documents appear in alphabetical order in your list of content – It would be better if these things could be grouped by type.

3. The cost of many books is less on the kindle, but occasionally, you come across one that is cheaper in another format.  I’m sorry, but this should never happen.  The Kindle version of a book should always be cheaper.  The cost of the newspapers is another matter entirely – The Wall Street Journal is cheaper in its daily print format than it is on the Kindle.  This is just wrong.

Now for the  list of things that I like about the Kindle:

1. Instant gratification – If I need a book right now – say for example, I’m having some trouble with Wordpress and I want to buy a Wordpress book – Granted, I can have one overnighted, or if I’m lucky, I might find a copy at a local bookstore, but that will take time to drive there and back.  With the kindle, I can buy the book and have it delivered to my Kindle in a couple of minutes

2. Free Previews  – Every book offered on the Kindle store features a free preview chapter that you can download.  You get to try the book out before you buy it, so that you only invest in books that don’t suck.  Every magazine, newspaper, and blog features a free 2 week trial so you can decide whether or not it’s for you before you start getting charged.

3. Carry your entire library in a compact form factor – okay, this one is rather obvious, but it definitely is a consideration.

4. On the DX, you get native PDF support.  Some PDF documents look better than others but overall, it is very convenient.

5. It passes the “bathroom test” meaning that it does not feel weird reading it while sitting on the potty.  I’ll admit that in the past, I’ve been guilty of using my laptop in the john – the kindle is far more comfortable.

So far, I think that I like what I see.  It was definitely worth waiting for this larger version.  The price is a bit much, but from what I have seen, the cost of the components is more than half of the price.  Add in a reasonable profit, R&D costs, and the licensing fees for the e-ink and other technologies, and the price is probably about right.  Obviously as time goes on, the prices should come down, but today, the DX is the coolest ebook reader on the market today.