Argh! Or, The difficulties of purchasing an e-reader.

Despite my love for books of the paper and ink variety, I have decided to buy myself an ebook reader. I don't actually think I'll buy significantly less books. That is, I'll keep buying graphic novels, photographic books, picture books and books which are unavailable electronically or are cheaper as hard copies (there are more of those than you'd suspect).

What I will buy electronically are the books I would have previously bought as paperback fiction. And some of those, I suspect, I will go on to buy as hard copies (if I like them enough), because I am a compulsive collector.

Why buy an ebook reader, then?

1. Portability
2. The ability to carry study materials and notes
3. The ability to make notes or highlight as I read even though I've left my pens and highlighters at home again
4. The ability to search study materials and the notes I've made on them

It's about convenience, really. But now that I've decided to buy one, I'm having trouble finding one that meets my needs. And I don't think I'm being extravangant with my 'needs'. I want:

•  Something easy on the eyes (i.e. with a decent sized screen and E-ink technology, which rules out the iPad and anything smaller than 6 inches)
• Something which allows me to highlight and make notes as I read (Which rules out the beautiful green Cool-er)
• Something which isn't going to cost me more than $600 (which rules out the Irex models sold by Dymocks)
• Something which allows me to buy ebooks from any store I like without jumping through hoops (which rules out the Kindle)
• Something which doesn't punish me for living in Australia by making it almost impossible to register the product or purchase compatible ebooks (which rules out pretty much everything else)

Which leaves me with a grand total of two options:
The Sony Reader Touch Edition, which apparently is a bit difficult to procure books for. OR, the BeBook Neo, which hasn't been reviewed yet due to its April release date and has the misfortune of being $200 more expensive and looking a lot like an iPod.

Sigh.