Had a look at an "Iliad" e-book reader today. Didn't like. For £400 you get something which feels like it has the build quality of a pound-shop item. I'm pretty sure that it isn't actually that bad, but on the test model I was looking at, the "nudge" bar to move the pages forward and backwards failed to turn the page more often than it succeeded. In addition, the screen is rather too shiny to be readable at low angles or if the lights aren't exactly right. It's a bit like reading a glossy magazine, in that respect. Add to that a delay of several seconds to "turn" a page and a paltry 256mB of storage for books and you have a product that just won't sell. Not to me, anyway.
I love the idea of an e-book. I read a LOT of books and it would be excellent to be able to carry several in one small package, but this is not it. I will eventually buy an e-book reader but it needs to be better made, have a perfectly matt screen, a higher capacity and a more speedy interface. It would be quite nice if it were available in a left-handed model too.
Having looked at Janos' latest creation, the Mariana Trench Ring:
I realised that I have never actually made a poison ring myself. Started work on one today. No pictures yet, but it is based on Hamilton Mausoleum, uses the antique blue glass liner from a mustard pot and is going to be engraved with the words:
Vestra labiae sunt veneficus virus
(In honour of Jo!)