If you haven’t heard, Kindle is Amazon.com’s new digital device that allows you to read books on the go. The device features a glare-free screen based on electronic paper technology. According to Amazon, the screen can be read even in bright sunlight and is as easy on the eyes as reading text on paper. In addition, Kindle can download books by connecting to Sprint’s high-speed wireless network, but it doesn’t require a monthly service plan because the data download fees are built in to the price of each book. Amazon also claims users can read thousands of pages before needing to recharge the device, and that the battery will last for about two days with its wireless network access left on.

Although Kindle offers some innovative features, I wouldn’t call it revolutionary. Sony has been attempting to bring ebooks into the mainstream for years with devices like the Reader and the Connect ebook delivery service. Smaller companies like HanLin have also tried to make a name for themselves in this market, but for the most part, their sales have been limited to early adopters in tech-hungry Asian markets. Of course, being the first isn’t nearly as important as being the best, as any iPod/iTunes fan will tell you. Although I think Amazon is on the right track, I don’t think Kindle is going to revolutionize how we read or how digital educational content is delivered—at least not right now. Here are a just a few reasons why it’s not making my Christmas list this year and why I don’t believe Kindle will be a hit with students and teachers, either:

Kindle costs $499. That’s comparable to the cost of an iPhone, a bargain-priced laptop, a long weekend in Vegas, or 4,000 packages of Ramen noodles.

Book downloads are around $9.99 a piece. Sure, a new hardcover is a lot more than 10 bucks, but a library card is free. Furthermore, on the rare occasion that I buy a pricey book, I expect it to be more than a stimulating read. I expect it to add a touch of class to my living room. (I find people don’t laugh as much at my Kelly Clarkson album collection when it’s sandwiched between Tolstoy and Nietzsche.)

Kindle is a one-trick pony. Say what you will about “convergent” devices being hard to use. I’ll compromise on usability if it helps me avoid uncomfortable backpack bloating. At the very least, I expected that Kindle would be able to store and display personal documents from programs like Microsoft Word. However, to do this, the Kindle promo video claims you must email files to your Kindle device (I’m still not sure how that works) and pay Amazon to convert them to a Kindle-compatible format.