I wrote earlier that I was considering getting a Kindle 2. Unfortunately, I’ve had my mind made up for me.

Earlier this weekend I mistakenly drove off from my garage with my Kindle on the back of my Toyota Prius. I had set the Kindle down there when I was unloading my car and apparently forgot to come grab it afterwards.  Later on, I left to go play some poker, not remembering that my Kindle was still perched on the rear end of my car.

My Kindle is now somewhere between Aurora and Rockford, likely on the side of the road somewhere.

I’ve ordered my new Kindle 2 and a leather cover for it (since the new version doesn’t come with a case). It’s scheduled to be delivered on Tuesday.  I suppose I’ll have to live without my Kindle fix for a day or two.

I’m trying to decide whether I want to get the new Kindle 2 to replace my original Kindle.  Don’t get me wrong, I love my Kindle. I use it every day.

But there are a few things that are annoying about it, such as the placement of the Previous/Next buttons, the page turn lag that is sometimes experienced and the overall ugliness of the design. I’ve figured out ways to live with all of those things, of course.  Which is what is causing my dilemma.

The Kindle 2 looks much nicer than the original.  The button placement is better.  The screen now boasts 16 shades of gray, for crisper text and images.  The page turns and other display elements are supposed to be much faster.  The battery life is better.  It’s all around a better device.  But is that enough for me to drop the $359 on it?

I suppose it depends on whether I can sell my original Kindle to recoup part of the cost.  Anyone interested in buying a Kindle 1?